The Acropolis and the Parthenon in the evening sun, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus below, Athens
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Luxury in Greece

Athens

The birthplace of the West: the Acropolis above the city, the Grande Bretagne on Syntagma Square, and the beaches, marinas and resorts of the Athens Riviera down to Sounion.

The Acropolis at sunset, AthensPhotograph: Pexels

Kalós orísate

Where democracy began

Athens in the fifth century before Christ gave the world democracy, philosophy, theatre and the Parthenon, built on the Acropolis under Pericles between 447 and 432 BC. The Acropolis is World Heritage, and the Acropolis Museum below it holds its sculptures in galleries that look up at the temple.

The modern city grew around Syntagma Square after Athens became the capital of independent Greece in 1834. The Hotel Grande Bretagne has stood on the square since 1874, and from its rooftop the Parthenon seems close enough to touch.

South of the city, the Athens Riviera runs along the coast through Glyfada and Vouliagmeni, with its lake, beach clubs, marinas and resorts, to the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion, where the sunset is one of the great sights of Greece.

A few words of Greek
EnglishGreekSay it
HelloΓεια σαςYAH-sas
PleaseΠαρακαλώpa-ra-ka-LO
Thank youΕυχαριστώef-ha-ri-STO
Good eveningΚαλησπέραka-li-SPE-ra
The bill, pleaseΤον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώton lo-ghar-yaz-MO, pa-ra-ka-LO

Where to go

Athens at a glance

When to go, the one best hotel and table, and how to arrive privately.

Athens Riviera

Best time to visitLate May to June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, dry days and none of the 32°C (90°F) heat of July and August.

  • Stay
    Four Seasons Astir Palacethree MICHELIN Keys

    Set on its own pine-covered peninsula at Vouliagmeni with three private beaches, Greece's only three-Key hotel.

  • Dine
    Delta

    At the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center on the Faliro waterfront, where the Riviera begins, it is Greece's only two-MICHELIN-star restaurant, a short drive from central Athens.

  • Beach
    None that meets our standard yet.
Arrive privately
By private jet
Athens International Airport (ATH / LGAV), about 25 to 30 minutes by car to Vouliagmeni. Business aviation uses the airport's General Aviation Facilities building, where ExecuJet lists an FBO.
By helicopter
The Four Seasons Astir Palace in Vouliagmeni has its own helipad, about 15 minutes by helicopter from Athens Airport.
By sea
Astir Marina, Vouliagmeni, 59 berths for superyachts, with the largest taking yachts over 70 metres, at the Four Seasons Astir Palace itself. Flisvos Marina, Athens, takes yachts of 15 to 110 metres, about 30 minutes by car from Vouliagmeni.

Stay

Luxury hotels in Athens

The finest hotels in and around Athens: each rated Forbes Five-Star, holding two or three MICHELIN Keys, or among the 25 Finest Resorts of the Mediterranean.

Athens Riviera

Four Seasons Astir Palace

The Astir Palace was the glamorous heart of the Athens Riviera in the 1960s. Four Seasons reopened it in 2019 on its own pine-covered peninsula at Vouliagmeni, 30 minutes from central Athens.

Visit website ↗

The finest hotels

Each rated Forbes Five-Star or holding two or three MICHELIN Keys.

Private villas and estates

  • BlueVillasAthens and Mykonos

    A Greek villa specialist, licensed by the Greek National Tourism Organisation, with offices in Athens and Mykonos and more than 150 villas on Mykonos alone, plus homes on Santorini, Paros, Antiparos, Crete and the Ionian islands. Visit website ↗

Dine

The best restaurants in Athens

The finest tables of Athens and around, and the private chefs and caterers.

Two MICHELIN stars

Private chefs and catering

For a villa, a yacht or a wedding.

  • Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel AthensOff-Site Catering, Athens Riviera

    The resort at Vouliagmeni offers off-site catering from its own kitchens for private villas, yachts and events away from the hotel. Visit website ↗

Sail

Yacht charter in Athens

Yachting at our standard in and around Athens.

Superyacht marinas

Superyacht charter brokers with an office here

Cruises

Athens by sea

How the ships arrive in Athens, and the luxury lines that call.

Ships berth at Piraeus, about 12 km from the Acropolis: Greece's main cruise port and the start of most voyages to the islands.

