Sorry - no pets allowed Not suitable for children under 5 No smoking at this property Self-catering
Home description
Helena is a beautiful, newly built stone villa,set on a country hillside position, it boasts a wonderful variety of scenery from the White Mountains to panoramic sea and coastline views, a truly peaceful holiday retreat. The villa is situated just outside the traditional village of Prines , where its few little shops and friendly taverna , are a walk away. A few minutes by car and you are in the village of Atsipopoulo, where there are some more very good tavernas, an excellent take away restaurant, a small supermarket, a lovely bakery, a pharmacy and even an internet cafe. A ten minute drive will take you to the bustling harbour town of Rethymno where a wide variety of excellent shops, clubs, bars, tavernas and restaurants await you. You are never far away from a beautiful beach on Crete, the nearest being ten minutes drive away. Relax in the sun, swim or enjoy the various water sports on offer.(peak season) The villa is set in its own well kept gardens and has a private pool, so you dont have to go far to enjoy the lovely Cretan sunshine.
Villa Entrance with Pool
Front view of Villa
Pool
front of villa
To see more photos please visit http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/14357
The Crete region
The climate is characterised by mild,rainy winters,and hot dry summers.The rainy season begins in late October and lasts until mid March. Even so, it has 300 sunny days per year,with average summer temperatures of 26 degrees Centigrade. The western part of Crete has slightly more rainfall than the eastern part and is more greener. The northern part of Crete is slightly cooler than the south, but less windy,because it is sheltered by the mountains,which stretch across the centre of the island. Crete has one of the earliest civilisations,the Minoan,which reached the peak of its power in 1600B.C. The remains of its palaces can be seen at Knossos.Malia,Zakros and Phaestos.In 1204 the Venetians occupied theisland. Evidence of the presence can be seen at the fortress and harbour of Rethymno. The Ottoman Turks then occupied the island from 1669-1898. Finally Crete declared union with Greece in 1908. During World War II it was briefly occupied by Nazi Germany between 1941-44.
Knossos The ancient Palace of Knossos is situated 5km from Heraklion and is the most magnificent,interesting and evocative of Cretan Minoan sites.It is reputed to have 1500 rooms under which the labyrinth lies in which the legendary Minotaur resided. If you wish to visit it during the summer months,it is recommended that you arrive early to avoid the inevitable long queues.
Samaria Gorge The gorge is possibly the longest in Europe,and is a fascinating place to visit.It will probably take you about 6 hours to visit. It is recommended that you take an organised tour,which will collect you from a pre-arranged place and return you there. Also it is best visited outside of the peak season,when up to 3000 people can be visited during the day.
Chania Chania is the second largest town in Crete and is a charming,vibrant,beautiful place to visit. Amid its Venetian harbour can be seen clustered its museums,churches and craft shops.Food is offered in great variety through its myriad of restaurants,and it has its own sandy beach nearby.
Rethymno / Prines area
Rethymno The third largest town in Crete,which has retained its traditional look.You can confirm this as you stroll through its old narrow lanes with wooden balconies,tall minarets and Venetian mansions.It has a huge Venetian fortress(Fortezza),which overlooks the city and points out to sea. Right opposite is the endless sandy beach which starts from the town and stretches all the way to the holiday centres i.e. Platanias. It also has hundreds of individual shops and restaurants,and some night clubs around the old harbour area. From the port it is possible to organise a day trip to the nearby volcanic island of Santorini.
Lake Kournas Lake Kournas is the largest inland lake in Crete. which hosts many different species of wild waterfowl. It is also possible to hire pedaloes and rowing boats for use on the lake. If you take a drive towards the mountains,there are many fine restaurants which overlook the lake,where you can dine whilst at the same time admire the beautiful surrounding scenery.
Margarites Margarites is a small village known for its production of pottery.The pots are handmade using techniques dating back thousands of years.Walking around the village one can see ornate walls and doors dating from the Venetian era. So if you are interested in taking back home some genuine Cretan vases, this is the place to go.
How to get there
Fly to Heraklion or Chania. The distance from both airports by car will take about 1 hour to drive. Flights available to Heraklion from Easyjet from Gatwick & Manchester (Late March - Late October). Charter Flights available from early May - late October, (Excel Airways, First Choice, Thomas Cook. & JMB etc) Last Minutes bargains from Olympic Holidays, Cosmos Holidays, and Cheapflights. Car hire available from www.thebestcars.gr who,additionally offer a Meet and Greet service to take you to the villa. (Cost about 50 Euros). Taxi fares from both airports to the villa are about 60 Euros.
Nearest Travel Links
Airport:
Chania: 70 km
Ferry:
Rethymno: 6 km
Activities near Rethymno
Sports: Watersports Waterpark
Great for: Walking holidays Rural / countryside retreats Beach or lakeside relaxation Cycling holidays
Single beds (2), Double beds (2), Dining seating for 6, Lounge seating for 6, Sleeps maximum of 6
Other:
Linen and towels provided.
