Written by Karen Watts
Photography by Chris Watts & Peter Wilcock
Less than a five minute drive from VLK is the World Heritage Site of Lindos. The view of the high hill over the beach from your balconies and decking is the first headland of Lindos. Turn left out of Vlycha and drive past the two hotels – The Lindos Mare and The Lindos Blu – then slow down a little as you make the right hand corner. This part of the road is known to locals and visitors alike as “Oooh Aaah” or “Camera Corner”. Spread before you is an ephemeral vista of ancient Greece. The sun reflects off the white “sugar cube” houses, the Acropolis and the giant rock it sits on stand guard above the village and all four of Lindos’ sandy bays have the clearest blue water.
Lindos is a pedestrianised village with lots of steep winding alleys. The only forms of permitted transport are donkeys, tiny three wheel bikes (used for getting provisions into the village) and foot. The best advice I can give you is go get lost. Lindos has a timelessness that can only be truly experienced by becoming immersed in it. During the daytime cruise ship visitors arrive in their hundreds but by 4pm the village’s inhabitants and regular visitors enjoy food, fun and history. Many visitors to Lindos are regulars having been bitten by what is now termed the “Lindos Bug”. Most of these actually visit two or three times a year. I call them Lindos Lovies. I have met many who have been coming for decades and who have passed on their ‘bug” to their kids and grand kids. The only problem with revisiting a place one loves so regularly is that there is a tendency to frequent the same restaurants and bars on every visit, the consequence of which is that one tends to miss out on new experiences .
As with all tourist destinations world wide there are great places to eat and drink and some not so great places. Fortunately Lindos has an abundance of fabulous places to see – and be seen (it is a fabulous village for sitting back with a Mojito and people watching), wonderful restaurants and fabulously eccentric locals. To name them all would take most of a summer so I’m just going to mention a few of the special places and things that I personally like in Lindos.
Walking down Krana Hill towards the main Square, on the left is Medeast. Owned and run by Manolis Loukas, Medeast boasts some of the best views in Lindos, great food lovingly cooked and a host with a million stories and a dozen guitars – encourage him enough and he’ll play all night for you, and, if you are a musician take your instrument with you – Manolis likes to jam.
In the main square is Mavrikos. Lindians eat here and consider it one of the best in the village.
Take the left hand beach road off the square to walk down to Lindos’ Main Beach. Also, just off the Beach Road is the track which takes you out to the tomb of Cleoboulos. If you like walking, serenity, incredible views and genuinely new experiences then get your sensible shoes on and take the approximate two and a half hour there and back walk. On the beginning of the walk is the donkey nursery where new born donkey foals and their mothers are kept till they are ready to begin working. Further along the trail is an abandoned windmill – a great half way point to take a rest in some shade. The last half of the journey ends at the tomb, climb up (there are rock markers for you to follow the track) and look down. An awesome experience that serves to remind us of how small we really are in relation to our earth.
Walk through the village and follow the signs for Pallas Beach (Little Lindos Beach). You will come to a fork in the alley, take the left one and follow it all the way down to the beach. Please note this is one of the steepest hills in Lindos and while getting down is relatively easy, for anyone with mobility issues getting back up the hill can be difficult. A small beach that is, sadly in the summer season, over crowded with sunbeds it is also host to one or two tavernas, therefore making the trip up and down the hill worth it for a spot of lunch. At Skala try the swordfish, at Mare Mare try the calamari.
http://www.skalarestaurant.com/
Walking back up the hill to the village at the top and on the right is Rainbird Bar. Overlooking the bay, it is a stunning place to watch the sun set behind Krana Mountain with a Mythos or glass of wine.
On the left, almost opposite Rainbird is Broccolino’s. This tiny but perfectly formed Italian restaurant is above and beyond your average spaghetteria. The pasta is made fresh, their Carpaccio of beef is to die for as is their T-Bone with Truffle Sauce.
Heading back into the village centre, take a left when you see signs for either the Acropolis or the Post Office, both will get you near to Caesars, one of the oldest and long established restaurants in Lindos. Started in the 1970’s by Caesar it is now managed by his son Kosmas, another fabulously crazy Lindian. The food is amongst the best in the village as Brian & Gill Noon, a pair of “Lindos Lovies” of many years describe:
“We have now been visitors to Lindos since 2006.We fell in love with the village and its people from day one. Eventually marrying there at St George’s church. We have eaten and drunk in most of the bars and restaurants, but one place always calls us back – Caesars mediterranean restaurant. This is Greek with finnesse. The food is freshly produced having a competent chef at the helm. Family run by Kosmas son of, Yanni and Thespina. She being Lindos born and Yanni from the mainland. He being sent here with the army and marrying the local belle. The welcome is warm and friendly as you receive in Greece. Yes they want your custom but it is always genuine. The menu is Greek with a twist
They have close links with Italy. So hence Mediterranean! The menu has all the usual Greek dishes – Hummus to die for. Moussaka perfection, Lamb kleftiko excellent. Home made Dolmades. I heard Thespina complaining one night that the vine leaves for the dolmades were tough! She makes the dish fresh. The unusual twists are Xirino, pork belly slow cooked with figs the figs are like warm toffee, the pork you can pull, full of flavour. The Angus Rib eye from Texas, all right not Greek but, you do not see herds of cattle on Greek islands and it is tender, and full of flavour. So you will not get a rare steak as we know it, but the Greeks do not do rare! There is spaghetti and a variety of sauces for the chicken. All the fish is fresh and locally caught. Vegetables are sourced locally or better still home grown. As for drinks Stef the barman can create just about every cocktail known and the wines are great all be it a bit pricey. So you will get a hangover, but, you can always sleep on the beach. We have eaten at Caesars countless times, and, we have always enjoyed the ambience, the service, the food, their friendliness, and do not forget the best view in the village. This place epitomises Lindos.”
Back in the Main Square follow the signs for St Paul’s which will take you through the heart of the village. One of my favourites is Maria’s, on the left by Yianni’s Bar (a popular landmark). Maria and her mother and son have been making great home cooked Greek food here for many years. Maria’s Symi Shrimp Risotto and her Vegetarian Moussaka are second to none.
Going back to the main alley you will see a big tree that forces the alley to fork. In the centre of the fork is Rob’s 404 Bar. Rob is a favourite with many regular visitors despite his bar being tiny, if you are missing your football hit while you are on holiday, Rob’s is the bar to visit. He also makes the best G&Ts in Lindos.
Just past Rob’s bar in an alley on the right is Crazy Moon. Owned and run by brothers Nikos & Markos, Crazy Moon is fast becoming one of the most popular night time haunts for visitors and residents. Markos trained as a cocktail tender in New York and specialises in making his own superb concoctions – just be careful when leaving at the end of the night. Porn Star Martinis are too easily drinkable and they go straight to your feet when you finally stand up!
Going back on to the main alley take the next left to get down to St Paul’s Bay. St Paul’s has two beaches and is so called because local legend has it that this bay was the first place in Europe that the Apostle Paul stood on solid ground. The larger of the two bays hosts the chapel where many Greek and foreign weddings take place.
At the very top of the village is Agostino’s. The food is good Greek at its simple best, my favourite being the Baked Lamb with Rosemary Sauce. While the views are fabulous be aware that this is also one of the windiest restaurants in the village, though it does have the added advantage of being very near to Stavri Square and parking.
If you have any favourite Lindos experiences, food or otherwise, we would love to hear them.
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