Norwegian's Haven, Celebrity's Retreat, Princess's Sanctuary Collection and Virgin's RockStar suites sail from Piraeus. Nineteen of the luxury lines below begin and end voyages here.

The luxury lines that call here

From the lines' own 2026 and 2027 voyages. Ports change from season to season, so check the voyage before you reserve.

Luxury Cruise LinesSuites at Sea

Shop

Luxury shopping in Athens

The shopping streets, jewellers, ateliers, galleries and car showrooms of Athens.

The great shopping streets

  • Voukourestiou StreetKolonaki, Athens

    The pedestrianised street known as the Bond Street of Athens, climbing from Stadiou Street towards Kolonaki, with Hermès on the corner of Stadiou, Cartier at No. 7 and Louis Vuitton at No. 19, alongside Dior, Prada and Bulgari. Visit website ↗

Jewellers and watchmakers

  • LALAoUNISPanepistimiou and Voukourestiou, Athens

    The house of Ilias Lalaounis, known for gold jewellery drawn from ancient Greek and Byzantine art, with its Athens flagship, boutiques in Mykonos and Santorini, and its own jewellery museum below the Acropolis. Visit website ↗

  • ZolotasAthens

    An Athenian house making gold and silver jewellery since 1895, with collections drawn from Greek and Byzantine forms. Visit website ↗

Artisan ateliers

  • Melissinos ArtMakrygianni, Athens

    A family sandal maker working since 1920, now in its third generation under Pantelis Melissinos, handcrafting bespoke leather sandals drawn from ancient Greek models near the Acropolis. Visit website ↗

Art galleries

The great marques

Official showrooms, most by appointment.

The Great Marques: showrooms, factories and cars to hire ›

Experience

Events and things to do in Athens

The Athens year: the great events, month by month; each event's own website gives this year's dates.

The great museums

  • Acropolis MuseumAthens

    At the foot of the Acropolis since 2009, with the Parthenon sculptures in a glass gallery facing the temple itself. Visit website ↗

  • National Archaeological MuseumAthens

    The world's richest collection of ancient Greek art, from the Mask of Agamemnon to the Antikythera mechanism. Visit website ↗

  • Benaki MuseumAthens

    Founded in 1930 by Antonis Benakis in his family's mansion facing the National Garden, a survey of Greek art and culture from prehistory to the 20th century.

Opera houses, concert halls and festivals

Private access

Doors that open by arrangement.

  • The Acropolis ExperienceAthens

    A private visit to the Acropolis outside public hours, at sunrise or sunset, for up to five people, run by the Ministry of Culture and the Hellenic Organisation of Cultural Resources Development, with proceeds going to heritage conservation.

Weddings and celebrations

  • Stella & MoschaSantorini and Athens

    Planning weddings in Greece since 1993, with work across Santorini, Crete, Paros and the Athens Riviera. It is a founding member of the Greek Destination Planners Association. Visit website ↗

Live

Luxury real estate in Athens

A home in Athens: the agencies and advisers at our standard, for the purchase and for life after it.

Prime real estate

  • Greece Sotheby's International RealtyAthens

    The Sotheby's affiliate for Greece, with a head office in Athens and a branch in Corfu, covering the Athens Riviera, Mykonos, Paros, Santorini, Crete and the Ionian islands. Visit website ↗

  • Ploumis SotiropoulosAthens

    Long-established Greek agency with property records going back to 1930 and the exclusive Christie's International Real Estate affiliate in Greece, covering the Athens Riviera, the Cyclades and the Ionian and Dodecanese islands. Visit website ↗

All the leading agencies in Greece ›

Looking for a home in Athens? Write to travel@TheMediterranean.com and we will introduce you, in confidence, to the right agency.

Branded residences and new developments

  • Riviera Tower, The EllinikonAthens

    Lamda Development's 50-storey, 200-metre seafront tower by Foster + Partners, Greece's first skyscraper, holds about 170 apartments and penthouses (one to five bedrooms); it reached full height in 2026, and owners are due to move in from summer 2027. Visit website ↗

Architects and designers

  • K-StudioAthens, Greece

    Designers of Kalesma in Mykonos and the Dexamenes seaside hotel, with private work that includes the ANAMESA residence on Mykonos and the Villa Infinity finca renovation in Ibiza. Visit website ↗

  • Block722Athens, Greece

    An architecture and interiors studio working on villas and hotels, best known for its private houses on Mykonos, including the award-winning Villa Mykonos I. Visit website ↗

