As the adage goes, the grass is greener on the other side. When we travel, we crave for what we cannot get back home. Coming from cosmopolitan Singapore, I want a taste of non-city life sometimes. That was precisely why I chose a vacation rental home full of rustic feel through HomeAway Asia during my trip to Zakynthos, Greece.
When it comes to Greece, most people are only familiar with Athens, Santorini, Mykonos – you know, the usual touristy places. They probably have not heard of Zakynthos, a beautiful Greek island in the Ionian Sea, though Zakynthos is increasingly on the radar of tourists. (Trivia: Greece has some 6,000 islands.)
It was summer when we took a one-hour domestic flight from Athens to the sunny island of Zakynthos. Prior to our arrival, our HomeAway host Dimitris kindly offered to help book a car for our stay (it’s hard to travel around via public transport in Zakynthos) and further extended an offer to be our guide! At the airport, we met our friendly host who had come to the airport to greet us.
A short drive from the airport, we arrived at our rustic HomeAway house – a two-storey building with a sprawling garden. A big space like this would be a luxury back in Singapore. Before we stepped into the house, Dimitris and his wife Sonia surprised us with a generous spread of cheese platter, fruits and local snacks which they have prepared to welcome us. We were truly overwhelmed.
Our HomeAway abode is Dimitris’ childhood home; he now has his own place nearby. A spacious living space, a dining area and a kitchen greeted us as we entered the house. The ground floor has two rooms while the second floor has another; it was more than sufficient space to accommodate the five of us. My room opened up to a balcony — this was probably the best part of the house for me. It’s not every day that I get to wake up to the sights of a lush garden filled with greenery, the sounds of chirping birds, and the scent of pure clean air.
There’s another reason why I looked forward to morning. Dimitris would come greeting us with not only his smile, but also a breakfast feast fit for royalty. We would sit under the canopy in the garden, sipping Greek coffee and savouring the bread, cheese and sweet delights in the balmy Greek summer weather. Life honestly couldn’t get any better than this.
Dimitris doubled as our tour guide on the island. Ever accommodating and helpful, he brought us to the best places for eating seafood and viewing the most breathtaking spots on Zakynthos such as a special spot to have a bird’s eye view of the famous Navagio Beach (Shipwreck Beach). Having a local who knows the quirks of the town to show us around definitely helps a lot. It would have been so hard for us to get around on our own.
Personally, I’ve never experienced any stay during which my host would take me out to try local delicacies or visit tourist attractions. However, Dimitris and his family were different. They feel that it is important for them to personally show us the Ionian culture and attractions in Zakynthos. Their warmth and hospitality made a positive huge difference to our trip and the couple really made our HomeAway house like a home away from home. We left Zakynthos with wonderful memories that will stay with us for a long time.
Our HomeAway house in Zakynthos, Greece was booked via HomeAway Asia.
