Thalori
To enjoy a remote Cretan retreat without sacrificing comfort, it's hard to beat these beautifully renovated stone houses in an ages-old village that clings to a mountainside high above the Libyan Sea. Fireplaces, handmade wood furnishings, and embroidered carpets enhance the character-filled surroundings, while terraces, a cliff-side pool, and an outdoor summer taverna are vantage points from which to take in the mountain and sea views. Excellent farm-to-table local fare is served in a fire-warmed, wood-beam restaurant. This is agro-tourism at its finest—a real escape to nature and a sustainable, traditional way of life far removed from the commercial hordes elsewhere.