Saint Basil Olive Grove: Villa Holidays in Crete

Saint Basil Olive Grove: Villa Holidays in Crete 4 beautiful holiday villas each with a private pool, on a 5 acre olive grove in Western Crete. In Winter, join us for the annual olive harvest!

Enjoy your summer holidays at Saint Basil Olive Grove on the north west coast of Crete. Stay in one of four private villas among our 200 olive trees - over 5 acres (21,000 square metres).The safe sandy beach at Almyrida is only 2 km away, and the sleepy village of Gavalochori with tavernas & shops is a pleasant 12-15 minutes walk. See the Greek island of Crete out-of-season when the tourists have

gone home and the weather is still hot and the sea still warm enough to swim in. Also enjoy guided wildflower walks in the foothills of the White Mountains and Cretan cookery lessons,

A final tidy up before Christmas!
10/12/2024

A final tidy up before Christmas!

First snow on the mountains! What is your favourite month in Crete?
03/12/2024

First snow on the mountains! What is your favourite month in Crete?

WE'RE DONE!Thanks to John, Tina and our crack crew of local Cretan olive pickers, the 2024 harvest is complete. Our beau...
26/11/2024

WE'RE DONE!

Thanks to John, Tina and our crack crew of local Cretan olive pickers, the 2024 harvest is complete. Our beautiful, fruity and peppery extra virgin olive oil is now on its way to Blighty. Although it won't be available before Christmas, we will be hoping to despatch orders across the UK in early January.

As usual, the oil is available in 3 litre tins, priced at £63.00 each equivalent to £21.00 per litre. (This includes a 5% price rise from last year - yet still compares favourably with 'top shelf' olive oil in supermarkets at £30+ per litre.) NONE of the oils you can buy in these supermarkets are true 'Single Estate', i.e. from a single farming family. More likely they will be regional blends. The local farmers bring their trucks of olives to be processed at the factory - and they will be of different quality (and flavour) depending on how careful the farmers have been in the picking process and also in the quality of the soil, which can vary greatly. The factory buys the oil and most of it is then mixed together with all the other oil produced by the other farmers. Some will have had pesticides used in the growing, some will not. However, Saint Basil Olive Oil is pesticide-free, grown on the nutrient-rich soil surrounding our holiday rental villas in the Chania region of North West Crete. We guarantee it is not mixed with the oil from other farms. You CAN taste the difference!

How many tins would you like?
Postage and packing (delivered anywhere in the UK) is as follows:
1 x 3 litre tin £10
2 x 3 litre tin £11
3 x 3 litre tin £12

To order, or ask a question, please email Marcus at [email protected]

It's time for olive picking! But first we have to prepare the land and trees. This means hard work strimming the fields ...
11/11/2024

It's time for olive picking! But first we have to prepare the land and trees. This means hard work strimming the fields and cutting back the frazzle growth at the base of each tree!

Another 'where in Crete?' photo! Do you know?
04/11/2024

Another 'where in Crete?' photo! Do you know?

WHEN DYLAN THOMAS TRAVELLED TO CRETE (A fancyful tale from the Saint Basil A.I. bot)"In the briny breath of Cardiff Bay,...
28/10/2024

WHEN DYLAN THOMAS TRAVELLED TO CRETE (A fancyful tale from the Saint Basil A.I. bot)

"In the briny breath of Cardiff Bay, where the mists shuffled like old friends, I, a hopeless romantic of scant means and boundless dreams, hopped aboard a low-cost merchant galleon— her sails like tattered curtains waving goodbye to the sensible shores of landlocked lives. Her name “The Wheezy Jet,” whispered sweetly of abnormal perils and unwashed canvas, and so I cast off with naught but a traveler's spirit and a rather questionable Meat Feast sandwich.

The voyage was a tapestry of folly and mirth. The sea, a grand stage, teemed with tomfoolery as we sailed upon her undulating waves, the crew a motley band speaking in raucous Greek tongues, debating the merits of 'Lamp in the Oven' against the earthy delights of stale bread and raki. At dusk, the ship groaned and creaked, and the stars above descended like mischief-makers intent on delighting our weary hearts. I lost count of the seagulls that scolded us; no doubt they dined on our laughter as we chanted lewd sea shanties.

Upon arrival at Souda Bay, where the azure embraced the horizon in a glorious jest, I leapt onto the sun-kissed shores of Crete with all the grace of a newborn goat. With pockets lighter than a feather, I opted for the donkey express; a faithful beast named Giddy-Up, who appeared underfed and overjoyed, carried me toward Almyrida, its village hues bright enough to challenge the rainbow itself.

Giddy-Up, bless his furry soul, seemed utterly indifferent to my poetic musings, choosing instead to snag his teeth on greenery while I sung verses louder than necessary, conjuring images of divine inspiration that went unnoticed by the earth beneath us. Creaking and crackling, we ambled along the sun-baked path, a procession of perfumed air and pig-headed determination.

