Rethymno
The city of Rethymnon is an ideal tourist destination for visitors who wish to explore the rich cultural heritage and the natural beauties of Crete. This well-organized city offers to visitors a variety of picturesque routes to follow and numerous historical monuments to visit.
The old city of Rethymno still preserves its old urban structure to a great extend, formed during the Venetian period and later reformed during the Turkish occupation. In the town of Rethymno the guests can visit the Fortezza castle, it was built by the Venetians in the 16th century.
To wander through the storms of the old city and explore the numerous monuments. Venetian Lotzia, a beautiful building of 6th century which now houses the Public Library, is located in the old town at the end of Paleologos Street. The Venetian Harbor of Rethymnon, next to the modern harbor of the city, with the Egyptian lighthouse is one of the most picturesque areas of the old town. It operated in the Byzantine period (after 961), but flourished during the Venetian period.
Fragkokastelo
Frangokastello (or Frangocastello) is in the area of Sfakia, on the south coast of west Crete, 30 kilometres from Gasparakis villas and villas, west of Plakias.
Frangokastello is a small seaside village with a few houses . It is famous for its Venetian castle of the same name, which is preserved in very good condition, its beautiful beaches and the Drosoulites, the ghosts which appear at Frangokastello at dawn each May. Many monuments were built in the area through the centuries, but very few survive today. Most were destroyed in the wars and risings in the area, and the stones from their ruins used to build the castle.
Frangokastello lies in a surprisingly small plain in the shadow of the eastern range of the White Mountains, with the gorge and mountain of Kallikratis. This landscape is one of the many surprises the natural environment of Crete has to offer visitors.
Phaistos
Phaistos, or more correctly the Minoan Palace of Phaistos, is located in the Messara Plain in south-central Crete, 59 kilometres east of Gasparakis villas & bungalows and a short distance from the archaeological site of Agia Triada, the archaeological site of Gortys and Matala.
Phaistos is one of the most important archaeological sites in Crete, with many thousands of visitors annually. Phaistos is “Φαιστός” in Greek and you may find it also written as Phaestos, Faistos or Festos.
The Minoan palace of Phaistos corresponds to a flourishing city which arose in the fertile plain of the Messara in prehistoric times, from circa 6000 BC to the 1st century BC, as archaeological finds confirm.
Aradena bridge
Bailey bridges are made of easy to assemble truss panels that can be quickly erected to replace a damaged bridge or to allow army vehicles and personnel to easily cross over a river or waterway.
The Aradena or Aradaina bridge is a permanent span and is the world’s highest Bailey bridge. Aradena bridge is located 59klm west of our villas.Crossing a deep gorge, the 275 foot (84 meter) long truss was a gift from two brothers to their native village of Agios loannis.
Since 1999 there has been bungy jumping from the bridge on summer weekends.
