Yvoni - Neuf Chambres Villa, Couchages 18

An airy waterfront villa offering superb sea views, bags of outdoor space, a fabulous infinity pool and beautifully finished interiors.

A modern take on classic Greek summer houses, the two villas that make up Yvoni subtly blend traditional architectural features with 21st-century styling to create a harmonious, uplifting ambience for large groups of family or friends. Well-shaded terraces offer everything required for carefree outdoor living, and a gate at the bottom of the garden entices guests to stroll down to the pebbly-sandy beaches that run along the coast of Soros.

Inside: accommodation at Yvoni is spread over two separate houses. In terms of layout (three floors), décor and styling, they are almost identical.

The first house:

The main entrance of the first house takes one into a landing off which all the accommodation flows. A few steps down leads into a luminous open-plan space that's home to a sitting area, a dining table, and a well-equipped modern kitchen with central island and access to the outdoor dining area. White-washed wood-beamed ceilings and pearly white-painted walls hint at traditional Greek island architectural traditions, while two sets of French windows opening out onto a shaded sea-view terrace cater to a more contemporary lifestyle. A designer daybed is placed next to the fireplace, opposite which is a comfortably cushioned built-in sofa. Windows on either side drink in the views and the light, and the atmosphere is summery and energising.

Back on the landing by the main entrance, a door opens into the first bedroom, a spacious double with en-suite shower room.

Returning to the landing once more, a flight of stairs leads up to the first floor, which is completely given over to the main bedroom, a good-sized double with an en-suite shower room and doors opening out onto a fabulous sea-view terrace.

The remaining accommodation in the main house is found on the lower ground floor, accessed via stairs from the landing by the main entrance or from the terraces below. Here there are

• two double-twin rooms, each with a double and a single bed and an en-suite shower room
• a large games room with table tennis table, a couple of sofas, a TV with surround sound, and access to the terraces

The second house:

As mentioned above, the second house is almost identical to the first, with the exception of the lower ground floor.

In brief, on the ground floor there’s a bright sea-view living and dining area with French doors opening out onto the terraces, and a well-equipped contemporary kitchen with island.

Up a few steps from here is the first bedroom, a double with en-suite shower room.

The first floor is home the main bedroom, a double with en-suite shower room and access to a large sea-view terrace.

The lower floor, accessed via a staircase from the living and dining area, comprises:

• a double bedroom with en-suite shower room
• a double-twin bedroom, also with en-suite shower room
• a TV/cinema room (down a few steps from the two bedrooms) furnished with an extra-large L-shaped sofa, a wide-screen TV and a bar-kitchenette
• a second double bedroom, accessed from the TV/cinema room, with en-suite shower room and doors opening out onto the terraces

Outside: wide-expanses of sea-view terraces, both shady and sun-kissed, fan out around and between the two houses, offering numerous options for al fresco living and plenty of space for guests to spread out.

The first house:

Two sets of French doors in the living area open out onto a shady, comfortably furnished panoramic terrace looking out to sea. A third door accesses another covered sitting area furnished with a pair of large built-in sofas.

Accessed from the kitchen, meanwhile, is a wonderfully secluded and sheltered terrace with two tables (large enough to accommodate guests from both houses), a long, L-shaped sitting area scattered with cushions, and plenty of chairs. Served by a barbecue, a wood-fired oven, hobs, a sink and everything else you could need to rustle up lunches and dinners, this is a delightfully convivial spot in which to come together for memorable feasts.

Just in front of this area is a wonderfully panoramic heatable plunge pool.

From the main terrace running in front of the house, meanwhile, a few steps lead down to a 14m-long infinity pool, which offers more of those enchanting views out to sea.

Crossing the terrace between the two Yvonis is a fabulously convivial sunken communal area with well-cushioned, in-built seating surrounding a wide coffee table and a fire-pit. This is where all guests can come together for pre- or post-prandial drinks, an extremely effective way of uniting the two houses.

The second house:

In terms of outdoor space, the second house is similar to the first, and offers a selection of sea-view sitting areas accessed from the ground floor rooms. The main focal point is to the side, where, accessed from the kitchen, is an extremely spacious shady al fresco dining and lounge area and an outdoor kitchen with barbecue.

A few steps towards the sea is the multi-angular infinity pool, which comes with a children’s shallow end.

The beach access:

Where Yvoni's terraces end, steps lead down to a path that weaves through the garden of low-lying aromatic Mediterranean shrubs to the sea gate, from where, it's just a 150m stroll to the closest sandy-pebbly beach.

Yvoni features a fantastic infinity pool, offering swimmers stunning views while in the pool. There is a drop off the infinity side so we recommend children are supervised at all times. Please refer to our general safety page if you would like more information about infinity pools.

Due to the nature of the property, including terraces low walls and several drops around the grounds, children must be supervised at all times.

As this villa is located on an island, we recommend extra caution when booking your flights to avoid problems or delays with ferries and hydrofoils. It may be advisable to arrive a day earlier and depart a day later. Please contact us for any information or advice.

The final section of the access road to Yvoni is a little rough, so we recommend guests hire a 4x4 or a car with high ground clearance.
Yvoni is located in the southeast of Antiparos, just a stroll from the sandy beaches of Soros. The island’s diminutive size means that you’re never far from its treasures, both natural and man-made, and it’s easy to explore in a week.

With 60km of coastline, Antiparos offers an abundance of idyllic beaches and many of these are very close to Yvoni. Apart from Soros below the house, two of the most beguiling beaches are Agios Sostis and Faneromeni, little bays on the southernmost tip of the island. Slightly further afield, in the southwest, is the bay of Agios Georgios, whose turquoise waters are a great starting point for kayaking excursions to the little islet of Despotiko.

Typical of the Cyclades, the landscape of Antiparos is dotted with small whitewashed churches and traditional cottages, and carpeted with aromatic Mediterranean shrubs and wild herbs. The south of the island is hilly and there is some rewarding walking to be had, thanks to the wonderful 360-degree panoramas from vantage points such as the Prophet Elias church.

The main town, Antiparos Port, is archetypally Greek, with narrow pedestrianised alleyways and picturesque squares flanked by independent little shops and pretty white houses with blossom-filled courtyards. At its centre are the remains of the Kastro, a Venetian castle built in 1440 to protect the island’s inhabitants from pirates and other would-be invaders. Around the harbour is a good selection of traditional tavernas and cafés, and it is very pleasant to while away a little time there, watching island life unfold. In the evening, the main square comes alive as traditional coffee shops and chic bars fill up.

Just in the hills behind Yvoni is the island’s fascinating cave, whose extremely impressive stalactites and stalagmites are thought to be amongst the oldest in Europe. With a depth of around 85m (there are 411 steps down to the bottom), it is an inspiring place to explore, especially if you think of all those who have been there before you, including Macedonian generals fleeing the wrath of Alexander the Great, Otto, the first King of Greece, and even (so it is said) Lord Byron.

Last but not least, Paros is just a 10-minute ferry ride from Antiparos Port, meaning that island-hopping day trips there are eminently feasible.

Arrival details will be confirmed by The Thinking Traveller after your villa is confirmed.

The Thinking Traveller can organise transfers and car hire and an agent will be in touch with you once your villa is confirmed.