Where to stay

Our first accommodation in Megalohori in 1988 was Hotel Dina with views right out towards Piraeus and the mainland of Greece. It was only on our second visit that I realised that in he hallway was an iced water machine. From then on I made good use of it. For one thing, the local water that comes through the tap is not recommended for drinking. For another, it is a great thirst quencher for those on holiday in a hot location.

Hotel Dina, like a number of other establishments was really apartments - not a hotel. But it was very central in the village and it was only 2 minutes to any shop or taverna in the centre. On a later occasion we decided to choose Hotel Boulas where it was possible to get breakfast in the bar which became a taverna in the evening. This was a good decision! We felt very comfortable here. Boulas boasted shower curtains and a defined shower area separate from the loo and washbasin. This helped control the water that always seemed to get everywhere at Dina.

Over the years we got to know our friends Donald and Dina Lofthouse. They lived in Derrbyshire, not too far from us. Dina had been born on Anghistri and two of her sisters lived in the village. So it was, when Don was ill (terminally, as it happened) we were asked if we would like to use the house next door to Hotel Dina which was the old family home of the Dede family. This was very comfortable and we loved it.

Then there was a break of a few years when we didn't visit Anghistri. But eventually we returned and this time we booked in at Hotel Boulas which by now had a swimming pool. It was a triumph and we loved it. Thus it was that we determined to stay at this hotel each time we came. We are now friends of the owners and we get looked after very well each time we arrive. Nowadays Pauline and I are restricted as to how far we can walk so we tend to lounge by the pool every day reading copious books .

There are a number of hotels and apartments on offer in Megalohori. Several hundred metres to the right as you leave the port is the apartment block we still know as Kitsolakis Apartments, named after the late father of Yannis Logothetis. Walk left at the port and you find Theris Apartments owned by George and Katerina. These are modern and up market from some of the other places. Further along you reach Hotel Nontas (pronounce the T as a D) and this is a very unusual shape. Theo Katsias, owner of Supermarket Nontas (his late father's nickname) is the proprietor. Just up the hill from here is Hotel Flisvos. Eventually you reach Hotel Dina after passing the little cemetery.

Take the hill directly leading from the port and the first building offering rooms is Hotel Milos owned by Yannis and Paniotis Logothetis. Around the village, if you ask, there are small old Greek houses available to rent for long or short periods. Quite a number of houses have been built which can be available to let for the summer if you so wish.

But, for us, there is nothing l;ike a stay in Hotel Boulas where Christos and Beverly welcome us and keep us entertained as we use their pool bar for refreshments each day. The photos show pool activity at Hotel Boulas. In the first I am swimming up the pool and in the second you can see Christos hard at work!

But come to Anghistri and let it worm its way into your affections as it has ours. You will not regret it.

Eating in Anghistri

Eating out on Greek Islands can vary and yet it can be monotonous. In many places you find that the local tavernas in your particular resort assume that everything comes lukewarm because that is the way Greeks prefer their food. It is not unknown to find that white wine has not been chilled but that red has! Reading a Greek taverna menu can also be real fun when you spot the amazing spelling mistakes. But just remember this - Greek is their first language and, what is more, they do not use the Latin alphabet.

In both 2006 and this year we visited other islands and noticed a variation in food offered and the professional style in which it was cooked. In 2006 we spent four days in Crete and located some exceptional cooking as well as recipes. This year we spent a week in Rhodes and sampled their versions of Greek cooking. Again we experienced different but good food. After saying this we come back to Anghistri to concern ourselves with their food.

Since first visiting here in 1988 there have been changes. In Megalohori the number of tavernas is less than it was. In Scala more tavernas have been opened as the reliance on tourism has increased over the years. In twenty years the method of dealing with wasps in tavernas has radically changed. The old way was to cut a plastic bottle in half, partially fill the remaining bottle with orange juice to attract the wasps and then place the tapered bottle neck upside down into the container. Thus the wasps easily got in but rarely got out. Today the purchase of insectocutors has changed all this and you are rarely bothered by insects.

