Patras.
Kato Rodini – Agamemnonos
18th – 20th September
We arrived at the port of Patras, it was such an easy drive off, the total opposite of our experience on embarking at Ancona. Five minutes and we were on the main road to Kato Rodini, Agamemnonos. Our next stop over. Only 15km drive away from Patras port, about 20 minutes, this time for two nights.
Teatro luxury rooms. 😊
What a little Gem of a find this turned out to be.
Family owned for several generations, only five double bedrooms all with en-suites overlooking a vine covered restaurant, with the waves lapping back & forth a perfect location right on the waters edge, with its own little beach area for guests to use.
We were quite late arriving, which wasn’t a problem for Angela & her brother Dimitri, who very kindly greeted us, then Dimitri showed us to our room. Nicely decorated, clean & modern, well equipped, with a lovely shower room.
Our car parked within view of the restaurant and our balcony too, so easy access for any extras we needed. We left our small cases in the room and headed straight for the restaurant; the menu full of wonderful traditional Greek delights. A lovely first evening chatting with our hosts who both spoke perfect English. They were shocked that we had driven all the way from good old blighty. The next morning, we had a yummy greek breakfast with views overlooking the gulf of Patras. Now full, we took a stroll to the nearest village Psathopyrgos, a quaint little place where local people were fishing and generally relaxing in the few café/restaurants along the water front.
Somewhat deserted, we were told it was much busier last month before the children had returned to school. This area is a popular destination with Athenians taking a break from the Acropolis’s heat and being only two hours’ drive away a perfect retreat. We weren’t complaining we liked the deserted feeling and as we were heading to Athens ourselves within a day or two, we lapped up the serenity and quietness of the area. Figs, lemon trees and grape vines in every garden, we envied their location and ability to grow such wonderful produce in this sunshine drenched place.
It turned out Angela & Dimitri’s parents also helped with the family business, their lovely mother the chef/cook and their father the fisherman, every day leaving early on his little boat, in order to supply the fish and calamari we would eat in the evenings. Food really doesn’t get any better than this. We even had the pleasure of sharing a lunch, which had been prepared exclusively for their father, however, once we inquired to what he was eating we were promptly brought our own plates, piping hot lentil casserole served with fresh crusty bread and local pickled sardines, which was customary to eat with this dish. The family’s own wine in a half carafe to accompany the meal. We didn’t really want to look at the menu anymore, as good as it was, I was happy to just eat whatever Yaya was cooking. That same evening, we shared a large fish caught that morning by Papou with a couple from Germany, who were having a similar break as us.
They had also driven from their home, but in a VW camper van, fully equipped and with their bicycles for an off-road experience to boot. Great company and conversation, we compared our holidays so far and chatted again about all the doom and gloom of the world we found ourselves in, whilst consuming Angela’s family home-made wine which seemed to take the edge off it all.
So to recap, two full days relaxing, walking a little, making new friends, but mainly eating & drinking, who needs to be on a diet anyway.
