Crete is so much more than sun and sand. Away from the package resorts, it's an island of mountain villages, hiking trails, archaeological treasures, wild flowers and unspoilt coastlines. The season is long: you can get a tan in March and swim in the sea as late as November. 
Recommended tour operator: Greek Islands Club
Greek Islands Club says
At Greek Islands Club, we offer comfortable, private retreats in the north-west region of Crete within striking distance of the charming port of Chania. Our properties sleep between two and eight people and are all close to small villages. This offers our clients a more intimate and slower-paced experience of the real Crete. Many of the villages specialise in traditional crafts: bell makers, furniture makers, basket weavers, glassblowers and lace makers.
Just a 15-minute drive from Crete’s north coast, Villa Kontis is a magnificent house of stone with large gardens surrounding a private pool. A few minutes walk away is the tiny hilltop village of Maza with its sleepy square, chapel and two tavernas. The villa offers privacy and a peaceful escape from the crowds.
Car hire is included so that you can discover some of the island’s unique history, culture and natural beauty without the need to join a crowded excursion tour. Our holidays will appeal to the more discerning escapist.
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