Villa Kourkoulios in Apokoronos

This was such a special two weeks in August. The house is an old bakery that’s been in the owner’s family for generations, and it made a lovely base for a quiet holiday and a taste of real Crete. It’s well set up, with plenty of towels and cleaning products, good air conditioning, and very comfortable beds. The main bedrooms share a bathroom. The small annex has twin beds, its own kitchen, and a shower room, which would suit teenagers or young adults. In the kitchen there’s a fridge-freezer, oven, microwave, and filter coffee machine. We used the annex fridge for drinks. The pool is a good size, and the views are stunning, with olive-covered hills to one side, mountains to the other, and the Cretan Sea in the distance. You’ll need a car. We drove to Vrysses each morning for coffee and bread. It’s the nearest town, with a few small supermarkets and a fabulous bakery. Chania is about 35 km away, and the villa is well placed for exploring northern, western, and southwestern Crete. There’s a family-run taverna in Maza about a 10-minute walk away. We ate there many times. Just sit down and Costas will bring whatever is on that day’s menu. The owner’s family came by a couple of times to check the pool levels. They were helpful and answered our questions about the area and the fascinating history of the house. They also showed us how to pick and peel fresh figs from the garden and told us where to buy local yoghurt, at the deli on the left as you drive into Vrysses. The villa was spotless, with the remote controls and a torch packaged after cleaning and plenty of hand sanitizer in the house. Around Crete, people wore masks in shops and restaurants until they were seated, and we felt safe travelling there. I can’t recommend this house highly enough. It’s a peaceful place to experience something different from the usual seaside resorts. Waking up to the hills from our bed, hearing cockerels and the bells on the hillside goats, then relaxing by the pool as buzzards circled overhead and cicadas sang, all felt like a little slice of Cretan heaven.

Surrounded by orange, lemon, and fig trees, this villa is a real find. It dates back to the 1800s and has its own pool, plus beautiful views. We were the first family to stay after the Covid 19 pandemic and felt very welcome. The locals were friendly, and Kostas, the local taverna, is a 10-minute walk away for a real Cretan experience. We’ll definitely be back.

Set in a unique landscape and village, this is a peaceful place for families or friends. It was very clean and fully equipped, and the hosts were friendly and kind. Our stay was definitely worth it.

A peaceful spot in a beautiful setting, with a traditional farmhouse villa.