Villa Pyrite

The dreamy Villa Pyrite offers the most spectacular, uninterrupted views of the wonderful Falasarna Beach. It is an amazing, exclusive location where you can relax and soothe your souls. You can easily explore Crete’s other amazing beaches from here and head to Kissamos or Chania for entertainment and fabulous dining opportunities.
 
The captivating Falasarna Beach boasts a beautiful array of flora and fauna, glistening white sand and crystal-clear turquoise water. There are several companies offering watersports including Falasarna Activities which offers wakeboard and jet ski tuition. At the northern end of the beach, there are ruins of the ancient Grecoroman city of Falasarna. Falasarna is actually made up of five beaches with the main beach called Pachia Ammos. Livadi is another of the long beaches, a good choice for snorkelling. Livadi is surrounded by important wetlands with ponds and many birds. It is easy to see why Falasarna gets voted in the top ten beach lists.
 
Elafonisi has also been named one of the world’s top beaches. It is connected by a sand bar to an island nature reserve with pink sands, wildflowers and unusual rock formations. There is no shade on the island but there are delightful little coves and pockets of sandy beach as well as being home to more than one hundred rare plants including summer sea daffodils and winter-flowering Androcymbium rechingeri. You may even see rare loggerhead sea turtles and you will definitely enjoy picture-perfect sunsets. Elafonisi is often featured on postcards, combining its turquoise waters with its pink sand and lagoon.
 
The mesmerising Balos Beach sits quietly on the Gramvousa peninsula, in the protected ‘NATURA’ area of Balos Bay. Its glistening white sand, rare species of flora and fauna and turquoise sea are incredible. Balos is a brilliant beach for families with idyllic scenery and shallow water that will meet every expectation to the fullest. Beyond the rocks at the boundaries of the lagoon, the water is deeper and ideal for snorkelling. Eleonora falcons, shags and cormorants nest in the caves and the area is a shelter for protected monk seal and loggerhead sea turtles. You will think you are in the Maldives or somewhere as it is so beautiful. Balos can be reached by car or you can take a boat trip to the beach from Kissamos. North of Balos, in Cape Korykon, there are remains of the small Roman town of Agnio with the temple of Apollo and the picturesque chapel of Agios Sostis.
 
The lively tourist resort of Kissamos is nestled on the edge of the Gramvousa peninsula, within easy reach of the villa. Kissamos is also known as Kastelli Kissamou in reference to the former Venetian fortress that used to dominate the town. Kissamos enjoys many tavernas, beaches and plenty of shops. Surrounding the town are fertile olive groves and vineyards. The main beach is Mavros Molos which is sprinkled with trees, sunbeds and parasols. The Archaeological Museum of Kissamos is located on the main square, Stratigou Tzanakaki, boasting an impressive collection of local discoveries from a wide range of historical eras. A little further north of the main port of Kissamos is the quaint, colourful Old Port of Kastelli Kissamou which is brimming with brightly coloured fishing boats, a photographer’s dream. A little further along the coast from Kissamos is the buzzy and popular resort of Platanias. Platanias is a large tourist resort which boasts electric bars and nightclubs so if you are looking for a buzzy night out you can head there. Next comes the lively Agia Marina where you will find a gorgeous beach, glorious sunsets and excellent dining opportunities.

Almost 60km from the villa and known as the Venice of the East, Chania Old Town is truly magical with unique shops lining its charming cobbled streets, a brilliant dining scene, trendy waterfront bars serving delicious cocktails and its famous Venetian harbour and imposing lighthouse. The harbour was originally built by the Venetians between 1320 and 1356 and is now a vibrant, cosmopolitan spot for tourists and locals. The Egyptian lighthouse is much photographed, especially at sunset. You can take a slow meander to the lighthouse to take in the stunning views of the harbour, the Old Town with its backdrop of the majestic White Mountains. On the waterfront, the Giali Tzamisi is the oldest Muslim building in Crete. The Turkish name is translated to ‘The Seaside Mosque’. It plays host to various cultural events and exhibitions.

Samaria Gorge is the longest gorge in Europe at 16km which would take roughly six hours to pass along the whole gorge. Otherwise, you can drive to Chora Sfakion and take a boat to Agia Roumeli and walk a few kilometres at the end of the gorge. The Imbros Gorge is also very beautiful and takes approximately two hours. You can combine this walk with swimming in Fragokastelo Beach.  
 

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