We've just uploaded new photographs of Fontana House in Paxos onto our site at www.simpsontravel.com. We have a stunning portfolio of properties in Paxos and sales staff have come back from an educational visit and were blown away by the properties which really are now some of the best we have.
I travel each year and this year again we are staying in Fontana House in Paxos. The guys in the office wanted to know why this worked so well for me and so I thought a personal view would help.
Fontana House is set on its own in an olive grove just a short 5 minute walk from the centre of Fontana. Fontana village is very small and only has two amenities - a taverna and small shop selling bread and a few provisions. For us the fact that the taverna is considered to be one of the best on the island just completes what is otherwise an idyllic villa and location. In the main we cook ourselves being very fussy about food and so the well equipped kitchen and outside barbecue work really well for meal times, but a treat at the taverna or indeed buying a take out of sizzling lamb from the spit to go with a home made greek salad is difficult to beat.
The villa has a feeling of space and openness and that together with the stonewalled garden means that you have privacy as well as a great space to just be in. That is why out of the main season it sells so well to couples travelling together. As a family of five (we squash Tom on a camp bed which isn't ideal but the kids insist it's fine) it's important for us that Tom (aged 5) can kick a football around and hunt for lizards in a safe garden and that the older two can swim in the pool while Sarah and I sip a cold drink on the balcony off the living area that overlooks the pool (keeping out of splashes!). Last year we packed a few drinks and walked to Erimitis bay from the house, probably best attempted after the main heat of the day but you get to see and smell the real greek outdoors. We can spend days hidden away here and I'm looking forward to turning off my phone and being invisible for a while this year.
Paxos is not a large island so you are never far from anywhere. Not creatures of habit we are slightly surprised that we keep on returning but then having only just made it across to AntiPaxos last year and being blown away by its beauty (and sandy beach and another great taverna) we just feel drawn back. I first travelled to Greece in 1990 staying Skopelos in a small cottage with an outside kitchenette and travelling everywhere on a moped. Twenty years on life does not seem to have moved that fast and Greece's charm as a getaway from all that normal life has to throw at you will surely be the reason why we will keep returning year after year. Having lived in the Far East and lived and worked in Africa I've been lucky to see some amazing places. For us, Greece has everything that other destinations have ... and more. Six weeks and counting till we go!
