Kalives, with its pretty, family friendly beaches and small fishing harbour, is always high on our list of prime locations, so we are delighted to have discovered a private house just a short drive from the wonderful seafront tavernas, shops, sandy beaches, and boat rentals in this charming village. The Plane Tree House is a traditional island home that offers excellent value for money. Tucked away behind a giant 200-year-old Plane Tree on the road that runs between Kalives and Armeni, perfectly situated on the very edge of both villages, your privacy and easy access to amenities are assured. A simple yet comfortable retreat, The Plane Tree House is perfectly suited to easy summer living, particularly given the stunning natural beauty of the surrounding area, and the far-reaching views that include the mesmerising White Mountains and the Turkish Fort at Aptera. Despite the relaxing rural location, The Plane Tree House is only 700m from the National Highway, which makes it an ideal starting point from which to explore the many and varied sites that Crete has to offer.
When not using the house as the perfect base for getting out and about, the focus of your holiday time will undoubtedly be the garden which is fenced and gated, and covers 2000m2, giving plenty of space for younger members of the family to run around in. The area immediately adjacent to the house and pool terrace has been laid to grass, but elsewhere in the garden there are orange, mandarin, avocado, banana, pine, and olive trees, canna lilies, bougainvillea, Washingtonian palms, yucca, geraniums, spider plants, morning glory, and very unusually, a vanilla bean tree. The dining terrace is shaded and is perfectly positioned overlooking the pool terrace, for appetizing barbeque grilled dinners under the star-filled night sky, or a leisurely al fresco breakfast after a morning dip in the pool. It is also the ideal vantage point from which to supervise youngsters while they play in the pool or on the lawn. The newly built pool has a separate, shallow children’s area, and there are corner Roman steps that make it easy to get in and out of the pool and are the perfect place to sit and chill out in the refreshing water, on a long, hot summer day.
The Plane Tree House is owned by Roula, who is the epitome of Greek hospitality, whilst allowing her guests total privacy. Originally the dwelling was just 1 room that was built by her great-grandfather, but Roula has since expanded upon this, and is constantly modernising aspects of the house, whilst blending classic Cretan architecture and furnishings with contemporary comforts. Up-to-date features include free unlimited Wi-Fi, TV, a kitchen which has an electric cooker with a ceramic hob and a cooker hood, a microwave, fridge/freezer, a kettle, a countertop dishwasher, a toaster, a coffee maker, and a washing machine. There are also tilt and turn aluminium doors and windows which allow for a cooling breeze to come through the house, mosquito screens to the windows, shutters; an iron; a hairdryer; and a large air conditioning unit at the top of the staircase that allows cooling air to flow into the upstairs bedroom or down to the living room if needed. For the cooler nights at the start and end of the season the A/C unit also doubles up as a heater. There is solar powered hot water or a back-up immersion heater, and a gated private parking area. Meanwhile the house’s original character is still retained by the cooling ceramic floor tiles throughout the ground floor, local stone in the walls and main door surround, and cypress wood in the living room’s beamed ceiling, and in the upstairs mezzanine bedroom’s polished floor and high vaulted ceiling. This spacious bedroom also has doors that open out onto the roof terrace that takes full advantage of the pretty, pastoral view, and is where many a morning coffee or evening aperitif will be enjoyed.
Keen walkers and nature lovers alike will enjoy following the many quiet country trails with wonderful views that stretch from the turquoise, crystal clear sea in Kalives to the Diktamos Gorge and foothills of the mountains at Stylos. Hiking through the orange and olive groves not far from the house can be thirsty work, but a stop for a cooling, leisurely drink at one of the traditional tavernas or cafes that are located next to the freshwater springs and river in Armeni or Stylos, will soon revive you. For the less energetic amongst you, the only activity necessary is a 4 minute drive to enjoy a frozen cocktail or delicious meal at one of the cafes or tavernas on the Kalives beachfront.
With no immediate neighbours, this quaint property is a must for those seeking excellent value,
in a countrified setting, but within walking distance to a sleepy Cretan village, and striking distance by car to the National Highway, many amenities, sandy beaches, incredible scenery, craft workshops and archaeological sites.
***The current photos were taken in October 2023, before much of the dark wood furniture had been painted in contemporary colours of white, grey, or teal, new sunbeds and umbrellas had been bought for the pool terrace, and with the grass looking very sparse and brown, due to an unprecedented 3 long heatwaves and a hosepipe ban in the summer of 2023). New photos will be taken in 2024.
