It’s Time to Experience the Athens Riviera

Right now, all eyes are on the Athens Riviera.

A charmed sweep of coastline hugging the Greek capital’s south-eastern suburbs, the Athens Riviera has long been the exclusive playground of the A-list. Aristotle and Jackie Onassis, Maria Callas, Bardot, Sinatra – their names are synonymous with this scene of excess and endless summer.

These days, this one-time preserve of the (very) rich and famous is becoming a haven for anyone seeking a convenient base in Athens, with the bonus of island vibes.

Turbocharging the area’s transformation is Europe’s largest urban regeneration project, The Ellinikon. It’s reshaping the old international airport into a vast parkland and precinct anchored by a marina, a casino and Greece’s tallest skyscraper (set to materialise in 2026). For now, chic new digs are luring travellers to this sun-drenched strip between Piraeus and Cape Sounion.

No property exemplifies the evolution better than Voula's 91 Athens Riviera (above), a glam campsite of 28 tents (all with super-king beds, most with plunge pools), tennis courts and beachside dining in a private members’ club. The coast’s heart is Glyfada, which is connected by bus, tram and subway to the city’s monuments and museums. In September, hip American chain Ace Hotels debuted a resort-style “swim club” hotel (below) in the ritzy enclave, mixing Modernist lines with a ’70s feel and showpiece pools open to guests and day visitors.

At the riviera’s southern tip, by the fifth-century BCE Temple of Poseidon, the just-renovated Cape Sounio resort (below) offers bungalows, suites and villas, two beaches, a pine forest and seven bars and restaurants facing the marble romance of the ruined monument.

Last year, One&Only unveiled its first Greek property, Aesthesis in Glyfada (below) – all glass walls and water views – before opening a second just across the Saronic Gulf on Kea Island that gives well-heeled guests a ready-made city and island itinerary. Private transfers between the two take 80 minutes by speedboat.

Alternatively, hitch a ride from the riviera to the island of your choice aboard Hoper, a new charter helicopter company that offers single-seat fares so you don’t need Onassis’s riches to arrive in style.

SEE ALSO: Which Greek Island Is for You?