Hotel Koukounaria, Alykes, Zakynthos

In September 2011 we booked a last-minute trip to Zakynthos (or Zante if you prefer) through Thomas Cook for 2 weeks in October (self-catering). This was our first ever package deal and we didn't know what to expect, although we did take the time before booking to use Google Maps to check the location of the hotel in Alykes, the Koukounaria. From the satellite view we could see that the hotel was surrounded by greenery and just a short walk away from the centre of Alykes and the beach, so we went ahead and booked. It was so cheap that it still seemed too good to be true even for off-season.


View Hotel Koukounaria in a larger map

We were impressed by this hotel. The staff were friendly and helpful. Our room was spacious and clean, with great cooking facilities and a private balcony which overlooked the swimming pools and offered great views of the surrounding countryside. In fact Hotel Koukounaria is currently ranked number 1 out of the 16 hotels in Alykes reviewed on TripAdvisor, which comes as no surprise to me.

There's a supermarket just around the corner which is handy when you're self-catering. The local produce is excellent and far cheaper than in the UK. As we enjoy walking we often walked up to Katastari to shop there.

Here's a short film I made at the hotel, mostly from our balcony, so you can also enjoy the views.

An Afternoon on the Beach in Lindos

Pefkos to Lindos

Our last Sunday on the island of Rhodes (17th June 2012) and we didn't have our rental car any more, so we caught the local bus from Pefkos to Lindos. It takes less than 15 minutes.

Lindos Bay

During our previous visit we'd busied ourselves checking out the bars and shops in the narrow streets leading up to the Acropolis, as well as climbing up to the Acropolis itself, so we'd only seen the beaches from on high. They are a delight. The bay of Lindos is well sheltered, as you'll see in this video, and the views are fantastic.

Clean beaches, good food, happy people. What else could you ask for? Oh yeah, lashings of Mythos!

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Lindos Acropolis
A Medieval Moonlit Night in Lindos

Asklipio, 17 June 2012

Pefkos to Asklipio

Today would be our last day with the rented car. After breakfast at the Stella Hotel we looked at the road map and spotted Asklipio to the west of Pefkos. Our route would take us south along the coastal road with which we were now familiar and then at Kiotari we'd turn inland to the north west. First we bought fresh bread, olives, sausage, cheese, and tomatoes for a picnic lunch, and loaded the car with bottled water and other essentials such as our straw hats, cameras and spare batteries.

Asklipio

The drive to Asklipio was a joy, and we were grateful for the car's air conditioning. By the time we reached Asklipio the temperature had soared to the mid 30s Celsius. We explored the village and then returned to the car for the uphill drive towards the medieval castle. Just walking up to the castle from the car park, loaded with our picnic and cameras, was exhausting in the prickling heat, but the views are spectacular and the medieval castle is well worth the effort. Lunch was in the shade of the castle's fortifications.

More Posts about Castles on the Island of Rhodes

Lindos Acropolis
The Castle of Monolithos
Monolithos to Kamiros

Monolithos to Kamiros

Roads Trip

It's still the 15th of June 2012 and we've already been to see the Castle of Monolithos and are now heading north for the ancient city of Kamiros. Hiring this car has turned out to be a great idea, despite my earlier reservations. There's hardly any traffic and I can drive up the west coast of Rhodes at my own rather pedestrian speed. It's pretty exciting for both of us, in fact. I feel empowered now that I'm driving a car on the wrong side of the road and Genie loves the idea that we can go, well, anywhere we like. We are in no hurry, though. We'll stop off for a break as soon as we see something we fancy.

First stop: Siana

We park the car on the edge of town and are greeted with "Hello Scotland! How are you?" Last night we'd met this fellow selling local produce at his stall near the viewpoint overlooking the castle at Monolithos. There had been many liqueurs, most of which I'd sampled. He also has a shop in Siana and whilst Genie explores the village I'm introduced to his son who is very enthusiastic to meet me. These are lovely people. There's a cooperative of local growers and producers and a real sense of community here. I make a short movie. The clocks on the towers of the church are painted on so it's always 10 minutes to 7 here. I love this place.

