Maison quatre façades in Rodakino (Rethymno)

Azure Elysium is a three-level villa built into the mountainside above Rodakino Bay, on the south coast of Crete, positioned so that the Libyan Sea fills the view from almost every room. The infinity pool sits at the edge of the terrace and reads as a continuation of the water beyond it. The house was built in 2008, is fully furnished, and is in good order following a recent round of upgrades.

The 382 sqm house is arranged over three levels that step down the slope: an entrance level, a first floor, and a lower level. Living and dining space is open-plan and opens onto the terraces, with a fully fitted kitchen at its centre. The four bedrooms each have their own bathroom, and the whole house is sold fully furnished, so it is ready to use from the first season.

The lower level is currently set up as an art gallery and studio, a flexible space that could serve as a game room, a self-contained guest suite, or a fifth bedroom depending on how a buyer wants to live in the house.

The villa has been kept to a high standard. The outdoor terraces were recently given a new high-end waterproof coating, and a central heat pump was installed to run the underfloor heating and the hot water. Comfort is well covered: underfloor heating throughout, a fireplace, air-conditioning via split units, double-glazed windows with insect screens, and ceiling fans. There is a dedicated working space, a storage room, and both covered and open-air parking.

Outdoor living is the point of a house like this. The infinity pool faces the sea, with an al fresco dining area alongside it. The 5,040 sqm plot is landscaped as a series of tiered, low-maintenance gardens with an olive grove, so the grounds stay easy to look after between visits, and the plot is fully fenced. The views take in the sea, the mountains behind, and the open countryside, and the orientation catches both sunrise and sunset.

As a holiday home, the villa is built around the water and the view. Mornings start on the terrace with the bay below, and the pool sits in direct sight of the living space, so the day drifts between the two. Rodakino is quiet and residential rather than a resort, which is the appeal: a private, unhurried base on the south coast that stays yours to enjoy through the season and beyond. The house also has clear rental potential for the weeks you are not using it, and it is eligible for the Greek Golden Visa residency programme.

Rental potential

The south coast of Crete enjoys a long holiday season, and a sea-facing villa of this size and quality is well-suited to premium short-term rentals. Crete’s extended season, stretching from April through November, offers exceptional rental potential well beyond the peak summer months, maximising occupancy, while there are many respectable management companies operating in the area, which can deal with all the hassle involved in short-term rentals.

Location – distances

Rodakino sits on the south coast of the Rethymno region, between Plakias and Frangokastello, built on both sides of a gorge that divides it into the twin settlements of Ano and Kato Rodakino. The village has kept its traditional character and its permanent Greek community, and despite the long coastline below it, the area remains genuinely undeveloped by Cretan standards.

Below the village, the shoreline breaks into a series of quiet pebble-and-sand beaches. Korakas, the closest, is gently organised with sunbeds and a handful of family-run tavernas, while Peristeres to the west offers even quieter alternatives. Rethymno, with its Venetian harbour and full range of services, lies 41 km to the north; a car is essential here, which is precisely the appeal for buyers drawn to this stretch of coast.

• Kato Rodakino: 1.2 km

• Korakas Beach: 3 km

• Peristeres Beach: 5 km

• Rodakino Beach: 6 km

• Ano Rodakino: 2.5 km

• Plakias: 12 km

• Frangokastello: 15 km

• Rethymno: 39 km

• Chania: 93 km

• Chania International Airport: 100 km