Island house for rent on Leros

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These photos (c) Pekka Ala-Aho, photographer/happy renter

This is my house on Leros, situated in the middle of the oldest part of a quiet, typically Greek island village – Platanos. It's centrally located on the island, right under the Kastro. It is for rent for most of the year.

PRICES
All prices include cleaning charges, electricity, water, use of the washing machine and internet.

March: 300€ per week
April-May: 400€ per week
June: 500€ per week
July-August: 600€ per week
September: 500€ per week
October: 400€ per week
November: 300€ per week

Prices per day or per month can be discussed
Winter season: 200 euros per week / 400 euros a month

My caretaker on Leros or I will be there to welcome you, to show you the house and to address any question you may have during your stay.

The house was built around 1900. I bought it in 2004 from a kind Lerian family, and renovated it with their help in 2004-2005. I took care to respect its traditional island architecture, removing some kitschy extensions built to the house in the 1960s. The most recent maintenance work was done in the autumn of 2010.
Since summer 2005 I have been renting it out to guests from all over Europe.

The house is ideal for a couple or a couple with 1 or 2 small children. It is equipped with all modern facilities. This site aims to give you all the details about the house.

Interested? Want to know more? Please contact me at ruardw@hotmail.com

Hope to see you on Leros!

Ruard Wallis de Vries

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General information about the house

The house consists of 2 floors plus a courtyard and a balcony with sea view. The total surface of both floors is 78m2. Total surface of balcony and courtyard: 15m2.

The house was renovated during 2004-2005. It was newly painted inside and outside. Electricity and water have been reconnected. And if you bring your laptop you can pick up the unsecured wireless signal from the nearby internet café: free internet.

Bed sheets, pillow cases, blankets and towels are present. The house will be cleaned before and after your arrival.

The ground floor

The outside door gives entry to a courtyard of approximately 6m2, which has a tiled floor. There is a small tap, immediately next to the kitchen. The wall around it is around 1 meter high (3ft), but nobody can look inside, as the "stair street" along the house is at a much lower level.

On both sides of the stair street, just in front of the house, there are various plants which belong to the house: nightflowers, grapes, cactuses etc.

Through the courtyard, you either reach the kitchen, the bedroom and bathroom on ground level, or you take the stairs to the upper floor.

The kitchen :

The kitchen with original marble sink

The kitchen block is plm. 2 metres broad and has an old marble kitchen sink. There is a small kitchen boiler which provides cold and warm water. The window above the sink overlooks the town of Platanos, a second window has a view to the courtyard. A third small window is in connection with the bedroom. The kitchen cupboards are newly made, and contain all the necessary cleaning equipment.

Facilities:
* An iron and an ironing board
* Fridge (1 meter high) with freezer
* An electric grill / oven, with 3 electric cooking plates (2 big, 1 small)
* 2 casseroles, 1 frying pan
* a small wooden table, with on it: cafetiere, water heater, coffee and tea.
* 1 camping gaz, matches, lighter.
* Kitchen utensils of various kinds.
* cutlery, plates, cups, mugs, glasses, bowls (enough for at least 4 people).
* A tray, cafe style

View from the new kitchen window

Bedroom downstairs

You enter the bedroom through the courtyard. Inside, there is a double bed, a wooden traditional cupboard and a newly upholstered sofa. The floor is tiled, the walls and wooden ceiling have been newly painted (white walls, blue beams). The room is around 8 M2 large and is cool in the summer and warm in the autumn/winter, because of the thick, isolating walls. In case that is not sufficient, there's a fan and a heater present.

Bathroom

The bathroom is spacious (6m2) and has been newly renovated. All facilities and the tiles are new. There is a shower, a WC and a wash basin with mirror. A large cupboard has been built in, with ample room to store your suitcases, your clothes and other belongings.

The bathroom

There is also a washing machine.

The courtyard

The upper floor

Taking the outdoor stairs, you arrive at the upper floor, consisting of 2 rooms inside AND a balcony with an amazing view over the village of Platanos, the port of Panteli and the sea towards the neigbouring island Kalymnos.

The view from the terrace, in spring

The rooms upstairs - the living room

Photos from the living room, from left to right

The room upstairs is fully furnished, and can be used as a living room. There is a large desk, a wooden cupboard with a glass top (stacked with novels, many of them in English), a comfortable sofa and various chairs. The two windows and double door provide ample light. There is a single bed as well, which can serve as a second sofa. There are charming interior windows between the living room and the small bedroom.

The bedroom

A peep into the bedroom upstairs - currently there's a double bed here.

Next to the living room is a small bedroom, with a double bed in it. This bedroom has one window and a traditional glass cupboard built into the wall.

PRICES

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All prices include cleaning charges.

March: 300€ per week
April-May: 400€ per week
June: 500€ per week
July-August: 600€ per week
September: 500€ per week
October: 400€ per week
November: 300€ per week

Prices per day or per month can be discussed
Winter season: 200 euros per week / 400 euros a month

Contact

For more information, please mail to: ruardw@hotmail.com

Combining Leros and Samos

Thinking of combining Leros with a stay on another island? I also own a house on Samos. Samos and Leros make a very good pair, as they are quite different from each other and show two sides of the Greek islands both very much worth exploring. Where Leros is small and can practically be discovered on foot, Samos is one of the bigger Greek islands, where you can spend hours driving through mountainous landscapes. Leros is more "postcard pretty", while Samos is the greener island, with amazing hiking opportunities. There are similarities too, of course. For instance, both have great beaches and tavernas.

