TRANDITIONAL VILLA ASKYFOU

As a child a small boy, I listened with admiration to my Parents referring the life of my Ancestors. These Warriors of unparalleled Spirit, who fought in every battle for their Ideals, Independence and Freedom of their Homeland and especially of the region of Askyfou.
Coming from such a bloodline is not only an honour but also comes with a great responsibility!
When ever I returned to Askyfou years later, during the spring and Easter holidays, I was truly fascinated as the rugged imposing landscape, the tranquillity of the area, and the history of the house where these legends lived that inspired me to renovate it as a Tribute to my forefathers and heroes of Crete that roamed this landscape once.
So my journey began to restore and unravel as much as I could concerning the life of the ones that fought for ultimately my own freedom and of my children.
I was surprised to discover family heirlooms of sentimental and historical value whilst tackling what looked like a heap of stones forgotten.

Askyfou Historical Villa is an experience a bridge to the past and the now.
An opportunity to enjoy nature, beauty, tradition, local cuisine and why not ponder upon the ever longing of humans for freedom, for safety, for being able to live and enjoy life with their loved ones.
Villa Askyfou Ιs not only the history of my own family but of the history of Crete and freedom fighters that Crete gave birth to.
Based on its history and antiquity, was renovated with natural materials of the area, such as stone and cypress wood. It was framed with 19th-century furniture from the rest of Crete and equally historic areas of the Peloponnese and Chios.
Dominant, among the family heilrooms, is the gun of my Great Grandfather Captain Katsoulis, with which he fought in WW 2 and which is kept as an exhibit inside the house.
My grandmother Aspasia's traditional loom from 1910, was converted into a king-size bed.
In honour of all those women who like Penelope of the oldest European text waited for the return of her husband Ulysses who went off to war holding up the fort in his absence.
Today one can still see the weaving that Grandma wove on her loom, symbolizing the Greek-American friendship that was established during her lifetime.
So many immigrated as Greece was depleted and more than 10% of its population exterminated, some reached America.
Old farm & ranching tools adorn the walls and revive the traditional way of life of my Ancestors and residents.