PLACES TO STAY
The Best Villas In Greece
There are dozens of lovely villas scattered across Greece, looked after by some of our most trusted experts. If you’re searching for somewhere specific, we recommend starting with Five Star Greece for blowout stays, CV Villas for handpicked houses across 10 big-hitting islands, and The Thinking Traveller for beautiful hangouts on some of the lesser-known – and lesser-visited – Greek isles. To kick-start the search, we’ve rounded up 10 of our favourite villas, in no specific order, from Crete to Corfu, that members of our team have visited, loved and longed to go back to.
2. PORTO ZANTE
Zakynthos, Ionian Islands
Plush, private villas that also offer all the best bits about checking into a hotel – that’s the promise at these nine hillside houses. Each one looks out over the private bay below, on the north coast of Zakynthos – the island that’s shaking off it’s party-hard reputation. Families are drawn here for the unbeatable kids’ club and on-hand babysitters, which mean parents can tuck into supper next to the sea without a fussy toddler in sight. Villas are separated by lush gardens and come with their own pool, so you’ll feel as though there’s no one else around – except, of course, for when you want them.
Sleeps: Four to 14
Price: From about £12,660 per week
BOOK YOUR STAYPorto Zante Villas & Spa hotel review 
3. VILLA OPHELIA (VIA CV VILLAS)
Corfu, Ionian Islands
Corfu is the green island – nowhere more so than in the sophisticated north, where expanses of rolling olive groves can make this place feel more like Tuscany than Greece. It’s high on the hills here, near the vibrant village of Kassiopi, that you’ll find this eight-person villa. The house makes the most of the leafy views, overlooking a thicket that rolls straight down to the sea. Carved out of local stone and surrounded by fragrant herb gardens, the three buildings are linked by a shady terrace, for supper outdoors. The pool juts out over the edge of the villa’s courtyard, dangling over the ocean, and there’s direct access to the beach for those with itchy feet. Bag the master suite for your own private courtyard and a lovely outdoor bath.
Sleeps: Eight
Price: From about £4,129 per week
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4. MAISTROS (VIA THE THINKING TRAVELLER)
Skopelos, Sporades Islands
Set across three buildings amid two acres of private land on Skopelos, Maistros is less whitewashed and minimal than the classic Greek villa blueprint. Heaving bookshelves are propped against wood-panelled walls, original art hangs in the seven bedrooms, and there’s space-agey furniture designed by the villa’s architect, Marc Held, in the vast sitting room. Steps lead down from here to the hull-shaped terrace, which has uninterrupted views of the sea. On a clear day you can even spot Agios Ioannis, the church made famous in Mamma Mia!, from the wraparound deck.
Sleeps: 14
Price: From about £5,391 per week
BOOK YOUR STAYWhere Mamma Mia! was filmed in Greece 
ON LOCATION
Where Mamma Mia! was filmed in Greece
5. THE DETAILOR (VIA AIRBNB)
Tinos, Cyclades Islands
It’s just a 15-minute boat ride from Mykonos, so no one can quite believe Tinos isn’t visited by more tourists. Those who do come discover dozens of tiny villages to explore, sandy bays, and even a crunchy, hippie surf scene. The relative peacefulness of the island makes it all the better for those who stay here – taking over The Detailor, a sweet Airbnb with buttery-smooth stone interiors and arches on the upper balconies that frame epic sunsets. All four of the bedrooms have sea views and, while there’s no pool, there’s a decently sized hot tub shaded by a lovely pergola.
Sleeps: Eight
Price: From £546 for a three-night minimum stay
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6. AMORGOS 1L (VIA FIVE STAR GREECE)
Amorgos, Cyclades Islands
Most people don’t bother coming to far-flung Amorgos – even the fast ferry from Athens takes six hours to pull up at the harbour, where a map invitingly states ‘Welcome to Amorgos. Nobody will find you here.’ Pivoting around views of the silvery Aegean, five-bedroom house Amorgos 1L peers out to sea at every available opportunity. There are sheltered decks made for taking in the views, creamy sitting rooms with floor-to-ceiling shutters that can be propped open to create an indoor-outdoor space, and a horizon-edging pool. Best of all: the private cove that’s just a staircase away.