It takes 2 hours to get from one island to the other by Flying Dolphin (the fast hydrofoil ferries). But the recommended option is to take the slow ferry Nisos Kalymnos, which takes you on a 6-hour island-hopping joyride, calling at Lipsi, Patmos, Arki and Agathonisi.

Samos has direct flight connections to most European countries from May to October.

Surroundings - Practicalities

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Surroundings

The house (red dot) is situated between the two small ports of Agia Marina (forefront) and Panteli (in the back)

The house is situated in an old, authentic neighbourhood in the middle of the main village of Leros: Platanos. To get to the house, take the direction up to the ‘Kastro’ (the fortress high on the hill). From the village square, it is around 35 steps up to the house, a distance of about 100 metres. So you cannot park your car or moped in front (there is a paking nearby), and it takes a little effort to get your luggage to the house. The advantage is immeasurable: it is very quiet around the house – only pedestrians and mules pass the house.

Platanos

You’ll find all sorts of shops around Platanos square (the “platía”). A supermarket, a bank (with ATM), a post office, a bakery, a grocer’s, a photo shop, a kiosk… they are all near by, as well as a string of cafés and Michalis’ world-famous souvlaki shop. The taxi stand and the bus stop are around the corner. There’s a public card phone on the square - and by the way, foreign mobile phones work fine on Leros.

At about 250 meters from the house, you can visit a swimming pool during the season, at the roof terrace of Hotel Eleftheria. Use of the swimming pool is free, but you are expected to order at least one drink per person at the poolside bar.

Platanos Square (Platía)

The house is situated between two authentic, pleasant small ports: Panteli and Agia Marina. At Agia Marina (10 minutes on foot from the house), ferries from and to Kos, Kalymnos, Lipsi and Patmos call regularly, and a handful of excursion boats make day trips from here (do not miss out on Patmos, at 1 - 2 hour from Leros). The port is lined with a number of excellent cafés and tavernas. There is a small beach where tamarisk trees provide shade - at least those not cut short in 2007. At the far end of Agia Marina, near the lighthouse, there’s an excellent music bar, next to the ruins of a Byzantine fortress.

In Agia Marina you will find all sorts of shops : souvenir shops, kiosks, a number of sweet-shops, an internet café, a travel agent, a car rental, a super market, etc. etc. Café-Taverna Glaros is the place to be. Walking down from the house to Agia Marina, don't miss the Picture Gallery calles 'Maria K'. The worthwhile Archaeological Museum is also nearby.

Panteli (also at 10 minutes on foot) is like the slightly noisier and more holiday-like mirror image of Agia Marina. There's a mix of local fishermen, tourists and expats out and about. The beach is very good but a bit crammy, situated partly in the open, partly in the port. The view to the Kastro, the row of 6 old mills ànd to the house is simply marvellous. Panteli boasts half a dozen of tavernas on the beach, (try 'O Patimenos' or 'Zorbas', they hardly ever disappoint). There’s also the 'Savannah', a good music bar staying open until late.

Continuing south from Panteli for another 10 minutes on foot, you arrive at Vromolithos. Although this means “Dirty Stone”, it has a row of 3 beautiful and clean beaches. For more secluded beaches, Merikia in the west and Blefouti in the north are the places to be (though not in August, when Greek holidaymakers all arrive at once. You’ll find the best sandy beach at Gourna, on the west side of the island. Nearby is the islet of Agios Isidoros, on which a small church is built. You can reach it via a promontory, if the waves are not too high. The best spot to see the sunset!

Alinda is the island’s tourist centre, but there’s no need to panic: apart from a small concentration of hotels, rent-a-bike’s and tavernas, tourism has not left its mark on Leros. Alinda has various pleasant enough coves, and plenty of opportunities to eat by the seaside. The best is at the far end of the seaside road: 'To Bareladiko'.

Gourna beach, in the west.

Near Alinda

View to Alinda

How to get there

Fly to Leros

It is possible to fly to Leros, but only through Athens with Olympic Airlines (duration: 50 minutes). Check here for the latest flight schedules of Olympic. From many European countries, you can book an Olympic Airlines ticket to Leros and back. Another option is to take a cheap flight to Athens, and to buy a return ticket Athens - Leros from there.

A return ticket Athens-Leros is currently going at 110 euro pp, but the offer is limited. A taxi from tiny Leros Airport to the house is around 10 euro.

And for the adventurous... Nightboats from Pireus to Leros leave 4-6 nights per week – vice versa too. It is recommended to take a cabin, or else to bring a good sleeping bag. Blue Star Ferries offer the best services here.

The port of Lakki, where the ferries dock. The Kastro and the windmills are in the background

Charters in the season

From mid-April, you can also take a charter flight to Kos or Samos, and take a ferry from there to Leros. From Kos it takes a little over an hour, from Samos it’s somewhat longer (all this by hydrofoil ('Flying Dolphin') - slow boats may take you between 2 and 6 hours). Boats dock in Leros either at Lakki or at Agia Marina. A taxi to the house is around 4 – 8 euro.

Weblinks

A friendly, informative page about Leros:

A new, fancy page about Leros.

More questions? Do not hesitate to contact me at ruardw@hotmail.com

Geia sas!
Ruard