Hi, Here is a little intro to everyone coming to Epidavros and everyone already living here that will be at the party on Saturday night. Excuse any mistakes – my memory is understandably now letting me down. Also, let me know if you want anything changed (quickly!) or a useful link adding…

 Do your revision and see how many you can talk to this week – that’s the idea!

Meeting new people, making new friends!

Coming to Epidavros

Helen

We went on a date 3 days before my 30th birthday – she refused to come to that party, so I married her so at least one person would come to this one.

Richard

We met in a dodgy pub venue when I managed bands and Richard liked the band. Turned out we both liked West Ham, so had to be friends for life – that’s what West Ham fans are like. He came to our wedding in 1994 and told me he was leaving his record company job to start an internet agency. I asked him what the internet was? Now founded and running twickets.com

Amanda

Married to Richard – they’ve been together since university. Worked in advertising but now busier than Richard no doubt, looking after their two kids and 1 dog. Son Eric is in a new band starting to do well – check them out.

https://thedailymusicreport.com/music-news-releases/oslo-twins-miss-yesterday-05182023/

Sandra

My sister Sandra, born 6 years after me, after Mum persuaded Dad they ‘should have a third’. Can now do the splits at 53 – ask her to show you :) and about to do a yoga leaders course in Bali.

Steve

Sandra’s husband – fireman Steve. Currently loving hiking and telling people with broken ribs ‘You certainly haven’t broken anything’.

Louise

Second daughter of Sandra and Seve, oldest daughter is currently flying around the world as a BA cabin crew. Louise has just finished studying fashion and textile design and starting a BA degree in costume for screen and theatre at UAL Wimbledon Uni - so if anyone knows of any part-time jobs going around Wimbledon or Tooting area from September please let her know.

James

Third child, first son of Sandra and Steve! Used to be a teenage chess champion - until he got bored with beating everyone. Feel free to challenge him - but don’t bet on yourself to win.

Sue

My sister Sue, born soon after me, has three kids, currently zero husbands and is a specialist nurse – possibly works harder than anyone else here then.

Jane & Jon Bell.

Jane and Jon were both called Bell before and after they got married. Both work on the money side of the NHS. I’m sure they really love Rishi’s new staffing ideas as they love everything else the Tories have done to the NHS. Anyway, back to Jane and Jon… I persuaded Jon, much to his regret and Jane’s bemusement for Jon to cycle over the Pyrenees. He can’t stop thanking me.

Hugo & Gina

Gina and Hugo have 4 children – all similar ages to our four, avoiding them became impossible and so we decided to become friends to avoid the uncomfortableness. Gina is always caring for others but prefers dogs to humans (Helen said that!) and Hugo is always doing something at his desk. Hugo did the Pyrenees ride with me and Jon. I wouldn’t want to race him if he took it seriously.

Gordon

Spent about 17 years persuading our kids to play PlayStation as opposed to X-box. Liverpool supporter apparently! Now, manages payments systems for games companies while watching Sandi take down their farm stables with a pick axe.

Sandi

Married to Gordon. Brilliant photographer and home renovator. Recently bought an old farm in the Lake District and between taking photos, turning it into an amazing farm in the Lake District.

Paul

Our kids were in a band together and then we bumped into each other at a Suede gig. All was looking good…and then it turned out he supported Wolves. When he’s not trolling me with football scores, helps restaurants find the best place to open up. We were meant to go to Cuba together this year but the airline went bust so we started our 60th celebrations with a week on tequila in Mexico instead – maybe that’s why I crashed.

Sonia

Married to Paul. Used to work for BA and now https://www.airtransat.com/. See you’d never heard of them, and now you have and now you’ll fly with them.

