We had a truly wonderful month staying at Manolis's beautiful house. Manolis is a kind and friendly host, who gave us a warm welcome and lots of useful information and tips about the house and the area. He lives in Chania but was always responsive and available whenever we texted any questions.
The house itself is a former bread mill, which Manolis has beautifully renovated with his own two hands to make into a comfortable and stylish abode. Even though it was just two of us the place would easily fit a family, with two big double beds and a smaller one on a mezzanine which I imagine would be great for kids. The interior is tastefully decorated with traditional Cretan fabrics and artefacts from its former life as a mill. The kitchen is well supplied, with a good oven, hobs, pans, and cutlery, etc. The house has air con, and is generally a comfortable and cosy place to spend a month. The real highlight of the house is the courtyard, which is very large and totally private. There are deck chairs out there which you can lie on during the warm Cretan nights and look up at the stars, while watching local wildlife pass by such as barn owls, ferrets, bats, and friendly neighbourhood cats. Manolis also has a large garden attached, full of a variety of fruit trees and herbs which he kindly encouraged us to help ourselves to.
Exopoli itself is a very small local village, which although partly abandoned is wonderfully quiet and non-touristy. There are a couple of tavernas within walking distance, but to be honest you would probably struggle if you didn’t have a car as the main shops, restaurants and bars are all down in Georgioupolis, which although only 3km away is down a steep hill so would be difficult to walk back from in the heat. If you have wheels though then the house is absolutely perfect for exploring Crete, situated as it is between Chania and Rethymno. The beach at Georgioupolis is unusual in that there are natural springs that mean there is a permanent layer of cold water riding on top of the warm sea water below, which makes for a unusually chilly swim! It’s not far to drive to good beaches down the coast which don’t have this phenomenon, and to visit the gorgeous lake Kournas. It is also a relatively short 1 hour drive to get to the south of Crete, which offers some spectacular views and terrific snorkelling.
Note that as of September 2020 Crete, like the rest of the world, is subject to some coronavirus restrictions, including mask wearing in public spaces and some tourist attractions being closed or curtailed. However in general the covid response in Greece feels effective and yet not overwhelming, and the decreased tourist numbers meant that we had a really pleasant time exploring the whole island despite them.
All in all we had a truly unforgettable time staying at Manolis’s house, and we were so sad to leave! Thank you so much for your hospitality Manolis – we hope to visit again some day soon!
Ned and Joni