Athens
What makes Athens an attractive city currently is not only its glorious past, but also the aesthetics of its urban contradictions.
For many decades, Athens was only a stop-over to visit the Acropolis for a tick in the traveler’s bucket list before moving to the fabulous Greek islands. In the last years, however, especially overcoming the social effects of the crisis, the Greek capital has been revamping its image.
The ancient character of the city built on cobblestones, where once great minds of the world were criticizing the rulers and educating the public, is now reinforced by the blossoming modern cultural and social life.
The City
Neighborhoods reanimated with newly emerging contemporary art & cultural centers, renovated museums, international and local brand hotels opening in landmark buildings of the city with a high service quality, eco-friendly & zero-waste initiatives, a bustling nightlife and all types of eateries…
• Stroll in Plaka, the oldest neighborhood of Athens, and discover the hidden streets of Anafiotika
• Join an electric trikke ride for a dynamic tour of the center
• Take a walk along the most inspirational memory path combining the past with today; from the iconic Acropolis to the state-of-the-art Acropolis museum, from the Ancient Agora to the flea market in Monastiraki
• Feel the glory of Panathenaic Stadium where the first Modern Olympic Games were held
• Go for a funicular ride up to the Lycabettus Hill, enjoy your ‘Freddo Espresso Metrio’ (iced espresso with medium sugar) while watching the city from its vantage point, on the way back walk walk down the hill ending up in the hip neighborhood of Kolonaki
• Give a chance to alternative neighborhoods to discover hidden art galleries, mesmerizing street art and murals, only-known-by-locals hand-craft shops and vinyl stores
Athens Riviera
Being only 30 minutes distant from the city center, coast of Athens offers an everlasting-summer retreat from Mikrolimano till Cape Sounio with changing ambiances and microclimate from pine-forests to palm trees.
• Choose among Michelin-star waterfront restaurants and a great number of traditional fish ‘tavernas’
• Take a luxurious yacht from one of the many marinas and enjoy a cruise to an island in the the Saronic Gulf, either inhabited or uninhabited
• Spend your day relaxing either in an organized beach club or an unspoiled free-swimming cove
• Swim in the therapeutic thermal waters of Vouliagmeni Lake rich in salts and minerals
• Enjoy a sunset ride to Cape Sounio to visit the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the amazing Saronic Gulf while the sun goes down behind the horizon
Saronic Islands
Lying in the Saronic Gulf, these islands are famous for their proximity to Athens which makes them even an ideal day-trip destination from the mainland with a short ferry ride.
Aegina is the closest to Athens with archaeological ruins, pistachio orchards, a beautiful and relatively large capital with grand old buildings.
Agistri, on the other hand, is an exceedingly small island close to Aegina, not much of a sightseeing but amazing secluded beaches among pine forests.
Poros is a cosmopolitan island closer to Peloponnese coast than Athens, still with an hour-long ferry connection from the latter.
Finally, Hydra being the gem of Saronic islands, was a popular holiday destination for artists like Leonard Cohen, Henry Miller. Though you should not expect amazing beaches, the island has a charm of its own kind with its ban on motorized vehicles and gorgeous architecture.
• Follow the old footpaths on the island of Hydra to discover secluded monasteries
• Visit the temples of Athena and Apollo on Aegina island
• Buy a bag of delicious pistachios from Aegina Agricultural Cooperative
• Bike along pine forests in Agistri and relax on a hidden beach with crystal waters
• Enjoy various types of water sports on an organized beach in Poros
