Amarandos Apartments

If uninterrupted sea views and an utterly peaceful setting literally just yards from the shore are high on your list of priorities, these recently built apartments are well worth considering. The east coast hamlet of Vokaria consists of a tiny fishing harbour, backed by a solitary fish tavern and a handful of privately owned summer homes. Virtually the only building bordering Vokaria's unspoilt shingle beach is this attractive cluster of just eight apartments.

There are four very spacious studios arranged in a single-storey terrace. Tastefully decorated in neutral tones, with a few pretty splashes of colour added by scatter cushions and other well-chosen accessories, each studio is comfortably furnished with a double bed, a convertible sofa and a dining table and chairs. The kitchenette with fridge and two-ring hob is separated from the main studio room, and there is a shower room with attractive modern fixtures. Both air-conditioning and heating are provided, as are LCD TVs, electronic safes, hairdryers and free wi-fi. Each studio also has a furnished terrace facing due east out to sea, so its worth getting up early to watch the sunrise.

The four maisonettes are similarly furnished and equipped, but arranged on two levels, with a double bedroom and a bathroom (with short bathtub) on the ground floor, and a spacious living room with a double sofa-bed, plus a kitchenette on the upper level. The maisonettes also benefit from two terraces (one on each floor), so you can choose between shade downstairs and the more elevated views upstairs.

For keen walkers, there are interesting coastal and inland walks from here. The larger village of Nenita is less than 2 km away, but perched high on the hillside, so for convenience we have included a hire car in your holiday at Amarandos, which will of course also come in handy for exploring the rest of the island. One of the original mastic villages, Nenita was largely destroyed by the late 19th-century earthquake, but was rebuilt in neo-classical style and continues to be a thriving community, with grocery shops, bakeries, a pharmacy, kafenions and a good choice of authentic local tavernas set around the lively square. That said, during high season the fish taverna in Vokaria attracts locals from around the island, so in Summer you may well find yourself choosing to dine just the shortest of strolls from your apartment most nights (please note the tavern closes from 1 September).