Discover Makry Gialos

The Casa dei Mezzo Music Festival

For the last ten years, at the end of each June, Makrys Gialos has hosted a classical music festival in the 16th century Villa Casa dei Mezzo. World-renowned artists and musicians play works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mozart, Vivaldi and Schumann.

The villa is known for its exceptional aesthetics, and the music creates a magical atmosphere.

Festival facts

• Place: Villa Casa dei Mezzo, a villa of the 16th century in Makrys Gialos
• Season: the end of June, every summer
• Track record: ten summers so far
• Performers: world-renowned artists and musicians
• Composers: Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Chopin, Mozart, Vivaldi, Schumann

Your days around the concerts

The sea is 100 m from our door, so afternoons can stay on the sand. Write to us with your dates and we will reply.

Classical music in a seaside village

A classical festival in a village in south-eastern Crete may surprise people who picture Makrys Gialos only as a place for the beach. Yet the two go well together: the music takes place in a historic villa, the village stays small and calm, and the sea is never far away.

Here is a short guide for anyone who wants to enjoy the music, whether they know the repertoire well or are listening for the first time.

A short listening guide to the composers named

The seven composers named for the festival span the Baroque, Classical and Romantic eras of European music. Here is what to listen for in each.

• Vivaldi: a Venetian composer of the Baroque who wrote hundreds of concertos. His music is energetic and clear, with fast movements that drive forward and slow ones that sing.
• Bach: a German master of the Baroque, famous for counterpoint, where several melodies move together and answer one another. Listen for a theme that returns in different voices.
• Mozart: an Austrian composer of the Classical period whose melodies seem easy and natural while the structure underneath is precise. He wrote operas, symphonies, concertos and chamber music.
• Beethoven: a German composer who stood between the Classical and Romantic worlds. His piano sonatas, symphonies and string quartets move from calm to storm, often within a few minutes.
• Schumann: a German Romantic composer who wrote vividly for the piano, as well as songs and symphonies. His short piano pieces often feel like small scenes.
• Chopin: a Polish-born composer who lived mostly in Paris and wrote almost entirely for the piano. His nocturnes, waltzes and mazurkas are intimate, lyrical and full of subtle rhythm.
• Brahms: a German Romantic composer with a warm, full sound. He wrote symphonies, concertos, chamber music and songs, and balanced strong feeling with careful craftsmanship.

If it is your first classical concert

A few habits make a live concert more enjoyable. Arrive a little early so that you can settle in without rushing, and switch your phone to silent. In works with several movements the audience traditionally waits until the whole piece has ended before applauding, so if you are unsure, watch the musicians and follow the room.

Live classical music is also quieter than most people expect, so the details come through: a single piano note fading away, a bow changing direction, a pause before the next phrase. In a historic villa these small moments are part of the experience, and there is nothing you need to prepare.

Making an evening of it

Makrys Gialos is a small seaside village in the Lassithi region, close to Ierapetra. Summer evenings there are mild, the light turns golden over the water, and many visitors like to stroll along the shore before dinner. A light layer is useful after sunset, when the air by the sea can feel cooler than the afternoon suggested.

Plan the day so that the evening stays relaxed. Swim in the morning, rest through the hottest hours, then freshen up and walk out for dinner and the music. The beaches described on our other pages are all within easy reach, so a late swim before the concert is simple to fit in.

Ideas for the hours around the music

• A late-afternoon swim at the main beach, then a slow half hour to freshen up
• An early dinner at a village taverna, ordering a few dishes to share, as Cretan meals are meant to be
• A walk along the shore afterwards, with the sound of the sea after the sound of the strings
• A slow morning the next day, with a coffee and a swim before the sun gets strong

Planning your visit

Concert details are set by the festival's organisers, so check their own information for the programme and times before you plan your days. If you would like to stay with us, send a message with your travel dates and we will answer with what is available.