Villa Lemonia was just what we were looking for: a secluded hillside hideaway for two, with charm and character, a pool that was just long enough, and a view to die for - over the olive groves to Skopelos harbour and Alonissos beyond. Each day started with Greek yogurt and watermelon on the vine-covered terrace overlooking the view, serenaded by an orchestra of crickets. We then moved to any of the comfortable seating areas that Renee had created - a beanbag here, a sunbed there - and immersed ourselves in all the reading we'd been saving up. There was a 'Skopelos pie' waiting for us (feta & filo) in the fridge, a bottle of prosecco and some apricot jam that Renee had made using apricots from the garden. Lazy lunches were followed by even lazier afternoons in the garden, surrounded by palms, lemon trees and bougainvillaea. The garden was also dotted with colourful Moroccan artefacts and lamps. Not only did the house look pretty, but everything worked efficiently: from the Wi-Fi to the rainforest shower to the automatic garden lighting. We ventured out a few times: to explore the churches, alleyways and gorgeous little shops of Skopelos; to the beach at Limonaria; and to the 'Mamma Mia' chapel in the north of the island. Each evening we tried out a new taverna, either in the town or sometimes a little further afield. Lemonia was just the perfect place to be.
Like all the best things, Lemonia was quite hard to reach. Our 4WD Suzuki Jimny from Magic Cars (not the newest of vehicles) ground its way up and down the six steep hairpin bends between the ring road and the house, frequently stalling on the turns. Parts of the track were unmade-up and pretty rough. It was a bit of a boneshaker and took practice! - but we did gradually get used to it. The only other thing that wouldn't be for everyone was the spiral wrought-iron staircase up to the mezzanine bedroom. It looked pretty but required a bit of care to negotiate.
Cindy and Alex, the neighbours, who manage the property and also run a restaurant called Gousto in Skopelos Town, were terrific.
We would definitely recommend this lovely place and hope to return one day.
