A personal ode to Kythira, to design, to color and to the joy of life. A new creative hideaway by Georgios Theseas Karabellas.
Life cycles that open and close.
After 15 wonderful years on wild, one-of-a-kind Skyros, Georgios found himself searching for a new island refuge that would match as much as possible his well-known, unexpected, pioneering out-of-the-box approach to life and to things.
The bar was already high.
It had to be relatively unknown with easy road access for his belongings and his beloved companion Theseus. It definitely had to have an airport for a quick weekend escape. There had to be alignment of auras with a subtle artistic eye. It needed an interesting history and background and a narrative capable of intriguing.
The local products had to be noteworthy. And delicious!
It had to present a natural beauty that didn't apologize for not giving itself to you at once; not the ease of a first blockbuster image—gorgeous like, say, a Patmos—but something you'd have to dig, work, explore.
Certainly to offer the island everyday life of a country, but also to have extra spots for jaunts, smaller or larger settlements that keep the interest high.
The locals shouldn't have surrendered without a fight to the lures of over-tourism but hold the banner of resistance firm.
And alas! It wouldn't hurt at all to have an Italian essence adding the necessary sexy flirt!
Da vero!
And if there were sea views and towards the Venetian castle of Chora, then all the boxes would be ticked!
The Cerigo Manifesto
Stop the search. Eureka! The island of Kythira!
Curiously, it had never entered my map of destinations all these years when, as a kid, I took the ferries from Piraeus, «Goodbye Athens!», as the old ad used to say, to do camping sauvage and feel, even for a while, native and Robinson Crusoe.
Friends had gone and kept returning once and twice over, with rare praises at a time when one island after another was being vandalized and losing its essence.
I heard stories about how unspoiled it is, with just the right crowd.
Last August, calm and relaxed in my hideaway in the Peloponnese—there all the big decisions of my life always come out effortlessly and organically—I felt the inner voice say: «Yes, now is the time to take such a step».
I saw 10 listings and this property. Coup de foudre! I took a RIB for two and a half hours, we took a dip mid-sea, face to face with Monemvasia, one of the most beautiful experiences of my life—I recommend it unreservedly—we encountered rare calm at usually rough Cape Maleas, the captain couldn't believe his eyes. A good omen, I thought.
Manitochori, Kythira. 800 meters from Chora. The car turns off the main road, takes the downhill, and through a cluster of pines and cypresses, in a plainly Tuscan landscape—probably my favorite landscape worldwide—the locals, I learn, aptly call the area «Little Tuscany», it appears. Here we are, I say to myself at once! The famous Venieri Tower, of the family that first began settlement during Venetian rule. On the other side, behind my house, there still remains—sadly ruined—the zematistra, the distinctive way the inhabitants defended themselves from the countless pirate attacks, by pouring hot oil on the main door over raiders who coveted the island's countless goodies.
An oversized pergola with masterfully intertwined jasmine and honeysuckle and star jasmine and fuchsia bougainvillea that simply awaited an experienced hand to clear them and give them a second life. And what a scent of summer languor! Giant prickly pears, a plant that personally thrills me with the wildness and the wisdom with which it grows in the toughest environments. 5-6 concrete steps lead to a long balcony, where the 160-square-meter flat dwelling unfolds. Bingo! Flat! Enough with the otherwise typical island houses with their various levels. Here everything is on one ground floor. Successive rooms following one another, creating a wonderful flow and, thankfully, no strain on my now mature knees and legs.
On the lower ground-level spaces, another 140 square meters: essential huge storerooms, service rooms, laundries, even the old bakehouse that found its new role and hosts Theseus's household effects!
And the well-known local «kamara». We'll get there below!
And from the windows, the plain with dozens of century-old cypresses rising in geometric lines that define the landscape decisively and boldly. Vineyards, little hills, and in the distance the open sea. And yes! Yes! The left side of Chora's impressive castle lit at night. Magic! Quiet. Only 2-3 houses. An Italian woman next door who came to the island 40 years ago. Ciao! Welcome, she says to me, with a slight, subtle reserve. «A difficult choice of house», she confides. And she continues. For years it stood abandoned and I wondered who would be the brave/crazy one to take it on. From that alone I understand you'll put down roots in this place that doesn't forgive frivolity; that's why it has survived so many situations. Minoans and Phoenicians. Spartans and Byzantines. Venetians, French, Russo-Turks, English, and Italians.
