Argiro villa is encircled by stone walls, and as you pass through the solid wood doors into the grassy garden and pool area you immediately find yourself in a hidden oasis of calm away from the crowds. Although, the central village setting, there are beautiful views to be seen from the private roof terrace where you can sit back during the day and look out over the higgledy-piggledy terracotta til
ed roof tops to the nearby sparkling blue ocean and the distant White Mountains, or simply star gaze at night. A short stroll of 140m brings you to the village square where the atmosphere is very friendly, and you can while away the hours under leafy mulberry trees sipping Greek coffee or cold beer with the locals, or enjoy a mouth-watering meal with a choice of traditional Cretan cuisine, souvlaki, breakfasts and snacks, and even Italian. With 4 tavernas, 3 well stocked mini markets, 5 cafes (1 with computers, video games, and free WIFI access), a hairdresser, and an Italian restaurant all close by, even the less active holidaymaker will find all their needs catered for. An 850m walk downhill brings you to the family friendly sandy beach and small fishing harbour in Almyrida that is lined with a good variety of tavernas, cafes, and shops. Almyrida proudly flies the coveted EU Blue flag which is only given to beaches with high standards in cleanliness, bathing water quality, and environmental and coastal protection. A timeless ambience pervades this recently refurbished village house which cleverly fuses original architectural features such as open-faced stone work, stone archways, a feature stone fireplace, wall nooks - including one that was used over 100 years ago for the bucket of water from the well, beamed ceilings made from fragrant local cypress wood, and an ancient sheep watering trough in the garden, with contemporary furnishings and every modern comfort including: gleaming bathrooms, a fully fitted kitchen with a ceramic hob, built-in oven, microwave oven, fridge/freezer, dishwasher and washing machine; a flat screen TV and a DVD player in the lounge; tilt-and turn windows with mosquito screens, and independently controlled air conditioning units in the bedrooms. For the cooler nights at the start and end of the season, the air-conditioning units also double up as heaters and there is the working fireplace. The water is heated by either solar panel or a back-up immersion heater. WIFI internet access is available though guests will need to purchase top-up cards for air-time locally. Due to the narrow lane leading to the villa, parking for the villa's guests is situated a short 50m walk from the villa itself, though luggage, shopping, and the less able can be dropped off right outside the villa. Welcoming and extremely roomy, the interiors are cool and airy and ideal for relaxed summer living. The 2 downstairs bedrooms each have French doors that open out on to the well-tended lawn and pool terrace, whilst special mention must be made of the private master suite that takes up the entire first floor and boasts a king size bed, a beautiful en-suite bathroom with a jacuzzi bath, and a private balcony with views to the sea. It is a pleasure to spend time unwinding in the garden or on the large and private roof terrace - both of which are suntraps and are equipped with an array of comfortable furniture including sun-beds, umbrellas, tables and chairs. For those of you who prefer chill out in the shade, the side garden sits perfectly in the shadow from the house. Lazy summer days swimming in the crystal clear pool merge seamlessly into the warm Cretan nights when the hardest decision you will have to make will be whether you barbeque at home, or take the 3 minute amble to the square to eat out. For those of you who don't want to cook but would prefer to eat in at Villa Argiro, you can always get a delicious takeout from any of the village tavernas. Generally, Villa Argiro is a lovely escape from the hustle and bustle of life whilst being perfectly situated for easy forays to local beaches, or to the many beauty spots including the nearby foothills of the White Mountains, the turquoise snorkelling cove at Ombrosgialos, and the picturesque Venetian harbour towns of Chania and Rethymnon. Whilst there may be no immediate use for the car on a daily basis for eating out and shopping for supplies, we do highly recommend renting a car in order to explore the many and varied sites that Crete has to offer.
