Postcards from Greece and her islands
Here are some suggestions for travelling to Greece in late summer and early autumn. These include island and mainland destinations as well as the capital of Athens! Or for the more adventurous there are a number of cruises around the Greek islands with stops to well-known or lesser known islands in the Aegean!
New Openings:
The Bold Type Hotel – From £120 per room per night – this is a five star boutique hotel in the city of Patras, Peloponnese. A building dating back to the 19th century attractively renovated to its former glory reflecting the local culture and history converted into a modern hotel. The hotel has four (4) floors and a total of 10 rooms/suites, a magnificent garden and restaurant with weekly open air cinema nights and hosts art exhibitions of local artists. The city of Patras has a vast past dotted with archaeological sites, cultural monuments and natural beauty spots. The local port has daily sailings to the Ionian Islands (Zakynthos, Kefalonia, etc) and Italian ports (Bari, Brindizi and Ancona). Nearest airports Athens or Kalamata.
Meraviglia Slow Living – From £170 per room per night – is newly opened hotel situated in the outskirts of the town of Preveza, Ipirus. There are seven (7) low footprint suites designed to reflect the surrounding natural setting, built local, organic, sustainable materials focussed on delivering excellent service. Wander through the fragrant gardens and soak up the beauty of the Ionian Islands sea views. All of the Meraviglia Slow Living suites have been designed to offer guests’ luxury, nature, and wellbeing all in one place. Some of the best beaches in the Greek mainland can be found around the town of Preveza. It is, also, renowned for its food scene and the Ipirus’ vineyards and some of the famous archaeological sites including Nicopolis built to commemorate the famous naval battle of Aktion. Nearest airport is Preveza.
Island Destinations:
Kivotos Mykonos, in Ornos - From 550 euros per room per night - was the first boutique hotel on the island to have a private beach and so offers the ultimate sanctuary. Sunbathe, enjoy a romantic dinner on the private beach deck, or a couple’s massage or take a speedboat from here to other parts of the island. The hotel can organise a number of activities while on Mykonos from visits to the sacred island of Delos to learning about traditional weaving!
Kivotos Santorini - From 880 euros per room per night. Kivotos is Greek for "ark" and Kivotos Santorini is just that. This suite and villa only hotel is perched seductively on the crest of Santorin’s famous caldera. KIVOTOS is a charcoal black architectural gem amongst the island’s all-white buildings. Its small but perfectly formed consisting of just four suites and one villa that marry exclusivity, intimacy and impeccable service with panoramic views of the world’s most famous sunset and sunken volcano. Kivotos Santorini is the highest building on the Caldera, so unlike other hotels located on this cobweb of volcanic rock, there are no steep steps to navigate and breeze into reception and then to the suite or villa of choice.
The Courti Estate, Corfu – It is an 18thcentury Venetian working estate with nine (9) luxury suites in the central manor house enclosed in a courtyard by numerous buildings, including a large olive press and private chapel. The infinity pool nestles beautifully amongst the olive groves with views of the olive press and the main living areas. Found in the beautiful traditional fishing village of Messonghi, a few hundred metres from the shores of the Ionian Sea, guests can choose from any number of authentic tavernas, award winning restaurants and sip cocktails at seaside bars boasting some of the best mixologists on the island. The Courti Estate will be launching its new Corfu appreciation trips getting guests to explore this beautiful island. The Courti Estate can be booked as a villa of nine rooms or there are the Experience Weeks available on specific dates where individual bookings for suites are taken.
Olive Harvest at The Courti Estate – from 2995 per person – From 6 to 13 November – take part in a traditional olive harvest experiences in the outmost luxury of the Courti Estate. Take part in the olive harvest of the estate’s olive grove, watching the hand-picked olives’ journey to the press and the bottling plan. Along with the harvest, there is wine tasting, celebrity chef gastronomy, touring of historic sites, flamingo spotting along protected nature-reserve beach walks.
