The island of Astypalea is a rocky outcrop in an azure Aegean sea. It is so rocky and barren that it’s a wonder anything grows here. But it does. Beside the cottage that we’ve been staying in this week, there is a productive garden in which there are grape vines, pomegranate trees, tomato bushes, fig trees and some flowers. Our Greek neighbour came into the garden two nights ago to harvest some of the fruit and very generously gave us a pomegranate, some tomatoes and grapes and a fig. There are farms on the island, which we’ve seen on our travels around it on our rented scooter. They look completely barren except for bee hives, goats and olive groves.

The appeal of this island for tourists is easy to see. There are many beautiful beaches with shady trees and amazingly clear, blue water for swimming. There are also myriad tavernas, some of which set their tables and chairs in the sand right on the beach, and interesting little shops and cafes in the main settlement of Chora. There are only just over 1000 permanent inhabitants and no harbour big enough for cruise ships, which makes it an ‘unspoilt’ Greek island, unlike Mykonos or Santorini. However, with falling amounts of rainfall due to climate change, water may soon become an issue and there is talk of establishing a desalination plant, though that is costly.

At the highest point on the island are the remains of a Venetian fortress, built in the 15th century as protection against pirates who terrorised the Mediterranean. A huge earthquake in 1956 brought much of the fortress down and there are still areas cordoned off because they are dangerous. There are two churches on the site, picturesque in their whitewash with blue trim and bells that chime in the wind.

Our cottage has a courtyard complete with olive tree and the remains of the well and outside oven that would have served the original house. We’ve enjoyed eating our breakfast out there when there is still enough shade to keep us cool and then again in the evenings as the sun is losing its heat and the shadows lengthen. Our days on this idyllic island have been spent exploring on the scooter and finding unbelievably beautiful beaches, where we can swim and lie the shade to dry off and doze. It will be hard to leave and return to a New Zealand winter. But it will be good to be home!