Ionion Blue Tavern

A free place to stay in the huge car park of the Ionion Blue Tavern, right next to a sandy beach that's good for swimming and walks. In return, you eat or drink something at the tavern – and the food is delicious and not expensive. Stephanie was very nice and treated us to melon with honey and a shot of liqueur. We loved the place, and we'll stop again on our way to the ferry, as they were fixing up the sunbathing area and the beach bar when we were there.

There were quite a few campervans and motorhomes when we arrived. You park wherever you like and can put your table and chairs out; the best spots are under the trees on the left of the entrance, near the beach, for the shade. The pitches are dirt, grass and sand, with one hardstanding next to the tavern, and most need ramps. We saw one motorhome hooked up to electricity, but we don't know where from. You can fill and empty your water tank, and the grey water goes in the same place as the chemical toilet – we weren't sure the water was drinking water, so it's better to boil it. The bins are at the entrance, and you can use the tavern's spotless toilets, and its cold shower to rinse off the salt water.

The one problem for us was the mobile signal, which isn't good, so we couldn't work. The free Wi-Fi only works in the tavern – the waitress gives you the password.