For years, the formula for a glamorous Greek summer seemed almost predetermined: fly to Athens and head straight for the islands. Mykonos, in particular, became synonymous with summer in Greece — whitewashed houses, turquoise water, long lunches, beach clubs and nights without a clear ending.
We still love Mykonos.
But perhaps not every Greek summer needs to look the same.
This year, we would go south.
Follow the coast from Athens, beyond Vouliagmeni, Lagonisi and Saronida, and you will discover a different expression of summer — one shaped by hidden beaches, seaside tavernas, ancient landmarks and an altogether slower rhythm.
Welcome to the Athens Riviera.
Perhaps its greatest luxury is also its simplest:
The freedom to choose.
Land at Athens International Airport, collect your car and head south.
There are no connecting flights, crowded ports or ferry schedules to organise around. Before long, the city begins to disappear, replaced by marinas, rocky coves and the deep blue of the Saronic Gulf. Stop for coffee. Have lunch beside the sea. Take your first swim.
Your holiday has already begun.
This simplicity changes the entire rhythm of a trip. The first day is not lost in transit, and the last does not need to be planned backwards from a ferry departure. You can arrive lightly, leave slowly and change your plans whenever the mood takes you.
For families, groups of friends and anyone travelling for only a few days, that freedom can feel like a luxury in itself.
Vouliagmeni is the glamorous heart of the Athens Riviera, known for its elegant beaches, sophisticated restaurants and the legendary Astir peninsula.
It is polished, cosmopolitan and deservedly celebrated.
But our advice is simple:
Keep driving.
Continue south towards Lagonisi, Saronida and Anavyssos, and the landscape gradually opens up. The beaches become quieter, the horizon feels wider and the pace noticeably slows.
Small coves appear beside the coastal road. Local tavernas replace city restaurants. The sea is never far away, but neither is the feeling that you have discovered somewhere of your own.
This is where the Riviera begins to feel less like a destination and more like a way of living.
Anavyssos does not try too hard — and that is precisely its charm.
There is space, nature and an enormous blue horizon. A summer morning can begin with coffee and absolutely no plan for what comes next.
Find a beach. Follow the coastal road. Stop for lunch simply because somewhere looks inviting. Order grilled fish, tomatoes, cold wine and stay longer than expected.
Or do not go anywhere at all.
Days here are not built around a list of places you have to see. They unfold through small decisions: one more swim, another coffee, a late lunch, a road you have not taken before.
Plans become optional.
And time begins to feel generous again.
There is a particular pressure that can come with a Mediterranean holiday: the sense that every day must be used correctly.
The right beach. The right lunch. The right sunset reservation.
But not every day in Greece needs an itinerary. And you do not have to go to the beach simply because the sea is nearby.
Some days, the best plan is simply to stay.
Have a late breakfast. Find a book. Slip into the pool. Stretch out beneath the Greek sun and open something cold.
Swim again.
Suddenly, it is late afternoon and you have gone nowhere.
Perfect.
True luxury is not always access to more. Sometimes, it is the freedom to do less — without feeling that you are missing anything.
Sometimes, the pool is the destination.
This is where the Athens Riviera offers something an island cannot quite replicate. You have the sea, but you also have Athens.
Spend the morning at the Acropolis, wander through Plaka and stay for lunch in the city. Later, return to the coast for an evening swim or dinner overlooking the water.
Visit a gallery. Shop in Kolonaki. Walk through the ancient city as it wakes, then leave the heat behind and be back beside the pool by late afternoon.
Continue south from Anavyssos and the coastal road eventually leads to one of Greece’s most spectacular ancient landmarks: Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon. Go in the late afternoon and stay for sunset.
The temple has stood above the Aegean for almost 2,500 years. Below it, the coastline falls away into sea and sky. As the light changes, the marble shifts from white to honey-gold and the entire landscape seems to become still.
It is one of those rare places that remains extraordinary, however many photographs you may have seen before arriving.
A Greek summer should include at least one day on the water.
Cruise across the Saronic Gulf, discover a bay inaccessible by road, swim in clear open water and stop for lunch beside the sea.
And if you are still dreaming of island life, the Saronic islands are waiting. Aegina, Poros and Hydra each offer their own character, from pistachio groves and neoclassical harbours to car-free streets and stone mansions overlooking the water.
The difference is that the island becomes the day’s adventure, not the logistical centre of the entire holiday.
At the end of the day, you can come home.
No repacking. No changing hotels. No ferry with all your luggage.
Just the memory of salt on your skin as the boat turns back towards the coast.
Let’s be fair: Mykonos is iconic for a reason.
If you are looking for famous beach clubs, nightlife, fashion and unmistakable energy, there are few places quite like it.
But perhaps the better question is not which destination is superior.
It is what kind of summer you want now.
If luxury means privacy, freedom, space and the possibility of changing your mind, the Athens Riviera offers something quietly compelling.
Wake up and decide.
Athens or the beach? A boat or Cape Sounion? Lunch somewhere along the coast?
Or absolutely nowhere — just another hour by the pool?
Greece is on your doorstep, but you are free to experience it at your own pace.
So yes, we will happily return to Mykonos.
But this year?
We might just leave Athens airport, turn south and keep driving.
For those looking for privacy and space in Anavyssos, Vista Lodge offers a private setting from which to explore the Riviera — or the freedom to spend the entire day beside the pool.
Explore
Contact
190 Paliogastritsa St, Anavyssos, Attica 190 13, Greece
Tel: +30 693 320 7489
Ready for your Athens Riviera escape?
For availability, special requests and private stays, contact us directly.
© 2026 Vista Lodge Athens Riviera | Terms and Conditions | Refund and Cancellation
