Traditional Historic Village Mansion

A luxurious village house (3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 toilet, sleeps 7) located in Piskokefalo, a lively village 4km from Sitia beach . The village of Piskokefalo is ideally located for exploring the north and south of eastern Crete. The village itself has a number of traditional restaurants as well as a grocery shop, all within walking distance from the house. It is located on the main road so you will hear traffic noise. The house was built during the final decade of the 19th century. It was recently restored thanks to the work of excellent engineers and the passion of the owners. It is located in a commanding position relative to the village of Piskokephalo, Sitia, in Crete, some 3 km from the sea. It is a veritable gem for our demanding clients. The façade of the 200-m2 living room is surrounded by a small garden with beautiful red hibiscus flowers. The building did not have a modern roof, floors, or separation walls in the bedrooms while the owners were engaged in a wide-ranging restoration process that took plenty of care. During the restoration, the owners made sure that the original splendour of their ancestral home came through. Today, the house's original mural paintings have been saved and anoint the walls with old embroidery. During your stay, you'll be able to feel the ambiance of a hundred years of history. Feel how the art has been collected and displayed with the carefully preserved architecture of the house. The kind owners have taken care of every detail, in order to ensure that their clients benefit from the experience of a convivial home. They constantly strive to build a relationship based on trust with a faithful client base that comes back year after year for restful vacations. The house's entrance is via a courtyard with a traditional stone oven, barbecue, and large patio table. On the ground floor, there were traces of the dining room, the wine production area, storage for grain and oil, and the old kitchen. This area now holds the living room/study with a large fireplace made with the original stones. There are two living/dining rooms as well as a modern kitchen with a decorated stone wall. There are also two toilets, one indoors and one outside in the courtyard. Upstairs, the old living room has been made into a master bedroom with a double bed and a private bathroom. There are two other bedrooms with comfortable beds and a shared bathroom between them. In the open space around the stairs leading up to the first floor, a single bed can be placed for one more guest. The windows on the upper level open onto a balcony and a terrace with a discreet view of the valley and the mountains. There is also a third covered terrace next to the decorated fireplace where you can read during the evening hours. Our guests will have full access to the whole house and courtyard We remain at your disposal to offer advice about the region's sites, beaches, restaurants, hiking, other activities etc. A few words about Piskokefalo village The located about 3 kilometers from the town of Sitia. In the village a Minoan villa has been excavated where many artifacts have been unearthed, including some clay dolls. The village was the ancestral home of Vitsentzos Kornaros - author of the poem "Erotokritos"- who is considered one of the greatest poets in Greece. The house and mill of the Kornaros family can still be seen in the village. Piskokefalo being a fairly large village has a market shop for essentials if you don't want to drive to Sitia and offers great food in the traditional "rakadika" restaurants located in the village main square. These are all within walking distance from the house. A few words about Sitia region Sitia is a town situated in the far east of Crete, in the prefecture of Lasithi. It lies to the east of Aghios Nikolaos and to the northeast of Ierapetra. It lies in a region unspoiled by mass tourism. Even during the busy summer peak, Sitia retains a certain charm and laid-back style. In the town but especially in the region's villages you will enjoy authentic Cretan cuisine made with quality local olive oil and other local produce. During the day you can enjoy swimming and sunbathing in Sitia beach or in the numerous untouched beaches lying towards the Eastern tip of the island. What to do in Sitia For history and archaeology enthusiasts, Sitia's archeological museum display's exhibits dating back to the Neolithic era in 3,500 BC while the medieval fortress of Kazarma, situated at the top of Sitia is a reminder of the town's medieval past. Furthermore, the folklore museum exhibits items from the past century such as weavings, woodcuts and other everyday life items. During the evening you can visit one of the numerous small restaurants ("Rakadika") situated along the town's fishing port, which serve delicious variety plates along with Cretan spirit "Raki". And if you are up to it you can continue your night out until the early morning hours in one of the local bars and clubs. What to do in the region Archaeology / History / Religion On your way to Vai and Erimoupoli you will pass from the monastery of Toplou. Here you can visit the monastery's museum with items dating back to the Ottoman empire period up to the Second World War. In Erimoupoli bay you can visit the ruins of the ancient town of Itanos. Further to the south east, Zakros is one of the four major Minoan palaces unearthed in Crete. The ruins of the palace await you at the lower entrance of the Zakros gorge. Beaches To the east of Sitia lies Europe's only natural palm forest of Vai. In a short distance from Vai lies the bay of Erimoupoli with the ruins of the ancient town of Itanos. To the south east of the region lie the long sandy beaches and warm waters of Kserokambos . There are numerous other deserted beaches we can help you discover. Sports For windsurfing enthusiasts the world renowned Kouremenos beach is a must visit. The club offers equipment hire and lessons. For the hardcore athletes, the Faneromeni bay offers excellent wave conditions (depending on the weather). Here you will need to bring your own kit. Mountain bikes are a fun way to explore the region's endless olive groves. Spring and autumn is the best period for this since the weather is cooler during the day. Hiking The areas rugged terrain offers numerous gorges that are walkable with no special equipment. First and foremost the 4km Richti gorge, near the village of Mesa Mouliana will dazzle you with the year-round waterfalls and dense vegetation all the way down to a deserted beach. The 4.5km gorge of Zakros starts at the village of Ano Zakros and meets the sea next to the archaeological site of Kato Zakros. It is one of the most impressive gorges in Crete with steep sides and dramatic rock formations. It is also known as the Gorge of the Dead because ancient Minoans buried their dead in caves high up on the gorge's sides. The 3.5km Chochlakies or Karoumes gorge ends in the magnificent and isolated bay of Karoumes. Culinary Delights In Sitia's "Rakadika" and small taverns scattered in villages throughout the region you can try, apart from local meats, also some delicacies of the region cooked in locally produced olive oil, like "chochlious" (snails cooked either with tomato or vinegar and rosemary), "omaties" (stuffed pig intestines), "anthous" (stuffed courgettes) and other. When you visit Toplou don't forget to grab a bite in the monastery's small tavern and purchase organic products from the monastery's extensive agricultural produce (honey, olive oil etc). By air, catch an internal connecting flight to Sitia Airport from Athens International Airport. By car, get one of the many flights into Heraklion Airport and from there take a rental car. By boat, you can arrive on either the Athens-Heraklion or the direct Athens-Sitia service.