8 Days Sunny Horse Riding Holiday in Crete, Greece

You will be accommodated at Odysseia Stables' equestrian hotel, Country Hotel Velani. Every day, there is a service of room cleaning and towel change at the Country Hotel Velani. Every once a week, the sheets are changed as well. You can also have a free use of sunbeds. Reception, café, and restaurant have opening hours. 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).

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). All rooms feature a tea and coffee maker. There are three types of rooms including Grand Comfort room, Panorama VIP room, and Family Luxury room.

Grand Comfort

The Grand Comfort room is a two-person room that sleeps one to two 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 three 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 four persons. This room actually comprises two Grand Comfort rooms that are connected with a connecting door.

The estate also gives a home to 14 horses and 2 ponies, housed in the Odysseia Stables. Also, the stables are built with natural stones but above all, they are designed to be horse-friendly! Other activities in the hotel are paragliding (only for experienced flyers), hiking, caving, and mountain climbing for all levels. It is possible to rent mountain bikes.

The hotel has fast and free Wi-Fi in the entire property. Also free use of a computer in the main building with a printer. The owners of Odysseia, Sabine Ruijters Fragakis from origin Dutch and Manolis Fragakis, like to welcome you in a family atmosphere with personal contact and letting you feel the Greek hospitality.

Driving directions from Agios Nikolaos

• Take the national highway in the direction of Heraklion at Agios Nikolaos.
• Take the exit Kastelli or Lassithi Plateau (Oropedio).
• Turn left to Lassithi Plateau or Golf Course at the end of the exit.
• Drive past the golf course. Please do not take the exit ‘Mochos’ from the highway as this route to the hotel will take much longer time due to the mountains.
• Follow Lassithi Plateau when the road is split in directions to Lassithi Plateau (Oropedio) and Kastelli.
• Follow this road until you drive into Avdou.
• Drive past a large supermarket and the Lake Aposelemis.
• Follow the signs Country Hotel Velani and Odysseia Stables in Avdou.
• 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

• Follow the signs at the airport or port of Heraklion to the national highway in the direction of Agios Nikolaos.
• Stay on the highway for about 25 kilometers.
• Take the exit Kastelli or Lassithi Plateau (Oropedio).
• Turn right direction Lassithi Plateau or Golf Course in the end of the exit. The road will split when you drive past the golf course in directions to Lassithi Plateau (Oropedio) and Kastelli.
• Follow Lassithi Plateau until you drive into Avdou.
• Drive past a large supermarket and the Lake Aposelemis.
• Follow the signs of Country Hotel Velani and Odysseia Stables in Avdou.
• 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.

Transfer from or to the airport, port, or Heraklion is organized. Odysseia Stables will be waiting in the arrival hall with a sign mentioning your name. It is not included in the price but arrivals and departures are included in Odysseia Stables' 24-hour service. However, they need to be informed about your arrival time and flight number. Transfer from Heraklion International Airport (HER) to the hotel is 50 EUR one way. Guests can also share a transfer. Odysseia Stables will inform you and you can share the price per person. Moreover, the transfer from Heraklion center is 55 EUR one way and transfer from Hersonissos is 25 EUR one way. The prices are for one car with maximum of four persons.

From Heraklion International Airport (HER), you can also reach Odysseia Stables by renting a car. Odysseia Stables advises you to rent a car in case you like to see more of Crete since the location is remote and public transportations to Avdou is scarce. For several years, Odysseia Stables has happily worked together with a small family business who rents good cars. You can pick up and return the car at Heraklion International Airport (HER), Heraklion city, or the port. Please send an inquiry for more information and the prices.

Furthermore, there is another airport which is Chania International Airport (CHQ) with a three-hour drive away from Odysseia Stables. You may need a rental car to travel from there. If your arrival and departure times are during the day, you can travel by bus from Chania to Hersonissos.

Arrival by bus

If you want to arrive by public bus to Avdou, you need to be aware that bus only goes twice a week. You can make a phone call from the village and Odysseia Stables will pick you up at the bus stop for free. Avdou is not easily reachable by bus. Buses drive in between Heraklion and the Lassithi Plateau on Monday and Friday only with Avdou as the bus stop. Departure from Heraklion is at 2:15 p.m. and departure from Lassithi Plateau is at 5:45 a.m.

There is also a regular bus service in between Heraklion and Hersonissos in the summertime for every half hour. Odysseia Stables can organize a transfer from Hersonissos at the bus station of Spar Supermarket for 25 EUR (one way). For regular bus service from Agios Nikolaos to Hersonissos, Odysseia Stables can also meet you at the bus station of Spar Supermarket.

Arrival by taxi

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