We take our responsibility of being the current custodians of the lands that form Levendis Estate seriously. To us living within nature’s never-ending cycles and seasons is simple. We invite you to share this natural, sustainable simplicity with us.
We're proud to tell you that 100% of your holiday spend stays on Ithaca. Levendis supports our extended family and gives work year round for two more. Together we care for your home, its gardens, groves, forests and facilities and the environment we all share and enjoy each day. And, importantly, all services, activities and restaurants we recommend to you support Ithacan families which helps sustain the economy of our island.
In creating and working Levendis our strongest influence is childhood memories of common sense, sustainable farm life. We feel it makes no sense to be wasteful, to use unnatural materials, to discard anything which can be re-used, or to destroy natural habitats, and it makes no sense not to grow our food when we are privileged enough to have land available to us. We re-cycle, compost, mulch and re-use endlessly simply because it makes us feel happy! You're invited to join us, to spend rejuvenating, fun-filled days on our Estate, detoxing with clean air, spring water, our Chef's local and highly nutritious foods, dark and quiet nights, morning yoga and mediation and, importantly, time to be with your loved ones in carefree and natural surroundings enjoying each other's company - sea, sun, swim, walk, explore, relaxed dining. And whilst you're spending your time thus, your biological clock will re-adjust to its natural rhythm.
Living within nature means valuing and sharing nature’s gifts – tranquility, silence, geographical beauty, habitats for fauna, natural flora. To ensure the continuing sustainability of our land only 5% of the Estate will ever be built on. At the heart of the Estate's architecture is an ethos that respects and sustains our environment and celebrates the scenery. Therefore, without apology, you will not find the following at Levendis: air conditioning, electric water pumps, electro-magnetic smog, commercial cleaning products, one use plastics. You will find simple yet sophisticated single-storey houses which blend harmoniously into their surroundings, passively designed and constructed so that air conditioning is unnecessary, cleaned with our own line of completely natural and 100% effective products, underground spring water that’s gravity-fed to your house, the Levendis chemical-free brand of body and hair care products, and the closest wi-fi 3km away.
One of our most important tasks is saving and storing water. Rain water is harvested from all hard surfaces and from a system of ground soakage pipes. It’s then piped to storage and gravity fed to the garden watering system. Beginning with the 100+ inherited olive trees, Levendis is now home to chickens who reside in their own farm paddock alongside our Estate. The olive trees provide oil and fruit, their wood which is pruned at the annual harvest provides our Estate and home with winter heating and cooking whilst mulched leaves and plant material give health to our garden soil. As well as providing various types of eggs, our hens contribute to our composting system, the results of which grow our vegetables and fruit. We’re privileged to be here and invite you to share our bounty.
