Activities
- Vaso is always there to help you by organizing your time with different activities and excursions. Please ask for them when you arrive.
- Douliana is a small, pretty, traditional village with narrow streets and a tiny village square, with particularly interesting and well-preserved folk architecture. In this officially protected, traditional village a lot of interesting buildings can be found. A unique peaceful village, viewing the White Mountains, surrounded by vineyards, carob trees and olive groves. With small narrow streets and most of the buildings dated back to 1885. A place where you can still witness, the true rural way of Cretan life and be part of it. Douliana is well hidden from mainstream tourism, away from busy main roads. Ideal for families, hikers and nature lovers with many countryside footpaths to explore. With a mixture of easy walks and challenging hikes, something to suit all tastes. Douliana has been awarded with protected Village status due to its historic stone buildings, and awarded the title of the national conservation area of beauty ""NATURA". Sitting above Souda Bay, it is surrounded by olive groves with views of the White Mountains and Souda Bay itself. In the village, a taverna (a welcome 5-minute stroll), offers you cozy indoor or airy outdoor dining - for a snack at lunchtime or a supper beyond the sunset, lingering on into the star-lit night. Earlier in the day, you may have joined locals for a Greek coffee at the kafenio where the news of the day, the farm prices for olive oil, and a welcome "hello" to you will all be offered. A smile is all it takes.
- When your morning in the village is complete, drive down to the beach at Almyrida, Kalyves, or Kera. Meander that winding, scenic road to the calm hospitality at Georgioupoli, and then onward to visit the fortress and the ancient city streets of Rethymno. Or less distant, take a look at the cute and curious shops in Chania's old Venetian harbor town. Find a café to watch the people… watching the people... going by! Get a taste of culture!
- Perhaps just stay where you are - there are terraces to sit out on, a pre-dinner drink to have at the cafe, a book to absorb a just bit more.
- If you feel creative, you might cook locally made pasta, sprinkle some fragrant herbs from the very hillsides you wake up gazing upon as the morning’s light shows you what is important to the day.
Or perhaps with renewed energy, drive down to Kalyves beachfront. There, choose one of the three really good tavernas and let the sun remain too hot for a few more minutes before it cools into the evening just as your dolmades, fava, and grilled lamb arrive...
- Or immerse yourself in the countryside and discover the tastes of food prepared at another enjoyable taverna, Diadromes, just before the village of Armeni.
- Visit the old town of Chania and explore the whole city with the narrow streets and admire the old buildings with different architectural styles. Visit the maritime-naval museum on the west side of the port and walk along with the port till Arsenali where is situated the Arsenali Centre of Mediterranean Architecture that organizes exhibitions and has a primary goal to promote the Meditteranean arts.
- Rethymno Town is just 38 km away and is another Venetian town worth a visit for its cobbled streets, Ottoman minarets, colorful harbor, and an imposing 16th-century Venetian fortress.
- Swim. Almirida's twin beaches (5km) are sandy and well sheltered, but they can get a bit crowded during Summer; bars and restaurants line the waterfront between them, and there is a diving center. Kalyves (10km) is a larger village with a small bay at its heart and a long beach stretching west.
- If you are looking for more quiet beaches, head west to Falassarna Beach, on the west edge of the island (49km) one of the best beaches in Crete. Or maybe you have heard about the lagoon of Ballos with the turquoise water. You can visit it either by ferry from Kasteli or by car. If you decide to come here by car, just have in mind that you can drive to a specific point, and then you must walk to the lagoon.
- Explore the Akrotiri peninsula: Monastery of Agia Triada - Gouverneto Monastery - Eleftherios Venizelos Tombs (historical site) Drive towards the airport. Visit the Monastery of Agia Triada and then the Gouverneto Monastery. On your way back towards Chania stop at the Eleftherios Venizelos Tombs - a historical site with wonderful views of the old Venetian harbor of Chania. There you also will find a choice of 3 coffee shops for you to enjoy. The Akrotiri peninsula also has good beaches (Stavros, Kalathas, Marathi, and Loutraki).
