Mirkella - Six Chambres Villa, Couchages 12

Inspiring sea views, peace and quiet, architectural pedigree, pool, and quick access via a private path to a beautiful sandy beach.

Perched on a cliff about 40m above the sea, and enjoying 360-degree panoramas, Mirkella is a historic property of unrivalled privacy. Over the years it has welcomed kings, prime ministers and other eminent guests in search of seclusion and undisturbed tranquillity, and today this tradition for hospitality continues, but with the addition of a pool and a host of modern comforts.

Inside: accommodation at Mirkella is set over two floors of a main house and an independent guesthouse in the gardens. The main house, whose façade is in rusticated grey marble, is imbued with a sense of history and quality. The many original features offer a fascinating insight into traditional Greek domestic architecture, where everything was made to measure by highly skilled craftsmen.

The entrance of the main house, a tower, leads into a hallway with a desk, some cushioned in-built seating, and antique black-and-white tiled flooring that runs throughout.

Moving on, past an impressive carved wooden staircase, one comes to the heart of the property, a high-ceilinged, comfortably furnished octagonal living room with stone walls, a fireplace, a TV, views out to sea, and access, via a set of French windows, to the wrap-around terraces.

The ground floor is also home to two bedrooms, one accessed from the hallway, the other from the living room:

• a double with sea views and an en-suite shower room clad in marble
• a double with sea views and a private shower room

The wooden staircase near the entrance hall takes one up to the first floor and the main house's remaining accommodation:

• a double-twin bedroom with en-suite shower room and a shaded private terrace offering bewitching views out to sea
• a double with incredible sea views
• a separate shower room

In a separate building, just a few metres across the terrace from the main house and the al fresco dining area, is the large, well-equipped kitchen, whose high, vaulted ceilings in warm wood, antique tiled floors, and exposed brick walls offer plenty of character.

Steps lead up from beside the kitchen to the independent guesthouse, which has a private terrace, a double bedroom with sea views and a double-twin bedroom sharing a marble-clad shower room. The second room has its own access from outside but the bathroom is only accessed via the first bedroom, making the guesthouse suitable for parents (or a nanny) with younger children, or independent teenagers.

Outside: the terraces that wrap around Mirkella were designed to make the very most of the property's extraordinary position and its breathtaking vistas, which take in vast swathes of glittering blue sea, the easternmost tip of the Peloponnese, the neighbouring island of Dokos, and much more besides.

To one side, towering pine trees create an atmosphere of cool shady seclusion, perfect for the hottest hours of the day, while to the other, a wide expanse of antique terracotta tiles provides sun-soaked spaces which bask in the Grecian warmth.

Sitting areas are dotted around the terraces, offering everyone the possibility of finding their own space or coming together for moments of pure conviviality. In terms of the latter, the shaded al fresco dining area, just outside the entrance of the main house (and just a few metres from the kitchen), reigns supreme and there can be few better positioned or more panoramic spots in which to enjoy lazy lunches and long dinners under the stars.

A few steps away from here is the tempting pool, which appears suspended above the sea, an addition to the property that adds a whole new dimension.

Key to life at Mirkella is the path that winds down through the pine trees to the coast below, where guests have use of a jetty, an essential ingredient for life on Hydra where there are no cars and very few roads. Walk a little further and one arrives at the transparent waters and idyllic pebbly beach of Molos, one of the finest on Hydra.

Last but not least, paths lead out from the property through the pine-carpeted hills, offering guests the possibility of discovering their surroundings on foot.

Mirkella 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.

The number of steps that must be negotiated to get into this property might make it unsuitable for people with mobility problems.

Please note that Hydra is a car-free island and the only way to get to Mirkella is via sea taxi. This service is included from Hydra port to the villa. Please contact us for further details.

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.
Mirkella is situated on the north coast of Hydra, about 5km west of the island's capital, Hydra Port. Down below, accessed via a private path from the villa, is the lovely, secluded pebbly beach of Molos.

Hydra is the most southerly of the Saronic Islands after Spetses, and is located off the eastern tip of the Peloponnese. Measuring just 20km (west to east) by 5km (north to south), it is easy to discover in a week, as long as you rent a boat or travel by sea taxi - cars are not allowed on Hydra and there are very few roads.

Apart from Molos beach below the villa, there are several other idyllic bays to enjoy, including Bisti and Agios Nikolaos to the west, Plakes (on the way towards Hydra Port), Mandraki in the northeast, and Limnioniza on the southeast coast.

The island's mountainous hinterland is scattered with monasteries and crisscrossed by ancient mule tracks, making hiking an interesting proposition in the spring and autumn. Peaks rise up to over 500m before plummeting precipitously into the sea, especially on the south coast, and creating a spectacular coastline.

The island's capital, Hydra Port, is a pretty, unspoilt town and well worth spending some time in. Its harbourfront tavernas and bars rub shoulders with grand mansions built by 19th-century shipping magnates, and there are plenty of independent little shops and a few museums and galleries to explore.

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.