DESTINATIONS GREECE & CYPRUS | ATHENIAN RIVIERA


BOOK IT


A night at boutique hotel Divani Apollon Suites starts at €197 per room for a B&B rate in low season. divaniapollonhotel.com


CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Lake Vouliagmeni; pool at Four Seasons Astir Palace; the Temple of Poseidon, Attica, Greece PICTURES: Shutterstock; Ken Seet


Triton Odyssey offers private day sailings for up to eight from £1,200, including lunch, wine and soft drinks. tritonodyssey.com


Aegean Air flies to Athens from Heathrow, Edinburgh and Manchester from £188 return including taxes and charges. en.aegeanair.com


For more information, trip ideas and destination guides, go to discovergreece.com


on sunbeds, dipping in the Aegean and sipping cocktails on the sand. The area lost a little of its lustre over time. But now the glamour is trickling back in, with familiar brand Four Seasons taking over Astir Palace – its debut property in Greece – last June. The new resort combines retro glamour and original structures with thoroughly modern touches, like a computerised booth that mists bodies with sunscreen.


TIMELESS BEAUTY Four Seasons’ opening has drawn the spotlight back to the Athens coast, whose glorious beauty has never really gone away. This was a place of deities long before the Hollywood gods and goddesses caught on. Ancient Greeks built the Temple of Poseidon 30 miles south of the Four Seasons; its buttery marble pillars, perched dramatically over brilliantly blue Cape Sounion, enchanted the poet Lord


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Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso


This stylish property knows about the joys and benefits of the water, whether that’s soaking in the mineral-rich waters of the thalassotherapy centre, paddling in the Aegean Sea from the burnished-gold beach or staring at the shimmering bay from the balcony of its sea view rooms. Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso, a member of


Leading Hotels of the World, regularly hosts conferences and is well-located for business travellers. The restaurant is a highlight, with tables on a deck jutting over the bay and fresh, zingy dishes packed with local seafood, herbs and vegetables. divani-apollonsuites.com


26 MARCH 2020


Byron when he visited in 1810, and tour guides take great pains to point out the spot where he carved his name into one of the columns. For clients truly looking to


recreate the golden glamour of the 1950s, suggest a private sailing with Triton Odyssey. Cruises depart from Lavrion port to Makronisos island, where guests can swim and snorkel before heading to Cape Sounion and hiking up to the Temple of Poseidon – though trips can be tailored to each group, making it a great choice for families, groups of friends or colleagues, and couples celebrating a special occasion. Days aboard its wooden


yacht are days where the hardest decisions are whether to dive in the pale teal waters or climb down the ladder, whether to lounge on the seats at the stern or sunbathe on the lounge cushions by the bow. Either way, between sips of


mineral-rich regional wines and forkfuls of traditional dishes such as shrimp saganak (simmered in a rich tomato and feta sauce), it’s impossible not to feel a little of that Jackie Onassis glamour.


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DINING DELIGHTS


Nice n’ easy Seaside This chic seaside spot is on Astir Beach, where Frank Sinatra, Jackie O and Marilyn Monroe once lounged. Elegant, surprising concoctions include mushrooms with miso and blue cheese and fish with crispy seaweed.


Aperanto Galazio This open-sided taverna, on a locals’ favourite beach in Varkiza, is just the place for fresh Greek salad and well- priced wine, best enjoyed with tender octopus and perfectly crisped sardines.


Krabo Beach Well-dressed party crowds gather for cocktails and bites at this exclusive restaurant and beach club. Tables are arranged over several levels by a secluded bay, so everyone enjoys uninterrupted views of the water while dining on soft-shell crab burgers or grilled aubergine.


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