I couldn't have wished for a better welcome.
«Hello honey, I'm home!»
I look at the space. And as always happens with my projects, the script immediately unfurls in the first 10 minutes. The story is clear. I shoot videos—I still have them. The before and the after. My craftsman, after 10 months working on the gentle, so organized and precise renovation I did, told me that what I sent him that day is exactly what we've been doing all this time since! When you know, you know.
The vision was specific from the first moment. My signature. A white canvas with bold, vitamin-rich splashes of color. Lively green. Strong red. Bright yellow. My now-classic palette to breathe life into something that has soul and history and is simply waiting to be reborn. A couple of walls would come down to unify rooms. Two brand-new bathrooms. I keep the marble sink in the kitchen—it must be over 80 years old. The weathered wooden shutters are repainted the gunpowder-red they had, with a bit more sheen now, of course. An antique door from a neoclassical in Plaka from my collection, after years in my storerooms, finds its place. The main entrance. A gateway to my new universe. Red, of course!
And then design. My beloved iconic pieces that always follow me. Lights by the Castiglionis, the Snoopy, the Toio, the Taccia, the Parentesi. The Space Age orange lamp from Artemide, the do-it-all Mayday by the hard-to-pronounce Grcic and the sturdy Atollo, the commanding Big White Toy by Marcel Wanders and the pioneering 70's Metallic Chiara. The Eames leather lounge chair in white, perhaps the most ergonomic of all time that I'll never tire of seeing, and the little Rocking Chair in yellow converse about the genius of past designers who said and did it all, leaving a challenging legacy-invitation to the new ones. The playful naïf Marshmallow sofa, as if crafted by a child's hand, the organically shaped Tongue Chair by Pierre Paulin, the pioneering paper one by Frank Gehry, the most comfortable chairs by Verner Panton, and next to them, to the host's designs, a large cube of humble marine-grade plywood dressed in African fabrics, an element that never fails to appear in my spaces. Old outdated furniture, decades-old antiques, painted in the familiar color triptych, set the tone. Metal shelving from professional kitchens showcases in open view all the household ware, ready for use, along with rare old ceramics by the Skyrian Yannis Ftoulis, silver treasures from England that I always collect at auctions abroad, wooden, Spartan-logic utensils for ultra-fresh summer salads and afternoon watermelon after the swim. Two almost ecclesiastical thrones with little concrete tables on a sweet balcony, with the staggering view seeping into the mind's depths for the aperitivo, red and that too from Italy! Salute!
On the old bakehouse, two red Adirondack armchairs gaze out. On the grounds, a long table with pots and chests and baskets and a barbecue. Under the century-old olive trees and their healing shade, a set of metal café tables. The openness of the landscape is dizzying. The beauty of the simple is so hard and that makes it even more important.
A unique farmhouse a stone's throw from Chora and in the most strategically correct spot for easy and quick forays across the island with its long distances, its many settlements, and its many alternatives.
I'm very new here. Something tells me I'll put down roots.
From day one everyone embraced me. Rare and so pleasing.
The vibe is joie de vivre meets beloved design meets calm and introspection. A true life manifesto. An utterly personal creation. A refuge.
A Seferis-like landscape. Cypresses, pines, mastic shrubs. Prickly pears. Wildness. A beautiful letting go. Naturalness. The Mediterranean and the Greece I love.
This is my grounding. After a very lively, information-saturated lifestyle universe in my work, with my contact with so many people.
Here I find privacy, away from the crowds. Absolute calm.
Essentially, I'm a lone wolf. I'm not social. I don't like going out and scattering myself. I don't like entertainment. I like edification. I like to travel. Here everyone comes to me. And they don't want to leave.
And I have everything I want for a Greek summer. Sea. Food. I gather my thoughts. I design. Siesta. And I fight for the right to laziness.
I must say, I'm particularly proud of this project.