Sleeps: 10
Price: From about £6,220 per week
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7. SIFNOS 4K (VIA FIVE STAR GREECE)
Sifnos, Cyclades Islands
In the prettily peeling village of Exambela, this manor house is surrounded by Sifnos’ trademark scrubby farmland, dotted with olive vines and tufts of sage and oregano. The pool in the garden has views over the countryside, backed by a shady terrace made for sundowner suppers – Sifnos is known as the foodie Greek island, so cook up local dishes of lamb soaked in red wine or crisp chickpea fritters. About three miles away is the pretty whitewashed village of Kastro, where the astonishing Church of the Seven Martyrs hovers precariously on a clifftop over the sea.
Sleeps: 12
Price: From about £7,700 per week
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8. STERNA RESIDENCE (VIA HIPAWAY VILLAS)
Nisyros, Dodecanese Islands
The 17th-century Sterna tower was meticulously restored by local architect Giorgos Tsironis using traditional material and methods. Whitewashed walls carved out of volcanic stone sweep through the open-plan spaces, revealing sunken sitting areas framed by arches, and a couple of cool, crumpled linen bedrooms. The upstairs terrace has one of the most extraordinary views on the little island of Nisyros, looking out as far as Bodrum on the Turkish Riviera.
Sleeps: Four to six
Price: From about £1,750 per week
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9. ONAR
Andros, Cyclades Islands
Andros is unlike any of the other Cyclades – inland mountains conceal waterfalls and hot springs, while villages have marble streets lined with neoclassical mansions, laid down a hundred years ago by grand shipping families. The most beautiful beaches are on the north-east coast, where Onar sits – an off-grid estate with a handful of cottages to rent, shored up by local Mateo Pantzopoulos and his wife, Greek TV personality Eleni Menegaki. Our favourite is the four-person villa built into the hillside and crafted out of local stone. Roughly plastered walls the colour of thick Greek yogurt keep things cool inside, while a glossy pool outback overlooks sugary Ahla beach.
Sleeps: Four
Price: From about £385 per night
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10. CIEN (VIA ABERCROMBIE & KENT)
Crete
The shady outdoor kitchen at this vast villa pulls the centre of life to the terrace. A long, pistachio-hued dining table set underneath a pergola has views of the pool, which seems to fall off the edge of the hill into pine groves and the countryside of Crete’s north-east coast, rolling across to the sea. Those tiring of sea-view suppers at the house can make the one-and-a-half-mile trip into Elounda, a pretty fishing village known for its smart hotels.
