How do you find the perfect Greek villa for your holiday? The owners of UK-based Ionian Villas know every one of the 200+ properties that they have in their impressive portfolio inside out, and can offer knowledgeable advice so you can rest assured that nothing will be left to chance when you arrive at your holiday destination. Something the Internet can never guarantee.
Perfect for Families: Villa Cara (sleeps 6/8 in three bedrooms) on Kefalonia has a 60sq metre private swimming pool and is set above a beautiful coastline of sandy beaches. The villa’s enclosed garden has manicured lawns which are perfect for small children. Accommodation includes two doubles and a twin, plus two additional child beds if needed. Surrounded by hillsides of olive groves, the villa looks out over a natural landscape of pine and cypress trees to the sea and, in the distance, the island of Zakynthos (Zante). A week’s stay at May half term costs £247 pp (based on six sharing), or £458 pp in the summer holidays.
Perfect for those on a Budget: Fassoulou’s Cottage on Ithaca used to belong to Fassoulou (known locally as “the bean lady”). She was famous for growing a myriad of vegetables in her small garden without access to a water supply, she would carry her can of water on her head, from the Kalamos spring. She always had beans strung along the fence and thus the nickname. Located in the village of Exoghi, which has a population of just 10 (rising to over 50 in the summer), the cottage has panoramic views over sea to the islands of Lefkas, Meganissi, Kalamos, Arkoudi and Atokos, and down Ithaca’s northern valleys of olive groves. Sleeping four in two bedrooms, a week’s stay costs from £210 per person based on two sharing (prices for four on application).
Perfect for Couples: Aspro Alogo on Paxos is a cosy, one-bedroomed cottage, ideally suited to couples looking for a romantic escape. Close to the pretty port of Loggos, with its wide choice of tavernas and restaurants, the cottage’s private courtyard contains a plunge pool, wooden sun-loungers with mattresses, and is framed by crimson bougainvillaea, light blue plumbago and a border wall of scented plants. The house is next to the church of Agios Iorgos in the tiny hamlet of Zernatika, which is just up the hill from Loggos. The hamlet’s houses are surrounded by olive groves. A week’s stay costs from £580 (£290 per person).
Perfect for Luxury: Celebrities often opt for a villa with a chef, so they can avoid confrontations in local shops and restaurants, with the incessant ‘selfie’ seekers. One such property is Spiantzi in Paxos, which is located three bays south from Loggos, set on its own promontory in two private acres of landscaped gardens, bordered by olive groves and cypress trees. The five-bedroomed villa sleeps 10 people. The property has views along the coast of Paxos and across the open sea to Corfu and the Greek mainland. A private pathway leads down to a sheltered beach. A 50m sq swimming pool and wrap-around terrace overlook the bay below. A week’s stay costs from £12,500 (£1250 pp when 10 share).
Call 01243 820 928 www.ionian-villas.co.uk.
