Villa Asteriskos - Crete

For a family villa holiday with children of any age, Asteriskos offers the complete package, combining a great location close to Almyrida, a private swimming pool and a brilliant games room with table tennis. 

From this elevated position you can enjoy the huge views that take in the very best of western Crete, with the intense blue of Souda Bay in the foreground and the unmistakable silhouette of the White Mountains behind.

You can stroll downhill to Almyrida in around 15-20 minutes to pick up your fresh bread from the bakery or enjoy a meal in one of the excellent seafront tavernas which are supplied by the boats that chug out from the little fishing harbour before dawn.

If you’ve got little ones in tow it might be sensible to take the car so they can save their energy for playing on Almyrida’s three lovely beaches: sand or pebbles, the choice is yours. The beaches are gently shelving, and popular with windsurfers, with equipment hire and tuition available if you’re inspired to have a go.

Teens are welcome in the handful of low-key bars, which are sufficiently close for peace of mind but far enough away not to disturb your evening on the terrace. And once you’ve properly relaxed into the gentle pace of Cretan life and feel ready to explore, this is a lovely spot from which to discover the more traditional inland villages of the Apokronos, such as Plaka and Gavalochori. Chania town, with its Venetian harbour, market and wonderful shops and restaurants, is 25km away.