A Greek Getaway with Emma Cowell

Submitted: 16th July 2025

A Greek Getaway with Emma Cowell

Let’s set sail shall we?

We’re off to the island of Agistri with author Emma Cowell. She’s brought sandwiches and fresh fruit from the local market bless her….

Under the Lemon Tree Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

I first visited Agistri without any intention of setting a novel there, it was simply somewhere unexplored that had piqued my interest. I was island hopping in 2023 for a week before returning to Hydra where I set my third novel, The Island Love Song, to finish off some edits in situ. Agistri is only forty minutes from Piraeus port in Athens, so it was irresistible to be able to see two more islands before revisiting Hydra.

Agistri Island-Myli or Megalochori Harbour (c) Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

I spent one night on Aegina, then five nights on Agistri- the two islands are ten minutes apart by ferry. Like all parts of Greece I discover, be it mainland or island, something about the place burrows beneath my skin and nudges forwards when I come to write my next novel. Agistri charmed me the moment I stepped off the boat. My eyes swept along the promenade, across to the cornflower domed church on the seafront, then up the hillside where tips of pine trees seemed to grow from terracotta roof tops.

Myli Harbour (c) Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

It was early in the season and blissfully quiet; mostly free of visitors that I’m certain descend during the summer months- it’s very popular with Athenians apparently, since it’s so convenient to hop over.

The apartment I’d rented had a glorious, uninterrupted view of the water and, as I sat at my laptop on the terrace putting the finishing touches to my third novel, Agistri started to fire up my imagination in the form of a story. I had to gently ask it to wait, but nevertheless, I began my research: exploring the island from the beaches to the pine-scented forests, tasting local versions of familiar Greek dishes and watching the residents go about their day… I knew I would come back and that my fourth novel would be set on Agistri.

A priest reading in front of Agioi Anargyroi (c) Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

One evening, the couple who owned the place I was staying in had been fishing and I watched Eleni gut their fresh catch in the shallows in front of the apartment. She and her husband invited me to their seafood barbeque. My Greek is improving, but it was much needed since they didn’t speak much English. We relied upon the universal language of mime, my limited vocabulary and the sense of community that forms over home-cooked food.

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

The local priest even stopped by on his rounds and was offered a plate. I’d seen him walking about, navigating the steep hills, armed with a wooden staff as his monkish brown robes billowed in the breeze. That evening as the barbeque smoke drifted up to the heavens and the full moon rose above the sea, we dined on fresh, delicious food. Again a story started to nudge forwards.

The priest, the moon and the power of food and community all made it into Under the Lemon Tree in one form or another.

Aegina Island (c) Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

For an author, there is inspiration to be found in the simplest of moments, beauty can be unearthed within hospitality and the kindness of strangers discovered around every corner. The place is where it always starts for me.

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

One of my Greek friends once told me his take on Greek hospitality, saying, ‘It is in our culture. If you have nowhere to sleep and I have a roof, I will offer you shelter. If you are alone or hungry, you have a seat at my table and if I have bread to break, I will feed you.’

Sitting at Theris Taverna (c) Emma Cowell

Map of locations in Under the Lemon Tree

I am passionate about bringing Greece and its culture to life between my pages- there’s even a recipe at the back of the book for lemon cake that a famous Greek chef, Akis Petretzikis, gave me. The country is the richest source of inspiration and I will never tire of exploring new places to find a setting for my next novel.