Not only because once again I managed to reflect fully my own aura, personality, soul.
But mainly because of the condition in which I found the one-stremma property, rare on a small island, and the buildings.
And how I completely succeeded in transforming and regenerating them.
Devalued. In total abandonment. Forsaken. Choked. They didn't breathe.
I cleaned, deconstructed, and recomposed, throwing away the useless, keeping the identity.
That's my signature, after all.
That's what I like.
To take something that has a past, soul, memories, records, and reframe it, bringing it into today, without losing the uniqueness that its lived experiences have bestowed upon it and that make it significant.
The broad stone walls offer natural coolness even on the hottest days of summer and the ceiling fans help the breeze pass through all the spaces even more.
Luxury is time. That's what all of us are now seeking. Beauty, creativity, moments with ourselves and our loved ones.
The Cerigo Manifesto / Guests
The kamara. Almost all the old mansions on Kythira had the famous kamara somewhere in the semi-basement. A vaulted stone room in the bowels of the foundations that served as a shelter during the very frequent attacks of pirates from everywhere.
Usually the kamara was low-ceilinged and, of course, with small windows for more protection.
In my case—and this is special. Alas!
Ceilings at 5-6 meters. Extremely bright. At ground level. Two very large spaces, with a total area of at least 80 sq.m., with the three huge jars left where oil, water, etc. were stored, were painted pure white—as were the devoré walls—for brightness. And in the corner, a real wine press, with the spigot and all, winking that everything in my life, at least, happens magically, as in October my very own wine is presented, The Wine Manifesto, a red Agiorgitiko from Nemea!
And thus The Cerigo Manifesto Guests was born!
A unique, mystical, atmospheric guesthouse. The logic the same. Respect for soul and tradition. A bold gaze to the future. Color, design, lighting, simplicity. Joy of life!
We start like this and the next step is coming soon, alongside on the property!
Lifestyle
Beaches
Kaladi. Among the most beautiful beaches in Greece, with turquoise waters. It consists of small coves and a cave. Unorganized, with quite a few steps—about 160—to go down. Pebble beach.
Chalkos. Organized beach with white pebbles, deep-blue waters, and a beach bar.
Avlemonas. A picturesque fishing village of Kythira and the island's attraction. With vivid green waters and a narrow cove that resembles a natural pool. A scene straight out of a fairy tale. Visitors dive directly from the rocks or from specially designed platforms.
Melidoni. A cove that combines fine golden sand with very small pebbles. It has a beach bar and a stunning view toward the islet Chytra, which lies directly opposite.
Fyri Ammos (Kalamos). Characterized by fine red pebbles and colored sand. At the right end of the shore there's a very beautiful natural cave. It's partly organized and is the island's second-largest beach.
Kapsali. Consists of two successive bays. I wouldn't recommend it for swimming, but for an evening stroll and, of course, for food. It has excellent fish tavernas right on the water, but its character is purely touristic and cosmopolitan.
Kalami. A sheer and wild beach. I wouldn't recommend it, as it has difficult access. The descent is from the rocks with the help of two thick ropes tied there.
Kaki Lagada. With umbrellas and a canteen, yet without many people. Very beautiful waters, in the north, next to Agia Pelagia.
Palaiopoli. A long beach before Avlemonas, ideal for those who love open shores.
And we also very much love Lykodimos beach.
Food & coffee
Bozzio Coffee Food & Drinks (Avlemonas). Fantastic view over the cove, an ideal spot for coffee or a cool drink.
Arahtopoleio (Avlemonas). A legendary all-day spot at the lower little harbor. Ideal for cocktails at night.
La Veranda (Avlemonas). From early morning it serves freshly roasted coffee and a generous breakfast or brunch.
Alataria (Kapsali). A fish taverna with excellent meze, right in front of the sandy beach, with a wonderful view of Chora's enchanting Venetian castle.
Magos (Kapsali). Just next door, with tables set on the pier.
Tony's (Chora, Kythira). Pizza with thin, crisp dough baked in a wood-fired oven. Rooftop terrace with a staggering view of the castle. Doesn't accept reservations.
Fossa (Chora). A café in Chora's lanes, famous for its well-crafted brunch and its handmade desserts of the day.
