Location
Staying in one of our luxurious villas will not only offer you the space and amenities you need, but also the chance to taste first-hand the Cretan traditions and hospitality. The reason being, both villas are located by secluded private areas, where the majority are locals!
Villa Moroni is located in Moronion, a small village with just 120 habitats. It offers a rich physical beauty since people there have been capitalizing on the blessed land through the production of olive oil and wine.
Villa Anastasia can be found in Sivas (62 km from the capital of the island), another picturesque charming place. Sivas is a community in the municipality of Tympaki Pyrgiotissa the southwestern edge of the plain of Messara, at an altitude of 110 meters. Residents are engaged in agriculture. Near the village is the Holy Monastery of Panagia Odigitria.
Very close to Villa Moroni, on the north side one can see the majestic Mount Psiloritis standing arrogantly over time. Overwhelmed with myths and beliefs, Psiloritis has been considered since ancient times the mountain where Zeus, the king of the gods of Olympus, was born. At its highest peak is the Holy Cross. A small church built by the ancient Cretans in the traditional way that the shepherds built their potato trees and is celebrated gloriously every year on 14/09, is an idyllic destination for lovers of hiking and nature. Going up to the top, the whole of Crete unfolds in front of you at 2456 meters above the sea. The view, riveting and the path to the top fills you with experiences, images and a distinctive aroma of sage and thyme. If you are there in mid-September you will see people of all ages from all over the island ascending the famous sacred paths following in the footsteps of others who had walked there thousands of years ago in search of the Most High, contact with God.
Very close to Villa Moroni there is the famous village of Zaros which has been awarded, for the homonymous water Zaros, as the best water in the world. In Zaros we also find the artificial lake of Zaros. This unique ornament at the foot of Psiloritis gathers a variety of flora and fauna. Located a few kilometers away from Zaros, it is a very nice destination for a walk in nature but also for a cafe and food since it has both a cafeteria and a tavern. Nature lovers can start from the lake and end up after a hike (about 2 hours) in the forest of Rouva. The route is enchanting through the gorge of Ag. Nikolaou. It is undoubtedly the most important gorge of Psiloritis with rich flora and fauna, ravines and interesting geological formations and slopes of rare beauty.
South of Moroni and very close to Villa Anastasia, you will find a wide variety of crystal clear beaches with crystal clear waters, organized or not to choose from. Do you want fine sand? Pebbly beach? Whatever kind of beach you prefer, it is close to our accommodations. You can visit the famous Matala, the beautiful straw with its fish taverns, Kokkinos Pyrgos with its bustling life or Komos and Kalamaki with their endless beach front. Whichever beach you choose is about a 25-minute drive from Villa Moroni and 10-minute from Villa Anastasia. But the beaches don't stop there. A little further on, in the southern part of Crete, there is a coastline full of beaches. Starting from Kala Limania, Karavovrisi, Chrysostomos, Platia Peramata and Lenta. About 70 minutes by car from our accommodation, arriving there, they will reward you for your trip.
Apart from the wonderful gorges and the crystal clear beaches, the surrounding area has many archeological sites. Just a few kilometers away from the accommodation one can travel thousands of years ago and get lost in the history of the ancient Greeks.
Starting from Gortyna where you will see beyond its archeological site and the evergreen plane tree where according to the legend Zeus met with Europe. A little further down in the same place you will find the monumental olive grove of Gortyna which occupies a huge area and has olive trees aged for many centuries. The most special of all is the so-called Gortyna Monument Olive, which is 16 centuries old and a Roman column has been incorporated into its trunk.
A little further, from Gortyna you will find the impressive palace of Phaistos, where in antiquity it was the second largest city in Crete, after Knossos. It was built by Minos himself and was the most important and powerful city in Southern Crete. The first reference to Phaistos is made by Homer in his two great works in the Iliad and the Odyssey. One of the most important findings of the excavations at the Minoan palace of Phaistos was the discovery of the Disk of Phaistos where it is still one of the unsolved mysteries of the ancient world.