Private banks and advisers

Private healthcare

  • HygeiaAthens

    A private hospital in the Hellenic Healthcare Group and the first hospital in Greece to earn Joint Commission International accreditation. Visit website ↗

  • Metropolitan HospitalNeo Faliro (Athens)

    A private hospital in the Hellenic Healthcare Group with more than 50 departments and several robotic surgery systems; it reports performing the largest number of robotic urology operations in Europe each year. Visit website ↗

International schools

  • ACS Athens (American Community Schools of Athens)Halandri (Athens)

    Founded in 1945, it offers the American diploma, the IB Diploma and AP courses to students from 56 nationalities, and is accredited by the Middle States Association. Visit website ↗

  • Campion SchoolPallini (Athens)

    Founded in 1970, this COBIS-member school teaches a British curriculum through IGCSE and has offered the IB Diploma since 2002. Visit website ↗

Plan your trip

Luxury travel in Athens and the Mediterranean: your questions answered

Plan your journey to Athens

Where is Athens?

In Attica in southern mainland Greece, a few kilometres from the sea at Piraeus. Athens airport takes private jets and is about 35 minutes from the centre and about 30 minutes from Vouliagmeni.

What is Athens famous for?

The Acropolis and the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, the birth of democracy and philosophy, the Hotel Grande Bretagne, and the beaches and resorts of the Athens Riviera.

When is the best time to visit Athens?

Late May to June and September to early October are ideal: warm sea, dry days and none of the 32°C (90°F) heat of July and August.

Where are the best luxury hotels in Athens?

Four Seasons Astir Palace (three MICHELIN Keys).

How do you arrive in Athens by private jet?

Athens International Airport (ATH / LGAV), about 25 to 30 minutes by car to Vouliagmeni.

Which are the best restaurants in Athens?

The finest table on our list: Delta.

Do you tip in Athens?

Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.

What should you wear in Athens?

Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the great monasteries, such as Meteora, wraps are provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.

Beyond Athens

More in Greece

Mykonos, Santorini, the Athens Riviera, the Peloponnese and Crete, and the Mediterranean beyond.

GreeceLuxury Greece Holidays: Mykonos & SantoriniExplore GreeceThe MediterraneanTwenty-two countries and Gibraltar, first class onlyExplore the MediterraneanPlan your journeyFrom your home to Athens, with the costsOpen the trip planner

Customs and etiquette

Customs and etiquette in Athens

How Greece does things.

Language
Greek is the official language. English is widely spoken in hotels, restaurants and anywhere that serves visitors.
Greetings
A firm handshake with eye contact on first meeting is usual. Friends typically greet with a hug or two cheek kisses. Address people as Kyrie (Mr) or Kyria (Mrs/Ms) with their surname until invited otherwise.
Dress
Dress modestly at churches and monasteries: women cover their shoulders and knees, and men wear long trousers and sleeved tops. At the great monasteries, such as Meteora, wraps are provided at the entrance and men in shorts are turned away. No hard-soled shoes on yacht decks. Fine dining is smart-casual, and Athens and Mykonos can be dressier.
Dining
Greeks eat late. Lunch is usually taken by about 3 pm, and dinner rarely starts before 9 pm, often 10 pm or later in summer. Reservations are essential at the top restaurants in Athens and on the islands in high season. Sharing plates is the custom.
Tipping
Service is generally included in the price, but leaving 5–10% for good service is customary. Round up taxi fares, or add 5–10% for longer journeys. Luxury hotels: porters €2–5 a bag, housekeeping €5–10 a day.
Good to know
Avoid the open-palm "stop" gesture towards someone, because in Greece it is an insult (the moutza). It is illegal to approach, photograph or film military installations, vehicles or buildings, and offenders can be arrested; take the same care in border areas.
Tourist tax
Hotels add a climate resilience fee per room per night, €15 at five-star hotels from April to October; cruise passengers landing on Santorini or Mykonos pay €20 a visit in summer.

Every list on this page is checked by hand and dated: last checked October 2026. Hotels, restaurants and events link only to their own official websites, where confirmed.

The Mediterranean Season Letter

Where to be, every season

Four letters a year, one for each season: the Mediterranean from spring to autumn, and Beyond the Mediterranean, into the Alps, in winter. The one best hotel to book, and the events worth crossing a sea for.