This is a traditional Cretan Village full of character and, located just 3.5km inland from the north coast. The village is in a rural setting surrounded by olive groves.
Just 12km east from the town of Rethymno and 3km from the larger village of Stavromenos, Viran Episkopi has a friendly family run taverna, a mini market, café, a local carpenter’s workshop and children’s nursery amongst its amenities.
The village has very little new development and several of the older buildings are in the process of being carefully restored.
This is an ideal location if you like the traditional Cretan countryside and way of life, but also want easy access to the beaches and towns of the north coast. The surrounding hills and villages are full of interesting places to visit including some of Crete’s most famous historical sites such as the Monastery of Arkardi and the village of Margaritas renowned for it’s ceramics and ‘Pithari’ the large urns, still made by local potters in clay dug from around the village.
Just down the road in Stavromenos, there is a large range of shops for most household needs, a petrol station, chemist and schools, from nursery to senior school.
The beach on which the town of Rethymno lies is the longest beach in the Mediterranean, it has areas designated for all tastes from quiet natural areas where the bamboo forests come down to the sea, to areas with beachside bars and tavernas who will serve you drinks under your umbrella! There are water sports including sailing from the new Marina, paragliding and jet skies.
20 minutes by car will bring you into the town of Rethymno the third largest town in Crete renowned for its Venetion harbour and walled fortress. It is a bustling town with a picturesque waterfront lined with traditional tavernas and interspersed with fashionable bars and restaurants. It’s old town is a maze of narrow streets lined with buildings and houses of various architectural influences from the unmistakable Venetian period to the Turkish wooden facades that were used as viewing galleries by the women of the harems inside. Here you will also find shops run by local craftspeople which include traditional musical instrument makers, gold and silversmiths and artists
A new marina completed in 2004 now sees yachts arriving from Hania and other ports in Greece and around the Mediterranean.
Viran Episkopi is just under a 1 hours drive from both Heraklion and Hania airports.