ON BOARD WITH Evi Lazou

Speaking to Greek-born yacht owner Evi Lazou, it’s almost impossible not to want to fly to her homeland immediately. “As long as I can remember, summers have had the smell of sea breeze, suntan oil and grilled octopus,” she recalls evocatively, “and the taste of salt, sweet tomatoes and cold watermelon.”

With the longest coastline in the Mediterranian, and more than 6,000 beautiful islands to explore, growing up in the country without some kind of deep connection to its waters is almost unheard of, she explains. “In the winter, it’s even traditional to determine our overall health by the number of days spent by the sea, or by the number of swims we’ve taken, so strong is the belief in its healing properties.”

Thankfully for Lazou, there are two yachts in her life, and plenty of opportunities for enjoying restorative “bania” (literally meaning baths) off the Greek, a sleek 50-metre Mondomarine semi-displacement aluminium yacht that underwent a refit last year. Lazou worked with SMK Interiors by Silvina Macipe Krontiras to refresh all the fabrics inside and out, and added a rug and coffee-table arrangement on the main deck. “My favourite part of is the flybridge,” she says. “It’s perfect for enjoying breezy evenings under the stars with good company, nice music and fresh fish caught that day by local fishermen.”