My Favorite Airbnb: A Traditional Cycladic Home Overlooking the Aegean Sea

There is something special about Greece that goes beyond the incredible landscapes. It’s the atmosphere that you rarely find anywhere else, a mix of deep relaxation and electric joy that I feel any time I land on one of the islands. That's why I have visited Greece every year for the last 10 years. Every time an opportunity arises to get myself a freddo cappuccino in the sun, you can be sure I will be there. This year, though, I wanted to graduate from tourist to short-term resident, so I packed my bags for a month-long stint in the Mediterranean country.My base was Athens, a buzzing city getting its mojo back. It’s busy, loud, and lively—everything you want from a capital and more. But after 10 days hopping from cafés to tavernas, we decided to do as the Greeks do and take an Easter break to the islands, choosing Paros as our destination and booking an Airbnb called Nerea Idyllic Sunset Home.From May to September, most Greek islands are packed with tourists and island-hoppers getting their sun fix, but if you want to avoid the crowds and live the real island life, the off-season months are a perfect time to visit. The weather is balmy but not too hot, almost solely residents remain on the islands, and hotels and touristy restaurants are still closed before the official start of the high season. If smaller islands feel a bit too empty for you during this time, I find that larger islands like Paros are absolutely perfect in April and October.Views from the terrace Alessia ArmeniseOlive trees blowing gently in the wind Alessia ArmeniseThe ferry ride from Athens to Paros usually lasts about four hours, but the day we set off, the sky was gloomy, and the sea was choppy, so it took longer than usual. The rocky ride made our arrival on the island even sweeter, and I couldn’t wait to get to our destination. We got in our little white Fiat Panda—which seems to be the most popular type of car in Paros—and after less than 10 minutes, we arrived at our home for the weekend.Host Cristi, whose dad built the house himself, welcomed us and showed us around the property before leaving us to enjoy the bliss of the place. She told me she grew up in the house, and I could only imagine how incredible it must have been to have this beautiful corner of Europe as your home. For the next four days, I pretended this was my everyday life, and I couldn’t have been happier.Bath time! Alessia ArmeniseThe home has plenty of cozy nooks Alessia ArmeniseThe house is divided into two levels, creating two separate homes: one with a nice garden, and another with two ample terraces, with plenty of space to wine, dine, and enjoy the sun. I personally much prefer having a terrace and a view, and I’m not particularly fond of gardens, so I was more than happy to stay on the top half of the property.The property is a traditional Greek building, with whitewashed walls, solid dark wood everywhere from the beams to the handmade furniture, and pressed concrete floors the color of sand. The result is a sun-drenched, tranquil oasis that invites you to leave stress and worries out the door. Which is exactly what I planned to do.The entrance of the house leads to the different spaces. On the left, the first and smallest bedroom; on the right, the bathroom with a fabulous stone bath, plus a second spacious bedroom with a king-sized bed. Straight ahead, the room I would consider the primary bedroom and the one I would be ready to fight anyone over: a large bedroom with a king-size bed and, most importantly, a private terrace overlooking the spectacular Aegean Sea. Thankfully, I didn't need to fight anyone this time, so I dropped my bags and immediately headed outside to look at what would be my "good morning" view for the next few days.The living spaces are full of light Alessia ArmeniseHeading down a few steps, you enter the living area. A small but functional kitchen is set into an alcove-like space, a few steps away from a comfortable living room complete with a traditional fireplace—perfect for chilly nights. We were lucky enough to have fantastic weather, but I would have loved to experience the house with a roaring fire. When you are a freelancer, you know you will probably have to work at some point, even on vacation, so I was also very pleased to see that this space had a mezzanine with a desk overlooking the living area and, even better, the coast.I’m usually keen to try as many restaurants as I possibly can when traveling, but having a table on a terrace with one of the best views on the island made me want to enjoy the space as much as I could. So, the first thing we did was to head to a small grocery store and gather some provisions for outdoor breakfasts, dinners, and, of course, sunset aperitifs. The first night was spent in the best way: watching the sunset, sipping Assyrtiko wine, and eating Kalamata olives, feta with thyme honey, and fresh tomatoes—a menu that was repeated with almost no changes for the rest of the stay.The perfect spot for a glass of wine Alessia ArmeniseThe surrounding area is peaceful as can be Alessia ArmeniseEven though all I wanted to do was to stay on my private terrace reading a book in the sun, we couldn’t come to Paros and not explore its charming villages. On our second day, after enjoying a long breakfast on the terrace, we headed out to explore further inland. Our first stop was Lefkes, a cute village that must be absolutely packed in the summer, but was blissfully sleepy in spring. After a bit of walking, we managed to find a coffee place that was open and had our freddo cappuccino of the day—the most expensive one I had ever had in Greece, but still very good, and just what we needed after walking the Byzantine Road under the surprisingly hot April sun. After a stop in the cute village of Marpissa, we headed for a well-deserved dinner at Taverna Mouragio, a highly recommended local taverna where we ate handpicked local greens, grilled octopus, and the ever-present Greek salad before heading back home for the night.Taking in the views Alessia ArmeniseThere's a fireplace for use in the colder months Alessia ArmeniseI love walking the cobbled streets of a Greek island as much as anyone, but it’s not every day that I can enjoy the Mediterranean villa life, so for the rest of my stay, I was dedicated to making the best of my time in my Cycladic home. The next 72 hours here were spent waking up to the chirping of birds and the morning April sun, cooking up a storm to enjoy long nights in the sea breeze, solo coffee and book dates on the deckchair, and the occasional writing session in my mezzanine office that made me feel like a lucky Mediterranean version of Carrie Bradshaw. The only trips outside were made to pick up bread, baklava, my daily freddo cappuccino at Alipranti bakery, and some properly grilled meat at Masete (where you can also eat the best gyros on the island).Reluctance to leave is the clearest sign of a good holiday, and I certainly did not want to abandon this beautiful home. After a last breakfast in the sun, we headed for our 10-minute ride to Paros Airport, already planning our next escape to the island.This article was originally published on Condé Nast Traveller.