Museum for Popular Art, Kritinia

Kritinia was our next stop en route to Kamiros. From the cafe by the Museum for Popular Art there's a great view of the coast and it's a good spot to snack and rehydrate. The small museum is free and a delight to visit. It's all local stuff – costumes, urns, farming tools – and well presented.

The Ancient City of Kamiros

This was once one of the three cities that made up the State of Rhodes. It was never overtaken but rather deserted by its population in favour of Rhodes city to the north. The draw of the big city is clearly nothing new. In this short movie you'll see large white parasols which mark the spots where archeological excavation is ongoing.

More Posts about Castles on the Island of Rhodes

Lindos Acropolis
The Castle of Monolithos
Asklipio

The Road to Monolithos

Prasonisi to Monolithos, 14 June 2012

We really enjoyed the drive from Prasonisi, particularly once we'd turned left off the dead-end Prasonisi road onto the road that follows the west coast. So much so that we forgot about our cameras most of the time as we enjoyed the westerly breeze through the open car windows and took in the breathtaking views, listening to a cheesy Greek tourist CD we'd bought in Pefkos along with our road map.

We were on the lookout for a restaurant or snack bar as the Prasonisi air had given us both a good appetite. Nothing for miles...

Lunch at a Seafood Restaurant near Apolakkia

Then we found a great seafood restaurant near Apolakkia, Restaurant Chrisama, offering plenty of shade, wonderful views, and friendly service. We were recommended a starter of deep-fried small fish, lightly battered, which were delicious. Marides, I think. It was such a generous starter that we couldn't possibly eat any more, given the bread and salad that came with it. A Russian party at the next table made more of a meal of it with a fantastic spread that made me even more determined to come back.

I shot some footage whilst waiting for our order. It's a very short movie (43 seconds) but will hopefully give you a feel of the place.

The Road to Prasonisi

Rental Car

We were planning on heading south from Pefkos down the east coast of Rhodes and then north along the west coast. Our first stop would be Prasonisi on the southernmost tip of Rhodes.

I made a fool of myself trying to manoeuvre our little rental car out of the forecourt of the car-hire firm. Well there's a first time for everything. Apparently I only needed to use one foot when driving an automatic.

When we finally got on the road the going was easy. It took me a while to get used to the automatic gear shifts as I negotiated sharp bends and steep inclines, and I was happy to be able to keep both hands on the steering wheel.

Prasonisi

At Katavia we took the road to our left which would bring us down to Prasonisi. We picked up a hitch-hiker on the way, a young Russian who told us he taught windsurfing here for three months (– the visa limit) every year. I mentioned we were planning on going up the west coast and he told us it's the most popular part of Rhodes amongst "rich Russians".

The road turned into a dirt track and then we could park the car on the sand near a couple of tavernas. Plenty of kites in the distance, I thought. Walking nearer to the beach it became apparent that the kites were attached to people on surfboards. I knew that with its predominant westerly wind Prasonisi was a paradise for windsurfers, but I'd never seen kitesurfing before. Here's a short movie I made that morning (14 June 2012) just to give you an idea. Wow!

Car Hire in Pefkos

First-time care hire

During our first few days in Rhodes I'd had an internal dialog that went a bit like this:

I've never driven a left-hand-drive car before – will I be able to manage the gears with my right hand if I do rent a car? On the other hand I'm used to cycling on the right-hand side of the road, and even rented a quad bike to explore Zakynthos less than two years ago.

Although I'm in my 50s I only learnt to drive about 10 years ago and had serious doubts about renting a left-hand-drive car in Rhodes. Then one day (13 June) it occurred to me that an automatic car might be the solution.

We checked out a few of the car-hire firms in Pefkos and either they didn't have an automatic, they had already rented out their only automatic, or they seemed too expensive and I'd have to think it over. Then on our way back to the Stella Hotel we realised there was another firm we hadn't tried which was right next door. Marathon Rent A Car had a lovely wee Renault 105 (see pic) which we could rent for three days for €110. Perfect! We arranged to pick it up early the next day and bought a road map.