The Capital of Athens:
Asomaton Hotel – From a 130 euro per room per night - A century-old listed building in central Athens transformed into a boutique-art hotel where Greek-American artist Philip Tsiaras has curated a selection of his paintings for each of the 19 rooms. It’s close to the ancient Kerameikos cemetery, a hammam, the marble-hewn synagogue of Beth Shalom and the Holocaust momument, and the Museum of Islamic Art. For the more energetic the Acropolis and the new museum are easily accessible. The Acropolis Terrace, as the name suggests, has views over the ancient landmark. There is an indoor plunge pool for those looking to cool down after their sightseeing. The two-course breakfast menu features eggs “kayana” (with tomatoes) a local dish and chocolate pralin pancakes.
Mainland:
Racconto Boutique Desigh Hotel – From £120 per room suite per night – a sophisticated adults only hotel. It’s situated only 900 meters from the centre of Parga and steps away from the First Central Beach. Parga is famous for its sugar-fine beaches, emerald green waters and lush vegetation. Racconto Boutique Design Hotel is situated within a lush olive grove, its decoration was inspired by designer Panos Petridis in all Aegean white and the rooms are adorned with pictures by photographer Amalia Sotiropoulou, while the breakfast and dinner menus are devised by the famous chef Ektoras Botrini. Nearest airport is Preveza.
The Lake Hotel – From £100 per room per night - The luxurious Lake Hotel stands by the Lake Pamvotis, one of the oldest lakes on the European continent, in the basin of Ioannina. Its facilities stretch along the lakeshores. Its lake location presents guests with the tranquillity and calmness. The careful arrangement of the 40 luxurious rooms and the hotel's indoor and outdoor common areas, create the ideal getaway retreat in the city of Ioannina, while giving a warm feeling of “freedom”. The hotel is the getaway to the Zagori area, which makes it the ideal starting point of an adventurous exploration journey in the surrounding areas. The on-site spa is a pleasant touch during the visitors’ stay and adds to the relaxation and wellness of the guests. Nearest airport is Preveza or Ioannina.
Opora Countryside Living – From £90 per room per night - a 30-acres estate tucked away in the hillside of Nafplio, in the Peloponnese, with four detached houses divided into six residences amid orange and olive groves, Opora combines rural understatement with all-mod-cons comfort. Apart from a comfortable stay, the Opora is ideally situated to get in touch with the local culture as Mycanae, Epidaurus, Nafplio, take part in wine testing, in seminars on how to harvest the olives, in beekeeping presentations. All dishes are prepared from ingredients grown in the estate’s farm as well as from other locally sourced farms. There are also daylong excursions, including to the islands of Hydra and Spetses. Nearest airpor
Villa Vager – From £120 per room per night Villa Vager, is a listed building with an interesting past as it was a hemp factory up until the beginning of the last century as well as a local trader’s mansion before being abandoned. Now is in the hands of the Vager family and converted into a nine-suite only hotel. Its nine suites, all named after types of trees found in the surrounding forests. Most of them have working fireplaces adding to the whole ambience of the place. The hosts are very friendly and hospitable, and it'll make your stay at the Villa Vager unforgettable. It is open all year round as it can combine a variety of different activities depending on the season. Villa Vager is ideally situated to explore the ancient sites of Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia as well as Nafpio, Tolo and the picturesque villages of Dimitsana, etc . Additionally, the Vager family can organise trips to the nearby lakes, rivers or Mt Mainalo for white water rafting, canoeing, hiking, skiing and exploring the local vineyards. Nearest airport is Athens.
Villa Vager Mani – From £240 per room per night is the newest boutique hotel opening in the southern Peloponnese, Greece. Villa Vager Mani is a hotel which offers style, personal service, luxury and warm hospitality by its owners Marina and Nikolas Vager. The hotel has four suites all individually decorated reflecting Marina Vager’s individual panache which developed through her travels and her work as an interior designer. Built on a soaring olive-crowned hill above the village of Megali Mantinia, the hotel commands spectacular views of the Gulf of Messinia, the mountain Taigetos and the Rintomou Gorge. The area of Mani is well known for its beautiful lunar landscape, olive groves, rugged hills, blue waters, small seaside villages, traditional tavernas , Such a combination of gastronomy, history and beauty makes it one of the most perfect places to visit in Greece. For those who like an adventure holiday there`s an abundance of activities including sea kayaking, sup, river trekking, rafting, cycling, canoeing, scuba diving, jet skiing, pedal boats, water skiing, a full or half day cruise on a pirate ship, hiking, as well as wall climbing, rock climbing and mountaineering. Nearest airport is Kalamata.