Milia Traditional Village

A stream crossing the property during the wintertime serves as a natural boundary between the two slopes, each of which enjoys a different kind of soil and vegetation. It is this which provides Milia with such a great variety of flora. One of  the slopes consists of a schist-like rock, and is graced by chestnut trees, plane trees, acorn trees and cone-bearing trees, while the other slope of limestone hosts aromatic herbs, various flower-bearing bushes, olive trees, pear and wild pear, and carob trees, in addition to impressive rocky masses. You may be fortunate enough to catch sight of the rare vulture Gypaetus Barbatus, the bone-eating vulture or “kokkalas”, as we say on Crete, while strolling around on the rocky masses punctured with mammoth hollows. Milia  won the first prize in an international competition for ecotourism in 2003 which was organized by  Skal  International through 54 nominees.

Until 1982, when the decision was made for environmental improvements and the restoration of the mediaeval settlement, Milia was a place where irresponsible human activities, especially fires and over-grazing, had resulted in the erosion of earth and a diminished water supply, cultivable earth and abundant water having been two of the most notable and precious attributes of the place at one point. The initial work at Milia included the systematic cultivation of the land, which included the planting of many thousands of trees, some endemic to the island. The entire property was fenced in and anti-fire zones were created. Reconstruction of the buildings themselves began in 1991 and was completed in 1994.

Milia is located in a semi-mountainous region in the province of Kissamos ,at about 500 m. altitude, in the Prefecture of Chania, the closest village being Vlatos, about 4.5 kilometers away. It is built on a mountain slope which forms one side of a valley and is situated in an area unique for its expansive variety of plants and trees. Milia Village is the ideal getaway from noisy cities. It is also ideally situated to cater for nature walks and outings to interesting areas of western Crete such as Phalassarna, Polyrrenia, Ravdouha, the Monastery of Chryssoskalitisa, Elafonisos and Paleohora, which are just a few of the well-known destinations. If you enjoy hiking, Milia has many trails to offer.

Milia offers 13 guest-houses/rooms. Each “room” is uniquely and originally furnished, and offers a distinct atmosphere from what one is normally accustomed to. The guest-houses have been built from the foundations of the old village houses with local materials – chestnut wood and stone, keeping to the architecture characteristic of the area, and are furnished with old restored furniture collected from the surrounding villages. Huge rocks comprise the walls of some of the houses, which the villagers had used as parts of the buildings when they were initially built. The houses blend so harmoniously with the environment that one can actually imagine them just sprouting up from the earth.

The comforts at Milia are basic. Rooms either have :

• Double or single beds
• Their own WC with shower and hot water
• Either fireplaces or woodstoves for heat during the winter
• Most rooms have some sort of sitting space
• They all have either a balcony, small terrace or garden
• And as the light of the day recedes from Milia, they light candles. Solar energy  provide  electric power at Milia

If you are an avid hiker or simply love to take walks, you’ve another good reason to come here. Milia has six footpaths ranging from five to 18 kilometres in length, all of which bring you in direct contact with the nature of Crete. There are also some mountain bikes available for your use.

Lessons in traditional Cretan cooking and wine-tasting sessions take place periodically, as well as seminars on the interesting local flora. You can also spend time playing board games, reading a book or listening to music in the recreation room, which alternatively serves as a conference space or meeting place for up to 80 people. There is also an outdoor amphitheater seating 60 people which is available for cultural events and small conferences.

If you desire further interaction with Milia, there are always a number of chores to be done around the settlement’s farm in which you can freely participate.

And because that not everyone is satiated by mere romantic settings, the Dining room offers year-round home-made gastronomic delicacies made from produce cultivated organically on the farm. Many consider the dining room to be one of the warmest, most hospitable and tastefully-designed spaces on the island. And don’t expect a huge menu and waiters in bow ties, as they choose to focus on essentials, which means quality to us! Rabbit with mizithra cheese baked in the oven ,mizithra is a soft cheese of western Crete made of goat or sheep’s milk, or goats’ and sheep’s milk combined, potato, chestnut and onion stew, pork with orange cooked in the woodstove, boureki ,zucchini and potato with mizithra cheese, and kalitsounia ,small cheese pies, are some of the dishes which await tasting.