- Trek through the world-famous Samaria Gorge along (quite crowded) open May-Oct depending on weather conditions) or the Agia Irini gorge (fewer crowds and open all year), a full day’s hike catching a boat and a bus back. Imbros Gorge, next to Samaria gorge, is just 8 km long and you need just 2 hours to pass it. Aradena Gorge is also in that area, and maybe you would like to try the jump of your life ... buggy jumping.
- Visit the Aptera archaeological Site. The small archaeological site of Aptera (the ancient town of the Minoan era) is well worth a visit. From here there are wonderful sea views to the port of Chania (Souda) and the Akrotiri peninsula. Continue to visit Itzedin Castle - a Turkish castle, built in the 19th Century (also known as the Kalami fort). Visit the nearby Stilos Village to hike through the classic Cretan countryside: oleander-lined paths lead into a narrow rocky defile.
- The horse riding lovers have the opportunity for exciting galloping along the Cretan sea in Georgioupoli and the countryside as well. A horse riding Centre organizes, early morning and evening ride at 3 different levels. You just need to make a reservation.
- Village “Verekinthos” is an arts and crafts village that stands between Souda & Tsikaland at the eastern gate of Chania and it aims to revive and sustain the arts which have been always an integral part of Cretan life and culture. At this same place there were many workshops producing pots (tsikalia), giving thus the name to the town and in the very same place nowadays is run silversmith’s and goldsmith’s as well workshops for ceramics, sculpture, glass making, hagiography, painting, masks, mosaic, leather, decorative objects, and traditional Cretan knives. Visiting hours 10.00-14.00 and 19.00-21.00 except Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
- More uplifting activities in Chania area.
House Rules
- Check-in: 14.00 pm
- Check out: 12.00 pm
- Minimum Stay: 2-5 nights, depending on the season.
- Payment Policy:
Credit card details (Visa or MasterCard) are required to charge the deposit amount in order to confirm the reservation.
The deposit amount will be charged 3 weeks before your arrival.
No additional charges will be made to the credit card unless cancellation charges have to be applied.
The Balance amount is to be paid directly to Natalia's Houses at the time of stay in cash.
- Cancellation Policy :
More than 26 days before arrival, no cancellation fee.
From 25 to 15 days before arrival, 30% of your total amount will be charged.
From 14 to 8 days before arrival, 50% of your total amount will be charged.
From 7 to days before arrival, 100% of your total amount will be charged.
MHTE: 1042K123K2825801
How To Get There
Natalia's Houses located in the small, graphic village of Douliana in the Apokoronas region.
- By Air
From May through mid-October there are direct charter flights to Chania (35km) or Heraklion (118km). Tickets can be bought in advance for almost all flights from our partner website.
- By Sea
The journey is the thing". A superb way of enjoying the journey to Crete is to fly to Athens and take the ferry from Piraeus (Pireas) - the port serving Athens. A still-romantic way to travel by the overnight ferry from Piraeus to Chania Port (18km). Tickets can be bought in advance for all ferries via our partner website.
- By Car
If you want to explore the region while you're here, we recommend that you rent a car, other means of transport are limited and/or infrequent. We suggest our sister website Crete-Car-Rental.com, which offers competitive prices and you can collect your car at either airport.
- By Taxi
Book your taxi transfer online easily and safely from the airport or port to any location via our partner website.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through CreteTravel.com
Facilities
- Dining: Each house has a fully equipped kitchen. A café-bar is at your disposal for breakfast and light dishes that are served all day long
- Internet Access: Wi-Fi throughout
- Swimming Pool: Small sharing swimming pool
- Spa Treatments: Not available
- Disabled Access: Not suitable
- Pets: Allowed, on request.
- Languages Spoken: Greek, English, French
- Parking: Parking on site
