A Rustic Retreat
August 19th, 2022
LIVING SIMPLY HAPPY
Off The Tourist Trail
RUSTIC RETREAT takes you to places off the tourist trail to discover unpolished and raw, barefooted adventures. Full of nature and without road maps, only wanderlust and the sunset to guide the way. The beauty of nature is all around and provides a palette of natural stone, greens and blues.
LIVING AMONGST NATURE
TO RESTORE SOULFUL HARMONY
Holidays home or abroad all filter down to the natural colours and reflect the elements that restore harmony to our souls. That's really what holiday is about. A break from the constant bombardment of sight and sound...returning to the sea, sky and the earth.
THE COLOUR PALETTE
Here at the Yard we have all had our breaks and regained our inner quiet. From the Cornish coast of the UK with its sand dunes and seaside villages, to the Ionian island of Zakynthos where L-A discovered more of this Greek gem. White beaches, sea turtles and a party atmosphere make Zante – or Zakynthos a favourite holiday destination in the magical Ionian Sea. But far away from the strip and party scene in the south, the north part of the island is still very much authentic, slow paced, old country Greece.
The Venetians called Zante Fiore di Levante, the Flower of the East, Locals claim that Mick Jagger hails from the village of Kiliomeno (which translates as rolling) and that’s why he named his band The Rolling Stones. This is a big local tease but nobody’s kidding when it comes to singing the virtues of this delightful settlement. Take your time to admire the traditional architectural style of Zante and old homes which resemble fortresses. Differing from the whitewashed and blue colored houses that are a trademark of Cyclades, homes here are much more raw and rustic and built from local stone almost blending in with the hillside.
The major islands of Greece’s Ionian Sea lived for centuries under Venetian rule and it shows in their castles and churches. Carpeted with olive trees, pines and vineyards, the Ionian Islands are fertile and green, a stunning setting for award-winning white-sand beaches and peacock-blue waters. The island is also a breeding place of the endangered caretta caretta sea turtles. On land, you can explore monasteries and mountain villages and seek out waterfalls, hiking trails and scenic routes by car or motorbike You’ll also find that the hospitable citizens have music in their souls
Every twist in the road surprises you with a local family run restaurant, or a smallholding of local agriculture and farming from bee hives,to goats to olive groves. This part of the island is more dependent on mostly authentic local grown produce which you may find limiting until you discover the innovative and creative gems like The Old Windmill in the hills of Askos where traditional offerings from three generations of one family are turned out with elegance and views to die for.
As for the beaches...fifty shades of blue and a million in between. The sea stretches out forever at Climati Beach where families play in soft sand and you can walk out for what feels like miles in warm shallow waves. Vathi and Kremidi beaches are carved into the mountains as little sun traps and places for cool dips and you work your way north on the coastal road towards the fiery sunset of a seemingly always cloudless sky.
Take me back again, and again.
Written by L-A
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