Skydia House

There is a particular kind of stillness that comes from being surrounded by olive trees on a hillside, with the Aegean spread out below and the scent of wild herbs drifting in through the terrace. Skydia House sits in exactly that position. A traditional stone-built house on a panoramic hill in Skydia, set within an olive grove of medicinal plants and herbs, it looks out over the sea and the mountains of Thassos from a large paved terrace that becomes, within hours of arriving, the place where most of the day is spent.

The house is built in the minimal aesthetic of the island, stone walls, clean lines, and an interior that lets the surroundings do the talking. Two bedrooms with double beds, a spacious kitchen, a living room, and a bathroom give the property a comfortable completeness. Outside, the terrace, garden, sunbeds, and barbecue extend that living space into the landscape, and the olive grove that frames everything gives Skydia House an atmosphere that is genuinely difficult to manufacture.

What distinguishes this property from other secluded retreats on the island is what lies immediately around it. Two minutes on foot brings you to a small, quiet beach, and right beside it, Taverna Kekes, one of the most respected fish taverns on the island. It is the kind of place that regulars return to year after year, not because it is famous, but because the food is exactly what it should be. Five minutes in the other direction, up into the mountainous part of the area, stands the ancient tower of Thymonia, a remnant of the island's ancient past rising out of the hillside with the kind of quiet authority that only genuinely old things have. Aliki beach and its archaeological park are a 5-minute drive.

• The setting: traditional stone house in a working olive grove with panoramic Aegean and mountain views
• Outdoor living: large paved terrace, garden, sunbeds, and barbecue
• Inside the house: two bedrooms, living room, fully equipped kitchen with fridge, coffee machine, and kettle
• Practical details: air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, private parking, pet friendly, luggage storage available

Skydia House accommodates up to 4 guests, with the option to add a fifth on request. It is the kind of place that rewards guests who slow down enough to notice it properly: the smell of the herbs in the afternoon heat, the sound of the olive trees at night, and a fish supper two minutes down the hill that you will almost certainly want to repeat before the week is out.