Villa Eleonas is a beautiful, extremely spacious house in the small village of Vamos, just 10-20 minutes drive from several stunning beaches and villages. The house has two good-sized double bedrooms, a large open plan living area including well-equipped kitchen, a downstairs toilet and a bathroom upstairs. It also has a very pretty garden with lemon and lime trees and a vegetable garden alongside the swimming pool. There are tables and chairs in several different areas around the house, including a very large upstairs veranda which boasts amazing views of the mountains during the day and stargazing at night.
Communication with Costis and his family was excellent. He and his brother were very quick in responding to questions and dealing with any issues. They left us to our privacy but we’re on call quickly if needed.
The house is very well located just off the lower end of the high street (for exact house location google map “villa eleonas, Vamos” as the Airbnb map location is not correct.) and there are several tavernas and shops within very close proximity. Although there were a number of tourists around, Vamos will also give you a real taste for Cretan life. Several events took place during our week including live music in the restaurant opposite the end of the road, and another in a taverna behind the tourist information centre, where many locals spent the evening, and also two large music concerts in or near the high school at the top of the high street. It really is a hub for culture and we could listen to it all on the veranda (although could be silenced when the doors were closed - it was not a problem). It is well worth visiting the tourist office, only a very short walk from the house, at the beginning of your stay, to get a feel for what is on offer.
Our local recommendations are:
For beaches, Kalyves for waves and several shops, Almrida for waves and beach-side dining and Georgioupoli for the tiny chapel out at sea reached by a slightly precarious causeway. For villages, Obviously Vamos but also Plaka for evening dining and stunning sea views. For walking we found a family-friendly gorge in Patsos Gorge (one hour drive away). It is quite short but really quite fun with slightly incomplete bridges, wonky ladders and ropes to help you down the gorge. I wouldn’t recommend for anyone with children under 8 but we found it a really adventurous few hours.
We have thoroughly enjoyed our week at Villa Eleonas and Vamos and would highly recommend it.