The holiday villages of Makrigialos & Analipsis, are around 1km from White River Cottages. There are numerous shops, bars, tavernas and small supermarkets, lining the main road through the villages, most of which are open from early morning til late evening. The local supermarkets tend to close around 22.30 depending on the time of the season. Makrigialos means "long beach" and this is exactly what we have; a long, sandy beach stretching right the way along the two villages. The sea is clean and safe, as it doesn't shelve steeply (apart from occasionally if there has been a rough sea) so it is ideal for young children. Beyond that there are smaller beaches and coves to be found, ranging from coarser sand, shingle to rocky. There is some stunning scenery to be seen and within a short drive of the village you can often find a quiet beach to yourself, out of high season. It is well worth a drive into the mountain villages, where traditional life can still be experienced. A popular walking trip is up the Pefki gorge, which is very close to White River Cottages. It is a leisurely 2 hours walk to the village of Pefki, where you can have lunch or refreshments, before heading back down. There is the choice of the path through the gorge or above the gorge. Pefki also has a folk museum and some amazing caves, which are well worth a visit. There are several other gorge walks in the area, some harder than others. Longer drives to the famous palm beach at Vai, Toplou Monastery (where White River Cottages sources it's red and white wine, on offer to guests) for a wine tasting experience, archaeological sites of interest eg at Kato Zakros, can make for an enjoyable day trip. Some of the local tavernas offer Cretan music and dance evenings, which can be great fun but not for you if all you want is a quiet evening out! A great day out for all is the daily boat trip (weather permitting) to Koufonisi Island. The "pirate ship Evdokia" departs every morning from Makrigialos harbour for the short trip to the stunning island of Koufonisi. Food and drink can be bought onboard if desired. They stop for swimming and exploring time and return to the harbour, early evening. There's plenty to choose from if you want a more active holiday; alternatively you can just relax and chill around our pool!