Music

There is a surprisingly wide range of music here on Crete. Panagyria, the local festivals held by almost all the villages, are an opportunity for the local community to gather round, to eat and drink, talk and dance.  They are an unmissable experience, and visitors are welcome, subjected to the irrepressible hospitality of the Cretans!

The traditional instrument is the lyra, with many concerts particularly in August. Art and Thought, the only annual jazz festival on Crete, occurs in July/August, at Vamos, a village close by to Panokosmos.  There is a thriving rock and jazz scene amongst the bars of Chania, among them the legendary Change House Band.

Arts

There is a vibrant arts scene amongst the many expatriates with both music, plays, painting and local market events. Ross Daly, a Celtic musician who lives in Crete has specialised in the musical traditions of Crete, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Indian Subcontinent, also plays concerts during the summer.

Carnivals and Christmas Festivities

In February its carnival season, when whole areas gather together to have fun and celebrate.  There are elaborate floats, costumes galore, food and drink and a friendly atmosphere.  The villa is well placed for some of the best in the island – Kalyves, Rethymnon, Souda.

At Christmas lovely little nativity scenes appear in local villages, and there are wonderful Christmas lights and decoration, both in the towns, and on individual houses and flats.