Kamilari Holidays

Kamilari is a peaceful hilltop village in southern Crete. It's shouldered by the green Messara Valley on one side and the blue Libyan Sea on the other, meaning the views are hard to beat. It’s an unhurried place with authentic tavernas and kafenions on the quaint village square. Kamilari's narrow alleyways are lined with low whitewashed houses and shutters draped with bougainvillea. This rural escape pairs up nicely with Kalamaki Beach, just down the road.

The nearest beach to Kamilari is five minutes’ drive away at Kalamaki. It’s a quiet sandy stretch with sunloungers, umbrellas and beach bars along the promenade. For a change of scene, the beaches of Kokkinos Pirgos and Matala are both 10 minutes’ drive away. They’re sandy beaches too, but up in Kokkinos Pirgos there are entirely secluded coves to the east of the beach. Down in Matala the shore is backed by a handful of laid-back shack restaurants.

An hour’s drive gets you to Heraklion, Crete’s capital. It’s famous for the well-preserved 13th-century fortress, right next to the huge Venetian harbour. Nearby you'll find the Archeological Museum, which is home to 5,000-year-old Neolithic relics found in Crete. About 15 minutes out of Heraklion is the Minoan Palace of Knossos. The ruins here are 4,500 years old and you can take tours around the beautifully restored frescoes.