Crete: Visit south Crete to find your unrecognized self

16.07.2024 - 10:38 / traveldailynews.com

Goudouras, a remote village in Crete, offers a serene escape with authentic Cretan culture and unspoiled landscapes. Villa Atalandia, a luxurious seafront property, provides an ideal base for exploring local natural and archaeological treasures, enjoying secluded beaches, and indulging in the region’s rich gastronomy.

Few tourists visit the tiny fishing and farming village of Goudouras in the far Southeast of the island. A winding ribbon of road cut between the mountainside and the sea connects the remote
community with the more famous Ierapetra and Agios Nikolaos to the West. On Crete are still places of unspoiled beauty, where the people still cling to the old ways and legendary Cretan
hospitality still exists. This part of Crete is “the middle of nowhere” for some. But it’s the middle of Eden if you seek harmony, peace, and the extraordinary.

The math genius and wise philosopher Blaise Pascal is often cited concerning “the road not taken.” His feelings, noted below, could have been written about the road to a village like Goudouras and the people, places, things, and feelings along the way.

“No one is discontented at not being a king except a discrowned king … unhappiness almost invariably indicates the existence of a road not taken, a talent undeveloped, a self not recognized.”

Now, let us pretend that I have enthralled you with this idea of discovery in one of Crete Island’s most remote places. Would you expect me to suggest a hotel or Airbnb to stay at? How about
the best tavernas nearby? Should I list one or two? And attractions not far from the ancient hamlet – what if there were amazing things to see and do? I wrote this report to accomplish allthat, just for you. No one paid me. I am just a retired journalist who gives travel advice. Anyway, this is beside the point. Now that the reader is ready to embark on a journey of adventure and self-discovery let’s just go.

Where would I stay if given the choice? That’s easy. A bit over halfway down the seaside road from the harbor of Makry Gialos to Cape Goudouras, Villa Atalandia is an exclusive seafront
villa with an idyllic spirit imbued into its foundations. First, and perhaps foremost, its closest neighbors are an old hillside chapel, the azure Libyan Sea, and sunrises over not-too-distant
Koufonisi Island. Luxurious, splendid, quiet and safe, a place to reflect and rejoice about life, this Crete villa has everything anyone could want – and something beyond typical desire.

This remarkable private estate overlooking the eternal was designed by its passionate owner with the help of brilliant architects and engineers. Hinda Haspeslagh-Boeckx’s vision started with a piece of land jutting out over the sea. Her ideas of paradise began when she saw