The standard of hygiene has also made an upward leap and it is less likely that you will see a butcher's block that is black from too little cleaning! The local baker's shop has changed beyond recognition and it is a pleasure and a joy to go there for bread each morning. After all, there is nothing quite like a fresh loaf of bread each day made by Vangelis! When you see the trays of sweets such as baklava you fairly dribble at the thought of buying some.

Back to the tavernas. In Megalohori there are two in the centre of the village. "The Sailor" is a relative newcomer on the scene, having opened a few years after we started visiting. But the food there is homely, traditional and tasty. The eating area is completely al fresco and they open only in the evening. Their unique selling point is the takeaway service whereby you can pop in and order a donna kebab in pitta bread at the hatch on the end.

The other taverna has been there for many years and is open all year round. It is Taverna O Fotis. It is operated by Fotis and his wife Katerina. They are a delightful couple and welcome you with open arms each time you arrive on the island. Their welcome is genuine. Fotis' speciality is that his grills are done on a barbecue which he can fan into flame from being almost dead in minutes! Here again the food is traditional and straightforward. You can order the most wonderful lamb or pork chops and their souvlaki is excellent. Here there is no need to worry about ordering in English - their daughter, Vasu, speaks excellent English and calmly sorts out the whole process of getting the food to your table. Katerina speaks very little English whereas Fotis can understand everything yet finds it difficult to speak our language.

Going down the hill towards the port you will find a snack bar in Hotel Milos and a taverna up on the cliff overlooking the port. Down by the port itself is Taverna Theris run by another Katerina and her husband, George. Here the food is totally reliable again and I recommend whatever Katerina provides as "special of the day" - it is always top notch. The pair used to run a taverna called "Three Brothers" in the centre of the village in previous years and it was extremely popular. Later, George built Theris apartments by the port and Jimmy and Tina, a Scottish couple ran the taverna there for a few years with the help of their chef, Babis. A few years ago Jimmy became disabled and unable to continue so Katerina is now back in charge of the menu.

Further along the coast road towards Scala you will come to Hotel Ameryllis run by Yianni and Fanni, a delightful couple. The place is now well established and you can order plenty of Greek food here. It is also an excellent place to while away the hours over a beer or two during the day. Come to think of it, you might as well have lunch whilst you are here!

Over in Scala there are many tavernas and the one we recommend is Taverna Toxotis run by the indefatigable Spiro. These days he insists his son is the boss and he is taking it easy but don't let him fool you - he is still at the helm. Anything you eat here is good and worth going over from Megalohori for. You might also care to sample the food at Hotel Andreas where Andreas retains a great reputation for good food.

Two years ago we were celebrating our Ruby Wedding anniversary so we needed to have a special meal. Well, to make a long story short, we didn't organise things too well for that evening but we had already had an amazing seafood lunch at Aponisos in the seaside taverna there. On a previous occasion we had enjoyed a great fish lunch and hoped to do the same. But it was Sunday and there was no fish. Nil desperandum. I convinced Pauline to have a seafood lunch that included octopus which was a food she did not really enjoy. The food was a Greek Salad with dishes of mussels, calamari and octopus. I looked at the menu and asked which was the best white wine - it was the ONLY white wine! I took a chance, but asked Barbara, daughter of the owners, if the wine would be chilled. It certainly was - she arrived with an ice bucket complete with stand and a bottle of wine I would have recommended anywhere, anytime. I watched Pauline try the octopus and a smile came on her face. It turned out to be the best seafood meal for a long time. Sitting there in the shade with stunning views of the island opposite and beyond it the Pelopponese, we could have cried. This really was a meal to remember and to think it was forty years since we were married was great.

So, all in all, you can eat and eat well in Anghistri. Just make sure you keep ringing the changes or you will become bored at so much grilled food, even if it is good. Make sure you keep doing a round of your favourite tav ernas and it will be OK. If you feel like it you can adjourn to the bar on the way down to the port for coffee and Metaxa to finish off the evening. What could be better? During the day, if down by the swimming pool at Hotel Boulas, Christos will do you a lovely toastie to keep hunger away. Not only that but Christos can give you unlimited advice on cooking. He knows his subject! Give Anghistri a try - you will not regret it. But don't bother coming if you are after entertainment and gallons of beer in a disco. It aint that sort of island.

