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The 4 star traditional apartments are set on a hillside overlooking Arhanes & Youhtas sacred mountain. This original Cretan mansion was built in 1890 and was renovated during the period from spring to winter of 2000.
The foundations of this old house, its stone walls (60-80 cm thick), its frame and woodwork have remained intact. Old building materials have been used in order to preserve the architectural arrangement of the apartments and of the other spaces as well as to obtain all the amenities that are necessary for a comfortable and decent accommodatio, attarctively restored in 6 exclusive apartments.
It is a new type of vacation, for people who love nature, relaxation, exercise, nutrition with pure ecological products, taste and delight, entertainment and communication with the locals, and time for recollection.
Away from the humdrum
picture of tourism (sun – sea) every place has another world –
which lasts more than just the few months of the tourist season –
whose roots are well embedded in tradition. Tradition is still alive but
well hidden, like a precious jewel, from the eyes of the ephemeral visitor.
Andreas Metaxas, General Manager of the Maris Hotels, with his love and
respect for Cretan tradition had a dream and dared to experiment. Thus,
Villa Arhanes is a proposition for a different type of holiday, which
combines tradition and a return to nature, rural tourism and frugal luxury,
entertainment and communication with the locals and time for contemplation.
The building, an original 1890 Cretan mansion in Arhanes –which has been
classified in historical and traditional heritage- was restored in the year
2000 retaining its foundations, its stone walls (60-80 cm thick), its frame
and woodwork intact. Open all year round, Villa Arhanes consists of 6 apartments
for 2-7 persons, each decorated differently, combining traditional architecture
and contemporary conveniences. Four of these apartments have names of the seasons,
while the remaining two that of Dionysos (God of pleasure, communications and
fertility) and Ariadne (who gave birth to Stafylos and Inopionas). Villa Arhanes
has a reception area – kafenion (traditional Cretan coffee-house) and
a fresh-water swimming pool.
The intentness to tradition is notable everywhere, not only in its architecture
and decoration. At Villa Arhanes there are no animators, modern music, waiters
with bow ties or chefs with white hats. There is only the simple, tasty and
healthy food, prepared by a housewife who cooks the old Cretan recipes - and
it is a well known fact that Cretan nutrition is one of the world’s healthiest
diets. Another important factor is that all products (meat, fish, vegetables,
fruits, salads, wine, raki and bread etc) are ecological, grown without the
use of fertilisers and chemicals, whilst all food, where only pure Cretan olive
oil is used, is served in the traditional and not the classical way. Everything
is laid on the table at the same time and not served one plate at a time. Hospitality
is the key word at Arhanes, the way Cretans mean hospitality, where there are
no clients but guests.
At Villa archanes you may participate on any rural or other creative activity
- depending on the season - so as to become familiar with the Cretan rural tradition
and to communicate and acquire knowledge from peple who live and work in nature.
For Maris Hotels Villa Arhanes is “an experiment, a daring, a dream, a
new dimension for tourism, a search and an attempt to establish a new type of
holidays for people who love tradition, nature, relaxation, exercise, nutrition
with pure ecological products, taste, entertainment and communication with the
locals and time for contemplation”. In other words, “real life”.
Arhanes, a beautiful little town in the Temenos prefecture, at an altitude
of 380m and just 15 km from Heraklion -with a continuous habitation of 5.000
years- is one of the most important archaeological sites of Crete and has been
characterised for its historical and traditional heritage. From prehistoric
years to this date, it has been an important financial centre of the surrounding
area. It is believed that in Arhanes lay the summer palace of King Minos. The
area has a particular natural environment (gorges, hills, mountains, cultivable
plain expanses, rare flora and fauna, but the buildings also represent the neo-classical
tradition with Venetian architecture.
It should be noted that Archanes has been awarded with a significant distinction
in the contest of “European Community for Rural Development and Upgrading
of villages” and the “International Union R.E.D. (Ruralite-Environment-Development)
for the European Award 2000 Upgrading of Villages under the title “There
is no past without a future”, Greece participated in with three entries
- with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture. The aim of this contest was
the distinction of those European villages, which with the initiative and support
of their inhabitants together with the competent authorities would be upgraded
and would develop their area. In this contest Arhanes was awarded the first
prize in the category of villages which presented a complete and sustainable
development of exceptional quality. 32 areas from 11 European countries participated
in this contest, all with an admirable infrastructure of civilisation, finance
and social organisation, with a special emphasis placed on environmental protection.
These last few years, Arhanes has shown a remarkable development at all levels,
for which the Mayor Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis has played a major role.
Surveys have been carried out, and the problems encountered as well as their
management were competently handled by the Prefecture, with the constant support
of the residents. Major changes have been noted in the overall picture regarding
the quality of the inhabitants’ lives and in the natural environment of
the archaeological sites.
Nowadays Arhanes has a magistrate’s court, a Police Station, a Health
Centre, a Post Office, a Telecommunications’ Centre, waterworks, banks,
a Music School, an open-air cinema, taverns, traditional coffee shops and distinguished
cultural events during the summer.
There are many options for the visitor, depending on one’s interests.
A visit to the Youhtas mountain and the gorge of Agia Irini (network area Natura
200, parts of the European path E4) where one can see the Morazini reservoir,
the Information Centre, the Museum of Natural History belonging to the Archaeological
park “Youhtas”, which will be completed by the end of 2004, archaeological
sites (Minoan sanctuary at Anemospilio, the Minoan graveyard at Fourni, a Minoan
villa at Vathypetro, a Minoan palace at Tourkogeitonia, an archaeological collection
of original and copy findings of the archaeological diggings of the wider area,
Byzantine churches (Asomatos, Metamorfosi tou Sotira, Agios Mamas, Agia Paraskevi,
Agia Triada, the Crucifixion, a church museum in the church of the Virgin),
the workshop and exhibition of the sculptor Manolis Tzombanakis and of the engraver
Aristea Kritsotaki, Museums (Agricultural History and Traditions, Folklore),
One may also visit exhibitions of traditional agricultural produce, such as
vines and olives, enjoy a wine tasting session, visit the Agricultural Co-operation
of Arhanes, the renovated traditional buildings, the piazzas, the Agios Giannis
park or the small park in Kefala.
In addition, the fact that Ahranes is set so close to Heraklion and Knossos
makes it easy for someone to visit the archaeological sites, museums, shops
of Heraklion, as well as experience its night life. Those who love the sea and
the sun can enjoy themselves on the beautiful beaches.
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accommodation