Mike

Mike loves rugby and a party, ideally simultaneously. Ask him about Helen’s 50th where for the only time in his life he did combine them. Owns a beautiful cottage in the middle of nowhere in Wales, It’s sometimes available for the ultimate weekend away. Ask him or Vicky for a good deal https://abnb.me/dMiAaNVf7Ab

Vicky

Married to Mike. Runs after-school classes to provide support for children in their emotional development. http://www.best4learning.co.uk/ runs on pavements and hikes up mountains when not doing the above. Spends more time at their cottage than Mike does

Catharina

Catharina was just another mum of kids who are the same age as ours and then she became a vicar and the earth moved – from west London to Maidstone - where her first parish is. https://stmarksgillingham.org/Articles/639839/New_Vicar_for.aspx

Per

Married to Catharina. Per had the best party we’ve been to for years – in fact I think it was his 40th or 50th – so a lot of years. Karaoke on a big stage in a big venue – but with a live backing band :) You know you have friends where you don’t know exactly what they do for a living – Per is one of those friends…something to do with pharmaceutical science, I think. Per and Catharina are Swedish so they won the fancy dress at last year’s Abba trip and can ski better than most people I know.

Joel

Per and Catharina’s youngest, in the same year as Audrey – they’ve both just finished the music tech A level course.

Fridolf

In the same year as Bob at school. Whereas Bob left Uni after a year Fridolf has just graduated with a master’s in engineering. Does some DJ’ing – not sure what the latest dance music style is he DJs in – so I’ll stop short of embarrassing myself by trying to guess.

Emma,

Per and Catherina’s daughter. In the same year as Rose at school. Together with Scarlett who is also here, the three girls have just spent a week on holiday in Montenegro. Nice.

Deborah

I can’t recall how I first met Deborah, but she’s always there, always with a drink in her hand and always laughing – luckily, we’ve got a lock on the toilet door.

Bryony

Owns/runs a https://steppingstonesw12.co.uk/ nursery in West London. Which no doubt has some well-known parents that we’re not allowed to talk about. Helen worked there until they sacked her for spending all day looking at her mobile for Declan Rice to Arsenal news.

Mark

Husband of Bryony. Also owns the nursery (so he claims) but mainly, like me, travels back and forth to/from Greece as they have also bought a place here – 30 miles away in Porto Helli. Sometimes available for holiday lets https://villajanet.com/

Sue

Sue worked at EMI with Helen and was one of my marketing agency clients. One of the most enthusiastic people I know for living their best life. Posts amazing nature shots online most days. Lives in Rickmansworth and currently working at Soil Association owned https://woodoaksfarm.com/, a farm with a brewery and coffee shop - the perfect combination.

Adrian

Husband of Sue. They have a dog called ‘Kalli’, which is Helen’s maiden name - small world. I haven’t seen Adrian for a while so I asked Sue what he is up to “Last time I saw him he was dressed as Jimi Hendrix but mostly you’ll find him on a bike or tinkering with his classic car. Sorry … hungover not feeling very creative.”

Dom

Dom was a top director at a magazine publisher but for some reason jacked that in to come and work with me at Comic Relief. We had the best laughs before he jacked that in to start and sell https://prezola.com/ a wedding gift list website and thus had the last laugh to himself.

Alison

Married to Dom. She created her own homeware brand within Prezola. Helen loves being invited to their increasingly slightly larger houses so she can reveal in some real style for a while. We haven’t been invited though since I crashed my bike on the way there and had to be wrapped in gauze to stop me bleeding over the entire house. https://www.instagram.com/alibeaven/?hl=en

Molly

Our daughter No. 1. Living her best life in Brighton, while working out what she really wants to do or where she wants to live, that doesn’t involve ‘working for the man’. 

Richard

Molly’s boyfriend. Being entrepreneurial in setting himself up as a certified Qigong instructor. https://www.instagram.com/thekindwarrior/?hl=en

Rose

Our daughter No.2. Likes jazz, West Ham and doing a course on music business at Leeds University. Don’t know where she gets any of that from.

Sachin

Rose’s boyfriend. A cricket fan/drummer (I like to think jazz drummer), doing a drumming course at Manchester Uni and playing live whenever he can.

Audrey

Our daughter 3. Awaiting A Level results with the hope of studying maths at Manchester University. Of all the people named Ward, she is no doubt the one with the brain. Currently speaking more Greek than Helen.

