Category: Architecture & design (page 3 of 5)

Aenaon Villas’ traditional design blends beautifully into Santorini’s spellbinding caldera landscape

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Aenaon Villas Santorini

Aenaon Villas sits nestled against the side of a rugged cliff on Santorini’s spectacular caldera. Designed in traditional Cycladic architecture, Aenaon’s seven luxury villas boast breathtaking views of nearby Thirasia island (upper left)

 

 

Aenaon Villas swimming pool views of the Santorini caldera

as well as Imerovigli village and Skaros Rock (upper left), the Nea Kameni volcano island (top center) and of course the mesmerizing blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Click on the image to view a larger-size photo.

 

 

Perfect fit: Spectacular scenery and magnificent views are the top two natural attractions that always take my breath away on Santorini.  But the island’s outstanding architecture can leave me almost as speechless — particularly some of the traditionally-designed homes and hotels perched precariously on the crests and sides of the precipitous caldera cliffs.

In fact, one of the things I enjoy most about walking the scenic clifftop path from Fira to Oia is admiring the architecture and design of buildings we pass along the way. I am absolutely fascinated by the sight of hotel suites, terraces and infinity swimming pools built into the sides of sheer cliff walls that rise hundreds of feet above the sea. I am also amazed to see villas and boutique hotels under construction on cliffside real estate I would have considered to be unlikely places for new building development.

 

Captivating views on the Fira to Oia cliff walk

We haven’t done a cliff walk since our last visit to Santorini in 2006, but I know I will blown away by the natural and man-made scenery whenever we return to take the hike again. The views of the caldera, the sea, the Nea Kameni volcano and nearby Thirasia island are timeless, and will eternally be captivating. The four cliffside villages (Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia) will still be impressive, too. And some new (since our last visit) developments along the caldera — like Aenaon Villas near Imerovigli — will be waiting to “wow” me.

A complex of seven luxurious villas, Aenaon was built in 2009 and occupies a superb vantage point along the cliff path between Imerovigli and Oia. Its traditional Cycladic architecture, designed by Giorgos Zacharopoulos, features natural elements including boulders and stone walls that enable the villas to blend perfectly into their surroundings. Though they’re certainly eye-catching and beguiling, the brilliant white buildings don’t detract from the spectacular scenery or appear out of place — they actually complement the rocky, rugged terrain and add drama to the location’s imposing landscape.

 

Killer views from terraces and the infinity pool

But Aenaon isn’t just beautiful buildings with killer views from the villas, terraces, infinity pool and other points on the property. According to travellers who have reviewed the villas on sites like TripAdvisor.com, Aenaon is a “paradise” and a place “dreams are made of.” As of May 10, Aenaon was the #1 B&B and Inn property on the TripAdvisor chart for Imerovigli (out of 23 listings). It had 297 reviews, 293 of which rated it “excellent” and the other four “very good.”

Below is a series of photos of Aenaon Villas which proprietors Giorgos and Alexandra have kindly permitted me to republish on my blog. Check the Aenaon Villas website for further information about the villas as well as more stunning photos of the property, including the interiors of the suites. The website includes a chart listing rates for the four main travel seasons that Aenaon is open, and has a section where you can check availability and book online. Dozens more beautiful photos of the villas can be seen on the Aenaon Villas Facebook page, or by clicking on this link to the Aenaon Villas Pinterest profile.

 

 View toward the villas from the infinity pool at Aenaon Villas in Santorini

An evening view of the villas from the terrace next to the infinity pool. Click the image to view a full-size photo.

 

 

Aenaon Villas Santorini

A panoramic view from the infinity pool terrace at sunset

 

 

Aenaon Villas Santorini

Villa view from the far side of the infinity pool

 

 

Aenaon Villas  Santorini

Villa Elidami, one of the seven luxury villas at Aenaon

 

 

Aenaon Villas Santorini

I love the sharp colour contrasts between the brown volcanic landscape, the cobalt sky, the turquoise pool water and the stark white buildings and grounds

 

 

Aenaon Villas Santorini

This photo by Vangelis Beltzenitis captures the infinity pool and terrace at sunset. The pool and deck offer jaw-dropping views of Imerovigli village and Skaros Rock (left) as well as the volcanic isles Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni (center).

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Swimming pool and terrace view toward Thirasia island

 

 

Aenaon Villas

I could admire the scenery from one of those lounge chairs for hours on end

 

 

Aenaon Villas

The caldera cliffs loom large to the south of the infinity pool

 

 

Aenaon Villas

This photo by Vangelis Beltzenitis shows two of the beautiful pools and a view of the marvellous caldera scenery

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Photographer Louisa Nikolaidou captured this side view of Aenaon Villas with part of Oia village visible in the background.

