What an incredible stay we had at this extraordinary place! First of all, even though the pictures do look nice, the real thing is still SO much better! The view on a wide olive grove is absolutely wonderful. You can see the sea from the top terrace as well! It is so peaceful and quiet, the only thing you hear in the occasional sheep across the valley. The house itself is beautiful and spotlessly clean. It has a great spirit about it, too (no surprise as the owners built the entire thing themselves!!). The 4 of us didn't even know what to do with all the space. The pool area is of course the highlight, as is the dinner area with the big barbecue and the upper terrace for a glass of wine during the sunset. The house is located an easy 20 minute drive from Rethymnon, and the next village with the best taverna (and the best people!) is a 15 minute walk. You feel like you are in the real Crete, away from mass tourism but close enough to everything you need. On top of that, Amalia and her husband were the best hosts you could imagine. They provided foolproof directions to the house, were giving us recommendations on what to do in the area, and welcomed us (after an exhausting journey) with homemade treats! We could not have a better vacation, and it was because of this place that we have so many great memories now. Thank you for everything Amalia & Haris!