A STUNNING CLIFFSIDE HOTEL ON A QUIET GREEK ISLAND

[FOLEGANDROS, GREECE] — 20 hours, three planes, long layovers and a zippy ferry straight from Santorini, I arrived in the port of Folegandros after 9pm, in the pitchdark. The owner of my hotel, Dimitris was waiting for me at the port and drove me the short 3kms up to the town of Chora in his Jeep Cherokee. In minutes we were zig-zagging through the crooked streets of Chora, headed for my home for the next couple of days — the Anemomilos Apartments.

A slow cool breeze, a couple of Mythos and music from the local tavernas conked me out for twelve straight hours. Set the phone for 6am to catch the sunrise, didn’t work… woke up at 10.

Nine days I was on this island. A mellow escape from the crowds of the other over-run Greek Cyclades Islands. And the name has taken me forever to learn to pronounce because I was saying it with an Italian accent — but you pronounce the island fuh-LEG-andros, kinda swallowing the last syllable, emphasis on the LEG.

Chora Folegandros sunset

This is the place I’ve always been looking for.

 

20 or so years ago this was all a rock pile of windmill ruins when the owner Dimitris bought this property and started to build Anemomilos. At that time, there was no electricity on the island, no banks, no ATMs, no hardware stores, no gas stations, no airport, people rode on donkeys to get around (some still do). There was no excavating equipment, so he did it all by hand, with iron bars and dynamite to loosen the most stubborn bits.

He took three years to build this place, by hand. Every smooth white corner, every balcony cantilevered over the 1,000ft cliff. And now with the loving help of his dynamo wife Carmelina and their beautiful daughter Diana, they run this place like you’re on their sailboat. Tip top shape. All hands on deck, all the time. I tell ya, with those two, you could hook wires up to them and power the whole island. With plenty left over to run a cable over to Milos.

Besides it’s jaw-dropping location, what’s great about this hotel and location is it just steps down the path of the main town of Chora (pronounced HORa) and hit a dozen great shaded restaurants. This place is just amazing. And the nicest people on the planet. . And ridiculous value. People stay for a month. Google it. It rates off the charts, except for that one grumpy Swiss guy…

I think this may become an annual visit. I can’t think of a more dramatic view of anywhere I’ve stayed. Ask for a Blue Room, room 12, the tippy top of the island. Or, if you can swing it, book the Blue Suite, which looks just amazing. 

Chora Folegandros sunrise

And this is right up close to it. Sunrises and sunsets are just amazing. This is from the quick hike up to the famous church on a hill.

 

Anemomilos Apartments room 12 view

I woke up like this. The view from my room. Blue Rom #12. One of the best rooms of the place. One of the best views I’ve ever seen.

Anemomilos Apartments

Anemomilos Apartments island view

Anemomilos Apartments common area

This whole little mini-village was built by hand by Dimitris. You can see the different rooms open up onto a shared courtyard.

 

Chore Folegandros on the hill

This place is stupid ridiculous. Remember that cool town Chora and the Church on the Hill? That’s it up there, the big unibrow on the lip of that ridge. And look, no cruise ships smokin’ away below to ruin your view.

Chora Folegandros cliffside

Anemomilos Apartments walkway at dusk

 

Anemomilos Apartments view from Room 12

Switches to a negroni spot at night.

 

Anemomilos Apartments restaurant terrace

The restaurant terrace.

Anemilos Apartments view from Room 12 window

Barely moved from this window view.

 

Anemomilos Apartments pool

Oh look, they have a pool!

Anemomilos Apartments Blue Room view

Anemomilos Apartments pool terrace

 

Chora Folegandros sunrise

And this is right up close to it. Sunrises and sunsets are just amazing. This is from the quick hike up to the famous church on a hill.

 

Anemomilos Apartments cliff view

The other Blue Rooms below also look amazing, where you’re literally hanging out over the cliff.

I saw this view in a magazine and that's when I decided I had to be there.

 

 

Anemomilos Apartments Blue Room view

Room w/ vu. 

Anemomilos Apartments view sunset

The hotel is literally perched on the side of a 1000+ ft cliff, dropping down to the sea.

 

Anemomilos Apartments full moon

 

First night, I got there late. Drove up the road to the hotel and bam! Full moon.

 

Anemomilos Apartments view from Room 12

Switches to a negroni spot at night.

 

Anemomilos Apartments view sunset

The hotel is literally perched on the side of a 1000+ ft cliff, dropping down to the sea.

 

Anemomilos Apartments Blue Room sun view

The light changes all day long. Completely different view each time.

 

The Rooms at Anemomilos Apartments

 

Anemomilos Apartments Blue Room view

 

 

Lunch with a view.

 

More Information on Folegandros

Here are some great reference reading and helpful links:

This is the article that brought me here, in the NYTimes. Folegandros — the Most Charming Greek Island

A great article in Conde Nast Traveler Exploring an Under-the-radar Greek Island.

The Folegandros official website.

A great overview of Folegandros in Lonely Planet.

Trip Advisor’s page on Folegandros.

A guide in the UK version of Conde Nast Traveller. and another article on how to get there from London.

An overview of Folegandros from The Travel Channel.

The Anemomilos Apartments website.

A blurb on Folegandros in the July 2016 Travel & Leisure and a blurb on CNN.com about Europe’s Most Scenic Villages.

A slew of articles on the hotel on their website, covering just about every major travel publication.

Here’s how to find ferry schedules to Folegandros.

 

Last visited September 2016 — 

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