Makrigialos holiday villa rental with shared pool, walking, beach/lake nearby, log fire, balcony/terrace, air con, rural retreat, TV, DVD

Print this pageE-mail to friendShare / Post this

A17 (villa)

Home description

With stunning mountain views as its backdrop and with one of the best beaches on Crete’s south east coast only a 5 minute walk away, Grapevines complex offers the perfect setting for your holiday.

Whether booking a romantic getaway or family holiday, Grapevines is perfectly situated for you to enjoy access to all the local amenities in the charming fishing village of Makrigialos.

View from balcony across Grapevines	View from balcony across Grapevines
View of dining area.	View of living room area.

To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/58782

The Crete region

Although every inch of Crete is quintessentially Greek, Crete has an identity in its own right. Its character and traditions have been shaped over centuries. It is the birthplace of the Minoan civilisation and has been inhabited by Greeks, Byzantines, Venetians, Romans and Turks. Such a melting pot of culture and heritage provides a mix of history just waiting to be explored.

Crete is the largest and most southerly of the Greek Islands, with over 1000kn of coastline, beautiful beaches and azure seas. The landscape offers the traveller a wonderful array of scenery from snow-capped mountains and rugged peaks to large coastal plains, which encapsulate the history, myth and romance of this island.

During spring, Crete is ablaze with riotous colour, not only originating from its countryside, but also surrounding the apartments and houses of its proud inhabitants where vivid pinks and reds bloom.

They say that Cretan people are renowned for their hospitality, and a hearty welcome awaits travellers to the island. Our personal experience of Makrigialos certainly confirms this to be true. Don’t be surprised to be presented with a complimentary starter or glass of Raki (a very strong alcoholic drink) as a gesture of hospitality.

Makrigialos area

The village of Makrigialos and it’s sister village of Analipsi are built nestling alongside the delightful sandy beach, which is considered one of the finest in south east Crete. With a bountiful supply of tavernas and restaurants which hug the shoreline from the old harbour right the way along the beach, you can sample the traditional Cretan cuisine, including freshly caught fish. It provides the perfect opportunity to while away the evening whilst watching the sun set over the warm and tranquil sea.

The village wakes from its tranquil slumber as May approaches, transforming into a popular, bustling resort where visitors can enjoy watersports, walking, cycling, tennis and pony-trekking in the mountains as well as exploring its archaeology and mythology. For visitors wishing to step back in time there are boat trips to the island of Koufonisi, where the remains of a Roman amphitheatre can be explored.

In Makrigialos itself there are local supermarkets where most groceries can be purchased, however there is a large Lidl store just outside of Ierapetra should you wish to purchase a larger array of groceries. Souvenir shop and individual boutique shops selling pottery, leather goods and jewellery are all available, as well as two excellent bakeries where you can sample some of the mouth-watering Cretan pastries and deliciously warm, freshly cooked bread. There is also a pharmacy, dentist and doctors surgery.

There is a small market in the town on a Friday which is worth the walk down even if you don’t buy anything as it gives you the opportunity to mix with the villagers, and by carrying on a little further up the hill it gives you the opportunity to access an excellent vantage point giving fine views over the harbour.

If you drive up past Makrigialos and Analipsi there is a lovely taverna - Dragon's Cave where the food is wonderful, the company delightful and the views of the sunset over Makrigialos are breathtaking. The vegetables are home grown and the fish is caught locally, almost on a daily basis. In Makrigialos itself we highly recommend Gabbianos for its traditional tirropitta (warm cheese pies) and delicious vegetarian pizzas.

Within the Lisithou province there are many places to visit including the tourist mecca of Agios Nikolaos – a picturesque resort where you can enjoy a laid back lunch, take in the Archaeological Museum which houses a modest collection of locally found artefacts or wander round the quayside. Sitia is within 30 minutes of Makrigialos and is well worth a visit, and the drive alone takes in some fantastic scenery. An up and coming tourist resort, there are many enjoyable tavernas round Sitia's harbour, and for those wine connoisseurs there is a wine co-operative where visitors can taste the delicious locally produced wines, the area itself is considered one of the best wine-making areas on the whole of Crete.

For those wishing to explore Crete's history and archaeology, worth a mention are the ancient palaces at Phaestos, Knosos and Malia and the Venetian Harbour and Fortress at Heraklion.

Wherever you choose to go, the heady mix of hospitality, good food, excellent wine, ample opportunity to relax and spectacular scenery provides the backdrop for visitors to fall in love with Crete over and over again.

How to get there

There are two international airports in Crete which offer direct flights, Heraklion being the nearest to Makrigialos. It is possible however to get to Crete by flying to Athens and then taking another flight or ferry to Crete. A new airport is being built in Sitia which will allow direct international flights and this is scheduled to be completed circa 2009.
For the best flights from the UK try:
www.jet2.com
www.easyjet.com
www.olympicholidays.com
www.thomascook.com
www.flymonarch.com

From Sweden:-
www.sterlingticket.com
www.maersk-air.com
www.novair.net

From Germany:-
www.airberlin.com
www4.condor.com
www.hapagfly.com
www.germanwings.com

Car hire can easily be arranged and you can pick your car up at the airport at any time (there is sometimes a charge for out of hours pick up if you have late flights). This can be arranged on your behalf, please don't hesitate to email me for further details.

