About this property
Live like a local when you vacation in Villa Agia, nestled in the heart of the countryside, yet within minutes of the mountains, beaches, and town, near the north coast of the Greek island of Crete, in the Aegean Sea. This beautifully restored old stone warehouse, combines the best of the traditional, with the most modern amenities, to create the perfect escape to the country holiday. The architect-designed Villa Agia is built over two stories and has three spacious ensuite double bedrooms, which can comfortably accommodate up to six guests, ideal for a family holiday, or friends’ get-together.
The villa is centred in a one thousand and six hundred square metre plot, surrounded by high stone walls and fences for privacy, security, and shade, and lush green gardens, populated by tall trees, millennium-old olive trees, and well-manicured lawns. Villa Agia comes with private parking, complimentary air conditioning, Wi-Fi throughout, and your own forty-square-metre swimming pool. Best of all is the adjacent four-and-a-half thousand square metres organic orchard, where you can pick your own fruit and veg in season. The exterior of this detached villa is local stone, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows, that flood the space with lots of natural light, and rewards the guests with mountain and nature vistas. The interiors are elegant, contemporary pieces cleverly comingle with hand-crafted wood furniture and centuries old textiles, made by the owner's great-grandmothers. The atmosphere is one of wow, this is one impressive holiday home from home.
Enter the villa through the front door, where you will be greeted by a light and airy atrium, crowned with a chandelier, an open plan staircase, and sliding doors, that open onto the pool terrace and garden. On one side of the atrium is an open-plan living space, with a seating area that has a white sofa and matching armchairs, a wooden coffee table and a sideboard, that is home to a flat-screen television. The adjacent dining set is seriously smart, can seat up to six guests, and is a superb spot for some splendid indoor dining. The wood and white modern kitchen is fully equipped with everything you will need to cater for your holidays, including a family-size fridge freezer, a built-in oven and hob, and that must-have morning coffee maker. On the other side of the atrium are two beautifully-appointed double bedrooms, one with a king-size bed, and the other with twin beds. Both bedrooms have built-in furniture, flat-screen televisions, ensuite marble walk-in shower rooms, and access to the terrace and gardens. On the first floor, snuggled in the eaves is the Master Bedroom, with a king-size bed, an exquisite wood and grey walk-in shower room, and a panoramic view roof terrace, where you can sit and marvel at the Cretan sunsets.
The grounds and gardens are idyllic. The tiled terrace has a centrepiece step-entry swimming pool, surrounded by dark mesh sun loungers, and original rocking chairs. There is a cordoned-off children’s play area and lots of lovely lawn on which to play and sunbathe. A soft seating area is situated in the shade, meet there for a morning coffee, or cocktails as dusk falls. Take a stroll around the gardens, where there is a renovated shrine built by the owner’s grandmother, and admire the ancient olive trees. Feast alfresco at the canopied six-seater dining set, with fruit and vegetables freshly picked from the organic orchard, as you raise a glass to the most memorable holiday as the sun sets over the mountains.
Villa Agia can be found at the apex of a golden triangle in a fertile valley near Lake Agia, where the nearest beach, town, and mountains are all just ten minutes away. The villa is twenty-four kilometres from Chania International Airport, a half-hour journey through the Cretan countryside to your holiday home from home. The nearest village with minimarts for daily provisions, and local shops, bars, and restaurants is a short drive away. Whilst walks in nature can be found around the Botanical Gardens, Lake Agia, water springs, and the backdrop mountain range. There are a reputed forty-one beautiful beaches on the Cretan coastline, the nearest ones to the villa are Platanias, Gerani, Agioi Apostoloi, and Agia Marina. These soft sandy beaches have easy shallow entry into the calm Aegean Sea, organised sunbeds with shady brollies, lined with family-friendly cafes and tavernas where you can sample the local cuisine, and some with water sports, particularly wind and kitesurfing.
The medieval town of Chania is only a ten-minute drive from the villa. Stroll down to the old port and harbour, see them haul in the catch of the day, visit the Maritime and Archeological Museums, seek solace in the Greek Orthodox Church of Agios Nikolaos, bargain in the local market, then dine off freshly caught seafood by the sea shore. For some holiday hot spot fun, hit the nearby resort town of Platanias. For those who love walking, explore the three hundred caves the island hides, hike over hillsides, streams, and rocky ravines to discover watermills and ruins, and stop along the way at a local winery and taste the fruits of the many vineyards.
The ancient town and port of Heraklion is a two-hour drive away, take a tour around the Palace of Knossos, visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum, walk the Venetian walls, and stroll through the old quarter, and shop for souvenirs, before enjoying ouzo like a local. Go further afield to Vai, Crete’s easternmost tip, where you will find lush forests and a unique date palm. Explore Psychro Cave, reputedly the birthplace of Zeus, and rock climb Mount Ida to find the Ideon Cave. Sitia Geopark is three hundred and fifty square kilometres of the island’s diverse eco-system, where you can trek through gorges, bathe on beaches, walk the wetlands, bird watching, and be at one with nature. Hike the Richtis Gorge, and stroll through streams to reach the twenty-metre waterfall, where you can cool off in the inviting pool. If you prefer sea to land, all aboard a boat trip where you can scuba or snorkel underwater ruins. Take the ferry to the intriguing island of Spinalonga, once a former leper colony and home to a Venetian fortress, and now an open-air museum. No visit to Crete is complete without a trip to Agios Nikolaos, a harbour town that uniquely houses a lake in its centre, with an Archaeological Museum of Minoan treasures, and tavernas, shops, bars, and restaurants, in which to sit and watch the local life go by.
Accommodation
The Villa
A converted architect designed 2 storey stone warehouse 3 ensuite bedroom villa, in its own grounds with garden and private swimming pool within a 1600 sqm plot
Ground floor:
- Fully equipped kitchen
- Dining area
- Living area
- Atrium hall
- Double bedroom with en suite
- Twin bedroom with en suite
First floor:
- Master bedroom with en suite and terrace
Exterior:
- Swimming pool
- Gardens
- Soft seating area
- Dining area
Additional facilities
- Flat screen TV
- King size bed
- Sun loungers
- Rocking chairs
- Renovated shrine
- Orchard
- Garage parking for three cars