The Olive Press

Set into the hillside overlooking the Kouloura peninsula, this lovely old building has been given a new, and very different, lease of life, transformed from its rustic olive-press origins into a chic and contemporary holiday home. Restored with empathy and imagination, the stone walls are still exposed and high timber ceilings have not been lowered, but air conditioning and underfloor heating are unobtrusive additions, a bathroom and a shower room blend function with form and character, and, with the mill stone now removed to form a feature in the garden, the ground floor is a huge living space with kitchen and dining areas, stylish sofas, a sizeable plasma TV, a wood burning stove and, as a wonderfully quirky extra, an indoor Jacuzzi.Outside, among several spots to wine, dine or unwind, there are loungers and a bistro table for two beside the pool, which is lit for a midnight dip; a hammock hangs between the trees, a big pergola has bench seating piled with cushions, and al fresco dining comes with a built-in barbecue. Just 1km from the coast below, the villa is 3km from shops in Sinies, and just 3km from the nearest beach at Kouloura.