Manuel

Audrey’s boyfriend. Just got into the Royal Academy of Music to study guitar (jazz hopefully!) They have only one place per year, and he got offered it. So, he’s good.

Tony

I think I originally met Tony on a bike, luckily not a tandem. Although we now also share a season ticket at Brentford FC (so that me and Helen can watch west ham and Arsenal and tony can hope to one day see Bradford there).

Alex

Married to Tony. As far as I can see Alex is always trying to help something happen in the local community. We last saw her volunteering at Acton’s new independent/community cinema :)

Hillary

Hillary’s boys went to school with Bob. We both used to read in school when they were about 5 years old I think! Hillary is an artist.

Bob

Son 1, West Ham supporter, Star Wars fan, movie buff, does movie marketing job. Are all children like their parents?

Hannah

Bob’s girlfriend. A teacher, she’s just spent a year at Cambridge University doing something intelligent which for us culminated in seeing Bob wearing a suit, so that he could accompany her to her summer ball.

Linda

When I was a kid managing bands, one of them got signed by a record label with only two people working there – Linda was one of those two. She has more recently been working at Twyford school, so with the number of ex-pupils and parents here, this weekend is probably not going to amount to much of a holiday.

Nick

Linda’s husband. Works in the music business. I think I tried to get him to sign my bands but he signed EMF instead. Now bought an old hut on a deserted British beach and turning it into an amazing cabin. Also likes cycling. Unbelievable.

Sian

Sian has a ‘place’ in Morzine and supports Spurs. One of those is a really brilliant thing…

Suzanne 35

From Liverpool, ended up in Shepherds Bush, has three boys – most of them seemed to end up going to school with Molly and Bob. Retired them from school and wisely went back to Liverpool. Supports Liverpool FC.

Greg

My cousin, born 8 days before me and I’ve felt has always looked his age. Just actually ‘retired’. He is to rowing, what I am to cycling – an old man doing something more often than they wisely should

Janine

Married to Greg, also just retired so that she now has a full 40 hours a week to live life to the full – and not just cramming it in at weekends and evenings, as she was.

Greg & Janine are arriving fashionably late, after the weekend, so will only meet the stragglers.

Lives in Epidavros

Dimitris

Dimitris was the first friend I made in Epidavros, after cycling 9 miles to the Amphitheatre at 10pm at night to see him in rehearsal :) Nicest guy, who knows everything about Epidavros and everyone in it. He will be guiding us on a walk while we’re all here.

Christos

Dimitris’s brother. They live opposite each other but can be found most afternoons sharing their lunch and wine with any passing friends.

Rob

Rob cycled to Epidavros from Britain about 50 years ago - a long ride and a long story – ask him about it :) Great musician and a great bloke. Was in a prog rock band called England https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England_(band)

Arthur & Ira

Our Russian neighbours. Arthur was trying to help us do a deal to get the house before we’d even stepped through the door. He’s written a book about his own experiences about moving here. My big fat Greek odyssey https://amzn.eu/d/e3LXFkk. Ira still works in Moscow but is very understandably spending more and more time here. Arthur used to be the Spanish translator for Russia in Cuba – which means he has some very, very, interesting stories.

George

George has three jobs – one for each season. Leaving one season for travelling around the world – he grows clementines and sells them abroad, He is a fisherman, and he manages people’s marble. A great guy.. and single :)

Vicky & James

Vicky’s mother bought a place here, so she has been coming her whole life, together with James they had a video production company before they thought ‘sod that’ and set up a dive boat/school here in Epidavros. https://www.scubabluedream.com/

Panos

Panos is a local teacher but also a cyclist, so within the Epidavros Cycling Club he is known as ‘The Teacher’. A really great guy. We come from very different backgrounds but we share very likeminded thoughts.

Gerard + 1

Gerard I think is French, but spent most of his life being a very successful businessman in Switzerland and then like us discovered and fell in love with Epidavros. Gerard set up and runs  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064875521016 to promote the best of Epidavros tourism to the world.

