In the peaceful bay of Achladies on the Greek island of Skiathos, turquoise waters of the Aegean Sea gently met the silver sands. Ancient olive trees and tangled wild vines surrounded the area. In this serene coastal spot stood a modest summer house, the very first residence ever built there. The house was constructed in the 1940s by Thomas Karvounis, together with a handful of his closest friends. They built it using weathered stones taken from old ruins scattered across the land. These ruins were the remains of a forgotten monks’ workshop that once belonged to the now-vanished Asomatos Monastery.
Centuries earlier, during the 1600s, the monks of Asomatos devoted their lives to cultivating vast vineyards. These vineyards once covered the entire bay of Achladies. The monks pressed grapes into large quantities of wine, which sustained their spiritual community. Today, the monastery itself no longer exists. In its place stands a small church named Taksiarchis, built directly on the original foundations. Its stone walls and modest bell tower serve as a quiet reminder of the site’s sacred past.
The area retained echoes of that vinous heritage even when Thomas set to work on the summer house he dreamed of making. A few resilient vines still clung to the soil, their tendrils twisting through the underbrush like living memories. According to a cherished local legend, the monks’ wine production had been so bountiful that it overflowed in abundance, leading to creative uses beyond mere drinking. In the spirit of that tale, Thomas and his close friends, inspired by the story, decided to mix some of the surplus wine from the remaining vines into the clay mortar instead of using plain water, binding the ancient stones together with a touch of the island’s fermented essence. Whether this imparted the durability of the construction, it became a family anecdote passed down through generations, symbolizing the deep connection between the land, its history, and the people who called it home.
Thomas Karvounis had inherited this precious plot from his father, Alexander Karvounis, whose name evoked a lineage deeply rooted in Skiathos soil. The family surname, Karvounis, traced its origins back to the eras of Ottoman and Venetian occupation, evolving, as folklore historians documented in books about the island’s traditions, landmarks, and inhabitants, from the Italian “Carboni.” While many in the Karvounis ancestors had pursued seafaring lives as captains, navigating the choppy waters around Greece and beyond, Thomas chose a path less traveled. He led a peaceful existence on the island, working part-time as a skilled carpenter, shaping wood with the same steady hands that tended his family’s land. He felt an unbreakable bond with the earth, preferring to nurture his small plots that yielded rich olive oil from gnarled trees and modest batches of wine from the heirloom vines. This simple life brought him contentment, far from the demands of the open sea.
At this point, the voice of Ioannis Fragkoulas enters the narrative. Fragkoulas was the island’s eminent historian and a devoted chronicler of local folklore, genealogy, and tradition.
Throughout his life, Fragkoulas recorded the histories of Skiathos families with great care. He documented their names, origins, and stories as they were remembered by locals. His work became an essential record of the island’s collective memory. Among his many observations, Fragkoulas notes that the surname Karvounis is traditionally believed to derive from the Italian name “Carboni.” This Latin form entered local use during the Venetian period, referred to as “στα χρόνια των Φράγκων.” His notes consistently reflect how islanders themselves understood these linguistic roots.
Fragkoulas often added brief but meaningful remarks to family lineages. These comments blended linguistic insight with oral tradition. Through this method, he preserved names, customs, and identities that survived centuries of occupation, trade, and cultural exchange. Venice exercised considerable influence over Greek territories, especially islands such as Skiathos. This influence began after the Fourth Crusade in 1204 and continued for centuries. Trade, intermarriage, and administrative systems gradually shaped local naming practices.
Fixed hereditary surnames, which were common among Venetian nobility, spread to Byzantine and Greek elites. Over time, these naming conventions blended with existing local traditions. The surname Karvounis, found mainly in Attica and the Greek islands, reflects this cultural fusion. For the Karvounis family, the name stands as a marker of resilience and continuity. It reflects centuries of adaptation shaped by external rule and local identity. The name carries echoes of Venetian presence while remaining firmly rooted in Greek heritage.
The Venetian Republic exerted influence over many Greek islands from the 12th to the 17th century. This control expanded significantly after 1204, when Venice gained territories including Crete, the Cyclades, the Ionian Islands, and parts of the Aegean. Even areas of the Peloponnese briefly fell under Venetian rule. This era, often known as the Venetokratia, reshaped island economies and trade networks. Agriculture changed during this time, with wine becoming a central commodity. These historical forces left lasting marks on land, architecture, and family names, traces that remain visible in places like Achladies today.
The Karvounis family’s story is woven into the broader tapestry of Skiathos’s turbulent history. During the 14th–18th century, known as the Kastro Period, the island’s population relocated to Kastro, a fortified cliffside settlement that became the main town. This move was driven by the need for safety amid piracy, invasions, and instability. The Karvounis family is historically recorded as having moved to Kastro during this period, following the broader island population for survival. Life at Kastro shaped the island’s identity, fostering resilience, strong family ties, faith, and self reliance qualities that would define generations of Skiathites, including the Karvounis lineage.
This era of seclusion gave way to renewal in the early 19th century. From 1807–1830, during the birth of modern Greece, the Greek revolutionary flag was raised at the Monastery of Evangelistria on Skiathos, symbolizing the island’s role in the War of Independence. Skiathos became part of the modern Greek state, marking a turning point. Families, including the Karvounis, gradually began returning from Kastro to coastal areas like Achladies, reclaiming the fertile bays and rebuilding lives tied to the sea and soil.
