White River Cottages

Rooms

The 13 tiny stone houses ooze rustic charm. Unlock your stable door with the massive iron key and you’ll find yourself in a cosy sitting-dining room built against the rockface. They are simply but brightly furnished, with white-washed walls, beamed ceilings and mauve-striped bedspreads (the inbuilt sofas double up as extra beds). Off this lies a small kitchen, a bedroom and a simple bathroom (curtained shower, hairdryer). It may not be the height of luxury, but it is clean, well-kept, tranquil and extremely cosy. And the beautifully tended gardens around add a splash of colour and softness to the views.

The studios are the smallest, with a single open-plan space incorporating bedroom, sitting area and kitchen corner.

The larger cottages have a double bedroom and a separate kitchen / sitting room, with either one or two inbuilt sofas which can double up as extra beds.

All rooms have air-conditioning (cold or hot air), solar- and immersion-heated hot water, mozzie screens on the windows (which weren’t totally effective during our visit), a phone, an iron, nice toiletries and a hairdryer. Each house also has its own private terrace.

There is sometimes evidence of damp, so bring a warm jumper if visiting in April or October, and check there are spare blankets. Be aware these are not full service rooms - there is cleaning and linen changing every few days but guests are expected to dispose of garbage in the bins provided; it will not be collected daily.

Features include:

• Hairdryer
• Iron
• Mosquito net
• WiFi

Eating

The houses are self-catering, with small, simply-equipped kitchens and a dining area. There’s a little electric cooker (2 rings, mini-oven and grill), a fridge (with ice tray – very important!), a kettle, toaster, basic tools (saucepans, corkscrew, grater, lemon-squeezer, knives) and enough cutlery and crockery for 2-4, depending on the house. There’s a table inside, but chances are you’ll be eating outside on the private terrace – each house has one, but some are prettier than others.

The basics are provided (sachets of coffee, tea and sugar, milk and bottled water), plus a carafe of local wine. Let the owners know if you're celebrating a special occasion, and you'll get some extra goodies. The kitchens are certainly adequate for a breakfast of fresh yoghurt and delicious thyme honey (bought from the cleaning lady!); or farm-fresh eggs (bought from reception) fried on toast; or a crunchy Greek salad and feta for lunch; or even a simple pasta dish for supper (there’s a cookery book if you need inspiration).

For anything more complex you’ll have to drive 1km to the coast (or walk), which offers a range of tavernas, restaurants and cafés in and around Makriyialos. Olympio café serves good snacks and pizzas; or check out the Italian restaurant in neighbouring Analipsi.

For delicious, unfancy home cooking we recommend Kaliatzina Taverna, slightly further afield in Koutsouras village (ask Vangelis to draw you a sketch map). Here, on a tamarisk-shaded courtyard overlooking the sea, 2 sisters (plus the obligatory yiayia) serve you whatever they’ve cooked that afternoon – stuffed tomatoes and peppers, arni avgolemono (juicy baked lamb in and egg and lemon sauce), beef stifado (stewed with onions), all washed down with a small carafe of local wine.

For a bizarre dinner experience, drive to Kalo Nero (20 minutes east) and you can eat at the foot of an illuminated cave, the ‘Dragon’s Cave’.

Features include:

• Full kitchen
• Kids' meals
• Restaurants nearby

Activities

• Makriyialos is the prettiest town on this stretch of coast, with a lovely fishing harbour, restored waterfront houses, traces of Minoan and Roman settlements and a wide choice of bars and tavernas
  
• Swim from its sandy beach, or for a change drive west to Achlia or Koutsounari beaches
  
• Heading east, visit the forbidding monastery of Kapsa (9km away) and the dramatic Pervolakia gorge, then stop for a swim at the shingly cove of Kalo Nero near Langada
  
• Take a boat trip from Ierapetra to the beautiful island of Chrysi
  
• Climb the panoramic 1500-metre summit of Afendis Estravromenos; start from the village of Orino, 30 mins drive away
  
• Save energy for one longer day trip: eastwards to the atmospheric ruins of Zakros Minoan palace, at the estuary of the oleander-lined 'Valley of the Dead'; combine it with a swim at Xerokambos or, further afield, the palm-beach of Vaï

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Birdwatching
• Hiking
• Snorkelling
• Swimming

Kids

Children of all ages are welcome and this is a great place for them, with beaches nearby and wild nature on your doorstep.

Best for:

Children (4-12 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The larger cottages can sleep 4, with one double bedroom and two sofabeds in the sitting room. Cottage 6 has 2 bathrooms along with both double and single sofabeds. Cottages 7 and 9 work well for a smaller family, with a sofabed in the living/kitchen area. Cots are available in Cottages 1, 10 and 11.

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms

Distances:

• Airport: 2 hours
• Hospital: 30 minutes

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

The cottages are 1km inland from Makriyialos at the end of a small track, in a secluded valley by Crete's southeast coast.

By Air
The airstrip at Sitia has been upgraded to accept international flights in summer, but you will more likely fly to Heraklion (or Iraklion), 2 hours (130km) away.

By Boat
There are daily overnight ferries from Piraeus (Athens) to Heraklion, and less frequent, slower sailings from Piraeus to Sitia.

From Heraklion Airport/ Port
It's a 2-hour (130km) drive via Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra. If you choose not to hire a car you can catch a taxi from Heraklion - note it's best to agree a price before accepting the ride - or catch a bus to Aghios Nikolaos or Ierapetra and a taxi from there.

By Car
Hiring a car will allow you to explore the area better - see our car rental recommendations.

Detailed directions to the houses will follow when you confirm a booking through our site.

More on getting to Greece and getting around.