Roses, white wine and a lit fireplace in the stone living room of Villa Asteri near Rethymno, Crete

Friday evening at Villa Asteri: the fire is going, the wine is on the table Argyris made by hand, and the weekend has just begun.

Villa with a Fireplace in Crete: A Winter Weekend Getaway near Rethymno

Living in Crete doesn’t mean you can’t get away. No flight, no week off: about an hour’s drive, two nights, and the fire lit from Friday evening.

Check availability How the weekend goes

For two: from €185 a night at Villa Kitron and Villa Myrrini with the code STAY4TWO, for up to 2 guests, outside the holidays (24/12–2/1). Book with the code already applied: it opens next weekend.

The living room of Villa Asteri with its stone fireplace — The living room of Villa Asteri, with its stone fireplace.

If you live in Chania, Heraklion or anywhere along the north coast, a winter weekend away is closer than you think. Asteri is about an hour’s drive from either city.

Winter in the village has its own pace: the olive harvest in the groves, snow on Psiloritis, food that takes hours. This guide is for people who already live in Crete, whether you moved here for good or stay for the winter, and want two quiet days away with family or friends.

By Argyris Skordilis, owner and host
Updated November 2026

About an hour from home

Chania71 km · about 1 hr 10 min

Rethymno17 km · 20 min

AsteriAsteri, Kitron, Myrrini

Heraklion70 km · about 1 hr 5 min

Agios Nikolaos131 km · 1 hr 50 min

Villa Argiris is in Stavromenos, near Rethymno. Distances and times from Google Maps, without traffic.

The living room of Villa Myrrini with its fireplace and wooden roof

The living room of Villa Kitron with its fireplace

A fireplace, a wood-fired oven and a barbecue at every villa.

One weekend, two nights

Not much driving and no rush. The sun sets around 17:15, so the days end early and the evenings are long.

Friday

AfternoonLeave after work and arrive within the hour.

A corner fireplace lit, with red wine and books on the coffee table

EveningFirewood for the first fire is waiting for you. Dinner at the villa, or at the village kafeneio with whatever it has cooked that day, 100 metres on foot.

Saturday

MorningBreakfast from the basket: olive oil, cheese, bread, paximadi rusks, jam, fruit.

MiddayOne outing is enough. Choose a plan ↓

17:15Sunset. Head back early.

A Cretan breakfast with local produce on the villa's wooden table

EveningThe village taverna, or a long table by the fire.

Sunday

MorningA slow breakfast. No hurry.

The living room of Villa Myrrini with its wooden beams

MiddayA walk through the old town or along the Rethymno seafront, and lunch.

15:00Check-out. You’re home before dark.

Saturday, your way

Pick what suits your group. Anything marked “on request”, mention to Argyris when you book.

No driving

MorningA slow breakfast from the basket.

MiddayGrill on the barbecue or cook in the wood-fired oven.

AfternoonA walk through the village and the olive groves. Olive oil tasting at the villa on request

EveningThe fire, or an evening with a private chef at the villa on request

Fried eggs with apaki, dakos, olives and mizithra for breakfast at the villa

Things to do in Rethymno in winter

The Venetian harbour of Rethymno with snow-covered mountains behind — Rethymno harbour on a clear winter day, with snow on the mountains.

41 kmabout 1 hour
Snow above Anogia
Some winters the snow reaches the slopes above the village. Check the forecast and the roads on the day you go.
9 km15 min to Arkadi
Arkadi Monastery and Ancient Eleftherna
A short route through Cretan history, with a stop at Margarites for pottery. In winter they close early in the afternoon, and the Eleftherna museum also has a closing day: go in the morning and check the hours before you set off. Guides: Arkadi Monastery, Ancient Eleftherna.
17 km20 min
Old town and Fortezza
In winter Rethymno runs on the rhythm of locals and students, not summer crowds.
Next dooraround the villas
Olive harvest
From November the groves are busy and the new oil is pressed. Olive oil tasting at the villa on request
17 kmon a clear day
The coast
A walk along the seafront, with a view of snow on Psiloritis.
At the villaon request
An evening with a chef
A private chef at the villa or a wine tasting, with partners we know. on request

Nets spread under an olive tree during the olive harvest

Winter weather

The weather changes from month to month and day to day: November still has warm days, December to February are cooler, with sunny days but also rain, and snow can fall in the mountains. Check the forecast before an outing.

If it rains, the day is still good at the villa, with the fire and the wood-fired oven, or with a walk through Rethymno’s old town.

