From the near-constant cloudless sky to the crystalline Aegean Sea and the shimmering private swimming pool – this place is an ode to the colour blue. Three kilometres away, you’ll find the calm shallows of the nearest sandy beach and the charming town of Chania is a short drive along the coast. Right on your doorstep (within 200 metres), you’ve got cafés, bakeries, tavernas and a mini market to stock up on supplies. If you’re not cooling off from the Crete sun in the swimming pool, our favourite spot is the table and chairs on the covered veranda, facing a panorama of Crete’s stunning coastline. This is a great spot to dine of an evening. Inside, the home is split between two apartments, each with its own kitchen and living room. On the first floor, the living room is a grand space with marble floor, candelabra and velvety tufted sofas. Two full kitchens across the whole home mean it’s easy to cater for huge group meals and two living rooms give everyone enough space to spread out. The peace and quiet are blissful in bedrooms and each room has its own access to the terrace or a first-floor balcony. Home truths: *This home consists of two apartments laid over two separate floors with their own kitchens and living rooms, with the outside space shared *One of the bedrooms consists of a double bed and a single bed, accommodating three people *At capacity, two guests will be on the sofa bed in the ground floor living room *Your host can provide a cot on request *There is plenty of private on-site parking at this villa *Guests here must be comfortable climbing a set of stairs *The swimming pool isn't fenced, so children will need to be supervised at all times *Though there isn't a dedicated desk here, the dining table doubles up as a laptop-friendly workspace