 

 

Aenaon Villas

The entrance to a quiet courtyard sitting area

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Another view from the swimming pool

 

 

Aenaon Villas

A Vangelis Beltzenitis photo capturing the sky, one of the villas, and some of the surrounding landscape

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Twilight view from the seaview terrace

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Twilight view of one of the villas

 

 

Aenaon Villas

The villas and a large stone wall behind the swimming pool

 

 

Aenaon Villas

A breathtaking view from the swimming pool at sunset

 

 

Aenaon Villas

This photo of a surreal cloud formation passing above the infinity pool was posted on the Aenaon Villas Facebook page on May 3

 

 

Giorgos and Alexandra from Aenaon Villas

Giorgos and Alexandra are the proprietors and hosts at Aenaon Villas 

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Succulent vegetation on the rugged landscape beside the villas

 

 

Aenaon Villas

Just one of the many exhilarating views from Aenaon Villas

 

 

Aenaon Villas

This is my favourite photo of Aenaon Villas because it highlights the buildings’ traditional Cycladic architecture while clouds provide a dramatic backdrop. The villa complex was designed by Giorgos Zacharopoulos.

 

 

The most colourful hotel in the Cyclades

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Sun of Mykonos Studios

Eye-popping colours greet guests at the Sun of Mykonos Studios in the Klouvas area of Mykonos island, as this image from the studios’ Facebook page illustrates

 

 

Kaleidoscope of colour: A brightly painted hotel on Mykonos catches plenty of attention from motorists driving the highway from Mykonos Town to Ano Mera village and many of the island’s famous beaches.

With its bold red, blue, orange, yellow and green doors, shutters, handrails and decor accents, along with landscaped grounds bursting with brilliant bougainvillea blooms, geraniums and other flowers, Sun of Mykonos Studios is a veritable kaleidoscope of colour that turns the heads of many people passing by on the island’s busy main highway.

But I’m surprised that its reasonable rates don’t stop more people in their tracks or draw a waiting list a mile long.

Although Mykonos is one of the most expensive tourist destinations in Greece, Sun of Mykonos offers 35 air conditioned studios at amazingly affordable rates.

From September 1 to 15 of this year, for example, the standard nightly rate for a double room was €40, while a triple was €60 and an apartment for 4 persons was just €80. Even in August, which is the ultimate peak season for travel to the Greek Islands, a room was still available for €85 per night.

 

Sun of Mykonos Studios

The Sun of Mykonos Studios has a swimming pool with sunbeds and a poolside bar. The property is only 900 meters from Ftelia beach.

 

 

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Pic of the day: Three windmills on Ios

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Three windmills on a hillside above Chora village on Ios

A row of windmills on a hillside above Chora village on Ios

 

 

Pic of the day: A mosaic at the Patmos monastery

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St John the Theologian icon at the Holy Monastery of Patmos

This mosaic icon of St John the Theologian greets pilgrims passing through the entrance (below) to the Monastery of St John on Patmos island

 

 

the entrance to the Monastery of St John on Patmos island

 

 

Pic of the day: Chimneys on a Mykonos villa

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Traditionally designed chimneys rise from the roof of a private villa on Mykonos

Three traditional Mykonian kapassi (chimneys) rise above a private villa on a hillside high above the Tourlos new port on Mykonos island

 

 

Pic of the day: Atrium art in Glyfada

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Artwork adorns the ceiling of a shopping enter atrium in Glyfada

High art: A classically-styled painting adorns the ceiling of an atrium in a Glyfada shopping center. Click the image to see a full-size photo.

 

 

Pic of the day: Panagia Ekatontapiliani on Paros

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Ekatontapliani church in Parikia on Paros

One of the most famous churches in all the Greek islands, Panagia Ekatontapiliani in the Paros port town of Parikia is more popularly known as the “Church of the 100 doors” (probably because most tourists can’t pronounce the tongue-twisting Greek name.) But depending upon where you stand when you behold this beautiful building (it was constructed during the 4th Century), you will probably see more sections of stone walls and tiled roofs than doors.

 

Pic of the day: The mosque at Chania harbour

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mosque at Chania harbour

The Turkish mosque Yiali Tzami cuts a distinctive figure at the Venetian harbour in the city of Chania in northwest Crete. The mosque’s great dome is supported by four arches, while six smaller domes accent the top of the square building. There is no minaret — it was demolished in the early 20th Century. According to a post on ExploreCrete.com, “the mosque was a Muslim place of worship until 1923, when the last Muslims left Crete at the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey.” The building now hosts art exhibitions.

 

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