Although this is not the most suitable season for Greece, memories flooded over me last night, when I sat by the fireplace in the country last night, thinking about where I had a chance to relax, perhaps most pleasantly. And now – a kind of hello from the summer …
Rhodes. Villas with the best sea views in the world, the sea, delicious food. This is where you can really relax…
My favorite place in Rhodes is of course the villa which is 45 km from the international airport of Rhodes and about three kilometers from the center of Lindos.
Directly above Melenos Lindos is the magnificent ancient acropolis. Like scenery for some ancient drama, every day they convey to you their eternal, unshakable mood in tomorrow. A mood available only to the Olympian gods. And you – easily begin to feel like one of them. Maybe Zeus? Aphrodite? Athena? In any case, Athena – if, of course, you are a woman with character – it is easiest to feel here. After all, there, in the acropolis, there is a sanctuary of Athena Lindia, IV century BC. And also – the ruins of the temple of Dionysus and the remains of the Byzantine church. Just do not overdo it if you, the reader, are a man and decide to become Dionysus. Here, after all, it is decided at once, homemade wine, at the wave of your nod, will simply flow like a river. Or even by sea. By sea, perhaps … After all, just two hundred meters from the villa, it begins, the Aegean Sea …
As Michalis Melenos, the owner of the Melenos Lindos villa, told me over lunch that the construction cost him several million euros and 10 years … But in the end he managed to do exactly what he wanted: a boutique hotel with the mood of a real old Rhodes village. Here is the traditional black-and-white mosaic “kohlakia” on the steps, here are terraces gently twined with grapes, and small, as if rustic white-stone houses, and huge pots with junipers and tangerine trees that tell the whole mood of the Homeric epic.
The interiors of the suites are a separate story. They were made by designer from England Donald Green. For more than a year, he pored over painting the ceilings and laying out complex mosaics on the floor with his own hands. What he ended up with can be considered an independent work of design art. The picture is complemented by handmade carpets, earthenware and antique furniture, which the owner bought all over the world for a long time and carefully, as a result of which he collected a truly rare collection.
I well remember the beautiful Uzbek carpet on the wall of the 12th suite where I lived. And decorated with red and purple mosaic walls. And traditional Greek plates, arranged exactly where they should be to create a special harmony. And the smell. A unique fragrance that combines shades of wood, flowers and sea breeze. How pleasant it was to wake up and look out the window for a long time at the still waters of the Gulf of Lindos, above which figured clouds were serenely rushing in an electric blue sky.
And during the day, when the island experiences the hot sultry force of the solar attack, here, in the suite, it is still invariably cool and fresh.
In the evening, sitting on the hotel terrace on soft cushions and enjoying the same view of Lindos, I drank hot mint tea, which was served in an old copper vessel along with cubes of the freshest Turkish delight. And, a little later, I went to dinner at a restaurant where the simplest Greek dishes took on the guise of the food of the gods. Moussaka with bechamel sauce, basil leaves and thin rings of transparent onion. I still remember this scent! And snails in a spicy sauce of fresh olive oil, dill and coriander. It remained only to drink a glass of Agiorgitiko (tart red wine, with a bright floral bouquet and slight sourness) and watch for a long time how silver stars slowly appear in the black sky, one by one, dipping the sea into blackness and, as it were, causing a sultry chime of cicadas. And when a cool month, proud as a sword of a Turk, rises and hangs motionlessly over the island, I would definitely go to the beach and take a ritual bath in the warm waters of the sleeping Aegean Sea.
Can only compete with Melenos Lindos in Rhodes . But this is a completely different, not so cozy, homely and authentic, but much more civilized and glamorous story, about which – another time.
PS From the nearest restaurants, I also definitely recommend visiting Mavricos. It belongs to the brothers Dimitri and Michalis. They are listed among the top ten chefs in Greece. So don’t miss them on the grilled octopus and smoked Greek cheese Manouri with basil. And the Gelo Blu restaurant is also not bad – good pasta, fresh homemade bread and excellent cakes. Take a seat, when not occupied, at a table on the rooftop terrace and enjoy your meal and the views of the city and the sea.