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First Morning at Stella Hotel, Pefkos
7th of June in the afternoon, Pefkos, Rhodes
Pefkos Beaches

Street Performer in Rhodes Old Town

There were many young buskers in the streets of Rhodes Old Town (12 June 2012) but this young lady really captured our hearts. What she may lack in technical proficiency is more than made up for by her sheer enthusiasm.

I'd asked her to play something local and traditional but my Greek being what it is (Yiamas! Mythos!) she could have been singing anything. I even suspect she was making it up as she went along. I'd love to know what the song is called and what it's about, so if you have any idea, please let me know!

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Streets of Rhodes Old Town

Walkabout, 12 June 2012

The citadel of Rhodes is a maze of narrow streets and home to around 6000 people. If you are spending a lot of time looking through camera viewfinders it's easy to get lost, which we managed a couple of times despite the free map.

Lunch

The first couple of restaurants we checked out were rather expensive, but we soon found a great snack bar serving pittas and Mythos in a quiet side street. And who wants a three-course meal at this time of day?

To get a real feel for the place you really should wander down the many side streets and alleyways. You'll see a lot of mopeds. Many of these streets are too narrow for cars. You'll also see quite a few cats. They are well fed.

Photos

Here's a couple more of Genie's photos.

Video

I hope that the video below gives you a flavour of the streets of Rhodes Old Town. It's longer than other videos you'll find on this blog (5:30) but I had a lot of footage and there's so much to see. Enjoy!

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Street Performer in Rhodes Old Town

Rhodes City, 12 June 2012

Pefkos to Rhodes City

In the morning we take the local bus from Pefkos to Rhodes (€5.50 single). Plenty of seats, but not for long. On its circuitous route this coach is picking up many more people than are getting off. It seems that almost everyone's going to Rhodes today. When we think that there's no way the driver could admit any more standing passengers, we stop again to squeeze even more folk in. We're glad that the coach has air-conditioning.

An hour and a quarter after setting off we disembark opposite a park. The walls and towers of the "Old Town" are just beyond.

The Medieval City of Rhodes

This fortress town was listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1988. Its surrounding wall is 4km long and dates from the time of the rule of the Knights of St John of Jerusalem.

I borrowed these photos from Genie, although she still owns the copyright, of course. The video I made myself. Rhodes – Medieval City was edited with mainly the architecture in mind. Shortly I will be uploading a follow-up movie showing more of the street life. Cheers!



Yiamas!
γεια μας

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Lindos Acropolis, 10 June 2012

The Climb

You need to be reasonably fit and steady on your feet to walk up to the acropolis at Lindos. We took a break at every available shaded spot on the way to rehydrate and recuperate. Of course you can get quite far on one of the donkeys – the local taxi service – but do bare in mind that you will be dropped off at the bottom of a steep flight of steps, and there will be more steps to follow.

The views from the path are magnificent. However, there are places where there's nothing between you and an awful long drop except for maybe a bit more path, so you'll enjoy these particular views a lot more if you don't share my fear of heights. Illogical, I know, it's the falling and hitting the rocks below that I should be wary of, but in these situations I stick to the inside of the path to allow braver souls to pass by on the outside.

The Acropolis

The acropolis is well worth the climb. There are not only remains from ancient Greece (including the Doric temple dedicated to Athena Lindia), but also from Roman, Byzantine and Ottoman occupations. The Knights of St John also made their mark, the acropolis having been an important stronghold in medieval times. The building work continues today as various structures are renovated.

I made this short film, a video tour of Lindos acropolis, and the photos above were taken by Genie.

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More Posts about Castles on the Island of Rhodes

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Lindos, Rhodes

Pefkos to Lindos

Lindos, to the north of the peninsula, is easily reached using the regular coach service from Pefkos. The journey lasts less than 15 minutes. When you're dropped off outside Lindos, the most notable feature is the magnificent acropolis built into the top of the massive rock around which the town of Lindos was built. Walk downhill for 5 minutes and you reach the main square, with views out to the sea. This is as far as the taxi service can take you. The streets of Lindos were designed with horses in mind, with maybe a small cart. They are narrow and bustling with life. The local taxis take the form of donkeys.