More About Anghistri

The above photos show what was and still is traditional transport for some islanders. The photo showing a mini truck at the bottom of a hill depicts an older version of the red truck by the sea at Aponisos. Most people use a car or van but there are still quite a number of these agricultural vehicles about - especially in the Limenaria area which includes Aponisos. They would never be taken off the island because they travel very slowly and would clog up the roads in a busy place like Aegina or the mainland.

If you go over to Limenaria you will see that agriculture remains the way of life, whereas tourism rules everywhere else. This year was the first year that I didn't see a donkey on the road from Limenaria to Aponisos. Now there is a mode of transport that certainly has diminished. We used to awake to the dulcet tones of a donkey braying on our first holiday. People used to have yards in which it was possible to find a donkey tethered. Sometimes you saw them tethered under trees out among the pines. If you saw a donkey working it was always carrying a huge load - not heavy, but very much outsize. Inevitably a man would be riding with his wife walking behind the beast.

The car has taken over, as you might expect. This followed the advent of the daily car ferries that started to call in a few years ago. This year, as we arrived and found no one to collect us on the quayside we discovered that Christos had been blocked in. He managed to get free and picked us up soon afterwards. It was, after all, August, and hundreds of Greeks were in residence.

There is one very common mode of transport that needs a mention. It is the motorbike/scooter. Many locals run ancient scooters and you wonder if the bikes are about to expire! As you might guess, they tend to be noisy, particularly at night. Many tourists, including myself, hire scooters during their stay. My good friend Taki is the man to see if you want a good scooter. They are all maintained well and you can trust his work. Costas is the man to see if you are staying in Scala. My friend, John Robinson, is restricted in how far he can walk and needs an elbow crutch to help him. His friend saw his need and provided a marvellous device for carrying the crutch whilst riding the scooter. It was a rainwater pipe with a bottom attached and all he had to do was insert the crutch and let in the clutch!!!

A number of us used to walk from Megalohori to Scala and back quite often but now have to make the journey on a scooter or not go at all. You see there are a number of tourists who return each year in September and we all chat to each other to find out how the years are treating us. We could be called the September Club!?

Because some of the roads are not very good and sometimes poorly maintained you have to be very careful. I have seen one or two nasty injuries caused by the bad road surface. One year Pauline and I pulled up at Aponisos and promptly fell of the scooter because the wheels were sliding on the loose gravel. How can you fall off when the bike has stopped? Answer: when the wheel slides in the gravel as you try to get off! I am happy to say the gravel in that place has now gone.

Anghistri described

Our old friend, Dina Lofthouse, who was born in Anghistri said one day, "A lot of people love my little island, don't they?" This said it all. For some years Pauline and I had experienced the let down of the British climate at holiday time. After three soggy weeks in Cornwall in 1986 Pauline snapped and said she was only going to consider holidays in the sun. We had heard a lot about Greece and so we chose Corfu in 1987 to see if we liked Greece. We did. The following year we came to Anghistri for the first time and then kept coming back.

On arrival in the village of Megalohori (or Mylos) I was wooed by the traditional houses and that was the net in which I was caught. Returning to Anghistri is about saying "Hello" to your friends each time. The people remember you and welcome you back. That is priceless! The warmth of the welcome and its sincerity are wonderful.

The island is pine-covered with four settlements: Megalohori (meaning "the great place"), Scala (meaning "ladder" after the arrangements for getting in and out of the old ferries on the beach there), Metochi and Limenaria. These are connected by a number of basic roads - some better than others. There is a bus service by way of a new larger bus that meets the hydrofoils that arrive in Mandraki harbour for Mylos. Passengers for Scala get on here and take a mile long ride to their accommodation.

