Doubles from £109, test availability at reserving.com
Kivotos and Mavro, Santorini
Perched excessive on Santorini’s cliffs, Kivotos Lodge’s distinctive structure mirrors the island’s volcanic aesthetic, making a dramatic and glossy impact for a luxurious break. Situated within the tranquil space of Imerovigli on the island’s coastal west facet, the resort’s unobstructed views of the crescent-shaped caldera are among the many finest on the island. The proper spot to soak in these scenes is at Kivotos’ upscale eating institution, Mavro. Now below the knowledgeable steering of Chef Dimitris Katrivesis, Mavro blends native elements and conventional recipes with fashionable flavour combos. Drawing from Katrivesis’ international travels, the signature cooking method is Japanese robata (open fireplace cooking) whereas the Greek shared eating type, ‘moirasma’, is heartily embraced. These sharable tasting menus, themed across the phases of the moon, function domestically sourced elements and fantastically contemporary seafood that’s delivered every day by native fishermen. The entire impact is daring, decadent, and unforgettable with a bucket checklist Santorini-sunset as your backdrop.
Doubles from £440 an evening, test availability at reserving.com
Rosy’s Little Village, Agistri
A cluster of whitewashed buildings splashed with brilliant bursts of bougainvillea, hibiscus and geraniums, Rosy’s perches above a small rocky cove (seize a kayak to discover sea caves close by). A family-run resort serving easy however glorious meals, the in depth menu at its terrace restaurant contains marinated anchovies, zucchini pie, rosemary lamb and glasses of native retsina, a salty-sweet wine made utilizing pine tree sap. Better of all, freshly caught fish (offered by weight) contains sardines, crimson mullet and swordfish, all of which is solely grilled and served with natural greens grown on-site. Eat searching throughout the Saronic Gulf in direction of the neighbouring island of Aegina.
Doubles from £65, test availability at reserving.com
The Good Life, Syros
The villas and studios at this aptly named natural retreat every include kitchens (assist your self to plums, peaches, figs and lemons from the farm to pep up your vacation breakfasts). Company congregate round a big outside kitchen within the evenings to cook dinner and share tales, and as soon as every week they’re invited to hitch a (complimentary) communal dinner – suppose barbecued beef fillet with a spread of pitta breads and salads – accompanied by beneficiant quantities of Greek wine. Grapes within the vineyards are additionally used to distill juice for tsipouro (much like Italian grappa), and visitors are given a small bottle to take dwelling with them.
Double villa from £60, test availability at reserving.com
Metohi Kindelis, Crete
This Seventeenth-century Venetian property, simply outdoors Chania, has three gorgeously transformed guesthouses, every with non-public swimming pools. All come stocked with breakfast goodies, together with home made marmalade, crumbly sheep’s cheese, additional virgin olive oil, and freshly picked natural avocados and strawberries. Should you’re impressed to cook dinner, workers can present additional baskets of seasonal elements and recipes. Should you’re feeling idle, they’ll type a takeaway from a neighbourhood taverna, or prepare for an area chef to cook dinner your dinner and serve it within the jasmine-scented backyard. Travellers who wish to delve deeper into the island’s culinary historical past ought to e-book the fascinating bread- and cheese-making class, led by a meals historian.
Doubles from £195, test availability at metohi-kindelis.gr
Kamarotí, Sifnos
Sensitively constructed inside an historic olive grove (not a single tree was reduce down throughout building), with views over the gorgeous village of Kastro and the Aegean Sea past, Kamarotí places a surprisingly Spanish twist on its meals (the resort is owned by three Spanish brothers). Breakfast varies significantly: you may need Spanish omelette sooner or later, and diced home-grown tomatoes with contemporary native mizithra cheese and crushed melon seed juice the following. Dinner, served solely in July and August, begins with a choice of tapas, and paella is on the menu as soon as every week.
Doubles from £100, test availability at kamaroti.com
Villa de Loulia, Corfu
Named after proprietor Loukia’s grandmother, Loulia, who constructed this historic Italianate villa in 1808, Villa de Loulia homes 9 elegant, vibrant bedrooms and suites, plus a restaurant that serves previous household recipes constituted of native, natural produce. Begin the day by the pool with Loukia’s home made zucchini pie or ravani orange and almond semolina cake, then discover the traditional village of Peroulades and its uncrowded seashores earlier than heading again to Villa de Loulia for traditional Corfiot dishes (together with bourdeto: fish cooked in spicy tomato sauce).
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Doubles from £750 (per week), test availability at reserving.com
Milia Mountain Retreat, Crete
Set amid chestnut bushes with the rugged mountainous fantastic thing about the Kissamos area as a backdrop, Milia is a superbly renovated assortment of Fifteenth-century stone buildings. All rooms have thick stone partitions and their very own fireplaces, making it excellent for cosy low season stays, and the retreat is surrounded by an intensive community of mountaineering trails. The restaurant serves conventional Cretan “humble gastronomy”, reminiscent of wild greens soup and grilled aubergine unfold, in addition to roast child goat, lamb with herbs, and bureki courgette pot pie cooked in a wooden range. Each Wednesday, visitors can be a part of a four-hour conventional Cretan cooking session within the kitchen.
Doubles from £75, test availability at milia.gr
Levendis Property, Ithaca
Aussie-Greek couple Marilyn and Spero Raftopulos – plus their (grown-up) youngsters, Kate and Niko – run this assortment of 4 cottages plus swimming pool on Spero’s household homestead. It overlooks a bay within the north of the island and has been going for greater than 30 years. Bogs come generously stocked with Levendis’ personal pure skincare merchandise, whereas cottage kitchens are pre-stocked with scrumptious Greek wine, olives and pistachios for that first vacation sundowner. Plus peach juice, bread, home made jams, native thyme honey, freshly laid eggs and own-recipe muesli for the primary morning’s breakfast.
Click on right here for extra locations to eat and drink in Ithaca…
Mèlisses, Andros
A trendy, four-suite guesthouse, Mèlisses is a favorite with foodies because of its culinary host, Allegra Pomilio, an Italian with a ardour for all issues Greek. Each season she hosts a choice of retreats and workshops along with visitor cooks and different creatives. Enroll and, in between studying how you can cook dinner tahini chocolate cookies, you may be a part of an tour to close by waterfalls or to Palaiopoli, the traditional, partly-submerged former capital of the island. Suites have kitchens and sea views and are so dreamily adorned in shades of greys and blues that you simply’ll wish to transfer proper in. Company collect within the open-plan kitchen for breakfast earlier than heading all the way down to the non-public bay, glass of home made bitter cherry lemonade in hand, for a morning dip.
Ktima Lemonies, Andros
Because the identify suggests, the Ktima Lemonies property on lush Andros is surrounded by lemon (and olive) groves. Begin the day with syrup constituted of lemon tree flower petals (which proprietor Nelly fastidiously collects at daybreak to keep away from bees and to maintain them contemporary), served on bread or just from the jar. Solely breakfast is out there, however making your individual picnic lunch from the breakfast buffet is inspired slightly than frowned upon right here, and you’ll take pleasure in a glass of the property’s personal wines or limoncello within the night earlier than heading out to one of many island’s many eating places.
Phrases by Tatty Good
