The Perfect Family Getaway: Villa Allegra, Zakynthos – Review

Close to the fabled Peligoni Club on Zakynthos, Villa Allegra is a happy place indeed, says Alex McIntosh.

Review: Villa Allegra, Zakynthos, Greece

The rural hilltop villages, turquoise coves and secret caves of Northern Zakynthos are a far cry from the bars and bravado of Laganas and Kalamaki in the south. Here you find a Greek island escape that really feels like escaping.

For more than 30 years, among the rugged beauty of this landscape, The Peligoni Club, a barefoot retreat near the small town of Agios Nikolaos, has been welcoming guests and redefining family holidays. Perched on a rocky outcropping, the club specialises in water sports, wellness and culinary creativity, and it also boasts a kids’ club for all ages. Previous holiday childcare experiences will pale in comparison. 

Credit: Kerry Dean

With an inevitably packed daily itinerary, you may be tempted to see your accommodation as little more than a crash pad for exhausted adults and offspring at the end of epic days on the water. However, Peligoni’s villa portfolio – under its own company Indigo Rock – warrants closer attention, offering an array of exceptional properties that cater to any size and style of family or group.

The club, while glorious, can get busy, particularly in peak season. The Peligoni villas, on the other hand, are dotted across the surrounding hills, offering privacy and peaceful seclusion. Between villa and club, you can achieve the perfect balance of relaxation and invigoration, organised fun with an opt-out. This is what makes Peligoni such an exceptional place for a family escape.

Credit: Kerry Dean

Villa Allegra is a relatively new addition to the Pelligoni portfolio. Tucked away up a long drive but still a mere ten minutes from the club, the villa provides blissful seclusion with not a neighbour in sight. The elevated setting offers the most magnificent view across the bay of Agios Nikolaos.

Modern and perfectly appointed, Allegra has everything you need to make a family holiday stress-free. The infinity pool is large enough for lengths and lounging and whilst it is unlikely that you will find your days unfilled, a peaceful morning and evening swim is a welcome tonic before and after busy days. 

Credit: Kerry Dean

The villa sleeps eight in three spacious bedrooms (each with its own bathroom), and as a party of three, we felt somewhat spoilt for space. Allegra can easily accommodate two families; kids will love sharing the bedroom with four, unusually enormous, built-in bunks.

The open-plan living area is light and spacious and has a generously appointed kitchen – although between the culinary events at Peligoni and the many excellent local restaurants, you may have little opportunity to make use of it. The floor-to-ceiling glazed doors can be fully opened to seamlessly merge the inside with the pergola-covered al fresco dining space. If you are an early bird, open all the doors and watch the sun rise out of the bay with a morning coffee in hand. It’s a magical experience.

BOOK IT

From £2,900 a week. indigo-rock.com