These days there are many more cars than in 1988 - in high season it is possible to be blocked in! A tourist road train operates day and night, running from Scala to Limenaria via Mylos. On occasion I have seen it deputise for the bus and meet the hyudrofoils at Mylos. The island is very small and a fit person can walk anywhere with ease. The population is about 700 without summer visitors, so everyone knows everyone. The locals walk from house to house to see friends whenever they are free. Any evening you can see people being visited by friends and family.

Accommodation abounds in Scala where the tourist is best catered for with tavernas, cafes, sunbeds etc. A car ferry calls each day so it is possible to get there by driving if you are mad enough to fancy a trip across Europe to get here. A fast local ferry runs between Anghistri and its larger neighbour, Aegina, where you can get a ferry down the Pelopponese coast to Methana on the mainland and the island of Poros. This local ferry starts in Mandraki and calls in at Scala before crossing over to Aegina.

There are water taxis at Mandraki and Scala and it is possible to take a trip almost anywhere by this means. All you do is ring the number of the water taxi owner and if he is free you can speed over the water to a numbner of places. It is fun to use this service and enjoy zipping across the waves with the driver bouncing up and down on his special saddle type seat!

If you fancy getting about the island a little faster than walking speed you can hire a scooter for a day, a week, a fortnight or whatever. I can recommend my friend Paniotis Logothetis (known as Taki) who rents scooters and push bikes in Megalohori. He is the nicest guy I have ever met and we get on marvellously! Taki also owns and operates the only service station on the island. There you can see his pint size fuel tanker in which he supplies the boats who call at the island as well as central heating fuel out of season.

As I said earlier, the roads are basic and therefore need drivers to take care along them. Some are better than others and you need to watch out for a sudden change in quality as you drive around. For me there is no better ride than to go from Megalohori across to Aponisos via Limenaria. You ride through pine trees with a strong scent of the resin that flavours the Greek wine, Retsina. There are many views through the trees over the sea to the mainland and a photographer will be well rewarded.

Of course fire is a very real danger with such hot and dry summers. You need to be careful not to throw cigarette ends into tinder-dry grass because you could cause the whole island to go up in flames. Sitting in any taverna you can see the island firefighters in their fire engine slowly driving around the island, ready to put out any fire that threatens. At night these patrols are made with the red lights flashing as the machine is driven along! Take the road to Limenaria at lunchtime and you will catch the fire crew having lunch in the shade of the trees around the tiny church of Santa Barbara! Take a look at the photo above!

For me there is no place as relaxing as this lovely island with everything in low key. Just watch out for lots of Greeks during August which is the popular holiday time in Athens and round about. You are only 20 miles from Athens despite the quietness around you.

How to get to Anghistri

Twenty years ago it was very slow getting to Anghistri. The direct way was to catch the Manaras Express at 8.00am from Piraeus. This was a 2 hour sail from Piraeus and it called first at Scala before travelling further along to its terminus in the tiny port of Mandraki for Mylos or, to give the village its proper name, Megalohori. The one good thing was that the bus from the former Athens Airport took 20 minutes to reach Piraeus port. But there was still a long wait for the ferry.

Since then the Manaras Express has been sold. There was a pair of commercial catamarans that sailed from Scala to Piraeus and back but we needed transport to Mylos, a mile along the coast from Scala. By this time it was preferable to take a hydrofoil (Flying Dolphin) to the island of Aegina and then wait a couple of hours for the next sailing of the ferry to Anghistri.

But today all has changed again. The port of Mandraki has been enlarged. It took about 15 years from start to finish as money kept running out. I remember the first visit of the crane on a barge towed by a tug as the work began one September. Two years ago we used the enlarged port for the first time, a couple of months after the Orthodox Church priests had blessed it. The last catamaran was tied up, waiting for repairs which were carried out whilst we were there.

This year we could take a "Flying Dolphin" from Piraeus. This was operated by Hellenic Seaways who provide just two sailings each day via Aegina. But we had the pleasure of arriving at our own port for the first time. It was great!

Visitors to Anghistri flying from Manchester can take a direct flight (at night) three days a week by Olympic Airlines. The flight duration is just three hours forty five minutes, leaving Manchester at 10.15pm. Of course, Greek time being two hours ahead of GMT the local arrival time is 4.00am.

