Saturday 8 July 2017

Greece is the Word .. Part 3 Agrari Beach, Mykonos

About half a mile away from Elia beach lies the beach of Agrari. It is possible to walk there from Elia but we didn't attempt it as it was a very hot day and the distant path looked quite rocky - there's no shelter along the way. The concierge at the hotel recommended we get there by cab so we took that option as there were four of us - costing us €10 apiece for each journey. The photo on the left shows our hotel complex in the distance to indicate how close it actually is.
 
The cab driver arrived to collect us and said he'd never driven there before so I used the Waze app on my phone and got us there in about 20 minutes. It was a very entertaining journey and he promised he would pick us up at 5pm for our return. True to his word he was there - the journey back shown here on the right. Seems ridiculous I know - if I go again, I'll try the walk!

 
It was a very peaceful setting with a small hotel to one side. It reminds me of what beaches used to be like in Greece before they were overly developed. No loud music, no crowds and people just relaxing in the shade of the sheltered area by the small beach bar or under umbrellas on the sun loungers. It's also a nudist beach FYI. If you're expecting fine white sand you would be disappointed. The sand in this region is quite coarse and sharp. On the plus side, the sea is crystal clear.


The short walk from where we were dropped off took us past the beach bar and then to the left. What appeared was a gorgeous, lush garden walk. I felt like I was in the south of France or somewhere similar. I've never associated this type of garden with Greece so it was lovely to see.


We went there specifically for lunch as we were informed that it was more typically Greek than most of the beach restaurants are now - a family business which had been there for years. They were right .. it was utterly charming, unfussy and offered all the usual Greek dishes you would expect to find. We had the moussaka - the last 3 portions of the day - which turned out to be quite fortuitous as they were rather large servings which we ended up sharing between us along with some vegetable balls and Greek salad. It was very reasonably priced too, almost half of what we paid for lunch at Elia beach. 

The wine list was limited and basic so we each opted for a half litre bottle of prosecco for €9 - a bargain. 

At the end of the meal as with most of the meals we had in Mykonos, they would bring a complimentary shot glass of Mastika. I grew to quite like this little tradition and have brought a bottle of the stuff home with me as yet unopened. I am reluctant to try it here as it may not have the same appeal as it had in lovely Mykonos.

That's it - another box ticked off the bucket list but this won't be my last visit there. Next year we have decided on another Greek Island - you'll have to wait and see which one it is!




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