Local Area Overview

Villa Ionna has a hilltop location with wonderful views over the surrounding area to the Cretan Sea below. The little village of Maroulas, 2km away, has a small range of facilities for your immediate needs whilst the bustling town of Platanes is 1km further on. Formerly a small fishing village, Platanes has grown into a popular coastal resort with activities to suit all tastes. The town has good shopping, dining and leisure facilities and if you are looking for a lively nightlife, there are numerous bars, discos and tavernas which keep buzzing until the early hours. The beach is long and sandy, with a range of water sports on offer and sunbeds and parasols available to hire The city of Rethymnon is ten minutes drive to the west from Platanes offering a variety of day and evening entertainment and a large choice of shops, restaurants and clubs. It has a huge expanse of gently sloping beach lined with tavernas and bars which stretches for 20km. The quaint old town is a mass of narrow alleyways lined with Turkish houses and minarets reflecting the 250 years when it was ruled by the Turks, with a Venetian influence showing in its charming houses with wooden balconies and wall fountains. The picturesque harbour is lined with fish restaurants offering a range of regional specialities and locally caught seafood, and there are regular boat excursions leaving from this point. In July/August, the city stages a Renaissance Festival and comes alive with folk music and traditional Greek dramas, or you may be able to sample locally produced wine in the public gardens during the annual Wine Festival. A nearby attraction is the Fortétza castle that sits atop Palaiokastro hill, overlooking Rethymnon town. This fortress was originally built to protect the island from pirate raids and is partially ruined. There are lovely views from this vantage point, particularly at night, over the lights of the harbour town. The Ida Mountains to the south are home to the ancient Arkadi Monastery which was a centre of Cretan resistance during the Turkish occupation. Mount Ida is the highest mountain in Crete at 2456m and is known locally Timios Stavros. On September 14th, the day of the Holy Cross, there is a celebration on the summit of this ‘holy mountain’ with Cretan people travelling here from all over the island the previous day to walk to the peak alongside a priest. They spend the night on the mountain top and hold a ceremony inside the little church of the Holy Cross. There are many myths associated with this area including a legend that Zeus was brought up in the Idaion Antron, a large cave near the Nida Plateau. 65 Further afield, is the archaeological site of the ancient Knossos Palace. This palatial ruin dates back to 2000-1350BC but was mainly inhabited during the Minoan civilization when local tradition states it housed King Minos, who released the Minotaur into the Labyrinth. This incredible site has been partially restored with copies of original frescoes and some stunning architecture to see.