Catrine - Sept Chambres Villa, Couchages 15

Finished to an extremely high standard inside and out, and just a 10-to-15 minute walk from the buzzing centre of Spetses Town, with its character-filled streets, its tavernas, cafés and boutiques, and its beaches, Catrine is perfect for those who enjoy being close to the heart of life while at the same time having a gorgeous, serene villa with pool to retreat to and unwind in. The best of both worlds.

Inside: designed, built and finished to exacting standards in 2024, Catrine is laid out over three floors.

The main entrance leads in from a beautifully presented terrace to a generously spacious, welcoming and luminous reception room. Impeccably furnished and finished, and full of character and vivacity, this space sets the aesthetic blueprint for the property as a whole: its sandy floors, white walls and ceilings (these latter with slender, classically Spetsian ribbing), banks of windows, golden jute floor mats, and colourful artwork are all leitmotifs that will reappear throughout. There’s a sense of order and purity but also a little playfulness.

To the left of the front door is a large wooden dining table with designer chairs, while straight on is a commodious, L-shaped sofa. On either side of a decorative fireplace, French doors allow the space to flow out onto a shaded terrace while also bringing in the views of Spetses Town and the sea.

An opening to the right of the front doors leads to a corridor, off which are the stairs and lift to the lower and upper floors, a guest loo, and the well-equipped, stylish kitchen, which comes with more of those sea views and access to the shaded terrace outside the living area.

At the end of the corridor is the first bedroom, a spacious sea-view double with en-suite shower room.

The upper floor is home to two exceedingly well-appointed bedrooms accessed from a spacious central landing:

• the first is a suite with a double bedroom, a private terrace with views across Spetses Town and out to sea, a large, bright sitting area with day bed and desk, and an en-suite shower room
• the second, a double, has more of those glorious views, its own private terraces, a walk-through dressing area, and a luxuriously finished en-suite shower room partly clad in grey marble

The remaining accommodation at Catrine is located on the lower floor, and comprises four bright bedrooms, all of which flow out onto floral terraces with steps up to the main pool terrace:

• a double with a large en-suite shower room
• a double-twin with a sitting area and an en-suite shower room
• a second double bedroom with en-suite shower room
• a children’s room with a single bed, bunk beds, and an en-suite shower room

The lower floor is also home to an auxiliary kitchen, and all three floors are connected by an elevator.

Outside: the quality, attention to detail and meticulous design that typify Catrine’s interiors is very much in evidence in its multi-faceted al fresco areas. On entering the main gate, leaving the buzz of Spetses Town behind, one is struck by the sense of order, seclusion and tranquillity. Tall white walls provide a blank canvas for climbing greenery and flowering plants, ornamental grasses sway gently in the sea breeze, and, when dusk falls, an well-designed system of illumination transforms the borders and the terraces into a scene of pure romantic enchantment.

Heading straight on, across a series of mosaics in black and white pebbles, a flight of steps takes you up to a shaded portico and the front door.

Turning left, one is embraced by the fabulous social hub of the al fresco areas, an extensive L-shaped terrace from where the views pan out over the rooftops of Spetses Town and across the cobalt waters of the Aegean to the Peloponnese.

First, sitting under a voluminous cane-topped pergola, is a convivial dining area, a superbly equipped outdoor kitchen with a pair of electric barbecues and a fridge, a bar, and a comfortably furnished sitting area.
Running at right angles to this area, meanwhile, is the graceful, turquoise pool, a line of quality sun loungers, and another shady sitting area.

A few steps down from the pool area, on either side of the house, are a pair of shady terraces, accessed from the lower floor bedrooms.

The open-plan living area and kitchen on the main floor open out onto a long, shaded terrace that’s furnished with tables and chairs. Here you'll be able to enjoy leisurely breakfasts while looking out to sea, sip on a mid-morning coffee, or read a book.

Last but not least, the two bedrooms on the upper floor have their own well-furnished private terraces from where the views are arguably at their best.

Spetses is a car-free island (apart from a few taxis, which can book out quickly in the summer season, and service vehicles). Most people move around by bicycle, scooter, quad bike, boat, donkeys and sea taxis. If you wish to rent bikes, scooters or quad bikes, please contact us in advance, as numbers are limited.
Catrine rises on the western fringes of Spetses's eponymous capital, whose old and new harbours, boutiques, bars, tavernas, cafés and beach are a 10-to-15-minute walk away. It's a wonderful place in which to while away the hours, sipping on a coffee, watching the boats come and go, and dining late into the night at one of the many seafront eateries.

Like neighbouring Hydra, Spetses had a thriving shipping industry, and some local families became extremely rich. One such (though he made most of his money in the US) was Sotirios Anargyros, creator of Spetses Town's impressive Poseidonion Hotel. Dating back to the early 20th century, and built in the architectural style of the great hotels of the Côte d'Azur, it soon attracted wealthy Athenians and European aristocrats to the island, beginning a trend of affluent, small-scale tourism that continues today.

Diminutive Spetses measures just 7km by 4km and is a quiet, pine tree-carpeted island where private cars are not allowed. Transport is by bicycle, scooters, a few taxis, donkeys, quad bikes and, best of all, boat taxi. Hiring your own boat for the duration of your stay or for a few days is highly recommended, as the coast has many idyllic secluded bays that are most easily accessible from the water.

In recent times, Spetses's main claim to fame is as the setting for The Magus, John Fowles's great novel. Named Phraxos in the book, the island is described by the main protagonist, Nicholas Urfe as "Beautiful. There was no other adjective; it was not just pretty, picturesque, charming – it was simply and effortlessly beautiful. It took my breath away when I first saw it, floating under Venus like a majestic black whale in an amethyst evening sea, and it still takes my breath away when I shut my eyes now and remember it. Its beauty was rare even in the Aegean, because its hills were covered with pine trees, Mediterranean pines as light as greenfinch feathers. Nine-tenths of the island was uninhabited and uncultivated: nothing but pines, coves, silence, sea." Remarkably, Spetses has changed very little since John Fowles, who lived and worked there in the early1950s, wrote that passage.

Spetses's pine-shady interior is crisscrossed by walking trails, many of which are easily accessible from Catrine. From the top ridge, fabulous vistas take in the island, Hydra, vast tracts of the Aegean Sea and the Peloponnese, whose eastern most tip is just over 2km (or a 10-minute crossing) away. This proximity to the mainland makes day trips to Porto Heli and the archaeological site of Epidaurus 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.