It was a sun-drenched afternoon, as gentle as a mother's hand, when fate led us to Saint Basil, a Greek priest with the wild imagination of a child and the gait of a solemn saint. Clad in robes that seemed to billow with dreams, Basil spoke with the fervor of the roiling sea. “Ah! To build villas among the olive trees! With private pools reflecting the moon’s smile!” he declared, his hands flailing as if he were casting spells that only the sun could hear.

His dreams overflowed like a cracked jug, and I found myself unable to stem the tide. “But Basil,” I implored, “what use have we for pools when the sea beckons with its salty embrace?” He laughed, a sound like honeyed wine bubbling over, “Ah, my friend! The joy of a pool is that it reflects the very stars that dance above. Each splash is a laugh from the heavens!”

In the garden of his vision, with olive trees spilling their oily secrets and the promise of villas sprouting like playful daisies, we plotted and laughed our way into a mad frenzy of create-a-dream—the grandeur of villa-life, where laughter echoed against the twilight, and the eternal fruits of labor dripped with delight.

Thus, buoyed by Basil’s infectious enthusiasm, we spewed forth plans as outlandish as the characters on the ship I had left behind. Giddy-Up grazed nearby, unfazed by our ambitious balderdash, perhaps contemplating his own dreams of becoming a professional grass taster.

As the sun bowed down, gilding the day’s end, I reflected on the absurdity of my life—a sea-born adventurer caught in the enchantment of a dreamer and a humble donkey. A chorus of olive leaves rustled in agreement, whispering secrets of joy that only the fruits of laughter could yield.

So there we remained, two dreamers on the cusp of creation—Saint Basil and I, adrift among our hopes, pooling our wonders like children at play, serenading the moon, sketching futures unfolding under the olive trees of Crete, the sweet scent of possibility mingling with the salt of the sea. 'One day...' I mused, 'One day...'

Where in the world? Clue: it's on the island of Crete. Who knows this place? Any ideas?
21/10/2024

Where in the world? Clue: it's on the island of Crete. Who knows this place? Any ideas?

Fantastical Beasts recently spotted in our olive grove! Watch for more mythical creatures on your next visit 🐙🦋🦕
14/10/2024

Fantastical Beasts recently spotted in our olive grove! Watch for more mythical creatures on your next visit 🐙🦋🦕

10/10/2024

Memories are made at our 4 lovely villas in Crete. To our lovely guests reading this ...we would love to hear yours!

If you look out your window right now do you see drizzle and clouds? There's never been a better time to book a late hol...
30/09/2024

If you look out your window right now do you see drizzle and clouds? There's never been a better time to book a late holiday at our place in Crete! Here's a little reminder of what you are missing. October deals still available at our villas Angelos and Selene. See www.rentavillacrete.co.uk

Marcus & Kirsty have recently been lucky enough to take a short break in Penzance, West Cornwall. Comparing the prices o...
23/09/2024

Marcus & Kirsty have recently been lucky enough to take a short break in Penzance, West Cornwall. Comparing the prices of modestly eating out to restaurants in Crete, it is clear that Crete is significantly cheaper! Here's the recent menu from Monica's Taverna in Gavalochory. What do you think? Do you agree that a holiday in Crete can often be a much better deal than in the UK holiday hotspots?

2025 FLIGHTS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!!!
17/09/2024

2025 FLIGHTS NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE!!!

HEADS UP. Ryanair is ALMOST ready to announce their 2025 schedule to Chania. Their flight database is now loaded with bl...
15/09/2024

HEADS UP. Ryanair is ALMOST ready to announce their 2025 schedule to Chania. Their flight database is now loaded with blanks, ready for the actual flights to be released so at the moment, should you pick a flight it will say 'all sold out', but this is just their default 'getting ready to release' notice. Watch this space!

Escape the drizzle! Crete has perfect weather between now and the end of October! 7 nights for up to 4 people from only ...
09/09/2024

Escape the drizzle! Crete has perfect weather between now and the end of October! 7 nights for up to 4 people from only £700* per villa. See our availability at www.rentavillacrete.com Book your flights via www.skyscanner.com

*not including flights

A day in the life of Saint Basil Olive Grove, daytime by the pool, sunset on the balcony.
05/09/2024

A day in the life of Saint Basil Olive Grove, daytime by the pool, sunset on the balcony.

Address

ALMYRIDA
Chaniá
CRETE73008

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Saint Basil Olive Grove: Villa Holidays in Crete posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Saint Basil Olive Grove: Villa Holidays in Crete:

Videos

With Northumbrian Free Range Eggs Ltd – We have been recognised as one of their rising fans! 🎉

Sunday afternoon in Almyrida. Come on down and join us!

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Our Story

Enjoy your summer holidays at Saint Basil Olive Grove on the north west coast of Crete. Stay in one of four private villas among our 200 olive trees - over 5 acres (21,000 square metres).The safe sandy beach at Almyrida is only 2 km away, and the sleepy village of Gavalochori with tavernas & shops is a pleasant 12-15 minutes walk. In Winter, join us for the annual olive harvest! See the Greek island of Crete out-of-season when the tourists have gone home and the weather is still hot and the sea still warm enough to swim in. Also enjoy guided wildflower walks in the foothills of the White Mountains and Cretan cookery lessons,