TORRI E MERLI

The ancient olive groves of Paxos, where the gnarled grey trunks seem to grow out of the very boulders that lie scattered across the hillsides, are home to an extraordinary collection of buildings that date back to Venetian times. One of these, a kilometre from the immensely attractive harbour village of Lakka, has been converted into a boutique hotel of simple but stunningly aesthetic sophistication.