8 Days Fun Week Kids Horse Riding Holiday in Crete, Greece

You will be accommodated at Odysseia Stables' equestrian hotel, Country Hotel Velani. The moment you arrive on the hillside, you will experience the serene quietness and the tremendous panoramic view. Under the hotel, stretches the Langada Valley with the Apposelemis River crossing through.

Above Country Hotel Velani, rises the red-colored peaks of the Dikti mountains. Birds of prey, like the griffon vulture, glide along these peaks. The estate is surrounded by protected kermes oak forest and olive groves stretching down to the valley.

On the estate, many protected trees and flowers can be found, such as a different type of beautiful orchids. The hotel suits its surrounding as it is built with real natural stones collected from the land it stands on, giving it a robust and natural look. The hotel has a neo-classic style creating a romantic atmosphere for long summer nights.

The main building houses the reception and a café with a large balcony on which you can drink your Greek coffee or rakí. In the main building, you can also find Restaurant Veláni with its large terrace overlooking the riding place and the valley.

Next to the main building lays the naturally formed large swimming pool that is 100 square meters in size (130 to 160 meters deep) with a separate and lower situated children’s pool of 11 square meters (40 centimeters deep).

Every day, there is a room cleaning service and towel change at the Country Hotel Velani. Once a week, the sheets are changed, as well. You can also enjoy a free use of sunbeds. The reception, café, and restaurant have opening hours.

The 12 hotel rooms are grouped into two bungalows, each housing six rooms. The bungalows lay quietly separate from the main activities. The rooms are large and comfortable and all have a tremendous view over the valley. Each room has a large bathroom with bathtub.

The rooms have central heating and air conditioning (both included in the price), a fridge, a flat screen TV with international channels, a hairdryer, a large glass door of two meters, and a private balcony or terrace. Most rooms are equipped with a wood stove (the wood is not included in the price). There are three types of rooms, including Grand Comfort, Panorama VIP, and Family Luxury.

Grand Comfort

The Grand Comfort room is a two-person room that sleeps one to three persons. The total room surface is 23 square meters. The room has a terrace with private garden and a bathroom with toilet and bathtub.

Panorama VIP

The Panorama VIP room is a three-person room that sleeps two to four persons. The total room surface is 29 square meters with a balcony. The bathroom has a bathtub and a separate shower cabin. The toilet is housed in a separate room.

Family Luxury

The Family Luxury room is a four-person room that sleeps two to five persons. This room actually comprises two Grand Comfort rooms that are connected through a door.

The stables

Odysseia Stables is a small friendly stable home to 18 horses. Due to the small character of Odysseia, with a maximum of 10 horse riders a week, they are able to maintain a close and personal contact with the guests. The stables are designed in a way to be as close as possible to the physical needs of the horses. The facilities include:

• 14 stables with an open connection to the turnout paddocks, giving the horses the choice to go in or out
• A horse shower
• Bathroom / changing room and toilets for the guests
• Outdoor arena (15 x 12 meters) for lunging
• Outdoor arena (42 x 20 meters) with an all-weather proof floor and a small tribune
• Tack room

Odysseia Stables has high standards for their horses, facilities, and equipment. They use English saddles. Space, outside air, and contact with other horses are what give the horses joy, health, and peace. That is why the horses not only enjoy a large stable with an open turnout paddock, but they also have the possibility for social contact.

Most of the horses are stabled in pairs in one large stable of 6.2 x 3.2 meters, and the separations in between the stables are half open. The roof all around is openly giving the horses a constant flow of fresh air. Also, the top of the roof has an open construction, leaving hot air to travel out.

Driving directions from Agios Nikolaos

• In Agios Nikolaos, take the national highway in the direction of Heraklion.
• Take the exit to Kastelli or Lasithi Plateau (Oropedio).
• At the end of the exit, turn left in the direction of Oropedio or the golf course.
• Drive past the golf course.
• Do not take the Mochos exit from the highway as this route to the hotel will take much longer due to the mountains.
• The road will split in direction of Lasithi Plateau (Oropedio) and Kastelli.
• Here, follow Lasithi Plateau.
• Follow this road until you drive into Avdou.
• Drive past a large supermarket and the dam lake of Aposelemis.
• In Avdou, follow the signs of Country Hotel Velani and Odysseia Stables.
• Turn to the right into a small street after Avdou Restaurant.
• The road becomes an unpaved rural road.
• Drive uphill until you meet the hotel entrance.

Driving directions from Heraklion

• From the airport or port of Heraklion, follow the signs to the national highway in the direction of Agios Nikolaos.
• Stay on the highway for about 25 kilometers.
• Take the exit to Kastelli or Lasithi Plateau (Oropedio).
• At the end of the exit, turn right in the direction of Lasithi Plateau or a golf course.
• Drive past the golf course.
• The road will split in the directions of Lasithi Plateau (Oropedio) and Kastelli.
• Here, follow Lasithi Plateau.
• Drive past a large supermarket and the dam lake of Aposelemis.
• In Avdou, follow the signs of Country Hotel Velani and Odysseia Stables.
• Turn to the right into a small street after Avdou Restaurant.
• The road becomes an unpaved rural road.
• Drive uphill until you meet the hotel entrance.

Arrival by airplane

Please book your flight to arrive at Heraklion International Airport (HER). Transfer from and to this airport is available upon request.

The transfer is not included in the price and costs 50 EUR per trip (one way) with a maximum of four guests. If possible, you will share the transfer (and the costs) with other guests.

In case more guests can share a transfer, Odysseia Stables will inform you and you will share the price. Odysseia Stables' driver will be waiting in the arrival hall, near the exit door, opposite desk 28, and holding a paper with your name written on it. In case of any delays or flight changes, please inform Odysseia Stables.

Arrival by bus

Avdou is not easily reachable by bus, so if you want to arrive by public bus to Avdou, you need to be aware that bus routes are available only twice a week (Monday and Friday), between Heraklion and Lassithi Plateau. Departure from Heraklion is at 2:15 p.m., while departure from Lasithi Plateau is at 5:45 p.m. Your bus stop is in Avdou. Here, you can make a phone call from the village and Odysseia Stables will pick you up from the bus stop for free.

There is also a regular bus service in between Heraklion and Hersonissos. In summertime, it is available every half hour. Odysseia Stables can organize a transfer from Hersonissos (the bus station at SPAR Supermarket) for 25 EUR per way. Also, for traveling by bus from Agios Nikolaos to Hersonissos (regular bus service), Odysseia Stables can meet you at the bus station at the SPAR supermarket.

Arrival by ferry / boat

Transfer from the port in Heraklion can be arranged. The transfer is not included in the price and costs 50 EUR per trip (per way) with a maximum of four guests. If possible, you will share the transfer (and the costs) with other guests. In case more guests can share a transfer, Odysseia Stables will inform you and you will share the price.

Arrival by taxi

If you organize your own transfer, you have to be aware of the fact that most taxi drivers don’t want to drive the last two kilometers on unpaved road to the hotel or they will charge extra money for this. However, please make sure that the driver is willing to drive the last two kilometers on the rural dirt road and they do not charge you an extra 10 EUR for the last two kilometers from Avdou to the hotel.