Colourful Calm

Reportage 13595257 | © living4media / Narratives / Sanderson, Robert | 29 images

The sound of goats’ bells, bird song and crickets enhance the soporific atmosphere surrounding the home and yoga retreat, built by Ingrid Gottschalk on Ithaca. Surrounded by olive groves, overlooking the azure blue sea and the mountains of Kefalonia, her contemporary style Greek home is set high above hidden beaches nestling far below. Having been born and bred in Basel, Ingrid poured over the map of Europe and researched options in Asia and Italy, but finally decided to make her home and new business in Greece. ‘Ithaca has a lot in its favour. It is still comparatively unspoilt and only accessible by ferry or boat taxi.’ Finding a site with building permission is not for the faint hearted, but Ingrid is clearly a woman with determination. Her exacting brief to the local agent was to find her ‘a site by the sea, not in in village but in an isolated spot with a breath taking view.