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Christina III

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Pool
Living area
Private kitchen
Living area
Room

Reviews

9.4 out of 10
Exceptional
3 bedrooms2 bathroomsSleeps 7

Popular amenities

  • Pool
  • Kitchen
  • Barbecue grill
  • Fireplace

Explore the area

View in a map
Πενταμόδι, Κρήτη, Crete
  • Place, Agios Myronas Church
    ‪4 min drive‬
  • Place, Palace of Knossos
    ‪23 min drive‬
  • Place, Heraklion Port
    ‪23 min drive‬
  • Airport, Heraklion (HER-Nikos Kazantzakis)
    ‪23 min drive‬

Rooms & beds

3 bedrooms (sleeps 7)

Bedroom 1

1 Double Bed

Bedroom 2

2 Twin Beds

Bedroom 3

2 Twin Beds

2 bathrooms

Bathroom 1

Bathtub or shower · Toilet

Bathroom 2

Toilet · Shower only

Spaces

Kitchen
Dining area

About this property

Christina III

Located in the traditional village of Pendamodi in the Heraklion area, the two-storey Christina Villa 3 of the Christina Villas complex offers the unique combination of peace along with modern comforts and easy access to the City life. At a distance of just 15kms from Heraklion, the capital of Crete, also the north beaches and the E4 walking path, Pendamodi is an ideal location for excursions to every corner of the island, even though few of the guests usually decide to leave the hospitality and warmth of Christina and of the village. Christina Villa has an architecture inspired from the local traditional aesthetics. The private pool adds to the characteristics of the discreet luxury and decorates the nights of the veranda. Large open plan lounge with integrated dining area, a fireplace and full equipment, complete the comfort and relaxation that the guests enjoy when they do not choose to gaze and wonder at the mountain view, tapestry of olive groves and vineyards.




Located in the traditional village of Pendamodi in the Heraklion area, the two-storey Christina Villas offer the unique combination of peace along with modern comforts and easy access to the City life. At a distance of just 15kms from Heraklion, the capital of Crete, also the north beaches and the E4 walking path, Pendamodi is an ideal location for excursions to every corner of the island, even though few of our guests usually decide to leave the hospitality and warmth of Christina and of the village. Christina Villas have an architecture emanating from the local traditional aesthetics. Each of the private pools add to the characteristics of the discreet luxury and decorates the nights of the veranda. Large open plan lounges with integrated dining areas, fireplaces and full equipment, complete the comfort and relaxation that you can enjoy when you do not choose to gaze and wonder at the mountain view, tapestry of olive groves and vineyards.

Our villas are professionaly cleaned by our maid twice a week and due to the situation recently extra attention is being given at details, especially at check in and check out.


About Christina Villas: Christina Villas was a project completed in 2003. Thanassis Paspalakis, founder and Director of Zakros Tours did see the obvious, that Pendamodi, the village where he was born could be, due to beauty and location, an ideal place for alternative and high quality tourism. He created a complex of 11 superb villas, featuring one of Crete's best properties.
As a specialist in tourism Thanassis, did understand what his guests would want from their distinctive vacations.

Our long experience in “philoxenia” [hospitality in ancient and modern Greek] is always there for our guests. Our will is to treat our guests mostly as family friends coming on vacation, rather than a client as meant by hospitality sciences.

Christina complex, was named after the mother of Thanassis, an adorable woman, married to Manolis Paspalakis, owner of the Kafeneion founded in 1930 and renovated by his grand-grand son Giorgos in 2005.

Coast/beach and eating outdoors: 15 km from the famous Ammoudara Beach (15 minutes drive). Ammoudara Beach is 6 kms long and is famous among locals and foreigners for its thin golden sand. It has parts with a lot of people, while others with few, also it has restaurants, cafes, water sports, beach bars.

Another choice near, recommended from our guests is Lygaria , a more quiet and family beach, located at a gulf, suitable for windy days. Amnissos, Karteros and Paliokastro beaches are also within short drive distances.

