The Residency Apartment and Mountain Hut.
In the year 2018 locals of Ano Asites contacted Australian visual artist Mathew Halpin. Mathew ran a project in Heraklion City to help revive a neglected part of the old town. The village wanted help to find ways to bring people to the lovely but emptying place. As with most Cretan villages the younger people prefer to move to the cities. They wanted Mathew to give them ideas on how to revive the place. Mathew had been looking for a place to start a rural artist residency. He had looked at many villages, but there was always a problem. No buses, not beautiful, negative feelings from the locals. After considering all of the requirements needed to set up a residency, the village, locals and location were perfect.
The Village Apartment
The apartment is newly renovated and has a wonderful terrace with a grapevine and mulberry tree shading it for the warmer months. It is located at an exit from the village and is a short walk to the mini markets and coffee shop.
The spacious kitchen is a good space to work either on paintings or to set up as a writing space. The residency is open to all practices.
There are two bedrooms. One has two single beds with a window to the terrace. The smaller bedroom has an internal window. The apartment is children-friendly.
The sheep bell workshop is next door. The bells are made normally between 9 am and 3 pm Monday to Saturday. As the windows and doors have double glazing it's not noisy inside. The noise the bell making makes is a hammering of metal which could be annoying to people who want silence. The friendly owners of the apartment live upstairs and cross the courtyard to enter their house.
Out the back door is a sitting area away from the bell factory that has chickens and more privacy.
The house has Wi-Fi and a clothes washing machine upstairs.
There is no need for air-conditioning as it stays cool during the day. There are fans.
In winter there is a small extra charge for central heating.
Th owner of the apartment is happy to cook meals for guests at a reasonable price. (She's an amazing cook!).
They can also provide local olive oil, cheese and honey.
People who want silence and to be totally alone should look at the mountain hut instead.
Notes. The photos are from the first inspection and will be updated soon, not much will change just small improvements to the bedrooms.
The spacious kitchen is a good space to work either on paintings or to set up as a writing space. The residency is open to all practices.
There are two bedrooms. One has two single beds with a window to the terrace. The smaller bedroom has an internal window. The apartment is children-friendly.
The sheep bell workshop is next door. The bells are made normally between 9 am and 3 pm Monday to Saturday. As the windows and doors have double glazing it's not noisy inside. The noise the bell making makes is a hammering of metal which could be annoying to people who want silence. The friendly owners of the apartment live upstairs and cross the courtyard to enter their house.
Out the back door is a sitting area away from the bell factory that has chickens and more privacy.
The house has Wi-Fi and a clothes washing machine upstairs.
There is no need for air-conditioning as it stays cool during the day. There are fans.
In winter there is a small extra charge for central heating.
Th owner of the apartment is happy to cook meals for guests at a reasonable price. (She's an amazing cook!).
They can also provide local olive oil, cheese and honey.
People who want silence and to be totally alone should look at the mountain hut instead.
Notes. The photos are from the first inspection and will be updated soon, not much will change just small improvements to the bedrooms.
The Off Grid Mountain Hut |
The mountain hut is an exceptional experience for those who crave to be alone in nature and can to walk up the stone and earth path that leads to the hut. Its location is above Kato Asites (Lower Asites) and a monastery. There are no other neighbors. It would be handy to have a hire car but for those happy to walk, the mini market is about ten minutes downhill and the bus stop about a 25-minute walk. There is a fabulous taverna which is just below as well. It has one big room with amazing views of the mountains, Heraklion City and a few villages ending at the sea. The main room has a working fireplace and a wood burner. It has a table for working and eating at. There is one double bed and clothes hanging space.
The kitchen and bathroom are attached but you must walk out the back to enter them. In winter you must brave the elements to get to them. It can also get windy at times but that doesn't spoil the view which can be enjoyed from inside. The doors can be open when it's windy as they are positioned not to catch the wind.
The hut is connected to an agricultural water supply that comes from the mountain above.
Because of its remote location, there is no electricity. Solar lights are provided and a portable battery is available for smaller electric items. The portable battery must be taken to the village for recharging. In summer the water tank on the roof heats up with the sun. In winter the only way to heat up water is on the wood burner. It is possible to have a shower at Mathew who is the hosts house.
There is no Wi-Fi but mobile phone signal is good. If an artist needs to work via the internet it should be possible to use a mobile phone hot-spot but the data cost might be high. In this case it could be a good idea to get a local SIM card. There is free Wi-Fi at the taverna down the hill.
