Authentic Island Friendliness Awaits At Drosoulites Resort On Tinos

by Sean Hillen

Groggy with sleep after a long ferry trip across the Aegean Sea, I thought the rose-colored ceiling above my head was part of a leftover dream.

Then I remembered.

Arriving the night before on the coast of Tinos island in the Greek Cyclades, my companion and I were kindly escorted by Leo and his father, Andreas, to the charming beach-side resort of Drosoulites painted in rainbow hues.

Nestled beside the glistening sea, each of the 17 adobe-style apartments presented an uplifting artists’s palette. Some red, some blue, some green, some purple, some orange.

Ours was even color co-ordinated – the curtains across two windows gazing out at the Aegean Sea matching the ceiling’s tone. And cupboard doors painted a lighter shade of pink. Whitewashed walls enhanced the vibrant interior decor.

As a seaside resort, Drosoulites, opened 19 years ago, offers many benefits. It is less than 50 meters from a soft sand beach, with two bars, including the resort’s own with lounge chairs and straw umbrellas, and three restaurants within 5-minutes walk of each other. Parking is a mere stone’s throw away.

The apartments, no higher than two floors, stand either side of a little paved road. Some facing the sea with exotic fir and monkey trees growing nearby. And some face a small grassy garden with a pomegranate tree and a stone tower.

Our apartment on the first floor was cosy with its own slab stone terrace overlooking the sea where we’d sit at table and chairs sipping wine and relaxing to the rhythmic sound of the waves. To the left and right were promontories stretching out into the water.

Furnishings inside included an open clothes closet, shower, refrigerator, television, bedside tables, coffee and tea making facilities and a small two-ring stove. The apartment, with its attractive stone floor, also had an air conditioner. All necessary cutlery and crockery, pots, pans, even a toaster, were provided.

Katerina, owner and manager, was friendly and welcoming, even volunteering to have our laundry done, which was delivered to us promptly next day in a neat pile.

Another advantage of Drosoulites resort is while it lies on the coast, after five to ten minutes drive you are in the mountains, or in the island’s main port town filled with cafes, shops and restaurants.