From Chania Airport to Your Villa near Rethymno
Chania is one of the two main arrival airports for a villa stay near Rethymno. From there, the journey continues east towards the villas: about 79 km to Asteri Village (78 km to Villa Argiris in Stavromenos), around 75 minutes without stops.
What follows is not a set of directions: you will receive those, written for your specific villa, before you travel. This is about the shape of the arrival day and the decisions worth making before you land.
By Argyris Skordilis, owner and host · Updated
Before You Leave the Airport
Collect everything first, then think about the road. Luggage, hire car paperwork, child seats fitted properly, water for the journey. Trying to save fifteen minutes at the airport tends to cost more than it saves.
Send Argyris a message when you set off. This is the single most useful thing you can do. It lets him work out when you will reach the villa and coordinate your welcome, and it means nobody is guessing at either end.
Allow time for disembarking, any applicable border formalities, luggage collection, vehicle collection, child-seat preparation and any planned stop. Any driving-time estimate begins after leaving the airport and varies with traffic, season, stops and the final approach to the villa.
Use the Map Link We Send You
Roughly two weeks before you arrive, you receive arrival information that includes a map link for the specific villa you have booked.
Please use it. Searching the brand name in a map application is not a reliable way to arrive: it will not distinguish between four separate houses in two different places, and it may take you somewhere that is not where you are staying.
Save the link before you travel and consider downloading the relevant offline map area as a backup.
If You Are Driving
The route from Chania to the Rethymno area runs east along the north coast, so you will approach the villas from the western side.
Plan any essential shopping stop before the final approach to the villa. Use current opening information and the villa-specific route rather than assuming that one particular stop will suit every arrival.
After a flight, drive at the pace that suits you. Unfamiliar roads after travelling deserve more attention than the same distance at home would.
If You Are Arriving by Private Transfer
Arrange it in advance rather than on arrival. Ask Argyris and he can suggest a transfer company. Final availability, vehicle, price and terms are confirmed with the provider.
Provide the flight details requested by the transfer company so that the transfer can be coordinated around the confirmed itinerary. If you would like an essential supermarket stop on the way, ask when you make the booking. It is subject to confirmation and should be requested in advance.
If your flight is delayed, contact both the transfer company and Argyris as soon as you can.
Where You Are Actually Going
The four villas are in two different places, and the last part of the journey differs accordingly.
Villa Asteri, Villa Kitron and Villa Myrrini are in Asteri, an inland village east of Rethymno. Villa Argiris is in Stavromenos, on the coastal side. They are not interchangeable destinations, and their approaches, entrances and parking arrangements are not the same.
This is exactly why the map link is villa-specific, and why the access notes you receive are written for your house rather than for the collection.
Check-in, and Arriving Early
Check-in is from 15:30. Check-out is at 11:00.
If your flight lands well before check-in, tell Argyris in advance. An early luggage drop can sometimes be arranged, depending on when the previous guests leave and on the cleaning schedule that day.
A luggage drop is not early check-in, and early access to the villa cannot be guaranteed.
Evening and Night Arrivals
Late arrivals can be coordinated more smoothly when they are planned in advance. Tell Argyris your expected arrival time and send an update as soon as practical if it changes. Do not rely on shops or restaurants being open after a late arrival; arrange essential food earlier in the journey and check current opening hours before travelling.
If you are driving an unfamiliar route in the dark for the first time, allow extra time and take it gently.
If Your Flight Is Delayed
Send Argyris an update as soon as practical if the flight or connection changes. If you have booked an independent transfer, update the transfer company separately, because messages sent to Argyris are not automatically shared with them.
Facts checked against our four villa pages · Last reviewed by Argyris Skordilis, owner of Amazing Villas in Crete.
Frequently asked questions
Which way is the drive from Chania Airport to the villas?
The route from Chania to the Rethymno area runs east along the north coast, so you approach the villas from the western side. For the final approach, follow the map link sent for your specific villa.
Can Argyris suggest a transfer from Chania Airport?
Yes. Ask Argyris and he can suggest a transfer company, and arrange it in advance rather than on arrival. Final availability, vehicle, price and terms are confirmed with the provider.
Can the transfer stop at a supermarket on the way?
You can ask for an essential supermarket stop when you book the transfer. It is subject to confirmation and should be requested in advance.
Are all four villas in the same place?
No. Villa Asteri, Villa Kitron and Villa Myrrini are in Asteri, an inland village east of Rethymno, while Villa Argiris is in Stavromenos on the coastal side. Their approaches, entrances and parking arrangements differ, so use the map link for the villa you have booked.
What if my flight into Chania is delayed?
Send Argyris an update as soon as practical. If you have booked an independent transfer, update the transfer company separately, because messages sent to Argyris are not automatically shared with them.
What if I arrive late in the evening?
Tell Argyris your expected arrival time and send an update if it changes. Do not rely on shops or restaurants being open after a late arrival; arrange essential food earlier in the journey and allow extra time on an unfamiliar route in the dark.
Still Choosing Your Airport?
If you have not yet booked flights, our airport comparison guide covers the choice between Chania and Heraklion for a stay near Rethymno. This guide assumes the decision is made.
More Plan Your Stay guides
- From Heraklion Airport to Your Villa near Rethymno
- Private Transfer or Car Hire for Your Crete Villa Stay?
- Long-Haul Arrival Planning for Your Crete Villa Stay
- All Plan Your Stay guides
- Villa AsteriThe Carpenter’s House · 8 guests · children’s pool · Asteri Village
- Villa Kitron6 guests · every bedroom en-suite · Asteri Village
- Villa Myrrini6 guests · children’s pool · Asteri Village
- Villa Argiris8 guests · one level, sea views · Stavromenos
- Compare the villasAll the facts side by side
