PASIPHAE ART COUNTRY HOUSE

PASIPHAE ART COUNTRY HOUSE The Dorovinis Art Country House PASIPHAE - in the village of Anatoli- has been recently restored with the personal air and character of a leisure home of the Cretan countryside. Artistically restored and furnished with stylish furniture, it combines the lost qualities of traditional home architecture with modern facilities and luxury. The house is 185 m2, enclosing a 60m2 courtyard with a 100m2 top terrace. The house has been restored with exquisite details and is furnished with selected pieces from Neoclassical Greece and paintings of well known contemporary Greek artists. All rooms open either to the courtyard or the terrace and capture views of the sea (except of the smallest double bedroom). It can accommodate 8 adult persons and 2 children, since it has 5 main rooms, three of which are double bedrooms, a sitting room with fire place, a dining room with two couch-beds, a spacious kitchen, and 2 bathrooms. It can function as a spacious, unique house for a demanding family or for two families or friendly couples, as the bedrooms accompanied by own bathrooms are laid at the ends of the house with communal areas in between. The house is located in individual lot in the historic center of the village, which has been listed as “traditional” and as one of “The 10 most beautiful villages of Crete” by a European Network. The village, folding down a slope behind the city of Ierapetra, is dating from Venetian times. Having kept its architectural and agricultural character is renowned for its healthy climate (dry and cool in summer, warm and sunny in winter), peaceful environment and splendid views to the sea. The location is ideal for all season’s vacation, amidst a green and sculptured rocky environment of outstanding natural beauty, that offers peace and tranquility of mind and senses, while being in short distance from some of the most beautiful, sandy-blue flag- beaches of Crete. At 12 km (20min drive) the city of Ierapetra offers all facilities and activities of a big city (shops, supermarkets, banks, doctors, water front esplanade with restaurants and cafes, archaeological Collection, organized beach etc). At 22km (30min.drive) the cosmopolitan town of Agios Nicolaos, as Prefecture city, offers further services and facilities as well as variety of touristic attractions and sports as scuba diving, sailing, boat visits to resort beaches and nearby islands etc. Daily cultural excursions to archaeological sites, Byzantine and Venetian monuments as well as to Natural Monuments (mountain and forest walks, gorges, visits to nearby chapels set up on gorgeous landscapes etc) can be combined with swimming in sandy beaches and picturesque gulfs (all supported by small taverns).   The village of ANATOLI holds its written history from Venetian times, although Byzantine chapels, in and around it, denote a much earlier origin. It has retained its medieval architectural character and its rich natural environment, while it is at close distance to some of the most beautiful, sandy, blue flag beaches of southeastern Crete. At 600m altitude it captures fantastic views to the sea while being surrounded by the olive groves, typical of the Cretan landscape, gigantic rock formations and natural spring waters. At 12 km the city of IERAPETRA offers all facilities and activities of a big city (shops, supermarkets, banks, doctors, water front esplanade with restaurants and cafes, archaeological Collection, organized beach etc),while the cosmopolitan city of AGIOS NICOLAOS (capital of the prefecture) is just at 20km Daily cultural excursions to archaeological sites, Byzantine and Venetian monuments, churches and chapels and natural places of outstanding beauty can be combined with swimming to these beautiful beaches, all supported by picturesque taverns. WHERE TO SWIM: Sandy beaches extend either to the northeast (the gulf of Mirabello), or to the southeast (Libyan Sea). At Kalo Chorio (ancient site “Istron”) are found two of the most famous beaches of Crete with azure waters, “Voulisma” and “Agios Panteleymon”, while east of Ierapetra extend kilometers of sandy beaches and small sea gulfs, among which the best are Agia Galini (next is Kakkos Bay Hotel, laid out in another beautiful gulf and open to the public), Agia Fotia, Ferma, Psaropoula, Koutsounari etc. On the other side of Ierapetra the village of Myrtos offers also a beautiful, sandy beach. Beyond Myrtos extend very interesting places to visit and swim, up to Keratokampos, with beautiful, calm Cretan landscape and isolated beaches (no villages or towns around). You should not miss a day trip to Chrissi Sand Island (the Golden Sand beach), the most renowned beach island (no building activities are allowed) in Crete. Natural environment of exceptional beauty, beach with sand and azure waters . Boat schedules from the port of Ierapetra. SIGHTSEEING:This part of Crete has some of the most renowned monuments you should not miss on your first visit, together with others, representatives of the rich island’ s history.. Archaeological sites is ZAKROS (the fourth palatine site of Minoan Crete) set in beautiful landscape with the seashore picturesque village of Nea Zakros, for swimming and eating. HELLENISTIC CITY OF LATO flourished during classical and Hellenistic periods, is located on the outskirts of Agios Nicolaos, where you can admire the model of planning of an archaic Greek city, also recognizable in Roman cities, and depicted, as prevailing idea in cities through ages (ex. Regency Street, London as an attractive city spine with monuments and economic activities). On the way to Lato, stop at the Byzantine Church of PANAGIA KERA considered a unique monument of its kind in Crete, all frescoed from 13th to 14th century, depicting the techniques towards renaissance, before the style was transferred to the West with the fall of Constantinople. ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES OF GOURNIA and MALLIA MONI TOPLOU, frescoed medieval monastery dating from the 14th century, and important castle stronghold during Venetian times. From there you can swim in VAI BAY one of the most famous shores of Crete, with fine sand and Palm trees, and visit ITANOS, the last eastern city of Minoan times, with ideal port location for exchanges with Anatolia and Egypt. The PSYCHRO or DIKTAION CAVE is an impressive cave and archaeological site, located at the Lassithi Plateau, near the village of Psychro. It contains a Minoan to Archaic period sanctuary of Zeus, who according to mythology was born there, before being taken to the Ideon Cave and nurtured by the goat Amaltheia. A 15 min stepped walkway or donkey ride will bring you to the entrance of the cave, while it is worth visiting some of the villages of the Plateau, like St. George, St. Constantine and also Psychro. MILATOS CAVE- a modern history cave, now a place of memory, where 3000 locals took refuge during Turkish occupation, to be executed after its seize. MATALA CAVES-very famous place, ideal for swimming SPINALOGA CASTLE ISLAND from Venetian times, now an open air museum . For nature lovers don't miss an excursion to the Gorges of SARAKINA (between the villages of Anatoli and Malles) and KRITSA, the forest of SELAKANO (west of Anatoli). In Anatoli 3 walking paths start from different points of the village-marked with signs and charts- leading to the fields of the locals, that used to cultivate till recently, and with miniature chapels for their protection and worship while working there. All walking paths pass through landscapes of natural beauty. ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUMS-COLLECTIONS OF AGIOS NICOLAOS (important) and IERAPETRA (a collection of sarcophagus only but worth visiting). .