The Karvounis Ancestry
From the blooming warmth of May until the crisp onset of early October, Thomas resided in the tiny two-story summer house with his family, embracing the rhythms of seasonal island living. The upper floor served as their cozy living quarters, filled with the sounds of laughter and the scents of home-cooked meals wafting through open windows. Downstairs, in the shaded ground level, they housed their faithful animals.A sturdy donkey named Burrico, whimsically inspired by the Spanish word “burro” for donkey, which Thomas had picked up from tales shared by visiting mariners. Two goats, the pale coated Asproula meaning “the white one” and the russet hued Kokkinoula meaning “the red one”. There was also a flock of chickens that pecked about for scraps. Burrico was indispensable, hauling supplies from the bustling Skiathos town or carrying the family along the island’s winding paths and rugged trails. The goats provided fresh milk each morning, which the family churned into creamy cheese, adding to their self sufficient lifestyle.
The household also kept two loyal Kokonaki dogs, a small, wiry breed with roots tracing back to ancient Greece. Laika, named after the pioneering Soviet space dog, and Remi, a French-inspired name chosen for its artistic flair, formed a vigilant pair. Together, they guarded the goats and alerted the family whenever visitors approached. Daily life centered on the gifts of sea and land. Meals were prepared in a small, handmade stone oven, its hearth alive with fires fueled by gathered wood. Fish appeared often on the table, grilled fresh from the sea, alongside generous portions of octopus caught in the bay’s thriving underwater grounds. This abundance earned the beach its affectionate nickname, Xtapodia, meaning Octopus Place.
For fishing trips and gentle journeys around the bay, the Karvounis family relied on a small boat named Pou Se Vrika, translated as Where Did I Find You. Thomas himself decorated the boat with painted mermaids. Fitted with a sail and sturdy oars, it served both as transport and as a vessel for adventure. Alongside his daily work, Thomas followed his passion for art. He painted in oils on canvas or reclaimed wood, capturing the movement of waves, the twisting forms of vines, and the quiet beauty of the surrounding landscape.
Thomas’s two sons grew up within this close-knit world. The elder, Alexander, would later carry forward the family legacy. The younger shared in daily chores and absorbed the rhythms of island life under his father’s guidance. 
Directly in front of the house, mere steps from the lapping sea where the family savored their meals under the open sky, a new chapter began to unfold. In 1952, following the tumult of World War II, the British Navy made port in Skiathos, and the Karvounis family extended their hospitality, serving simple yet hearty food to the sailors. This act of kindness sparked something greater. Gradually, the first tourists began arriving on sailing boats from mainland Greece, enchanted by the then untouched Greek landscapes and seeking peace in Achladies’ pristine beauty. Among these early visitors, local tales whisper of illustrious guests who anchored in the bay aboard luxurious yachts, drawn to the island’s unspoiled charm. Winston Churchill, as a guest of the shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis on his famed yacht Christina O, is said to have dined on fresh octopus and local wine during one of their Mediterranean cruises. The enigmatic actress Greta Garbo, seeking seclusion amid Greece’s azure waters, reportedly stopped by for a quiet meal, her presence adding a touch of Hollywood and international glamour to the humble setting. Even King Paul of Greece, during his royal voyages exploring the nation’s islands, is remembered in folklore as having enjoyed the family’s warm welcome and traditional fare. Word of such encounters, whether fully cherished by island storytelling, spread like wildfire, enhancing the spot’s uniqueness .
By the 1970s, Thomas’s son Alexander transformed the informal gatherings into a proper establishment. Achladies Taverna became one of the first restaurants operating outside Skiathos town. It quickly grew beloved by both locals and visitors. The taverna served traditional Greek dishes, freshly caught fish, and island staples paired with wines that honored the bay’s long vinicultural history.
Among these wines were the deep and robust Mavroudi, the hearty Brousko, and the resin-infused Retsina, each echoing techniques rooted in monastic tradition. Guests also enjoyed Greek brandy such as Metaxa, the international aperitif Campari, and well-known Greek wines including Boutari, Santa Elena, Robola, and Demesticha. As laughter and the sound of clinking glasses filled the air, the humble summer house stood nearby. Built from monastic ruins and wine-mixed clay, it remained a living symbol of resilience, hospitality, and the enduring spirit of Skiathos.
Today, Octopus Beach Bar & Restaurant is run by the Karvounis brothers, Nick, Thomas, and Ermis. They proudly continue the family legacy while adding their own character, always guided by respect for the past. Their focus remains on offering a memorable dining experience through carefully prepared food, refreshing drinks, and genuine hospitality.
Whether guests are seeking a romantic dinner for two, a lively evening with friends, or a relaxed family meal, Octopus Beach Bar & Restaurant welcomes everyone. Visitors are invited to experience the atmosphere, history, and character that have made this beachside restaurant so well regarded.
Today, that very house still stands proudly on the site of what has become the modern Octopus Beach Bar restaurant, a bridge between centuries-old history and the vibrant life of contemporary Achladies. Its stones, once bound with the monks’ wine, continue to witness the island’s story, linking the past to the present through the enduring legacy of the Karvounis family.