Vigla - an enchanting restorative
Review Submitted: November 27, 2008
Date of Stay: September 2008
Vigla (and its owners Sarah & John) provide a truly excellent break. We have stayed with them for the last three seasons. Have always been delighted by the welcome, privacy, light touch support and general quality offered. You'll need a car but don't let that put you off. This is a truly excellent house. The view from the main bedroom and the garden is wonderful, looking out as it does to the sunrise across to the White mountains. Buzzards by day - Owls at night. Crete is historic; Souda bay and the area have strong WW2 links.
Vigla is well appointed, house and pool cleaned twice a week. Sometimes there have been little treats - fresh eggs laid by the owners hens. The kitchen is straightforward and easy to cook in. Eating out v.g. the quality of many local restaurants and some further afield in Chania is high. Ice cream sundaies are real treats!
A great place for a family holiday and for a reasonably fit couple. We'd challenge you not to enjoy breakfast on the patio after an early morning dip, with the sun on your back. If our kids were young then we'd have taken them along too. We value the peace and quiet when swinging in the hammocks with a good book, a drink by your side.
The shopping experience is fun - you are a few hundred yards away from the village shop, 3 kilometres (ks) from Alikianos with its cash points and v. reasonable supermarkets - English is spoken - you feel welcomed. 7ks from Platanias where there are good restaurants & shops: 15ks from Chania where the Venetian port, town and facilities are enchanting. At the harbour bookshop you can pick up a range of quality UK, US French and German papers - you'll get them in Platanias too.
Vigla is easy to get to - about 2 hrs from Hieaklion airport. Recommended trips out: the Samaria Gorge 16k+ walk spectacular, Elafonisi, Sougia and Gramvousa via Kastelli all beautiful. Within 7ks you're on the national highway, with easy access to Knossos, the Lasithi plateau (the hill climb drive from Niapoli is great - view the plateau from Dikti cave inspirational) within a couple of hours and if you are up for the drive Agios Nikolas it's three hours away. National highway driving is something else use the gutter lane with care, your car will have to work at some of the hills - journey timings past Heiraklion are for Sunday's when the freight traffic is minimal.
We're going back still so much to see and do - monastries next year! Oh and Marmite is a pal.
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Helpful votes: 4/4
marks the location of the property in Chania area