Heating and pools

The villa is warm from the moment you walk in: the heating is on, and firewood for the first fire is waiting in the fireplace. The pool stays open in winter, unheated: lovely for breakfast by the water on a sunny day, or a quick dip if you dare.

The four villas in winter

All four have heating, a fireplace, a barbecue and a wood-fired oven, so any of them works for a winter weekend.

Villa Asteri

4 bedrooms · up to 8 guests

A traditional stone villa in Asteri with a small children’s pool, 100 metres from the taverna.

Villa Kitron

3 bedrooms · up to 6 guests

In Asteri, 30 metres from Villa Asteri and 100 metres from the taverna.

Villa Myrrini

3 bedrooms · up to 6 guests

A traditional villa in Asteri with a small children’s pool, 180 metres from the taverna.

Villa Argiris

4 bedrooms · up to 8 guests

A traditional villa in Stavromenos, 800 metres from the beach, with shops within walking distance.

A Cretan table with salad, pies, chickpeas and roast meat at Villa Asteri

Food: the village taverna or cooking at the villa

The village taverna and kafeneio are about 100 metres from Villa Asteri and Villa Kitron. In winter the taverna opens at weekends and the kafeneio stays open, serving food depending on what it has prepared that day. Menus are local and simple; ask what’s cooking.

If you’d rather cook, the villas have full kitchens, and we can have your groceries waiting at the villa.

The breakfast basket with local produce from local producers, with direct bookings.

Who it suits

Couples. Villa Kitron and Villa Myrrini have a special price for up to 2 guests with the code STAY4TWO (outside the holidays).
Families. Villa Asteri and Villa Myrrini have a small children’s pool; babies under 2 stay free, with a cot on request.
A big group of friends. MAZI books all three Asteri villas together, up to 20 guests, 30 to 90 metres apart.
With your dog. Pets on request.
A long weekend with work. All villas have Wi-Fi and a workspace.

From Argyris

Villa Asteri was my family home. My father built it in Asteri in the early 1950s, when the road outside our door was still a dirt track and the doors of the village houses stayed open.
I grew up here. The house was split in two: my father’s carpentry workshop on one side, our home on the other. The sideboard he made back then is still in the kitchen, and his tools hang on the walls. Most of the furniture I made with my own hands.
This is the house I’d like you to get to know: light the fire, sit around the table and let the weekend go by without rushing.

Argyris Skordilis, owner and host

Good to know

Minimum stay: 2 nights
Check-out in winter: Until 15:00 (11:00 the rest of the year)
At every villa: Heating, fireplace, barbecue, wood-fired oven
Pools: Open, unheated
Direct booking: Breakfast basket with local produce
Cancellation (Standard): Free up to 15 days before
Holidays 24/12–2/1: 3 nights, or 2 at prices 15% higher; see the holiday guide
Weather: Changes by month and day; snow possible in the mountains
Hot tub: None

Frequently asked questions

Where can we go for a weekend from Chania or Heraklion?

Asteri, near Rethymno, is about an hour from both cities, with a fireplace at the villa, Anogia and Arkadi nearby, and Rethymno’s old town 20 minutes away.

How many nights do we need?

In winter the minimum stay is 2 nights. Over the holidays, 24/12–2/1, it is 3 nights, or 2 nights at prices 15% higher.

Can we leave late on Sunday?

Yes. In winter check-out is until 15:00, instead of 11:00 the rest of the year.

Is the villa warm?

All villas have heating, a fireplace, a barbecue and a wood-fired oven, and firewood for the first fire is waiting for you. The pools are not heated.

Is there snow in Anogia in winter?

Some winters the snow reaches the slopes of Psiloritis above the village. Check the forecast and the road conditions on the day you go.

Do the villas have a hot tub?

No. They have a fireplace, heating and a private pool, unheated.

Can we bring our dog?

Yes, on request. Ask when you book.

Is there parking?

Yes, at the villas. At Villa Myrrini there are steps from the parking to the entrance.

What if it rains or the weather changes?

On the Standard rate, cancellation is free up to 15 days before. A rainy day at the villa with the fire and good food is a weekend too.

Can we book more than one villa for a group?

For 2 villas, book each one separately. All three Asteri villas together are booked as MAZI, up to 20 guests.

Breakfast on the long wooden table in front of the stone wall at Villa Asteri

Book your next weekend

Two nights, a fire and a breakfast basket when you book direct. If you have a question, Argyris usually replies within 12 hours.

Check availability