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The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
The Mykonos-like beach restaurant on the UK coastline where guests get delivered by boat
FOR anyone wanting a slice of Greece right here in the UK, check out this very cool bar. On the Isle of Wight is a bustling coastal bar called The Hut where you'll find all-day parties, live music, and cool beach vibes that make it feel like it belongs in the Advertisement 4 The Hut gives Mykonos vibes with its white and blue look Credit: The Hut Colwell 4 Guests can even arrive by boat as staff pick them up on a tender Credit: The Hut Colwell With the hot weather rolling back in, The Hut is the perfect place to have a bite to eat, enjoy sea views and have a dance. The bar sits on the edge of The Hut itself looks like it belongs in the Mediterranean with gleaming white walls, retractable glass windows and long wooden tables. Just like some of the most exclusive Advertisement Read More on Euro Breaks For those taking to the water, you can get a boat out onto the water, then on approach to The Hut drop anchor as their own tender will bring guests to shore. Those wanting to arrive like a celebrity, you can even come via helicopter. This will land at the helipad at Afton Manor next door - no one will forget that. One visitor wrote on Advertisement Most read in News Travel With a boat to shore service, and the bar being right on the coast, guests have said it looks like it could be in the Mediterranean or even the Caribbean. Another said: "I still marvel what the owners made out this old humble beach cafe- this would not look out of place in Mykonos." The UK's best beach bar – with DJ sets, sunset views and signature cocktails 4 The beautiful bar sits right on the edge of Colwell Bay Credit: The Hut Colwell Posts on social media show The Hut hosts lots of live events with DJs, dancers, live musicians like saxophone players with guests getting up and dancing on the tables. Advertisement For anyone wanting more of a relaxed vibe, avoid Saturday lunch time as The Hut warns that's when The Hut's menu thrives on seafood, there are surf and turf sharing platters as well as oysters, crab and mackerel. Fish is their speciality with eight dishes dedicated to the likes of sole, sea bass, cod and sea bream. But you can also dig into a juicy cheese burger, steak and Korean chicken. Advertisement When it comes to drinks The Hut has so much choice including 15 house There's also an eight page wine list as well as a choice of beers and non-alcoholic drinks. The Hut is busy, so it's recommended to book before setting off, and for bigger groups you'll need to put down a deposit of £15pp to secure your spot. Each year, The Hut holds its own annual party with live music and DJs. Advertisement It costs £250pp whole table buyout which includes a Hut Feast, bottomless rosé, and a welcome cocktail. The Hut has private parties too for anyone who wants to celebrate with incredible views. Both the Roof Deck and the Top Deck can be made indoor our outdoor because they have retractable roofs, sliding glass walls, and heating. Plus one travel writer discovered Advertisement And the 4 The Hut on Colwell Bay has been compared to the Mediterranean Credit: The Hut Colwell
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- The Irish Sun
It's official: the world's best island is in Europe and I visited this summer – it's stunning but has one big downside
PAROS has been voted the world's best island, and it happened to be where I went on holiday this year. It's got everything you want from a Advertisement 7 Paros has everything you'd expect from a Greek island - beautiful views and great food Credit: Chloe Penwill 7 Phoenix (left) and I took a trip to Paros and found some hidden gems Credit: Chloe Penwill The island is known for having Inspired by Instagram, I booked the tickets, confirmed an Airbnb, and was on my way. The journey wasn't an easy one I'll admit, my friend, Phoenix and I flew to Advertisement Read More on Euro Breaks It was much cheaper than flying though, ferry trips to the island can be as little as €20 (£17.23). But if you're in a rush, you can fly from the UK to Of course, the island's major downside - how difficult it is to get there - is why it's also so wonderful, as it means that it has evaded the overtourism that has plagued some of the other pretty Greek islands. I was staying in the second largest town on the island, Advertisement Most read in Beach holidays Parikia was chaotic, it's where you'll find the port and it's the hub of the island. Phoenix and I were ushered into a taxi by a very friendly local who drove for 20 minutes across the island to Naoussa where we found paradise. It was completely different to Parikia, the streets were quiet, there were incredible beaches and I could hear the chatter of stall owners at the local shops selling jewellery, linen dresses and souvenirs. The unknown European island that is the -new Mykonos- but with cheap hotels and quiet beaches 7 Monastiri Beach Club was my favourite stop - we were there all day Credit: Chloe Penwill Advertisement 7 Water activities are popular, like boat parties and snorkelling Credit: Chloe Penwill But unlike other places I've visited, the locals were friendly, didn't push me to buy anything and instead simply smiled. As I said, my trip was Instagram-inspired so there were already