Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INFORMATION
KOKKÁRI
9
Tourist o
ce
(May-Sept Mon-Sat 8.30am-1.30pm,
Mon, Wed & Sat 7-9pm;
T
22730 92333). The helpful
tourist office is on the main street heading inland.
Activities
A windsurfing school thrives just west of town
(
T
22730 92102,
W
samoswindsuring.gr).
ACCOMMODATION, EATING AND DRINKING
Athena Hotel
T
22730 92030,
E
h-athena@otenet
.gr.
The modern, comfortable rooms are spread over three
buildings, set in beautifully landscaped grounds with a
large pool, across the road from the so
uth
beach. Very
helpful Greek-Canadian owner. April-Oct.
€45
Cavos
T
22730 92436.
This perennially popular place on
the fishing harbour, run by a Greek/German couple, cranks
out breakfast, snacks, coffees and cocktails according to the
time of day, though the music can be rather middle-of-the-
road.
April-Oct daily 8am-late.
Girasole
T
22730 92037.
Genuine Italian restaurant on
the fishing harbour, serving quality pizza, pasta and other
classic dishes in the €10-15 range. Chic decor and comfy
seating too.
May-Oct daily noon-1am.
Ì
Iy Byra
T
22730 92350.
Though the range is limited,
the light mezédhes on offer, like
domatokeftédhes
and
keftedhákia
plus maybe seafood titbits, are superbly
executed at this old favourite opposite the main church.
April-Oct daily 11am-late.
Ì
Tarsanas
T
22730 92337.
Wonderful terrazzo-
floored 1980s throwback, 100m down the lane from the
west beach. doing pizzas, a couple of dishes of the day, like
briám
or
dolmádhes
, and their own dynamite red wine.
Daily June-Sept 11am-late, Oct-May 8pm-2am.
Tsamadou Hotel
T
22730 92314,
W
tsamadou.com.
Friendly English-run place, towards the south end of the north
beach, whose simple a/c rooms have fridges. Asi
an s
nacks are
available in the garden conservatory. April-Oct.
€40
The north coast
The closest sheltered
beaches
to Kokkári are about thirty minutes' walk west, fully
carpeted with sunbeds and permanently anchored umbrellas. The further you move
away from the resort, however, the wilder and quieter the strands become and the
less-touristed the settlements.
Lemonákia and Tzamadhoú
The first beach west of Kokkári,
Lemonákia
, is a bit close to the road, so it is better to
carry on 1km to the graceful crescent of
Tzamadhoú
. It can only be accessed by a path,
and the eastern third of the beach, made up of saucer-shaped pebbles, is a well-
established nudist zone.
Avlákia and Tzaboú
AVLÁKIA
, 3km west of Tzamadhoú, is a quiet shoreline hamlet with an excellent taverna
and some
of the best views on the island. The nearest beach, 2km further west with a
steep lane down, is
Tzaboú
, probably the most scenic north-coast beach with its rock
formations but mercilessly buffeted by the prevailing wind most days - and the
snack-bar tries to charge €6 for parking. There's a nudist annexe, with separate path
access from Avlákia, off to the right.
Áyios Konstandínos
Platanákia
, the next settlement west of Tzaboú and essentially a handful of buildings at
a bridge by the turning for Manolátes, is actually the eastern quarter of
ÁYIOS
KONSTANDÍNOS
, whose surf-pounded esplanade has been prettified. However, there are
no significant beaches within walking distance, so the collection of mostly warm-toned
stone buildings constitutes a peaceful alternative to Kokkári.
Áyios Nikólaos
West of Áyios Konstandínos the mountains hem the road in against the sea, and the
terrain doesn't relent until
Áyios Nikólaos
, which is the tiny seaside annexe of more
traditional Kondakéïka. A passable pebble beach,
Piáki
, lies ten minutes' walk east past
the last studio units.