Mercato. One of the most beautiful bars you'll find on a Greek island. On Chora's main promenade, with a gorgeous garden in the old Municipal Market.
Pierros (Livadi). 104 years of continuous presence. And how beautiful that some things don't change. Home-cooked dishes by the successor, Mr. Manolis. A reference point of the island.
Maria's Sweets & More (Livadi). Handmade ice cream and wonderful syrupy pastries.
«Di Ader One» (Livadi). A new kafeneio in a lovely corner of the road.
Kamares (Livadi). A tsipouradiko with very tasty sandwiches. Don't skip the wonderful leek pie.
Filio Tavern (Kalamos). Authentic traditional Kythirian cuisine, home-cooked dishes in a cool courtyard. Fantastic food.
Familia (Fratsia). A contemporary gastronomic project that creatively blends Cretan with Asia Minor cuisine. The empty square in front looks straight out of a Fellini film.
Platanos (Mylopotamos). Traditional Greek and Kythirian cuisine, in front of yet another stunning bell tower. Next door is the Fonissa waterfall, with natural pools for dips.
Manoli's Tavern (Diakofti). A taverna right on the water, with traditional Greek and Mediterranean cuisine, an emphasis on seafood, and excellent stews.
Kafeneio tou Holikokou (Pitsinianika). Two young people from Athens have taken it on and are running it beautifully.
Skandeia. Before Palaiopoli beach. A respectable, authentic taverna, like in the old days.
Taverna tou Vyrona (Mitata). Very good food, with a view of the church and the lush hillside.
Kafeneio Grigoraki (Aroniadika). Wonderful omelets and excellent cheese pie.
Of course, the island has an Archaeological Museum and the imposing Venetian castle, which you can visit in Chora.
Be sure to take a stroll through Kato Chora, the Byzantine castle-town, with the Venetian lions welcoming visitors at the entrance.
From Kapsali you can take the glass-bottom boat for an excursion to Chytra.
There also grows the sempreviva, the gorgeous yellow flower that never withers. Hence its name: sempre viva — «always alive».
The projects
These days we hear him daily on Best 92.6, on the imaginative and much-loved The Travel Manifesto.
He's working on the opening, in the fall, of the unique space The Life Manifesto on Akadimias. An unexpected events venue with an urban character and Ziller mosaics.
Alongside The Cerigo Manifesto, the beloved guesthouse The Pelion Manifesto on Pelion continues its course.
At the same time, he's in search of the right space to create his first hotel with a complete concept and design by himself.
In October, in a limited number of collectible bottles, The Wine Manifesto is released, a red Agiorgitiko from his vineyard in Nemea.
Along with it, The Oil Manifesto is presented, an excellent extra virgin olive oil from Didyma, Argolis.
He has undertaken the design and construction of a private residence in the center of Kifissia.
He still maintains contacts and projects in London.
He's discussing taking on a grand and demanding development in the Peloponnese.
In parallel, he's exploring his next exciting steps on television for the new season.
The CV
Georgios Thisseas Karabellas is a peripatetic concept maker.
With 31 years' experience as a creative director, he has done curation in almost every possible creative post.
Advertising, magazines, design, fashion, art, taste, books, theater, dance, hoteling, filming, radio, hospitality, television and, of course, travel.
With the air of a modern Homo Universalis, a Renaissance Man, who believes that the entire creative becoming is interlinked, he undertakes concepts, crafting storytelling for projects that touch the whole spectrum of contemporary lifestyle.
From a comprehensive 360° advertising & communication campaign to a fashion show, editorial, or collection. And from a holistic concept for a hotel to the mise-en-scène of a distinctive event.
His mantra is joie de vivre and his conviction is that knowledge is true only when it's shared.
Inexhaustible knowledge that covers a very wide spectrum.
Deep cultivation, with strong studies and continuous research.
Lived urban courtesy and an old-school aura.
Ethics.
Correct Greek.
Plus five foreign languages.
True cosmopolitanism, as a tireless citizen of the world who travels in order to exist and to breathe.
A strong theatrical element.
An authentic larger-than-life persona.
