CRETE

At the foothills of Psiloritis about 8 km from Villa Talea you'll find the small village of Margarites which has a long tradition of pottery manufacture. There are workshops literally everywhere in the village and the techniques they use are dating back thousands of years.

Among the earthenware produced are the giant storage jars or 'pithoi' that are similar to the ones found in the Minoan palaces. Such jars are still in use in rural Crete but these days they are also exported all over the world as they have become popular garden ornaments. The Pithoi in the garden of Villa Talea are from Margharites.

The village itself displays aspects of traditional Cretan village architecture and there are several remains from older eras. When you're walking around in the narrow alleys of the village you'll see ornate doors and walls from the Venetian era.

There is an attractive upper platia overlooking the Margaritsanos valley where the taverna is a nice place to relax.