ZAKYNTHOS, VOUGIATO, GRECIA

Villa Vougiato is situated almost in the middle of Zakynthos, amongst olive groves, wineries and stunning countryside in the traditional village Vougiato. It is an incredibly peaceful location where you will feel away from it all. You will find this rural location so relaxing, yet in no time at all you can be in the busy tourist hotspots. It is an ideal location to explore the whole island. This superb villa is on 3 levels, with 4 bedrooms. The attic room is a family room so the villa sleeps up to 10 guests.

The villa is extremely spacious and very comfortable. The living, dining and kitchen space is open-plan and very bright and cheery. There are actually two lounge spaces which is very helpful if you have a large group and children want some space to play alone. The kitchen is very striking and well equipped. One of the bathrooms is on the ground floor with a walk-in shower.

On the first floor, there 3 very generously sized bedrooms, one is a double and the others are twins though the beds are usually joined together. The bedrooms all boast terrific countryside views. They share a very large, smart bathroom. All 3 of the bedrooms on this level have access to a balcony which is delightful. The attic is home to the biggest family room ever! There are two double beds, an office desk, a convertible sofa that can be turned into a double bed as well as a modern, tiled ensuite bathroom with a shower. All of the bathrooms are very well maintained. Again, the views from this atmospheric room are beautiful. The wooden beamed, pitched ceiling gives a warm ambience to the room.

Outside the garden is lovely with old olive trees, grassy banks and a superb terrace and pool. The pool is surrounded by sun loungers, outdoor lounge furniture and alfresco dining with a built-in barbecue. It is a lovely, relaxing and peaceful setting.

Although Villa Vougiato is in a wonderful countryside setting in the middle of the island, you are still only 6km from a beach, 6km from Zante Town, 5.5km from Bochali and 6.5km from Lagunas.

The Monastery of Panagia Eleftherotria is close to the villa. The panoramic view of the village of Lagopodo and the surrounding valleys and mountains is wonderful. The monastery was founded in 1962 and is led by 17 nuns.

It is easy to visit the north of the island from the villa. Alykes is a quiet resort. It has a golden sandy beach with some watersports to try, beach bars, interesting souvenir shops, an agricultural museum and some good restaurants. You can take boat trips to the Blue Caves and Smugglers Cove and you can also hire a horse and carriage to go to Alykanas which is fun. Alykanas is a small, typical Greek village surrounded by dreamy bright blue seas and lush olive groves and vineyards. It is very laid back.

To the south of the villa, you will come to the busy resorts of Kalamaki and Laganas, Laganas being the more lively. There are many restaurants, bars, cafes and shops as well as a 5km stretch of fine silvery sand. The beaches are protected as turtles nest there so there are no watersports. There is a lot of entertainment for families with 2 large crazy golf courses in landscaped gardens with koi-carp filled ponds. If you want a big party it is best to go to the bars and nightclubs of Laganas or Zante Town.

Zante Town was mostly rebuilt in 1953 following a catastrophic earthquake. The coastal road is know as ‘Santa Marina’ and leads to Solomos Square which is always a busy hub of activity. One of the attractions of the square is the statue of Dionysios Solomos, Greece’s national poet who wrote the national anthem. The statue is in the Byzantine Museum. There are restaurants and bars around the square and also around Saint Marcus Square. Bochali is located on a hill above the town and boasts magnificent views of the town and the port. There are some charming restaurants and cafes to visit.