Two Eco-Getaways -- I am pleased to be able to call attention to two new possibilities on Crete that should appeal to those who are into ecotourism and are also willing to rough it a bit. One is Milia (www.milia.gr), a long-abandoned village in the mountains of western Crete that has been converted into a retreat for those willing to stay in old stone houses, do without modern hotel facilities (although there is electricity), and eat a limited but delicious natural diet. It is operated by native Cretans and you are left pretty much on your own to enjoy the wild natural setting. The other, called Footscapes (www.footscapesofcrete.com), is in the hills just south of Rethymnon and comprises three small modern villas built by an English couple, the Marsdens; they will take you on various hikes and help you with other interests (bird-watching, and so forth) Both places require a vehicle to reach. Milia is a solid 2-hour drive from Chania and requires a rental car and a willingness to travel the last miles up a rather hairy dirt road; once there, you would probably want to take all your meals at the simple dining room. Footscapes is only a 20-minute drive from Rethymnon and although the Mardens advise you how to get to their place by combinations of public transport and taxi, you would probably want to rent a car to be able to get to the nearby villages to either buy food to cook or eat out. For those wavering between the two, note that at Milia you have no view but you step out of your cabin into a wooded area bursting with wildlife; at Footscapes you have to hike to get into the woods but you sit on a ridge with a 360-degree view.
