Frequently asked questions

Yes. In July and August the north wind often blows hard. It is what keeps August here bearable, but you have to know where to go.

Kalivia beach, just below the house, three minutes away by car, is sheltered from the north wind. On the right-hand side, near the rocks, you swim without any trouble: the water there is like a pool. That is the beach I call our courtyard. Even in August, when I go down to swim at ten in the morning, it is almost empty; it fills up after midday.

The wind can get up suddenly. Just make sure the windows and terrace doors are properly secured, to avoid slamming and breakages.

“In August (when we stayed there) it was very windy but Kalivia beach, the closest to the house, has a big free [area] always protected and it is very beautiful.” Rita — Castello d’Argile, Italy · August 2019

English. I speak English, and in over fifteen years I have never had a problem understanding a guest or being understood.

Kardiani is two and a half kilometres from the house by road. There is also a very fine path behind the house: twenty minutes uphill on foot, which brings you into the heart of the village.

In the village, Dimitra’s traditional kafeneio, with its tables on the small balconies and the low walls around them. Dimitra makes excellent traditional pies and serves dishes made with local produce.

And it is worth having dinner at the taverna “To Perivoli tis Kardianis”, whose terrace spreads out under the trees and the pergolas. The view from there is like no other.

Village cats come by sometimes, because I feed them. They do not come into the house.

No, and that is deliberate. The wind, and a hillside covered in dry thyme and sage: it would be dangerous.

By card, through Stripe. Your card details never pass through me: you enter them directly on Stripe’s secure page.

Payment is made in two parts — 30% on confirmation, the balance ten days before arrival — and you get a receipt each time. The confirmed amount is final: nothing is asked for on arrival.

It is indicative. It is updated regularly from the platforms, which always leaves a slight lag. Availability is always confirmed by me, within 24 hours.

That is why your enquiry is not a booking. I check the calendars myself. The booking becomes firm when I confirm it and the advance payment is made, not when the enquiry is sent.

You will also see two days blocked between stays. That is not a fault: it is the time the full clean takes, and it is the reason you arrive in a house that has been completely put back in order.

Yes. It would be a shame to come to Tinos without one: public transport is sparse, a taxi costs more than a hire car, and the island has fifty villages of rare beauty. The house has a large parking area, easy to get to.

Yes: the house has Starlink, suited to remote work. From April to October it is included in the price. For winter stays it is added once per stay, about €40.

Two beaches about seven hundred metres from the house: Giannaki and Kalivia. I often walk down. The way down is easy; the way back up, especially after a swim, less so. Better to take the car: three minutes.

Yes, with the supervision that is always needed. The steps inside are few, low and wood-covered.

The main bedroom’s bathroom has a bath, which is useful with a baby. A cot is available on request. A cot and a high chair are available on request.

The main entrance has steps, but there is no reason to use it. The kitchen entrance is on the level — convenient for an elderly guest, and just as convenient for suitcases and shopping.

Yes, beach towels are provided.

Yes, one pet is welcome, at no extra charge.

I do. For over fifteen years I have received and greeted my guests in person, on arrival and on departure.

The supermarkets are in Chora, the port town. Get the essentials before you drive up to the house.

Buy bottled water in particular: the tap water is not good to drink, as the mains pipes are old. It is fine for cooking and for washing.

For a stay of up to a week, sheets, pillowcases and towels are provided once.

A change during the week is available on request: €24 per set for two people — two sheets, two pillowcases, two bath towels, two hand towels. That is €120 for the whole house, meaning five sets. You can ask for a partial change if you prefer.

Yes, a Climate Resilience Fee, set by the state, is added to the rent, per night. I pass it on to the state in full and you receive a separate receipt.

The amount applies per night and varies by season; it appears on your booking confirmation, before any payment.