Villa Zorbathes

Zorbathes is a peaceful valley which is hidden close to the centre of Skiathos Island. It is green & fertile & surrounded by pine forests. Through the bottom of the valley run stream beds whose banks are covered by an abundance of wild flowers & ferns, & are shaded by massive plane trees. It is just 5 minutes drive to the nearest sandy beaches. A good size swimming pool has been added for 2004.

The owners, Lida & Geof Baldry, have lived here for over 20 years & have spent that time creating an environment which has all the creature comforts but still feels like the unspoiled Greece which they have come to love. Despite the fact that the villa is in such a tranquil setting, Zorbathes is, in fact, only 5 minutes by car to the nearest shops, supermarkets & tavernas, 5 minutes to the nearest beaches & 15 minutes to the town. Skiathos itself has much to offer, even out of the normal May to October tourist season. There is an excellent tennis club, many beautiful walks, places of historic interest & trips to neighboring islands, to mention but a few.

The houses

The houses are built from as much native material as possible, with rock from Skiathos & pine & chestnut wood from Pelion in order to achieve a close harmony between nature's beauty & man's necessities.

The kitchens are fully equipped with ovens, 4 cooking rings, coffee makers, electric kettles, etc. They both have washing machines. All of our buildings have open log fires. They are all insulated, with double glazing, to keep them warm in winter & cool in summer. Fruit trees, grape vines & flowering shrubs have been planted around the houses to complement & enhance the existing pine & olive trees.

The Farmhouse

Sleeps 7 to 8 people in 4 bedrooms.

The Farmhouse was built in traditional style in rock, wood & stucco, natural slate & tiles. The floor is wood & terra-cotta tiles. The cupboards & kitchen furniture are all hand made in pinewood. Outside is a large shady patio of Pelion slate, with a barbecue, & a lawn with shade from cypress, olive & fig trees. Creeping up the walls are bougainvillea, jasmine, honey-suckle & oleanders. The patio is surrounded by pot-plants & flowering shrubs. The accommodation consists of a large, fully equipped kitchen, with steps leading down to "The Snug" where the fireplace is situated. There is a bathroom with bath & shower, & a smaller toilet with hand-basin upstairs. Downstairs there are 2 double bedrooms & upstairs is another double bedroom & a small, 1 person, sleeping "loft" (ideal for a child). There is ample room for 1 bed to be added should it be necessary for a large family or group. The house has a "homey" rather than a "rental" feel to it and many previous clients have commented on it's cosy feeling.

The Barn

Sleeps 7 to 8 people in 4 bedrooms.

This is an ideal house for a family of 4 to 8 or a small group who know each other well.

The Barn is so called because it originally started it's life as a place to store hay & grain for the owner's horse, donkey, goats & chickens. However, it was gradually convereted into the modern house which it has now become.

It is surrounded by fruit trees, oleanders, Virginia creeper, vines & flowering shrubs. There is a large shady patio & another sitting area under the shade of a large pine tree. It is situated in its own grounds providing complete privacy.

The accommodation consists of a fully equipped kitchen & open-plan living room with French doors leading out to the patio. There is a bathroom with bath and shower & a smaller bathroom with just shower facilities. The bedrooms are situated in two "wings". One wing has a large bedroom with a double bed, a small bedroom with a single bed and an extra bed in a small sleeping "loft". The other (newly built) wing has a double bed in a smaller bedroom and 2 single beds in a large upstairs bedroom with a balcony.

SPECIAL ACTIVITY HOLIDAYS

Apart from renting their houses as straight accommodation, Linda and Geoff are also happy to arrange special activity vacations. One example is a painting holiday where you can take advantage of the wonderful Greek light and also, if you wish, receive instruction from a qualified teacher. They can offer walking holidays where you will get to the places on Skiathos that most people do not reach and enjoy beautiful scenery on the way. In addition to your sailing holidays, wildflower holidays, tennis holidays, holidays partly on Skiathos and partly on Pelion or Mount Olympus, or combinations of all the above, are also possible. If you have a special pursuit you would like to follow, please let us know. For groups and for special retreates, the 2 houses could house a group of up to 14, plus 2 group leaders who could have their own accommodation in the apartment attached to our house. There are also 2 telephone lines, fax, e-mail & internet access, video playback facilities.