OUR STORY – Casa Tholari Bella

We are glad to accommodate you in the oldest surviving edifice of Pera Gialos. It was built in 1847,as inscribed on the left of the entrance,by the merchant and lord of the island Demetrios Michael Georgiadis, also known as “Pasha” due to his lavish appearance.

In those days,when the island was under the Ottoman rule, sponge fishing was thriving and the place was used for sponge storage. This can also be demonstrated by the copper hooks on the ceiling where the sponges were hung to dry.

During the Italian occupation in 1912, the same place was used by the Italian forces for food storage. In 1943 it survived the German bombardment of the island despite the fact that most bombs fell very close demolishing Saint Nicolas church and the surrounding buildings.

After the integration of Astypalaia with Greece in 1948 Michael Papagiannis (sir Michalakis), husband of the lord’s daughter, turned the place into a cafe and operated it until 1969 when he passed away.

Up until 2002 it was the house where our parents lived and we grew up,beiing the great grandchildren of our unforgettable great grandfather to whom we are grateful for the valuable and historical legacy.

Nowadays, turning our house into a guest house, we respect this legacy providing you the chance for a ‘trip’ to time, history and the tradition of the island.

CASA BELLA AL MARE

The Casa Bella Al Mare was built much later in two phases to accommodate the families of the time. The biggest part of it was built of stone in 1950 and years later, in 1979, a smaller construction was added to the existing building offering it the priviledge of a beautiful facade and breathtaking view. It is beautiful with a spacious, fully furnished porch overlooking the sea.

THE OLDEST BUILDING IN PERA GIALOS