Alternatively you can get a taxi from Heraklion to Makrigialos and this takes in the region of 1 hour 45mins. The cost for a single trip is approximately 100 euros.

Activities near Makrigialos

Facilities

Further details indoors:
This modern property, completed in 2008 is tastefully furnished by the owners, and offers 1 double bedroom with private patio area and en-suite bathroom, plus 1 twin bedroom with views to the swimming pool. Both bedrooms are on the ground floor and have wardrobes/storage facilities. There is also a separate main bathroom with overhead shower on the ground floor. On the second floor there is a spacious open-plan living/dining area with log burning stove and a fully fitted kitchen with all mod-cons including dish-washer, fridge/freezer, toaster, kettle, oven/hob. There are also two balconies on this level.

The comfortable L-shaped sofa in the living room can easily be converted to additional sleeping for two people. The property is also air-conditioned in both bedrooms and in the living/dining room area; however the houses are cleverly designed so that they retain a welcome coolness throughout the day. Access to all levels within the property is via a spiral staircase which has secure safety gates at all levels.

On the third level there is a washing machine and outdoor washing line for your convenience.

Further details outdoors:
The property enjoys access to a shared 20m swimming pool, set within immaculate landscaped gardens and features secure access to the site and secure parking. Returning to the complex on a night after enjoying one of Makrigialos' many restaurants/tavernas, be assured of a warm welcome as the site is floodlit.

You are spoilt for choice for outdoor space with this property as it has two balconies accessed by patio doors from the living room/dining area. One balcony has views across the swimming pool and complex with the sea in the distance, the other with views to the mountains and has outdoor furniture for up to 6 people to enjoy a glass of the local beer (Mythos) or outdoor meal.

Accessed via the main bedroom is a patio with grassed area, where you can enjoy breakfast al fresco, or take shade from the Cretan sun. There is an additional third story sun-terrace, also offering tranquil mountain views, and is the perfect area to sun-bathe undisturbed on the comfortable sun-loungers provided. Each of these balconies has exterior floor lighting. All of the patio doors and windows, apart from the roof terrace, have fly-screens fitted to them for your comfort.

Further details

On arrival at the site you will be greeted by Rosemary, who along with her husband Nicos, manages the site, and our individual property. Rosemary is readily available should you have any queries about the amenities or information on Makrigialos. Rosemary has produced an excellent guide for visitors which will be available within the property, and will prepare a welcome pack of bread, wine, milk etc for you to enjoy when you arrive. If you have any further requirements, please email details and we will make every effort to accommodate your request.

There is also a mid-week clean included in the price of your stay, as is all bed linen and towels.

The summer can be extremely hot, with July and August having little or no rain. April to May ranges from 17-20 degrees, with September to October ranging from 25-21 degrees (however temperates can exceed those stated so it's important to use sun-protection). However, Makrigialos is touched by breezes from the Libyan sea and therefore there is quite often a welcoming breeze.

To call home you can use one of the payphones throughout the village which take phone cards. These cards can be purchased at numerous outlets.

Holiday start days are flexible, please email should you have any enquiries.

Conditions

A deposit of £100 is required at the time of booking to secure your stay. The balance is due 10 weeks prior to the start of your holiday. An additional deposit for breakages (£75) will be required with the final balance payment which will be refunded to you once your stay is completed.
Payment can be made via bank transfer or cheque and payment can be made in euros or GBP.
The minimum stay is for 3 nights - prices are available on request.
A discount of 10% is available on second week of your holiday should you stay for two weeks.
Other discounts may be available - please contact me for information.

Rental rates

Period	From	To	Weekly	Nightly rate		Minimum  stay
				Weekday	Weekend
Mid Season	26 Jun 08	16 Jul 08	660£  660	100100	100100	3 Nights
High Season	16 Jul 08	7 Sep 08	850£  850	150150	150150	3 Nights
Mid Season	7 Sep 08	4 Oct 08	660£  660	100100	100100	3 Nights
Low Season	8 Oct 08	6 Nov 08	450£  450	7575	7575	3 Nights
Winter Season	6 Nov 08	2 Apr 09	300£  300	0-	0-	1 Week
Low Season	2 Apr 09	18 May 09	450£  450	0-	0-	1 Week
Mid Season	18 May 09	13 Jul 09	650£  650	0-	0-	1 Week
High Season	13 Jul 09	7 Sep 09	795£  795	0-	0-	1 Week

The owner's weekend rates apply to: Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights

NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.

Refundable £75 security deposit required with final balance payment - this will be repaid to you on the completion of your stay.

We can accept payments by cheque or bank transfer in GBP or Euros.

Discounts may be available e.g. for group bookings, fortnight stays - please contact the owner for details.

Availability notes

To see availability please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/58782

Contact owner

To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/58782

Contact details for home 58782 Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:	Stephen Norvell
Languages:
Advertiser joined: 27 May 2008 This property added: 27 May 2008

Your Name
Your E-mail
Telephone
Dates	JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec   to   JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Guests	Adults       Children
Message
Where did you find us?	--Please select--Search EngineWord of MouthNewspaperMagazineRyanair Seat BackExhibitionForum / Other WebsitePrevious BookingRightmoveOther
Receive newsletter (info) Receive copy of enquiry
Use of this form is restricted to genuine enquiries about renting this property. Unsolicited commercial marketing is strictly prohibited.