Why This Hilltop Airbnb on a Quiet Greek Island Stole My Heart
There’s something hypnotic about an endless stretch of blue water. I found myself staring at it every sunrise and sunset from a hilltop rental on Andros, a Greek island that’s often overlooked by tourists. It’s only an hour by ferry from Athens, but it feels a world away from the crowds of Mykonos.
The Airbnb itself came first in my planning. As a travel writer, I spend my days hunting for standout rentals, and when I saw the Aegean-blue views from both bedrooms of this Cycladic house, I called my best friend and booked it on the spot. The host, Dimitris, showed us around a property shaded by a massive carob tree. The two whitewashed bedrooms each had their own bathroom, decorated with just a few antiques—no overdone boho touches. We spent most of our time outside, moving between lounge areas and cooking in the full outdoor kitchen. Dimitris let us pick tomatoes from his garden, and we’d eat them with sesame bread, yogurt, and sweet apricots from the nearby port town of Gavrio.
The real gem was a semi-private cove we shared with a neighboring property, reached by a short rocky trail. The water was calm despite the island’s strong winds, and a daily housekeeper named Chara kept things spotless. There’s a theory that being near water calms the brain—I’m a believer. The Greeks have a casual way with magnificence: grilling fish with lemon, making ordinary moments feel extraordinary. I once spotted a dolphin from the shower window and yelled for Claire like it was an emergency.
Mornings were a debate: stay on the patio or explore? We couldn’t resist Achla, a wild beach at the end of a steep drive, where swans surfed the waves. Lunch at Aegean Balcony gave us souvlaki with a view of the western coastline. Evenings we wandered Chora, the marble-lined capital with its storybook lighthouse. Honestly, you could stay on that property for days without needing to leave. If we’d had one more day, we’d have spent it right there on that little beach, doing nothing at all.