Menta Villa

A Cretan speciality served in most tavernas as a starter. Dried crusts soaked in tomatoes and topped with crumbled feta cheese and oregano – delicious!

Here you can visit the remains of a very important city dating back to the 5th Century BC. 

Chania is one of the nicest towns of Crete with wonderful houses, parks and squares. The old city has preserved the charm of the Venetian and Turkish periods. On Leather Lane near the harbour, you can find all kinds of leather goods and a really interesting indoor covered market.  Restaurants and tavernas surround the harbour and boats leave from here for 2-3 hour trips, you can also catch a horse and buggy.

Raki or Tsikoudia is distilled from the stalks and skins of grapes left over from wine pressing. It is drunk widely and you are likely to be offered a thimble-full glass of raki wherever you go. It can contain anything between 35-65% alcohol – you have been warned!

All sorts of watersports are available in this part of Crete including scuba diving, wind surfing, water skiing, kayaking, jet skiing, rib inflatable trips and hire, surfing and fishing trips.

This vast agora (market) is a bustling noisy and colourful place, where the abundance of fruit, vegetables, fresh fish, meat and everything edible is spread out over four sections fashioned like a cross. It is based on the famous marketplace of Marseille. There are plenty of bargains to be had and its great for barbecues!

The perfect soil, sun, and weather conditions of Crete were the driving forces behind the first vineyards in the foothills above Vatolakkos.

The local beer is brewed just up the road from the villa at Xarma Brewery in Zounaki. They offer a great tour with tastings.

The ancient olive tree of Vouves still produces olives, there is a small cafe and museum next-door.