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General Information

Please feel free to use the internal site links shown on the second set of navigation buttons as you progress through the pages to gain further information on some of the Sights you can see, the beaches you can relax on and the foods you can expect to enjoy. We have provided you with the Recipes in case you wish to try these out for yourself. Your comments, thoughts or experiences would be appreciated. If you would like to contribute, please contact our team by clicking on the highlighted link to:- Information

The Prefecture of Rethymnon

Rethymnon is Crete's most mountainous province. The prevailing winds are Northerly or North-westerly with the occasional hot Southerly winds from North Africa arriving with great strength. The quality of the seawater along the beaches here are still amongst the best in Europe. Within this prefecture are the wonderful gorges of Patso and Prasses which are filled with an abundance of wildlife and fauna. Roumeli is situated within the prefecture of Rethymnon in the Mylopotamos Valley.

Location of Roumeli

Roumeli is situated in the fertile Mylopotamos valley, between the main coastal highway and the sea. The village is bordered by a small river to the east and surrounded by farmland, olive groves and orchards. In the background are the foothills of the Kouloukanos and Mount Psiloreitis with the highest point in Crete at 2,456m. Roumeli is only 2 Kilometers walking distance from the well know holiday resort of Panormos and 10km from the well know resort of Bali and its wonderful beaches.

Within Roumeli itself there are several quaint Cafenions, a very good Taverna, a baker and a good sized supermarket to meet all your holiday needs. Panormo is a small fishing village with plenty of local Tavernas, tourist shops and most major facilities. There are of course many beaches in this wonderful area. Bali is set in beautiful surroundings and has many small coves and narrow sandy beaches surrounded by hills.

So what does the year look like

March and April: Sees the first tourists and is also the time of the Greek Easter (usually not on the same dates as the Catholic Easter). This is the most important feast of the year in the Greek Orthodox calendar and it gives you the best opportunity to experience the wonderful traditions and renowned hospitality associated with the wonderful people of the island. This is perhaps the best time to visit if you want to walk or hike. The weather whilst still warm, is not too hot

May and June: You are almost guaranteed good weather, the sea is much warmer and there are still plenty of flowers and greenery on the island. Not too many other tourists have yet arrived. It is probably one of the ‘best times’ of the year to visit Crete. The year is just beginning for Crete and there is a sense of joy amongst the people as they prepare to extend their warmth.

July and August: The weather is often very hot and the local villages can get pretty crowded especially at weekends. If you plan to travel around the Island and away from the villa, you should reserve your accommodation in advance. Otherwise you may end up spending more time looking for a room, any room, for a considerable period of time.

Crete The Island

Crete is the 5th largest island in the Mediterranean and and has one of the mildest and healthiest climates in Europe. Crete is a very mountainous island, with deep gorges, fertile valleys and over 3,000 caves. Historically it is steeped in a tradition spanning over 4000 years.

It has many archaeological sites and ancient buildings that are well worth visiting, Knossos near Heraklion being amongst them. In the spring its lush flora and fauna is renowned the world over. Crete is a beautiful Island with many sandy, scenic beaches in both the north and south parts of the island.

The Province of Mylopotamos

This province is situated to the east of Rethymnon. Many parts of the coastline are still untouched by commercial tourism. Parts of this beautiful coastline are quite wild and not always easily accessed. The chief costal towns are Bali and Panormos. The hilly interior of the province is now beginning to attract quite a lot of tourists especially the villages of Margarites and Anogia.

Margarites is known for its fine, locally crafted pottery and is invaded by tour buses every morning. The best time to go is in the afternoon though it can be quite hot during summer. Anogia, is perched on the foothills of Mount Psiloreitis and is the largest mountain village of Crete.

The village has an active and thriving hand craft weaving tradition which supports many of the local community. Anogia is also famous throughout Crete for its music and many musicians live there. A road leads from this village to the Nida plateau from which it is possible to walk to Timios-Stavros the highest summit on the island at in about 4 hours.

The Island And Area Climate

The climate of Crete is probably the mildest in Europe. The moderate north-westerly wind, the Meltemi, helps to soften even the hottest months of July and August. Rainfall is very rare during the summer months giving this area of Crete one of the warmest and driest climates on the Island. Autumn is Crete's mildest season, when temperatures are often higher than in spring.

The mountains ridges that run across the central part of the island act as a barrier to the weather. This often creates different conditions in northern and southern Crete. Typical examples of the warm climatic conditions found all over Crete are shown below

September and October: These are very popular months for a lot of people as the weather is a little cooler. The sea is still very warm and there are fewer tourists than in high summer. It is also another good time of the year for a walking holiday. One drawback during this season though is that as it hasn't’t rained for several months and the landscape can be quite dry and arid. At times strong gusts of wind can whip up the dry and dusty landscape with quite a vengeance.

November and December: Tourism comes to an abrupt stop at the end of October or first week of November with the end of charter flights. These months are as quiet as January and February but the chances of good weather are much higher. It’s also still possible to swim. All in all it is still a good time to be in Crete if you are prepared to risk a few ‘rainy’ days during your stay.

January to March: These are the winter months. There's usually a lot of rain and some very cold spells although it never freezes, except in the mountains. If you are in the Villa during the later months, you'll see the snow capped mountains from the patio, sitting room and balcony areas. It’s hard to believe what you can see if you've experienced the summer heat.

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This page was last modified on 24th August 2010