Perivolas, Santorini
I would not labour long if I had to pick my favourite ever Britain’s Got Talent Act, sorry Su Bo, but its Pavros Flatley. Sweating profusely from tip of the nose to rim of his trousers, with a belly as spherical as the globe and beaming from ear to ear Stavros burst on to the stage, stage right. He proceeded to dance furiously, throwing his legs this way and that, making no attempt to hide the fact his heart might well have given in at any moment. This could well be, his last dance.
He to me encapsulated everything that made my childhood Greek holidays great - contagious joy, chaos and a bit beat up around the edges. He had the same belly as the Greeks who persuade you that in Greece a glass of wine directly translates to a carafe of wine. The same smile as the Greek who served you calamari in view of the sea knowing it was going to taste more like a battered condom than fish. The same strange soundtrack that fills any authentic Greek bar or taverna. Out of context the sound is horrendous but thrown together with the all the chaos of a busy restaurant seemingly open for its first day of business run by a family with zero cooking qualifications.
Perivolas boasted many of these components that make a wonderful Greek getaway – spectacular sea views, run by the same family for multiple generations and a locally brewed welcome drink a suspicious pee toned yellow. Yet, whilst Perivolas felt altogether Greek it simultaneously was islands away from its rivals.
An unseen bubble wraps the box fresh white walls, littered only by bursts of bougainvillea. It would be generous to deem the pool length worthy yet is one of the most photographed in the world.
The rooms, each unique, are havens of fresh air, natural light and peace. A luxury in a corner of the world where hotels straddle and stack upon one another. It continues to baffle me that this, the most romantic of Greek islands and favoured by international honeymooners has some of the most intrusive terraces and balconies in Europe. I had the pleasure of watching one poor boyfriend photographing his other half through a series of pre-planned outfits and was grateful for my welcome pina-colada.
So here we have the other side of Greece. Immaculate Greece with all the hospitality and joy of Stavros but without any confusion as to why you are enjoying it so much.
