I spent the month of March at Grigoris’ traditional Greek home in the small village of Lyttos. First off, I must say that Grigoris is an extraordinarily kind, thoughtful and interesting host. He is a scientist and also an accomplished player of the traditional music of Crete, performing in several countries. Though he lives an hour away in Heraklion, he was always ready to help me out with anything I needed. On those rare times that he stopped by, he brought me loads of chocolate croissants and fresh fruit.
Lyttos is a small, typically white village strung out along a ridge high above acres and acres of olive groves. Upon first entering the town you see the golden-colored Greek Orthodox Church shining on the hillside. The narrow streets are paved with hexagonal bricks and meander off in all directions. The view from the village off into the mountains is breathtaking.
The house has the cozy feeling of being in a nest. It is situated on the ground floor, and resembles a hobbit house from Lord of the Rings. There is a shady, tiled vestibule with jade plants and geraniums, then you enter the living room with nearly 2-foot-thick stone walls, ancient wooden beams in the ceilings, and a beautiful marble fireplace. Directly beyond the living room is the bedroom, similarly constructed. Everything is furnished with antiques, the stitching and crocheting of Grigoris’ grandmother and rustic Crete paintings.
The bathroom is tile and modern with plenty of hot water, towels, soap and shampoo provided. To the right of the front door a short hall leads to the kitchen, which has an oven and both electric and gas stovetops. A small fridge, coffeemaker and dining table and chairs complete that room. Oh, and the wifi is excellent.
Lyttos is remote as a base of operations for exploring the entire island; there is a daily bus, a small café and not much else except for the sweet inhabitants, most of whom are elderly and none of whom speak English. Every 3-4 days a sweet old lady brought me homemade cookies and fresh eggs, though all I could do was smile in return. I’ve read that it is economical to rent a scooter, motorbike or even a car and I would recommend this if you want to travel much.
But for me Lyttos served as a reading and writing “retreat,” a place to chill. I read several books and completed three essays I’d been putting off. Every other day I walked the 2-3 miles downhill into the town of Kastelli. The views along the road are grand: mountains and olive groves, the ground under the trees smothered in wildflowers, the scent of which filled the air, the occasional white house gleaming on the hillsides. In Kastelli there are groceries, a fantastic coffee/ice cream/pastry shop, and good restaurants. I had the best calamari that I’ve ever eaten in a tavern there. Bus service from Kastelli to Heraklion is hourly.
March is probably not the best time to visit, as the nights are chilly and the fireplace is needed: a pleasure in itself. Days are mostly sunny with breezes coming off the mountains; long-sleeved shirt weather. It’s a cliché, but I will never forget this place and will consider returning, maybe in warmer weather. Lyttos is a quiet example of day-to-day rural Greek life and a great place to relax and just enjoy living.