There are two traditional 'kafenions' in Pendamodi one of which also serves traditional 'mezes', Giorgos' 'Mezedopoleion', a mix of Cretan cafe and taverna, highly recommended by our guests for his hospitality and dishes. Additionally, a selection of brilliant local taverns can be found within a few kilometers in the surrounding villages and the Christina complex modern snack café is always an alternative and on site

Special interest holidays / Service: Courses on Greek History and Literature can take place on special demand by the candidate doctor of Philology, Adonis Paspalakis.

On this vacation you are not going to be alone: For the best service we will support your holiday during your stay, guaranteeing that you will get the most of your vacation: An information book with local sightseeing, tavernas, beaches and general information will be provided.
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.

Add dates for prices

Amenities

Pool
Kitchen
Barbecue grill
Fireplace

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House Rules

Check in after 2:30 PM
Minimum age to rent: 24
Check out before 11:30 AM
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Children

Children allowed: ages 0-17
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Events

No events allowed
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Pets

No pets allowed
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Smoking

Smoking is not permitted

Important information

You need to know

Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Onsite parties or group events are strictly prohibited
Host has not indicated whether there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property; consider bringing a portable detector with you on the trip
Host has not indicated whether there is a smoke detector on the property
Property Registration Number 1380870

We should mention

Cash transactions at this property cannot exceed GBP 500, due to national regulations; for further details, please contact the property using information in the booking confirmation

About the neighborhood

Heraklion

Heraklion is home to this villa. Dedalou Shopping Street and Heraklion Central Market are worth checking out if shopping is on the agenda, while those wishing to experience the area's natural beauty can explore Ammoudara Beach and Geoponikos Kipos. Looking to enjoy an event or a game while in town? See what's happening at Pankritio Stadium or Theodoros Vardinogiannis Stadium.
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Map
Πενταμόδι, Κρήτη, Crete

What's nearby

  • Agios Myronas Church - 4 min drive - 3.1 km
  • Heraklion Archaeological Museum - 21 min drive - 19.0 km
  • Palace of Knossos - 23 min drive - 22.0 km
  • Knossos Archaeological Site - 23 min drive - 22.0 km
  • Heraklion Port - 23 min drive - 19.7 km

Getting around

  • Nikos Kazantzakis Airport (HER) - 29 min drive

Restaurants

  • ‪Cafe Fantastico - ‬9 min drive
  • ‪Ο φούρνος του Νύκταρη - ‬12 min drive
  • ‪Κυλικείο Πα.Γ.Ν.Η. - ‬11 min drive
  • ‪Arolithos Traditional Cretan Village - ‬19 min drive
  • ‪Γρηγόρης - ‬11 min drive

Frequently asked questions

Is Christina III pet-friendly?

No, pets are not allowed at this property.

How much does it cost to stay at Christina III?

As of Mar 31, 2026, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Christina III on May 13, 2026 start from $174, including taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.

What time is check-in at Christina III?

Check-in begins at 2:30 PM.

What time is check-out at Christina III?

Check-out is at 11:30 AM.

Where is Christina III located?

Situated in Heraklion, this villa is 1.8 mi (2.8 km) from Agios Myronas Church and within 6 mi (10 km) of General University Hospital of Heraklion and Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas. Ammoudara Beach and Tylisos Mansions are also within 9 mi (15 km).

