Milia Mountain Retreat

Milia was a Venetian-era hamlet left empty in the middle of the twentieth century as people moved to the coast, and in the 1980s two descendants of the original families began rebuilding the stone houses with local materials and traditional techniques. What emerged is a settlement of sixteen rooms at around five hundred metres in chestnut and oak forest, running on solar power with no televisions, minimal electricity and candles at night. The kitchen cooks from its own garden, animals and the surrounding woods, with the menu set by what is available rather than by a card. Walking trails lead out through the forest and to nearby gorges. The last two kilometres of the approach are on an unsurfaced track.

What you actually see

• The rebuilt hamlet - Venetian-era stone houses restored as rooms.
• The off-grid systems - solar power, candlelight and minimal electricity.
• The kitchen garden - produce and animals feeding the taverna menu.
• The forest trails - paths through chestnut and oak woods.

When to go

Spring and autumn for walking and mild nights; winter is cold and atmospheric with fireplaces, and summer is cooler here than the coast. Booking well ahead is necessary in high season.

Honest expectations

The dirt access track is rough and unsuitable for low cars in wet weather. Rooms have limited power, no air conditioning and weak or absent phone signal, which is the point but suits some travellers badly. The taverna serves what it has, with little choice.

Nearby

Elafonisi and Falasarna beaches are on the coast; the Topolia gorge and Elos are on the way in.