While the Koutouki offers a place to pause and reconnect, I want to make sure you
feel at ease when it’s time to settle in. Here’s what you can expect from your stay:

Simple, cozy, and comfortable. Two single beds, a private bathroom and a
kitchenette – all you need to feel at home. It is clean, air-conditioned for hot summer
nights, and has a fire place to keep warm on winter nights. Wifi is here if you need
it… although I like to encourage my guests to disconnect as much as possible.

This is a place of calm. No rush. No rigid schedules. Whether you spend your time on
the terrace or under the mulberry tree, listening to the wind, or watching the sea and
the mountains change with the light, the pace of the Koutouki invites you to let go
and just be. Connection is part of the spirit here, but privacy is always respected, all
you need to do is say.

I’d be delighted to have you share our table for an occasional
fresh, home-cooked meal if you so wish. A way to introduce you to Greek delicacies,
sometimes with a little French twist. Nothing fancy, just simple good food that
nourishes the body and soul. We love cooking and eating well at the Koutouki, and
it’s a lovely way to spend an evening together. With a bit of music, and maybe a little
dancing too.

I’ll gladly share our favorite tavernas around the island or
places worth wandering. Should you wish to rent a bike, a car or a boat to discover
the island on your own, just let me know and I’ll arrange that for you.
dancing too.

You will not find The Koutouki in tourist guides or rental websites. And that is how it
will remain, true to its « whispered » nature. It sits in Tzikides, in the « mountains » of
Aegina, away from the crowds, yet close to the sea and 10 minutes away from
Aegina town – and just an hour away by boat from Athens. A world apart, yet within
reach.
Aegina isn’t about grand sights or postcard perfection as one would expect of a
Greek island. Its beauty is quieter, deeper. It’s in the scent of thyme and salt in the
air. The raw, rocky mountains. The way the sea changes color with the Attica light.
The whisper of myths carried by the wind.
Aegina doesn’t try to impress. And maybe that’s its magic. It’s real. It’s raw. It has
history in its stones and stories in its winds.
I invite you to experience Aegina the way I do, living here, not as a tourist, but as part
of this island’s spirit.
I found my home here. And if you listen closely, maybe you’ll hear something calling
you too.

 Base stay: 95 EUR / night
 Breakfast: 15 EUR / person
 Table d’hôte: 25 EUR / person
Come at any season at the Koutouki. Even winter is kind here.
The Koutouki is the hideaway you didn’t know you needed.

“ Koutouki ” (noun) is a word with rich history of cultural, historical, and symbolic
meanings. Its roots trace back to Ottoman Turkish, Latin and, of course, ancient
Greek, evolving over centuries to embody a sense of hidden, unconventional
gathering places.
It carries a “whispered” significance especially in Greece, since early 19 th  century to
describe small, unlicensed, secret places hidden from the establishment, usually run
by women in basements, back yards, anywhere but away from public view. The
unconventional regulars, bohemians – labourers – intellectuals – refugees –
vagabonds-musicians  – could drink, eat meze, debate politics and life, find work,
write poetry, sell goods, play and dance to Rembetika (the once-forbidden Greek
blues).
A Koutouki was and still is a cultural melting pot where people from all walks of life
are able to freely express joy, sadness, inspiration and love without being judged or
arrested.

When I first came to Aegina, I never thought that I’d still be here years later. Thought
back then it was just another vacation break. Little did I know. Aegina grew on me
and turned out to be much more than that. And from a temporary retreat, it became
my permanent home.
I had been on the lookout for a while to find a more permanent place to stay on the
island. Not easy these days to find houses like this as more and more foreigners
invest on this little island. But in May 2024, I stumbled upon a hidden gem in the
mountains of Aegina – an old, derelict village house with broken windows that had
been neglected for years inside and out. Yet, something about this place whispered
to me.
I was fortunate that a few years ago I became friends with an old shepherd in the
mountain village of Tzikides. His name is Socrates and he speaks/thinks in a similar
way to the ancient Master. He suggested I look at this house. It was not inviting, the
refurbishment looked daunting and expensive. However.

There was an outbuilding, almost attached to the house that everyone in the village
called Koutouki. Socrates was born in it. A simple yet functional structure, built from
local stone set with mud and hay, its walls nearly 70 cm thick.
The land it rests on once belonged to a monastery just 50 meters away. Built around
1700, it was originally used as an olive press, with a low stone fireplace to warm
water for filtering olive juice.
After the monks left and the main house was built, it became a shelter for mares and
their newborns. By the early 20th century, someone cleaned it up a little, and it
became a space for births, music, family and village celebrations, and welcoming
guests.
An alternative Koutouki.
I fell in love with it.
With some considerable work, I brought the spirit of this Koutouki back to life. And
now, I am delighted to share it with those who appreciate and respect the energy and
flow that comes from such a place.