Reviews

9.4

Exceptional

Reviews are presented in chronological order, subject to a moderation process, and verified unless otherwise labeled.
Learn moreOpens in a new window
Rating 10 - Excellent. 8 out of 13 reviews
Rating 8 - Good. 5 out of 13 reviews
Rating 6 - Okay. 0 out of 13 reviews
Rating 4 - Poor. 0 out of 13 reviews
Rating 2 - Terrible. 0 out of 13 reviews

9.6/10

Cleanliness

10/10

Check-in

9.6/10

Communication

8.8/10

Location

9.6/10

Listing accuracy

Reviews

Verified

8/10 Good

Ian V.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Very welcoming hosts who accommodated all our needs on arrival and departure. Pool a good size, house spacious and had everything we needed.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Ruth J.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Comfortable villa, lovely village

The villa was very comfortable in a quiet location. Easy drive from airport but far enough away to hear birdsong, not planes!Car hire from the hosts Zakros Tours was also easy. Eliza was very helpful: meeting us at the airport, guiding us to the villa, and providing lots of useful tips on places to visit. Pentamodi village is quiet and friendly - two welcoming tavernas and a shop, all within a 2 minute walk. Greatly enjoyed our stay.
Stayed 10 nights in Jun 2025
Verified

10/10 Excellent

vicki g.

Beautiful villa in a stunning location. Loved it!

We had a wonderful 11 nights at Christina 3 villas. The villa itself was perfect for our family of 5, well equipped for everything we needed. The pool and gardens were stunning and we had many days just sunbathing by the pool in the peace and quiet. We loved the fact that it was a very untouristy area and we enjoyed chatting to the locals in the nearby tavernas and eating the delicious (and cheap!) food. A car is definitely needed and we hired one at a great rate through zacross tours. This enabled us to explore the island and spend time at the local beach (Amoudara) which was beautiful with free sunbeds and free parking! The villa owner Adonis and his cousin George were extremely helpful throughout our stay and Adonis even took us for a raki session on our last evening. A perfect holiday and would love to come back one day.
Verified

8/10 Good

Andrew W.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Short stay for wedding/ birthday.

Me my wife decided to try something different from the usual hotel packages, we were attending our daughter’s wedding and were unsure how many would be in our party, so this seemed ideal, as it sleeps up to seven. Our son and grandson did eventually stay with us. The hosts met us at the airport upon arrival and took us to the hire car I had prebooked through them and led us to the villa. The villa was just as described. The hosts were so helpful and always available on the phone if required. The local taverna does wonderful traditional Greek food and is very welcoming. If you want a relaxing stay, this is ideal. If you want to see more of Crete, as we did, a car is a must. Heraklion is only 20mins car journey and has great shops and an abundance of restaurants to choose from. If we return to Crete, we would stay again. Adonis and Lisa were wonderful, so welcoming and friendly.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Thomas N.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy
Die Gastgeber waren sehr freundlich und hilfsbereit. Das Ferienhaus war super und die Umgebung traumhaft. Wir hatten eine tolle Zeit und würden die Gastgeber und das Ferienhaus weiterempfehlen.
Stayed 10 nights in Oct 2025
Verified

8/10 Good

Laurent M.

Liked: Cleanliness, check-in, communication, location, listing accuracy

Endroit de détente

Nous avons beaucoup apprécier la relation avec notre l’ensemble de l’équipe aussi bien avant pendant et après notre séjour . Personnel à l’écoute et très professionnel Merci encore pour ce beau séjour en Crète .
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2024
Verified

10/10 Excellent

George W.