Roula & George

Roula and George own and run Bekas olive oil press, that we take guests to. Roula knows more about the health benefits of a Mediterranean diet than anyone I know, whilst I think of George as the ultimate man - a good bloke who spends most of his life outdoors! https://www.bekasoliveoil.gr/en/

Rupert & Anthony

When we first came here with ‘A place in the sun’. It was lockdown and there were no other tourists here – apart from Rupert and Anthony . The first time we met them, we left completely pissed four hours later. Be careful! They have a garden in the UK, that people pay to look around!

Marina

Marina is Greek but spends half her life working for IBM in Switzerland and the other half cycling past me to the beach the other side of the village, to get the last rays of sun each day.

Bill & Eljona.

When you buy a place in Greece, you generally inherit a caretaker/gardener. Bil is ours. But you soon find out they are much more than that. We’ve ended up entirely depending on Bil and he has helped us over every hurdle.

Stewart & Frederica

Our neighbours. A unique couple, with two dogs, they seem to have spent their whole life together. I’ll let you find out more about them yourself. :)

Mary

The last, but not least of our three neighbours. Neighbour Arthur described Mary in his book as a ‘kindhearted Mother Teresa’ – says it all.

Talk to them all!

Chris x

Bringing all our friends together - on a beach, in 30 degrees :)

Thanks very very much for considering coming to Greece and joining in the fun…

We are having a Greek Festival every day of the fortnight and a big party over the weekend of July 7/8/9th. They’ll be trips to ancient sites and islands, plenty of beach/bar time and lots of long nights out in the beach restaurants - but mainly we would love to bring all our like-minded friends together - while we are all fit and healthy! And introduce you all to each other – on a beach in 30 degrees :) - and see what positivity can come out of it!

See ‘Outdoor activities’ for everything you can do here and the islands and sites you can visit.

Ideally, part of your stay will coincide with the middle party weekend!

So far, there are about 60 people coming. Many are staying for a whole week - starting or ending with the main weekend - and some are coming for 5 days over the weekend.

most important thing is to book some accommodation.

We hope you find Palaia Epidavros as special as we do. It has managed to avoid becoming a mass tourism destination because every Friday/Saturday in the Summer there is a major theatre performance in the Amphitheatre to 14,000 people. So, Epidavros has developed into a ‘weekend retreat’ for Athenians who book all the hotels for Friday/Saturday, as soon as the performances are announced (as well as all the actors and production team) - which means come the summer it’s very difficult to book a week in Epidavros.

So, we recommend booking accommodation early for your trip. Below are our recommendations. We actually live in the Yialasi suburb of Epidavros and all our beach activity will be there. It is a 20-30 minute beach walk to/from town from there (or most often someone drives!). You can obviously stay in Epidavros Port or in Yialasi area.

A place inside the circle is 5–10-minute walk of our villa and the beach bar where we’ll be mainly hanging out.

RECOMMENDED ACCOMMODATION

Unfortunately, our villa is full with family.

Airbnb

There are a lot of Airbnb’s in Epidavros, of all prices and facilities. The link shows just a sample. Maybe good to get a few people together and share 2-3-4 bedroom place.

Booking.com

Also, a good place to check out, as in Europe, everyone who puts a property on Airbnb, also puts it on Booking.com. There are rooms from £25 a night upwards.

Talk to Chris about any of the following that we know and have used before and we’ll see what best prices we can confirm.

Recommended in the circle…

Hotel Yialasi

4-star hotel with pool and great views

About £90 a night.

Full up now unfortunately

Villa Irini

Our direct next-door neighbours rented 2-bedroom villa /apartment.

Moura

3-star hotel

The best local beachfront restaurant and private beach.

About £80 per night.

Apollon Hotel

2-star hotel

About £77 per night for double

On the beach in front of the hotel

Home of the 24-hour beach bar we’ll all be frequenting.

Bekas Camping

Brilliant beachfront campsite right in front of our villa.

Euro travellers have discovered it in their camper vans.

From about £18 per night for tent / 2-people.

Angelica Villas

The villa below us, between us and the sea.

From about £60 - £110 a night.

Desa Green Homes

Amazing ‘green’ villa complex, good position, near us.

