Laying on the most spectacular part of the entire north coast of Crete - the Mirabello Gulf - the villas offer an incredible variety of options for all the curious spirits.
The property is settled in Istron, widely known for its magnificent beaches that have been awarded with the Blue flag for a series of years. For those who enjoy the atmosphere of a small town, Agios Nikolaos, the main town lies to the west just a 15 minute drive. With its shady avenues, its picturesque harbor lined with shops, cafes, bars and tavernas and of course the breathtaking inner harbor Voulismeni, which, tradition has it, is bottomless, it offers a different perspective of the Cretan lifestyle.
The harbor shelters both caiques and fishing boats which run out to Spinalonga island, the abandoned yet evocative leper colony. Driving a little further along the gulf of Mirabello will reveal Elounda, Crete’s famous resort. The waterfront here is lined with shops and several romantically-inclined tavernas which set their tables on small jetties just above the clear and shallow water. From Ag. Nikolaos you can also choose to head towards the village of Kritsa, famous for its weaving. In this direction its worth stopping to marvel at the beautiful frescoes in the Byzantine church of Panayia Kera, the oldest in the whole of Crete, or to visit the Greco-Roman city of Lato perched high in the hills.
Seekers of an authentic taste of Crete can drive even higher on the mountains towards the Plateau of Katharo in an amazingly beautiful route, as the extra ordinary nature there blends with the majestic sight of the huge Gulf, itself backed by the dramatically soaring mountains of Sitia. More surprises await explorers who decide to move east, towards Sitia or Ierapetra, two towns hardly affected by the evasion of tourism.
Just a few minutes drive away, a first stop in the Minoan town of Gournia offers some glimpses to the past. Driving further along the Gulf under the imposing sight of the Gorge of Ha, the road climbs up the mountains of Sitia and a glorious panorama unfolds before your eyes.
Again the options seem unlimited. You can choose to visit Mochlos where fresh fish is guaranteed or explore a little further away the fertile, full of trees and running water villages. Even from Istron there is direct access to the mountains where a handful of hospitable villages cary on over the centuries the values of filoxenia (considering the stranger a sacred person), the very essence of the Cretan Spirit.
Location:
- Istron Bay, 800 m from the tourist village Istron, famous for its fantastic beaches, with plenty of restaurants, bars, supermarkets.
- 13 kms from the famous resort Agios Nikolaos and 20 from Elounda
- Distance to Heraklion airport: 70 kms, Approx 1 hr -1 hr and 10 min
- Distance to Heraklion port: 75 kms. Approx 1 hr 10 min -1 hr and 20 min
- Distance to Ierapetra: 25 kms
- Distance to Sitia: 60 kms
