Family owned for over 20 years Bella Vista is supplied by sea via a small harbour half a mile south of Emerald Bay by its rickety vehicle that’s never left the Island from the day it first arrived. Every day it climbs a well worn track out of site from Emerald Bay.

For the visitor white steps can be found leading up to Bella Vista taverna from Emerald Bay itself. Numerous hand made signed strategically placed along its path (amongst the trees) invites the visitor to climb even further to reach this spectacular view.

Sitting at our table we couldn’t help notice how quite and cool it was up here. An oasis of relief ‘as I described it to Cristina’ sitting under our bamboo shelter sipping our diet coke’s it’s very easy to let the mid-afternoon drift by, whilst the activity below went on in silence. This is by far the best place to take in the vivid colours of Emerald Bay.

Touristic hippies like us can be seen strolling up and down the beach in quite contemplation, an afternoon walk along the beach is a regular route that the sunbather frequently uses to cool themselves in the breeze. Far out to sea day tripper boats can be seen coming in through the haze from Paxos, silent on their motion only there ‘V’ shaped wake on a mirror sea indicates there direction of travel.

Looking around local wine made on Anti Paxos is proudly displayed on the bar next to the till. Its a quiet place a sanctuary of stillness, the ideal place to contemplate your thoughts as everyone else is down on the beach. We found ourselves simply buying drink after drink on top of the mezes, simply to sit in our perfect spot overlooking the bay. Every so often we’d get up and take another photo trying to improve on the last.

In front of the taverna is a little courtyard in the sun with a small Greek Windmill and a 3 blade propeller from an old World War 1 bi-plane we were told. It was here we found the old grandfather sitting in the shade pealing his potatoes surrounded by cats.

If there’s a place I’d recommend for taking very good photos in Greece. Emerald Bay on Anti Paxos is very hard to beat.

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