Sleeps: 16
Price: From about £14,000 per week
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11. THE BOAT HOUSE (VIA PERFECT BLUE VILLAS)
Corfu, Ionian Islands
Framed by green headlands with unbroken views across the straits to Albania, this huge, homely villa is a few steps from the sea. You can fall asleep to the sound of the waves and wake up to complete solitude as there’s not a neighbour in sight. Days can be spent lazing beside the infinity pool or hopping in and out of boats moored at two private jetties. There’s a sailing school on the adjacent beach and a diving instructor on speed-dial. The terraced gardens are full of shady nooks for meals prepared by an accomplished chef: ask for the seared sea bass with preserved lemons, chickpeas and couscous followed by mango tart with sweet chilli syrup. For something more traditional, there are two excellent tavernas in Avlaki, a few minutes across the bay. If you’re looking for action, the lively little harbour of Kassiopi is a 15-minute walk away. Rachel Howard
Sleeps: 12
Price: From about £6,200 for 7 nights
BOOK YOUR STAYCorfu: the evergreen Greek island 
ISLANDS
Corfu: the evergreen Greek island
12. PEGASSUS PRIVATE ISLAND (VIA ARIA HOTELS)
Evia
There aren’t many secrets left in the Mediterranean, but this is one of them. At the southern tip of Evia there is an archipelago of small, mostly uninhabited islands, one of which is home to this seaside villa, accessible only by speedboat and just an hour from Athens airport. Once the winter resort of the Ottoman pasha of Evia, the 1,200-acre estate is surrounded by olive, fig and pistachio trees, miles of walking trails and long private beaches. Renovated in 2014, the 100-year-old house has kept its old-fashioned charm, with patterned floor tiles, crocheted bedspreads and reclaimed marble sinks. There’s a wood-fire oven for outdoor meals, with daily provisions from the organic farm and seafood delivered by a local fisherman. The semicircular pier is lined with sun-loungers strategically placed for sunset views. Paradise for children, the property has two Lasers for forays to the nearby islands of Andros and Kea. There are two housekeepers. RH
Sleeps: 10
Price: Price on request
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13. SKIATHOS RX (VIA FIVE STAR GREECE)
Skiathos, Sporades islands
With direct flights from several European cities, the Greek island of Skiathos was the glamorous star of the pine-fringed Sporades way before Mamma Mia. Poking out of the forest, this glass-fronted villa looks fairly unassuming from afar. Up close, however, the cutting-edge architecture makes a big impact. The modern interiors are so sleek they’re almost austere, but it’s the outdoor area that blows you away: a vast wooden deck with a palm-thatched barbecue, fire pit and open-air home cinema. At sunrise, seagulls swoop over the 75-square-metre infinity pool. It’s even more dramatic at dusk as the sun melts into the sea. Although completely secluded, the villa is only a five-minute walk away from three of the best beaches on Skiathos: Banana and Koukounaries, with their watersports and pumping beach bars, as well as the quieter, cooler Ampelakia. Tip: at the latter’s Mystique Beach Bar, a plate of crispy calamari with chilli and lime goes down extremely well with an ice-cold Septem pilsner. RH
Sleeps: 12
Price: Price on request
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14. VILLA ANEMA
Patmos, Dodecanese islands
From the Aga Khan to Prince Michael of Greece, the main town of Patmos, the best-preserved Byzantine settlement in the Aegean, has some pretty swanky residents. Manos Hatzidakis has persuaded some of them to open up their impeccable mansions to guests. The owners of this sun-drenched house run a successful gallery in London. Although the wooden ceilings, kilims and flagstone floors are typically Patmian, the decor is an eclectic mix of antiques sourced from around the world. The huge kitchen is made for entertaining, but you’ll want to eat outside in the secret cobbled courtyard or on a balcony hovering between sky and sea. Opposite is Profitis Ilias, a tiny church on the island’s rocky pinnacle. If you climb up here for sunset, Manos will be waiting with mezze and aperitifs. RH
Sleeps: 8
Price: From about £5,700 for 7 nights
15. LIA BEACH HOUSE (VIA HIPAWAY VILLAS)
Serifos, Cyclades Islands
Camouflaged among tamarisk and bamboo groves, beside a stream that runs into a sandy bay, this boho beach house looks as though it’s been here forever. The only other house nearby belongs to the owner/architect. He used to camp out here when he first discovered Serifos in the 1980s, so he designed this place to capture the freedom of outdoor living. A cluster of five typically Cycladic buildings contain the bedrooms and bathrooms, connected by internal courtyards that double as kitchen, dining and living areas. (There’s also a rock-hewn indoor kitchen for when the blustery meltemi blows.) Interiors reflect the natural landscape, with brushed-concrete beds dressed in blues, greys and greens, and mobiles fashioned from flotsam and jetsam. Flagstones lead to pristine Lia beach, usually deserted until midday even in August. This is the very definition of barefoot chic, with a sense of simplicity that feels quintessentially Greek. RH
Sleeps: 10
Price: From about £4,768 for 7 nights
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Source: cntraveller.com