Relaxing holiday where you really feel looked after

Normally when you book a villa for a holiday abroad that is pretty much what you get and if your lucky then its a nice place to say. Christina III is certainly a well appointed villa with all that is required to enjoy you time in Crete. Other reviews have described these facilities perfectly (so I won't simply repeat this) and the village of Pendamodi which has has a small shop and a local taverna meaning that all the fundamentals are within walking distance. As recommended a car is highly desirable so that you can explore that little bit further afield and make the best of your stay. That is the start of where Adonis and all associated with the villa discriminate themselves from other holidays we have been on. Starting from the initial inquiries on the villa and throughout our holiday Adonis was permanently on hand to ensure that everything ran smoothly. We normally have to book a larger car than needed just so we can get the luggage to and from the airport. This time we booked a smaller car with Zakros Tours through Adonis. We were able to do this as we were met at the airport by Lisa in a second car and she shared the load of carrying the luggage with us and showed us where the villa is which is always a plus!. On the way back Adonis exchanged our car for a seven seater people carrier at no extra charge so we could back to the airport with our luggage (another plus of this was that when Adonis brought the car over we could share a raki at the local taverna!). As others have commented the customer service is second to none. On the first night Lisa gave an overview many of the places we could visit and passed on a welcome pack with water, coffee, tea, bread and wine etc. to ensure we weren't short of things until the local shops opened. Giorgos was round regularly to ensure the pool was spotless and to make further recommendations of things to do. When my sister came over for a couple of days Adonis was able to sort an extra car at very late notice as I'd forgotten to allow for the fact that the now 6 of us would not fit in a 5 seater car. So a memorable holiday made all the more relaxing by being looked after by our new friends from Zakros Tours. We will no doubt look to return in the future.
Verified

10/10 Excellent

Dave S.

Great holiday and excellent customer service

Christina Villa III is situated in the relatively small village of Pendamodi which is about 15km outside of Heraklion. A car is a must to explore not only the local area but also the island itself. The owners of the 3 Christina villas also organise car rental and excursions through the travel company Zakros Tours. The villa itself has everything you could need for a family holday including all the usual kitchen gadgets like microwave, coffee maker etc. There are 3 good sized bedrooms, 2 of which open onto a shared balcony overlooking the garden and swimming pool. There is a bathroom upstairs which has a shower over a corner bath and WC. A seperate WC is also upstairs. Downstairs there is a utility room which also has a shower and WC as well as housing the washing machine. The lounge/kitchen/dining area is all open plan and has patio doors opening onto a small patio next to the pool area. The pool itself is perfect for a family of 5/6 people and was well maintained as were the gardens. The linen and towels were changed twice a week by a lovely lady from the village who also tidied up and cleaned. The village of Pendamodi has a small shop and a local taverna where you can sip Raki or a beer in the evening and get a meal as well. Now onto the excellent customer service.... We were met at the airport by Lisa who took us to our hire car and allowed us to put some luggage into her own car to take to the villa (we did have 3 teenage/early 20's girls with us, with lots of luggage). Lisa patiently waited for us at every junction so we did not get split up and then when we arrived at the villa proceeded to sit down with us and go through the local area including marking a map up of the best places to visit based on what we were looking for. She then got us a small basket of food, water and milk as we had arrived very late in the evening and all the shops were closed. When it came to return to the airport we were once again met by Lisa who again loaded up her car with some of our luggage. I offered to get a taxi back to the airport with our additional luggage but Adonis and Lisa wouldn't hear of it and insisted on doing it this way. Everytime I spoke to either Adonis, Lisa or Giorgo (not sure of actual spelling) they were very pleasant and helpful while also being very professional. Outstanding customer service and I would highly recommend.
Stayed 14 nights in Jul 2018
Archival

8/10 Good

Julia M.

Very good

The villa was good. It would be improved by a mirror in each bedroom and perhaps another saucepan between the sizes given.
Stayed 13 nights in Aug 2017
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Winston E.

Number 3 Christina Villa was exactly as advertised on the website, the location perfect for us.

