Welcome To Aerino Villa - Enjoy Your Holidays In Crete
On the northwest point of Crete, at Gramvousa peninsula, lies Villa Aerino at a small traditional village, Azogiras.
It is only 5km from Kissamo, 2km from Kaliviani beach and 35km from Chania town.
Its location is ideal since it is located between two of the prettiest beaches of Europe, Balos and Falassarna.
How to arrive at Aerino Villa?
Only 10km and 20 minutes away is one of the best and most awarded Cretan beaches!
Falassarna is a small resort boasting one of the best-known beaches in Chania Prefecture and indeed the whole of Crete, which attracts large numbers of tourists every summer.
Nowadays Falassarna is a famous Cretan destination, thanks to its beaches and also its ecological interest. Falassarna is part of the Natura 2000 network, both due to its variety of flora and fauna and as an area of outstanding natural beauty.
Looking towards Falassarna from the hill after the village of Platanos, you will see many greenhouses, as the area is ideal for growing fruit and vegetables.
In front of you are spread two beaches, divided by a few sand dunes: the south beach (known as Pachia Ammos) is longer and wider.
There are two more beaches further south: a sandy beach with rocks on the bottom, and a pebble beach next to the little harbour.
Falassarna Beach has won prizes for being the most beautiful beach in Crete and is always one of the top ten beaches in Europe, with its wonderful, fine white sand and warm, crystal-clear water.
The beach of Pachia Ammos is so big that it rarely feels overcrowded even in high summer, when you are surrounded by hundreds of people.
The only drawback is that the beach is exposed to northerly and westerly winds, so there are often large waves. This, of course, makes it all the more attractive to windsurfers.
Falassarna beach is fully organised, with umbrellas and loungers covering most of the area. However, there are several free spots for those who would rather bring their own towel and beach umbrella.
There are two bars and cafés on the beach, providing snacks, water or coffee. Beach parties are often organised in the evening, so don’t be in a hurry to leave – the fun begins as the sun goes down, with what is admittedly one of the most impressive sunsets in Crete.
Watersports are available on the beach, while there is also an area for beach volley.
The famous lagoon of Balos is located approximately 56km northwest of Chania and 17km northwest of Kissamos, formed between the Cape Gramvousa and the small Cape Tigani and below the range of Platiskinos. Balos is surely the mostly photographed beach in Crete, a very favorite subject of all tourist guides for Greece. It is no coincidence that Prince Charles and Princess Diana visited Balos with their private yacht many years ago.
Balos is famous for its turquoise waters, the wild natural beauty and the beautiful exotic scenery. During the summer, Balos is visited by thousands of people, who arrive mostly by the ferries running from Kissamos port. If you do not like crowds, you’d better avoid to visit the beach in July and August. Also, a perfect idea is to arrive at Balos in the morning, before the boats arrive from Kissamos. These few hours of remoteness in such a heavenly place will remain etched in your memory forever.
The lagoon of Balos has white sand and exotic white, vivid blue and turquoise waters. The sea is very shallow and warm, ideal for young children. In many places the sand has a lovely pinkish color, because of millions of crushed shells. Beyond the rocks at the boundaries of the lagoon, the water is deeper and colder, ideal for a snorkeling. The lagoon and the wider area, with rare species of flora and fauna, are protected under the Natura 2000 program. Eleonora falcons, shags and cormorants nest in the caves of the area. Moreover, the area is a shelter for the protected monk seal and the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). Despite the protection, some canteens and umbrellas have appeared on the beach in recent years. You can buy water from there and from the bars of the ferries.
Elafonisi is located 76km west of Chania and 5km south of Chrysoskalitisa Monastery, in the southwesternmost tip of Crete. Elafonisi is an oblong peninsula, which often breaks in two parts by water giving the impression of being a separate island. Elafonisi is a Natura 2000 protected area. The island is full of sand dunes with sea daffodils and jupiners. The endangered loggerhead sea turtle and several more rare animals and plants find shelter on the island; it is strictly forbidden to remove any plants, animals, shells and sand from the area.
Exotic beaches with white sand and turquoise water, reminding of the Caribbean, are formed on either sides of the peninsula. The sand is pinkish in many places, taking its color from millions of crushed shells. Near the breaking point of the peninsula, the sea water does not exceed 1m in depth, creating a small lagoon, ideal for children. You can easily cross the lagoon in order to reach the opposite site of the peninsula, while carrying your staff with you, because the water is very shallow there.
The eastern side of the beach, in front of the lagoon, is well organized and has the most people. There are umbrellas, showers, lifeguards, snack bars and changing rooms. Also, near the beach there is a huge area for parking and, even further, a few rooms to let. Opposedly, the beaches on either sides of the island are less crowded and are the most beautiful, with amazing azure colors. If you want to stay completely secluded or nude, you can walk along the peninsula until you find a quiet cove that you like! There are some coves available for naturists near the west end of the peninsula.
