The little fishing harbour of Fiscardo in the north of Kefalonia is often described in guidebooks as Greece's prettiest village. The Venetian houses that line its waterfront are painted in sugary shades, all lit up like a twinkling rainbow at night. A 30-minute drive south, beyond the equally pretty Assos, is the incredible curve of perfect white sand, leaking into water the bright turquoise of antifreeze, of Myrtos beach, one of Greece's most photographed.
Mayhem in May
The riots in Athens at the start of May, strike action affecting ferries, flights and goods transportation, financial meltdown and then, to top it off, the ash clouds interrupting flights — all that was missing was an outbreak of bird flu to see off the country's image as a safe and easy destination for a holiday.
The sum effect caused one Fiscardo barman to conclude "this summer, there will be no summer" as he served us refreshments in an empty bar. Volcanic ash had prevented the Manchester flight bringing in that week's northern tourists, and the weather was a bit iffy. But according to Tassos, the owner of our villa, Trizoni, Kefalonia's holiday-villa owners were worried about the season and struggling to fill their properties.
About 27,000 hotel nights were cancelled in the Athens area in the three weeks following the riots and many tour operators reported a nosedive in bookings. But a national strike in the middle of the week didn't affect us one bit, although the island did seem quiet and our flight home was half empty. My boyfriend and I were delighted to frequently find ourselves the only people on the beach.
"Daf Noudi beach is one of the nicest on the island," read an entry in our villa's guestbook. "Though it can get really crowded during the summer months."
Not on our visit. We turned off the main coastal road (dead quiet), parked beside a pine forest and saw not a soul on the shady 20-minute walk down to the beach, a pretty curve of smooth white pebbles, totally deserted.
We snorkelled in crystal-clear waters, explored caves, lay around reading, ate a picnic of spinach pie and almond cake from the Fiscardo bakery and had our fill of local beverages.
A simple Greek-holiday afternoon, made so much better by no one else being around. Even more unbelievably, at Myrtos, the island's most prized beach, we found ourselves accompanied by just one swimmer and two couples in camper vans.
Finding yourself alone in such spots is unheard of in high season on such a popular island as Kefalonia, so if this summer is to be less crowded than usual, it could be the perfect time to experience Greece as it used to be, when holidaymakers first fell in love with the possibilities of discovering deserted coves and traditional villages.
Tasty but expensive
The road from our villa led down to a great taverna at Alaties beach, where a lady served delicious aubergine dip, taramasalata, salt cod balls, sardines and perfect Greek salad. But good as it was, it wasn't cheap — £45 (Dh244) for a simple lunch for two — and therein lies another problem facing Greece's tourism recovery.
When Greece joined the single currency, it lost its main selling point as a cheap, sunny destination. To compete with cheaper alternatives such as Egypt and Turkey, it needs to match them on price.
Tourism businesses that offer something new are perhaps more likely to weather the storm and those that are more upmarket — offering stylish villas and hotels reminiscent of Ibiza and Mallorca — may prove more resilient than the bucket-and-spade market.
Tassos, the owner of my villa, has converted his family's three derelict cottages into stunningly stylish pads, complete with infinity pools, designer furniture and sun terraces decorated like hip beach bars. He says his summer bookings are bucking the trend and doing well.
The Gecko, Lefkas
In an area rich with wild meadow flowers and poppies, the simple façade of the Gecko hides one of the most mouth-watering interiors in Greece. The villa, on the far northern tip of the island above the village of Tsoukalades, has a huge, white, airy lounge-dining area with a double-height ceiling, and two bedrooms, one in the main house and another built into the hill further down, both with their own terraces. Another deck has a pool looking out across a pine forest to the sea and there is a second, smaller "reading pool" and several pergolas, one with a Mexican hammock. The terraces are planted with olive, eucalyptus and cherry, fig and nectarine trees, plus grapevines, bougainvillea, jasmine, lavender and rosemary. A DVD player (but no TV, they want you to escape the world here), CDs, books, games, an iPod dock and Wi-Fi provide the entertainment but there are two small beaches and a few decent tavernas nearby. Lefkas is joined to the mainland by a causeway and is less developed than Corfu and Kefalonia. Sleeps up to four, from £245 (Dh1,327) a night.
www.thegecko.org.uk
Green Windmill Villa, Santorini
This pad ticks all the boxes: colourful, stylish, close to the beach, ecofriendly with its own vegetable patch. But the best part is you have the fun of staying in a converted windmill. Santorini is one of Greece's poshest islands but the Windmill is close to the traditional village of Oia. Sleeps up to five in two bedrooms, from £1,960 (Dh10,609) a week.
www.pureholidayhomes.com
Kyma, Corfu
Much of Corfu may be rather spoilt but the north is less developed than the south and attracts holidaymakers to its restaurants and villas. Kyma lies in a sloping olive grove between a coastal road and the sea.
A taverna, the Kaminaki beach and the Nissaki Beach Hotel are all within walking distance. Sleeps eight, from £460 (Dh2,489) per person per week, including flights and transfers.
www.thevillapeople.com
Villa Penelope, Patmos
If you're looking to push the boat out, White Key Villas' portfolio features dozens of pads on the posh side, with stunning interior design, architecture and infinity pools.
Villa Penelope would be ideal for a big group looking for a treat: It's an old aristocratic residence with antiques, handcrafted floors made from pebbles and local Pelion stone, and a grand patio edged with palms.
Rooms have four-poster beds, exposed beams, candelabras and patterned rugs. Patmos's capital is Chora, a medieval town built around a monastery, with Neo-Classical mansions. The nearest airport is on Samos, 50 minutes by hydrofoil. Sleeps up to 12 in six bedrooms, from £10,000 (Dh54,119) a week.
www.whitekeyvillas.com
Loutsa Villas, Ithaca
In the cleavage between two rugged hillsides, two modern villas sit 50 metres back from their own beach. Each of the two-bedroom, pale pink villas in this remote spot has its own pool and is surrounded by trees but they are within walking distance of Vathy, the island's main town, with waterfront bars and tavernas.
Ithaca has several interesting mountain villages and harbours, a couple of pebble beaches and is a short ferry ride from Kefalonia or the mainland. Villas each sleep four, from £1,200 (Dh6,486) a week in June, including car hire.
www.loutsavillas.gr
Villa Koumaria, Skopelos
This new cottage is good for families or couples wanting a private retreat. There are several good beaches around Panormos, a ten-minute drive away.
There are also a lot of walking routes. Skopelos doesn't have an airport; you must take the hour-long ferry trip from Skiathos, which does fly to Skiathos, one hour by ferry. Sleeps four, from £1,500 (Dh8,110) a week.
www.vacation-greece.com
