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.
HistoryUntil 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.
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.
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.
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