Streets of Lindos

Here's a short video of Genie and I getting lost trying to find our way up to the acropolis, which is actually very well sign-posted but easily missed when you're both viewing the world through a camera. I have much more footage of these streets and will probably be making Streets of Lindos follow-up movies, maybe even including a few donkeys, but I do like this rough-and-ready edit as it gives a good idea of the light and shade in the streets.

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7th of June in the afternoon, Pefkos, Rhodes

My Birthday

I'm 53 years old today and I may choose what we do for the rest of the day. Genie has given me a beautifully set moonstone which I can wear on the same necklace I usually have on for my lapis lazuli. Fab!

There's a snack bar near the beach serving, amongst other tasty dishes, the best kebabs ever. We'll have lunch here. I don't often eat pork but the Gyros proves to be irresistible. With lashings of Mythos beer. We will certainly be returning here.

I'm happy just to be wandering around, paddling in the sea, and topping up with Mythos from time to time. Genie enjoys swimming in the sea, and I enjoy watching her. A happy day.

Sunset at the main beach, Pefkos

In the evening I made this short film of the sunset at the main beach.

Philosophia Beach Restaurant

The perfect end to the perfect day. Supper at the Philosophia beach restaurant, which is a short climb up well-lit steps from the main beach, and offers excellent cuisine as well as a fantastic sea view. The people that run the Philosophia are a charming couple, and we are to return here time after time. We love fresh seafood!

"Philosophia" means lover of wisdom, and not lover of Mythos beer, by the way.

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First morning at Stella Hotel, Pefkos

Air Conditioning

Neither of us had slept very much that first night in Pefkos. It was quiet enough – the local bars turn off the music at midnight – but our apartment at Stella Hotel had been far too warm and stuffy. We really had to arrange for air-conditioning.

It cost less than €50 for the remote control for our air-conditioning unit for the remaining 13 nights, but the unit turned out to be faulty. Offered the apartment next door, which was identical in size and layout – spacious with a balcony overlooking the main strip – we spent half an hour moving in and spreading our belongings around haphazardly as before. Home again.

Shopping

Sunblock was at the top of our shopping list. When I'd looked online for the average maximum daytime temperature for Rhodes in June (24°C) I'd obviously been looking at Rhodes city temperatures. A few locals had already told us to add 10 degrees for Pefkos! The sun had risen by 8.30 and by 10.30 there was hardly any shade on our balcony. I'd spotted the local pharmacy across the road so the sunblock would be easy.

There are many supermarkets in Pefkos, but by far the handiest for us was the Stella supermarket which was 30 seconds away from our apartment and great for the heavy stuff such as the six-packs of 2L bottles of mineral water (which cost less than €2, which works out at around 16 cents per litre), not to mention the bottles of Mythos. We also got a discount there as guests at the Stella.

Shopping was a joy. The local produce was fresh and remarkably cheap. We bought freshly baked bread, tomatoes, cheese, olives, stuffed vine leaves, and water melons which were in season. And at the pharmacy, where we got our sunblock, we were recommended a natural mosquito repellant that was safe to use on our faces. Not that we'd been bitten yet, but if we were to hang around by the beach after sunset we wanted to be prepared.

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Introduction

I'd like to share some of the adventures (and occasional misadventures) my wife Genie and I have experienced during our holidays. I'll be going back as far as 1992 when we were in Sicily at the time that Italy withdrew from the ERM, when we couldn't get our cash changed into the local currency and ended up having to sleep rough. Given the current Euro crisis, that seems as good a place as any to begin our virtual timeline.

Along the way I'll be showing some of Genie's photos and the occasional video I made during our travels. I'll be relying heavily on my scribbled diaries and Genie's photographic evidence for the earlier tales, and will cover trips made to Hungary, Nicaragua, Tunisia, and hopefully more locations if I can find the relevant film negatives and travelogs.

To begin with, though, I'll be writing about our most recent holiday on the Greek island of Rhodes.