Sun, sea and sand are in store at this stone-built villa in Almyrida – a charming beach resort town on Crete’s northern coast. Within walking distance, you’ve got supermarkets, family-run tavernas that hark back to this town’s days as a fishing village and a horseshoe sweep of sandy beach that looks like it belongs as an office screen-saver. Should you fancy a day trip somewhere with a little more buzz and bustle, the beautiful Venetian streets of Chania are twenty-two kilometres away.

The villa may be newly built, but the honey-hued stone facade blends right in with the surrounding terraced olive groves and rugged hills. Spend sunny days lounging by the poolside and dipping in and out of the inviting blue water in the heat of the day. Long, lazy lunches of freshly grilled fish can be hosted on the shaded terrace where a brick-built barbecue should keep the chef of the group busy.

Stepping inside through glass sliding doors the open living room is simply furnished, letting the sunlight speak for itself. A sleek and modern kitchen opens up to the rest of the space, and there’s plenty of room in here to whip up family-sized feasts. When it comes to getting some shut-eye, bedrooms are havens of quiet and four out of five come with direct access to the terrace or first-floor balconies furnished with hanging chairs and bistro sets.

Home truths:
*You're in a quiet resort town here, but there is private parking for those that wish to hire a car
*For those with reduced mobility, there's a ground floor bedroom and bathroom here
*Four of the bedrooms have access to a balcony or terrace, but one misses out
*Though there isn't a dedicated desk here, the dining table doubles up as a laptop-friendly workspace
*You'll have your own private entrance here