July 26, 2024

A Calm Getaway in the Cretan Mountains

As I am writing this it is pouring down outside again.

It is early morning and I am tucked under my duvet with Elvis, my 13-year-old Dachshund, by my side, the door is open to the garden and I can hear the slow raindrops on the roof. The birds are still chirping and life is very calm right now.

I feel rested after weeks spent surrounded by fields and rolling hills and with no traffic outside to disturb my sleep at night.

Nature calms our nervous system and our need for this grows in our tech-filled lives.

It has been a very wet summer in Denmark again.

This morning I am dreaming of returning to this very special place I visited last October with my family and I feel like sharing this hidden gem of a place with you if you too are dreaming of a calm and sunny getaway.

At Kapsaliana Village Hotel, nestled in the Cretan mountains, we spent our days in the warm Mediterranean sun, exploring the serene mountain trails and simply just unwinding with good books in the peaceful garden or by the pool.

I absolutely love Swimming, especially in a beautiful saltwater pool. It nurtures my soul and body and I feel like I am an 8-year-old again, it fills me with joy and happiness and nothing makes me more at ease and fulfilled.

I love a good bathtub too, water always has this healing power on me.

Water gently activates our parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for our body's rest and digestion response, in this state, our heart rate and blood pressure decrease, our digestion is stimulated, and our body finds its natural ability to relax which will help us fall asleep faster.

So if you are like me with water, Kapsaliana Village Hotel is the perfect place to relax, I loved the fact that they did not play music by the pool, we could enjoy the silence or listen to a podcast or exactly the music of our own choice.

The best thing about our stay at Kapsaliana Village Hotel was the serene and calming environment.

Kapsaliana Village Hotel was created by a Cretan architect, who spent most of his life in Paris and came back to Crete, and with a deep respect for the historic heritage he turned this old village into an authentic boutique hotel with a high level of modern luxury, hospitality and sustainability.

The food was beautiful and the ingredients were locally sourced and delicious.

We felt hugged, safe, and nurtured by the large mountains and they provided the perfect backdrop for recharging for our little family.

We will soon be back.