As there is no connection to mains electricity an icebox is provided. Mathew is happy to deliver large frozen water bottles to keep things cool.
This is not a good location for young children.
Food and coffee delivery is available.
The residency is mostly involved with Ano Asites the upper village which is about a 40-minute walk from the hut. Kato Asites is a much bigger village with more shops like a pharmacy, takeaway or delivered food or coffee. We don't do the mural project in Kato Asites, that village is not our focus.
Sheets and towels will be provided.
Mathew who runs the residency will always drop guests to the hut with his car at the start of their stay and when possible help with other transportation.
The kitchen and bathroom are attached but you must walk out the back to enter them. In winter you must brave the elements to get to them. It can also get windy at times but that doesn't spoil the view which can be enjoyed from inside. The doors can be open when it's windy as they are positioned not to catch the wind.
The hut is connected to an agricultural water supply that comes from the mountain above.
Because of its remote location, there is no electricity. Solar lights are provided and a portable battery is available for smaller electric items. The portable battery must be taken to the village for recharging. In summer the water tank on the roof heats up with the sun. In winter the only way to heat up water is on the wood burner. It is possible to have a shower at Mathew who is the hosts house.
There is no Wi-Fi but mobile phone signal is good. If an artist needs to work via the internet it should be possible to use a mobile phone hot-spot but the data cost might be high. In this case it could be a good idea to get a local SIM card. There is free Wi-Fi at the taverna down the hill.
As there is no connection to mains electricity an icebox is provided. Mathew is happy to deliver large frozen water bottles to keep things cool.
This is not a good location for young children.
Food and coffee delivery is available.
The residency is mostly involved with Ano Asites the upper village which is about a 40-minute walk from the hut. Kato Asites is a much bigger village with more shops like a pharmacy, takeaway or delivered food or coffee. We don't do the mural project in Kato Asites, that village is not our focus.
Sheets and towels will be provided.
Mathew who runs the residency will always drop guests to the hut with his car at the start of their stay and when possible help with other transportation.
Short memory written by Ann Mcginley after staying at the mountain hut. Ann is a fabulous 70 year old.
The hut Kato Asites June 2025
The hut is like an eagle’s nest perched above the village of Kato Asites and the valleys below. From this height with only the wind, the sun and the birds I was far removed from quotidian life with its distractions and troubles. The comfortable simplicity of the hut, allowed me hours of contemplation and without distraction I concentrated on my work.
Here the wind and sun can be fierce but the hut is solid stone. Days of wind were followed by complete tranquility when I would look out from the terrace at the patch-worked valleys and shadowy ridges below encircled by towering mountains. At night I watched as the mountains cast a shadow over the valleys and the lights of Irakleo glittered on the far horizon.
Dodging the afternoon heat I would wind my way down to the village for coffee or food in the morning . It took about 15 minutes as long as I didn’t stop and marvel at the view or meet a talkative local. It’s a steep incline back up to the hut but the gardens of the Geogliani monastery offer rest and shade.
The stuff of memories.
The hut is like an eagle’s nest perched above the village of Kato Asites and the valleys below. From this height with only the wind, the sun and the birds I was far removed from quotidian life with its distractions and troubles. The comfortable simplicity of the hut, allowed me hours of contemplation and without distraction I concentrated on my work.
Here the wind and sun can be fierce but the hut is solid stone. Days of wind were followed by complete tranquility when I would look out from the terrace at the patch-worked valleys and shadowy ridges below encircled by towering mountains. At night I watched as the mountains cast a shadow over the valleys and the lights of Irakleo glittered on the far horizon.
Dodging the afternoon heat I would wind my way down to the village for coffee or food in the morning . It took about 15 minutes as long as I didn’t stop and marvel at the view or meet a talkative local. It’s a steep incline back up to the hut but the gardens of the Geogliani monastery offer rest and shade.
The stuff of memories.
The village |
The nicest thing you can do in Ano Asites is to walk the narrow winding streets. The local cultural association has gone to great efforts to use traditional lime paint, and pigments to brightly colour many of the old stone houses. Time has stood still here and every corner makes you want to take a photo or sit down and paint a picture. When the flowers are out the village fills with the smell of jasmine and such.
As the residency grows so does the amount of murals. The residency and locals are keen to see more. There are some restrictions on what can be painted. It is less urban that its sister residency in Lakkos, so the themes need to fit with the village/ rural environment.
As the residency grows so does the amount of murals. The residency and locals are keen to see more. There are some restrictions on what can be painted. It is less urban that its sister residency in Lakkos, so the themes need to fit with the village/ rural environment.