You can come by car (1.5 hours) or by bus from Chania. The road to Elafonisi is narrow and full of turns, but the beauty of the landscape is stunning; you will cross the beautiful lush green village Elos and the imposing gorge of Topolia . Moreover there are many options for accommodation at Chrisoskalitissa village, 5km to the north. You can eat at Chrissoskalitissa or at Elos (on the way back to Chania).
Always the first thing you hear about Chania – the Venetian Harbour, the old port, the narrow shopping streets and waterfront restaurants.
Chania is also one of the two places you are most likely to see on arriving in Crete. It is beautiful – that is to say much of the Chania you will want to see is clustered close to the harbour – old buildings, museums, churches and crafts shops (some with genuinely interesting and sometimes local, products on offer).
Food is offered in great variety and sometimes great similarity – there are many restaurants and also cafes, at which to reflect upon the experiences of places you have just explored together with the enjoyment of some tasty food – we have suggestions for restaurants further on.
The atmosphere has a touch of Florence and Venice (a few years ago when those cities still had some room to walk), combined with the culture and character of Cretan people and traditions.
The Chania harbour is wonderful and at any particular time of day the light produces a different result, creating a “different place”.
This is the best chance to see some of the old buildings – of Venetian and Turkish design, that Crete once had across the island – many have since been destroyed by the ravages of war and plunder.
Chania is surrounded by numerous rich options for sightseeing, exploration and discovery. Mountain villages provide a view into the “inner Crete”. The Samaria and many other gorges can be hiked, archaeological sites abound.
The Samaria Gorge is the longest trekking gorge in Europe and also the most famous of all. Thousands of tourists flock here daily in the summer season to walk from the top to the bottom. For many visitors, it?is the sole purpose of their visit to Crete. The length of the gorge, which belongs to the European E4 path, reaches 18km and takes almost 4-7 hours to hike from Omalos to Agia Roumeli, depending on trekking speed.
The gorge is locarted at the South of Chania Prefecture in the larger uninhabited area of Europe, where no roads even exist. It was created by a small river running between the White Mountains (Lefka Ori) and Mountain Volakias. There are many smaller gorges vertical to Samaria Gorge, most of which have never been crossed by humans and require canyoning equipment.
While the gorge is officially 18km long, this distance actually refers to the hiking distance between the settlement of Omalos on the northern side of the plateau and the village of Agia Roumeli. In fact, the gorge is 16 km long, starting at an altitude of 1,250m at the northern entrance, and ending at the shores of the Libyan Sea in Agia Roumeli. The walk through Samaria National Park is 13 km long, but you have to walk three more kilometers to Agia Roumeli from the park exit, making the hike totally 16km.
The most famous part of the gorge is the stretch known as the Iron Gates, where the sides of the gorge close in to a width of only four meters and soar up to a height of 500 m. The gorge became a national park in 1962, particularly as a refuge for the rare kri-kri (Cretan wildgoat), which is largely restricted to the park and the island Thodorou just off the shore of Agia Marina. There are several other endemic species in the gorge and surrounding area, as well as many other species of flowers and birds.
The village of Samaria lies just inside the gorge, in the middle of nowhere. It was finally abandoned by the last remaining inhabitants in 1962 to make way for the park. The village and the gorge take their names from the village’s ancient church, Osia Maria (“Saint Mary”).
A “must” for visitors to Crete is to complete the walk down the gorge from the Omalos plateau to Agia Roumeli on the Libyan Sea, at which point tourists sail to the nearby village of Hora Sfakion and catch a coach back to Chania. The walk takes 4-7 hours and can be strenuous, especially at the height of summer.
Kissamos (Kastelli) is a modern seaside town, 36km east of Chania, with population of 5000 people, whose economy is based mainly on agriculture – with its renowned olive oil and wine- plus tourism, and is still developing.
The beauty of Kissamos is that it is a Greek town that has embraced tourism but not been spoilt by it. The visitor to Kissamos can experience local life and tradition, from the everyday to the special cultural events organized during the summer season. In recent years it has also developed as a region renowned for its alternative, natural and eco tourism and as such is a magnet for walkers, bird watchers and lovers of nature generally.
It is a hospitable town, well organized with all the facilities required of a self sufficient town, such as banks, post office, internet cafes, health centre, supermarkets and stores, tavernas, cafes and bars. It also has a very pleasant seaside promenade lined with tavernas, cafes and bars open from the morning till late at night.
There are ships running from Kissamos harbor to Kithira, Peloponnese and Pireaes. There are also daily cruises from Kissamos to Gramvousa and Balos lagoon.