About £225 a night - for 2-3 bedrooms, sleeping 4-5.

In Epidavros Town

These are the three hotels/taverners right on the seafront and beach in the port.

We often eat at the restaurants they have.

Hotel Mike

From £40-£70 per night.

Poseidon Hotel

Next to Hotel Mike, about the same price

Binji Hotel

Around the corner from the port, overlooking a secluded beach.

GETTING HERE AND AWAY

At the moment flights are from about £200 return! So, might be worth booking early. It certainly won’t be cheaper than this in July. We use Kayak as an aggregator of best prices.

By far the easiest way is the two hours by car hire from Athens airport (or 90 minutes from Athens itself). We will set up a car share thing, so every car can be full and costs shared.

You can also get a train halfway - direct from the airport – and can arrange a taxi pick-up.

The fun way in is from Piraeus by boat to Poros Island – and taxi pick-up for the 40km ride from there.

call us

If there is anything you need or information about the local area please call or message Chris on 0044 7932 746 591 / chris@chrisward.cc.

IF YOU WANT TO STAY LONGER…THE SURROUNDING PELOPONNESE

The Peloponnese is the authentic Greece - still largely undiscovered by mass tourism, even though it contains some of the best beaches, picture postcard villages and most important historical sites in the whole of Greece.

You could tie in your stay with us with any of the following…

The Athens/Epidavros Festival of culture

Epidavros is a key cultural centre of Greece and many Athenians visit – most often to attend plays, Greek tragedies, operas etc held each summer in the 14,000 seated, Epidavros Amphitheatre – the most famous feature of Epidavros. We will arrange a group visit for those who want to go on Friday 7th July Official programme website

Tour the Peloponnese

…and visit ancient remains, romantic islands and the sites of legendary stories - Olympia, Sparta, Monmevasa, Mycenae, Nemea, Messene, Mystras, Kalamata, Corinth canal.

Few areas in Greece are quite as geographically diverse and archaeologically rich as the Peloponnese. The southernmost part of mainland Greece, the Peloponnese is a self-contained peninsula separated from mainland Greece by the man-made Corinth Canal. For example, there are five UNESCO sites in the Peloponnese alone! - The Archaeological Sites of Mycenae and Tiryns, the Sanctuary of Asklepios at Epidaurus, the Archaeological Site of Olympia, the Archaeological Site of Mystras, and the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae. A good starter guide

Tie in with an Island holiday

The Peloponnese is surrounded by famous and secret paradise islands, that you can drive to from our villa and then either take a car across the short ferry trip or leave in a safe car park while you spend time on the island.

• Hydra / Spetses / Poros

The three amazing islands closest to the villa and that we often visit with guests – either by car or by bike. They all deserve longer stays than one day though.

• Kythira

A secret paradise, Kythira is an island lying opposite the south-eastern tip of the Peloponnese. It is the island of celestial Venus and Love with the wonderful natural environment of beautiful beaches with blue water, authentic villages and impressive historical monuments. 

• Kefalonia

A ferry ride off the west side of the Peloponnese is the exotic Kefalonia island, the largest and one of the most beautiful Greek islands of the Ionian group. You’ve probably already seen Kefalonia island on pictures, postcards and in movies – so now it could be time to have a break there.

Walk Greece’s main Hiking trail.

The Menalon Trail - the first certified trail in Greece. 75 km of nature and beauty are waiting for you to "spend" your time and "earn" unforgettable moments from the one of the most highly rated trails of Europe. Visit the website to see and learn about the region, the villages and the flora and fauna of The Menalon Trail.

Visit Athens

Athens’s attractions are obvious and if you haven’t been or haven’t been since the start of an island-hopping adventure as a student, then it’s certainly worth another visit, on your way from/to the airport perhaps.

Visit any island from Athens

Pireaus is still the start point for island hopping. You can get there directly by boat from Poros (25 miles down the coast from us) and then head off to the likes of Mykonos, Santorini and Crete.

The best guidebook

This is the best guidebook for Epidavros and the whole Peloponnese. We have one at the Villa but if you want to read up before you come – this is the book to get. On Amazon

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