some pre-planned stops on holiday. The first was to Advertisement It's one of those places that you'd only end up at if you know about it beforehand as it's tucked away on the north of the island. We took a Deciding to spend our day there, we rented out two sunbeds which were more like memory foam mattresses and a sun umbrella for €60 (£51.20). It was lively with a DJ and tasty cocktails available to order from the bar. Advertisement Something I found about the island was that it remained quiet until 1am. We often booked to have dinner between eight and nine o'clock and it would still be peaceful with the bars not filling up until the early hours of the morning. That's when I discovered another Instagram hotspot on the island was called Barbarossa. Advertisement It's a famous I wouldn't say cocktails were cheap, but they weren't too expensive either, the average I spent on a drink was €17 (£14.65). 7 Seafood risotto was a popular dish in Paros Credit: Chloe Penwill 7 Luaz was a popular dinner spot and right on the beach Credit: Chloe Penwill Advertisement The food on the island was delicious, particularly the seafood - there were lots of sushi and fish risottos. Some of our favourites were Almond, Tsachpinis-Ouzeri ton Nautikon and Fotis All Day Bar. Luaz was especially popular as you get to eat dinner right on the water's edge which is particularly impressive during golden hour. As for activities, being an island, the Advertisement We joined Captain Ben's Cruise which took us around the island, it stopped five times for us to dive into the water. On the way we stopped by the Blue Lagoon and a sea cave as well as Despotiko Island where we lazed about on The tickets were €110 (£94.77) each, that included the tour as well as breakfast, lunch, snacks, ice cream, and five alcoholic drinks throughout the cruise. My favourite part was when everyone dived into the water and had Prosecco in the water which bobbed around on an inflatable table. Advertisement One thing I loved about the island is that it has everything you want out of a holiday. Whether that's a quiet spot on a sandy beach to relax, head off on a wild boat party, or eat authentic I'm so happy that Paros has been recognised for its beauty and everything it has to offer, but I'll be sad that it will no longer be the quiet gem I discovered. And here is another Advertisement Plus, the four 7 I visited Paros - which is now the world's best island Credit: Chloe Penwill
The Irish Sun
07-07-2025
- The Irish Sun
The four Greek islands you can easily hop between in one holiday – for as little as £6
ISLAND hopping is one of the most popular ways to spend a holiday and Greece is the ultimate playground - especially as you can do it for cheap. Global travel booking company, Advertisement 5 Omnio has ferries that island hop from just £6 per journey Credit: Alamy 5 You can visit four islands in the Aegean sea for under £100 Credit: Alamy A very easy way to get from one The entire route that costs £98 in total starts on the mainland in The journey cost £35 and takes two hours and 40 minutes. Advertisement Read More on Euro Breaks In recent years it has been the go-to destination for A-listers like George Clooney and It's incredibly popular, too, with more than a million visitors a year, but if you head there between spring or late autumn you'll have a quieter experience. From Mykonos, Omnio suggests catching the ferry to Advertisement Most read in Beach holidays The website said: "Laid-back Paros has become the Greek island of choice for many." I found the quieter side of Mykonos with private beaches and and celeb-like luxury 5 Santonini is known for its blue-domed churches Credit: Alamy It added: "The cultural scene is vibrant here, and the rocky coastline is studded with beaches, secluded coves, and sea caves. A mere 40-minute flight from Athens—or three hours on a ferry—this windblown retreat is also easy to get to." In Advertisement It maintains Mykonos' beauty but at a smaller scale, you'll still find the classic whitewashed buildings, blue seas and vibrant harbour. The cheapest journey is from Paros to Naxos which is £6 with Omnio, and is also the quickest journey taking 25 minutes. Travellers will find it to be one of the quieter islands with around 200,000 visitors per year, which is much less than the two million tourists that descend on Mykonos. It's a popular island for swimming, boat trips, exploring caves, and enjoying the beaches. Advertisement One Sun Travel writer visited and 5 Naxos is much quieter than other islands but still has beaches and great views Credit: Alamy From Naxos, hop on a ferry to the southern island of Santorini is picture perfect and recognisable for its blue-domed churches, especially in the main village of Advertisement The island, like Mykonos, is known to be a celebrity hotspot having been visited by the likes of Beyonce and Angelina Jolie. It's also very pretty with thin and winding white streets and the beautiful pink bougainvillea flowers. There are lots of free attractions too including the beaches like Perissa and Kamari which have black volcanic sand. It can be affordable too, Advertisement Whereas on the smaller islands, most of the ferries usually stop running during the winter, so if you want to island hop, check your journey before booking a holiday. Here's a And one Advertisement 5 Island hopping is a great way to see Greece Credit: Alamy