Your best bet now is, having collected your luggage, go for an early breakfast in the airport before boarding the all night express bus to Piraeus (X96) which takes just under an hour at that time. Walk out of the departure exit and turn right. Go along the pavement until you reach a small cabin where you can purchase your Piraeus ticket for 3.20 euros. Now you can get on the bus but do not forget to validate your ticket in the red machine on the bus.

We took the 5.30am express bus. You can check the time of the next bus inside the airport. Just look for a display similar to the check-in boards but smaller. Be sure to alight at the port because the new terminus is some distance away. In our case the driver called out when we reached the port. You can see lots of ships on the left of the bus. Cross the road to the port gate and turn left. Along here you will come to the ticket offices. Both Hellenic Seaways and Aegean Flying Dolphins have offices. Simply check who sails first and book with them. If money is an issue choose Aegean Flying Dolphins who charge 1 euro less for the sail.

Most visitors will be staying in Scala, so the island bus (a new big one!)meets each arrival to take passengers to the small resort. It could not be simpler. This year saw a road train introduced and if the bus is out of service the road train does the Scala run.

If you want a holiday where you do absolutely nothing at all then take rooms in Mylos. If you crave a slightly livelier time then you will be well looked after in Scala. More of the accommodation in a later blog.

My Other Favourite Island

May I introduce a lovely, quiet, Greek island? It is in the Saronic Gulf and lies a mear 20 miles from the city of Athens. There are 4 villages on the island and if an international airport were to be constructed there we should have no island left for inhabitants. In the past this island has been overlooked or disparaged by those who call themselves travel writers. My task is to show, through this blog, how wrong they are.

Pauline and I first visited the island courtesy of SunMed, a travel company known for their frank portrayals of Greek islands in their brochure, "Go Greek". It was in 1988 that we first set foot on Anghistri as I prefer to spell it. The "Go Greek" brochure told us it was a two hour sail to our destination from Piraeus. But in 1988 they decided to use a private boat called the "Kitsolakis Express" to transfer customers from a port called Trocadero via Aghia Marina on the island of Aegina. This followed a night flight from the UK. Needless to say I was at a low ebb as I boarded this boat which stank of diesel fuel. After two hours we offloaded those people staying in Aghia Marina on the far side of Aegina from Anghistri. It was a further hour before we embarked at the tiny port of Mandraki that serves Megalohori (or Mylos) on Anghistri.

We loaded our luggage in the correct reverse order for dropping off on a small pick up and walked slowly up the steep hill to the village where our rooms were. We were shattered! At the top of the hill I saw the village centre and exclaimed, "I like this place!" This was the start of a great love affair with this tiny Greek island that is still continuing. The difference between then and now is very marked and all for the good. Watch this space!!!!!

The Island of Anghistri

This blog is dedicated to the most alluring island I have ever visited. As the title suggests, there are three ways of spelling the name of the island in English. Two are based upon the local style whereby the name suggests the inclusion of an N. It is a place we have visited many times and one which draws us back, time after time. The population is only 700 out of season but swells to 4 figures when the sun is shining!

Athens is a mere 20 miles away and yet the island appears to be an isolated gem. There are no ruins to visit and little is known of its history. Three villages constitute the community - Skala, Megalohori and Limenaria. Skala is a classic but small summer resort where most visitors gravitate. It's name comes from the fact that when anyone wished to travel to the neighbouring island of Aegina, they had to take a boat from the beach using a ladder. Ladder, in Greek, is Skala, hence the name of this resort. Until very recently it was the main port for visiting Anghistri. Indeed it is the one to which the daily car ferry sails to collect passengers and vehicles. Megalohori is the capital and its centre is marked by a cafenion, a supermarket and the main church for the island. As for Limenaria, it has remained untouched as it is an inland community. There people still function within the small agricultural activities on this side of the island.

Since the opening and blessing of its new port in 2006, Megalohori has seen a vast improvement to its transfer services between the island and Piraeus, the port of Athens.