We also hired a car from the owner and were met at the airport and guided to the villa. We didn't include GPS in the hire and would do that next time. The villa is south of Heraklion in a small village with beautiful views of the surrounding hills. The location is certainly a big plus, the property feels very private and secure. The village shop had everything we needed including freshly baked bread every day, lots of locally grown fruit and vegetables, cheese and wine and friendly English speaking staff. There is also a restaurant which serves food all freshly prepared by the owner at really low prices, An excellent dinner with wine and raki, locally distilled was just £10 a head and this less than five minutes from the villa. I last went to Crete forty years ago when there were no cars but what hasn't changed is the people, they still have a great sense of hospitality and very friendly. The villa turned out to be much larger than I expected, two twin rooms and a double, large by modern standards with lots of storage cupboards. The downstairs is open plan with a reasonable kitchen area and a good sized fridge-freezer. We had all our meals outdoors and used the barbecue nearly every day. The villa was clean and in a good state of decoration, cleaned and towels changed twice a week. There is enough sun beds around the pool for six and the garden is planted with trees and flowering shrubs, but remember not to leave things out overnight as the sprinklers pop overnight to water the grass. The location means that both north and south coasts can be reached in half an hour and Agios Nikolaos and Chania about an hour. Number 3 Christina Villa the perfect quite getaway in apart of Crete which retains the old fashion charm and values; we thoroughly enjoyed it and would not hesitate to go again.
Stayed 7 nights in Aug 2016
Archival

8/10 Good

Lesley L.

Comfortable villa in lovely wee village

Just returned from a lovely holiday in Pentamodi, the villa is clean and comfortable with everything that we required.it is not the most glamorous villa that we have been in but nothing to complain about. We didn't use the tabletop dishwasher ,but it is there if you want to use it. The swimming pool could do with a bit of attention,it's just a wee bit grubby with the leaves etc falling into it, and although we scooped them out daily the overall appearance is that the grouting and tiles could do with cleaning The village is lovely with a great wee taverna where you get a nice meal, pot luck but always very tasty.you definitely need a car, and a map!!, but it's only 15 minutes to the nearest resort. We had great assistance from Elizabeth, meeting us at the airport to guide us to the villa and advice on where to visit. The wifi is not great, but it kind of works. Overall we would recommend this villa if you enjoy a peaceful location and don't mind driving.
Stayed 11 nights in Jun 2016
Archival

10/10 Excellent

We will do that again..!!

Christina was a great place for us..Surrounded by a beautiful scenery with trees and flowers.I loved the outdoor pool where i used to spend many hours with a book or music.My little sister also got excited with the video-games and the DVD player.The rooms were big and clean.My mom used to cook in the full equipped kitchen it was very useful to have everything you need in the place you stay.From kitchen,micro,boiler even dishwasher and washing machine in a small room in the house.It was twenty minutes from the main city of the island Iraclio and also close to Knossos one of the most famous ancient palace in Greece.The beaches of Crete were amazing and the owner was very helpful and provide us with all the necessary information to get the best of our trip..Best thing was that they also rend cars so you could actually combine everything and get a very good deal,cause without a car it's not that easy to do a lot of things since the island is huge..!!It is amazing how many thing were there to see and do..Ten days were nothing at the end we wanted more...!
Archival

10/10 Excellent

Great vacation!

We stayed at Christina III last October (2010) for a week. The experience was absolutely great. The villa is large (good for 3 couples) & comfortable with all you need to eat in & with a nice swimming pool. We went out almost every night to Heraklion and during the day we had great traditional dishes and drinks at the local charming CAFE (best Raki in Greece!). The village is inspiring and the people are warm and welcoming. Adonis, Manolis & George who ran the place are super & will assist with what ever is needed. If you plan to go on a vacation with kids or with a few friends - this is definitely a great spot!

About the host

Hosted by Adonis Paspalakis

Host profile image
Born Cretan, studied Philology at the university of Thessaloniki for my bachelor, University of Crete for my master , and currently again at Thessaloniki for my Phd, I am working in tourism at our local family firm, Zakros Tours, since 2005.

Why they chose this property

Being the village of my father, Pendamodi is really the place of my ancestors. Our family built the Christina Villas complex to offer our guests an insight at the traditional cretan way of life which can not be found in the "industrialized" resorts.

What makes this property unique

Christina Villas are combining both cretan tradition and modern amenities, while having a private garden and pool per villa, offers guests the chance to relax and enjoy their vacation. The location of the village is a great, as being away from the city but on the same time very near to it. Also, the villas are a fantastic base to explore the whole island.

Languages:

English, German, Greek
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