Country house for rent in Dodecanese, Aegean Islands, Greece

With it's neo-classic multi-coloured architecture, protected by the Greek "Archaeologia" Department of the Greek Government, (any new building has to conform to this style of architecture), with it's music festival and it's multitude of chapels and monasteries, SYMI is one of the most delightful islands in the Mediterranean. The island is only now becoming known, and has been the subject of feature articles in the travel press over the last ten years. The sea is transparent and warm, the sky is blue from mid May to the end of October, and, being a small island, the beaches are never far away.

As the population of the island is now only 2500 whereas after the First World War, it was approximately 27.000, there are a number of houses that have been abandoned for decades. An increasing number of these houses are now being rebuilt, refurbished or re-decorated in the style of the island's unusual (for the Greek Islands) architecture.

Ieripetra was bought as a ruin in 1984-5 and restored over the period to 1990. The property has featured in several major articles in magazines such as Architectural Digest, Elle Déco etc.




The road from the Port to the Monastery of Panormites runs along the top wall of the property boundary;

The property is backed up against a forest and contains two houses that have been decorated to a high standard, linked by a terraced garden surrounded by stone walls that have been rendered goat-proof. Mains electricity and a very high quality telephone service are installed.

The property is at 600 metres altitude, looking out to the east and south east over a closed valley cultivated by the Monastery,towards the mountains of Turkey in the distance, and about 100m away one can sit and see the sunset over the Aegean; The road up to the house has spectacular views. The island being so small, the sea is all around you, and access to beaches and boats from Ieripetra is about a 10 minute drive.

Due to the altitude and the fact that there is always a refreshing breeze, the temperature is a good 5°C cooler and is drier than down in the port. The thick stone walls help to keep the interior of the houses cooler.