This impressive grey stone villa with red roofs, stands out against the green surrounding. From the road, you turn into a large paved driveway which runs down the side of the villa to parking around the back. A red brick wall slopes down the left side of the driveway to the entrance, where two brick planters with small fir trees stand either side. You walk directly onto the large terrace, and the main entrance door is to your right, this leads into the open-plan living area.

The cosy, open-plan living area at Villa Elaine has beamed wooden ceilings, exposed stone walls and cool, tiled flooring. The windows are wooden framed and have thick wooden lintels. There is a large, white stone archway curving across the ceiling, separating the sitting area from the kitchen/dining area.
In the sitting area is a large, open corner fireplace with a tapered chimney. There is a cabinet with a television receiving satellite channels, and seating including a sofa and two chairs.
On the right (as you enter) are a large table and chairs to seat six. This is conveniently next to the open-plan and well-equipped kitchen. This has a microwave, dishwasher, toaster and coffee machine. There are dark wood units at base and eye level, and a fresh, white worktop with an integral sink.
A corridor leads off to the bedrooms at the rear of the property. There is a double bedroom and a twin bedroom, both sharing the use of a large family bathroom which also contains the washing machine. The double bedroom has a wrought-iron bed frame and bedside cabinets. The room is furnished with wooden beds and a bedside table. Both have exposed grey stone walls, smooth tiled floors and two small, recessed alcoves containing down-lighting.

An internal staircase leads up to the first floor and the remaining bedrooms, both of which are furnished with double beds and have doors opening on to a large balcony. From here there are lovely views over the village, across the rolling countryside to the distant mountains. As the sun sinks in the Cretan sky, you can retreat here with a glass of wine and relax in picturesque surroundings. These bedrooms share the use of a large family bathroom with full bathtub.

The villa is surrounded by tiled sun terracing and enclosed on two sides by a stone wall with two rows of railings. A brick wall runs along the poolside, behind which there are green, leafy shrubs, so that the property feels secluded. The large, rectangular blue-tiled swimming pool sits within a white surround and has a metal ladder for access at one end. Although jumping right in will probably prove the more popular option! On the terrace there are sunloungers and parasols so you can soak up the sun or read a good book in the shade. There is also a small garden dining table and chairs and a barbecue, everything you need for cooking up an al fresco meal.

The newly-built Villa Elaine is set in private, terraced grounds within the friendly village of Atsipopoulo, only 3km from sandy beaches and 4km from the large town of Rethymnon. This holiday villa is a perfect base for families wishing to be within easy reach of the sea and attractions.

Atsipopoulo is a fairly large village and has two supermarkets, banks, several tavernas and a popular Italian pizza restaurant. These are all within a minutes walking distance, perfect for a stroll into town for dinner, or simply to pop down and get fresh bread in the morning.

The regions capital town, Rethymno, is just 4km away. This historic port town is home to an abundance of tavernas, restaurants and cafes that line the fishing harbour and the old town. There are authentic tavernas which come to life at night, playing live Greek music to which the locals dance and sing, and many modern bars as well. This ancient town was once an important and thriving town, full of aristocracy. Evidence of its history still exists in the surviving 16th century buildings, with Venetian facades, and the stone archways hidden throughout the narrow backstreets.

The nearby ancient Fortétza castle sits atop Palaiokastro hill, overlooking Rethymnon town. Originally built to protect the island from pirate raids, the existing site has a mixture of ruined and re-built architecture and enjoys lovely views, particularly at night, over the lights of the harbour town.

Further afield, 55km away but along a fast, motorway coastal road is the archaeological site of the ancient Knossos Palace. This palatial ruin dates back to 2000-1350BC but was mainly inhabited during the Minoan civilization when local tradition states it housed King Minos, who released the Minotaur into the Labyrinth. Well worth a visit, the site has been partially restored where possible with copies of original frescoes and plenty of stunning architecture on display.

There are many more sites of archaeological interes