Outdoors:
Balcony / Terrace, Private outdoor pool (unheated), Private garden, BBQ
Access:
Secure parking
Further details indoors: Villa Helene has been built using traditional Cretan stone and features lovely high beamed ceilings which help keep the property cool during the hot midday sun. Water is solar heated but with an electric heater as back up. The well equipped modern kitchen diner and the relaxing lounge area form a lovely open plan space. Satellite TV is provided although subscription channels are not available.Both films and music can be played on the DVD.The master bedroom en suite has a large walk in shower and a beautiful kingsize bed. Double doors open out onto the large upper terrace where the sunset view is breathtaking.The downstairs bathroom has a corner bath / jacuzzi, with an overhead shower.
Further details outdoors: The large upper sun terrace is accessible both from the inside of the villa and the outside stairs. Here there is a table and chairs for you to sit and watch the sun go down, and may be drink a nice bottle of local wine.The lower terrace is partly covered by a large pergola to give plenty of shade. There are also two large parasols,one for the sun terrace and one for the garden,where you can enjoy relaxing on the sun loungers. A table and six chairs gives plenty of room for eating alfresco,and a barbecue is provided for your use . The rectangular pool measures 8mtr x 4 mtr, and ranges from 1.2 to 1.6metrs in depth, has ladder access, and is beautifully lit for night time swimming. The outside of the villa is very well illuminated , including the gardens and the upper terrace ,and looks very welcoming when you arrive home after an evening out.
Further details
The pool is unheated and so is mainly used from May to September,obviously this depends upon the weather, and the hardiness of the swimmer. Bathroom and pool towels are provided. Water and electricity consumption are included in the rental cost. Unfortunately it is the case, in rare instances,that there may be an interruption in electricity supply,but the villa has ground floor emergency lighting in the living area, though being in a rural area, it is recommended that guests bring a small torch with them anyway. The villa is fully cleaned and a complimentary welcome pack of basic necessities is provided for your arrival. .
Conditions
Please note the discount prices for smaller parties. We ask that a deposit amounting to 20% of the total price is paid immediately after booking. The remaining payment is required in full, 4 weeks prior to your departure. These prices are based on a seven day booking,any extra days are priced by the day. .
Rental rates
Rental prices originally quoted in: British £
Convert to:
Prices for group size 6
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
MAY 2009
1 May 09
1 Jun 09
600£600
0-
0-
1 Week
JUNE 2009
1 Jun 09
1 Jul 09
700£700
0-
0-
1 Week
JULY 2009
1 Jul 09
1 Aug 09
950£950
0-
0-
1 Week
AUG 2009
1 Aug 09
1 Sep 09
950£950
0-
0-
1 Week
SEPT 2009
1 Sep 09
1 Oct 09
800£800
0-
0-
1 Week
OCT 2009
1 Oct 09
15 Oct 09
700£700
0-
0-
1 Week
53
Prices for group size 4
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
MAY 2009
1 May 09
1 Jun 09
500£500
0-
0-
1 Week
JUNE 2009
1 Jun 09
1 Jul 09
600£600
0-
0-
1 Week
JULY 2009
1 Jul 09
1 Aug 09
850£850
0-
0-
1 Week
AUG 2009
1 Aug 09
1 Sep 09
850£850
0-
0-
1 Week
SEPT 2009
1 Sep 09
1 Oct 09
700£700
0-
0-
1 Week
OCT 2009
1 Oct 09
15 Oct 09
600£600
0-
0-
1 Week
53
Prices for group size 2
Period
From
To
Weekly
Nightly rate
Minimum stay
Weekday
Weekend
MAY 2009
1 May 09
1 Jun 09
400£400
0-
0-
1 Week
JUNE 2009
1 Jun 09
1 Jul 09
500£500
0-
0-
1 Week
JULY 2009
1 Jul 09
1 Aug 09
750£750
0-
0-
1 Week
AUG 2009
1 Aug 09
1 Sep 09
750£750
0-
0-
1 Week
SEPT 2009
1 Sep 09
1 Oct 09
600£600
0-
0-
1 Week
OCT 2009
1 Oct 09
15 Oct 09
500£500
0-
0-
1 Week
53
NB: Prices may be subject to change at the owner's discretion.
These prices are for 6 people sharing per week.
Please contact owner for special discounts on smaller parties.
20% deposit on booking. Refundable if cancelled period is refilled.
Holiday fully paid 4 weeks before departure please.
Availability
See below for next 6 months' availability - to see the next 24 months click here
Key:
11
12
Booked
11
12
Available
11
12
Unknown
11
12
Arrival/Departure dates
Contact owner
To contact this owner please visit: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/14357
Contact details for home 14357
Please mention Holiday Lettings
Name:
Lesley Betts
Tel:
+44 (0)1992 813470
Mobile:
+ 07742936497
Be aware of time-zones
Languages:
Contact Notes: Landline - any time of day
Advertiser joined: 17 Aug 2006 This property added: 17 Aug 2006
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