Insider’s Guide to the Athens Riviera

What makes the Athens Riviera such a great place to live?
It’s a wonderful combination of sun and sea, with the services of a capital city on hand. The Riviera stretches down from the suburbs of Athens to Cape Sounion, the southernmost point of Attica, along the sheltered Saronic Gulf, taking in Paleo Faliro, Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza. So it’s very much a coastal lifestyle, with an international community. The weather here is smoother than in the heart of the city – cooler in summer, milder in winter – and we have excellent access to facilities, including the airport and international schools.

Which are the best areas to buy in?
It all depends on how close you want to be to the sea. Glyfada is the commercial centre of the Athens Riviera: it has great restaurants, the shops are super and it’s within walking distance of the beach. Here you can find duplex apartments of up to 400 square metres: penthouses with amazing sea views, or four- and five-bedroom ground-floor apartments with a garden and private pool, designed by well-known Greek architects such as ISV and 314 Studio.Voula is calmer, less urban, while Vouliagmeni is one of the most sought-after locations. It has villas of up to 2,000 square metres with a private beach, or, up in the hills, large detached houses with a pool. 

Who’s buying on the Athens Riviera?
About 50% of our buyers are international, many from the Middle East and America. Lots of people are coming here to work remotely – executive nomads – or to set up a business and bring their families.

Athens is also a destination for large overseas corporations, so employees are relocating from abroad. And we have a Golden Visa scheme, an incentive for foreign buyers to invest in Greece so they can acquire an EU residency visa.

We have lots of Greek expats from the US, Canada and Australia looking for a holiday home or wanting to purchase a property that connects them to their origins. But we are also very much a Greek destination, so about 50% of our buyers are nationals who want to live close to the sea, with access to the centre. 

Any exciting new projects in town?
In the past few years, as Greece has recovered from the financial crisis, Athens has undergone a lot of construction activity, and the Riviera is in high demand. The Ellinikon project is the biggest regeneration initiative in Europe right now. Six million square metres of land around the old Athens airport are being developed into a world-class destination with homes, retail and restaurants – and it’s right in the middle of the Riviera. We expect to see the first outlets opening by the end of 2026.

Which are your favourite places to eat and drink?
In Vouliagmeni, the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, by the marina, has a great bar, Avra, with an innovative cocktail list and wonderful sea views. Manko is a restaurant and bar at the One&Only Aesthesis that explores the flavours of Peru, Blends is a cool spot in Glyfada that serves excellent seafood, and Oven in Voula is the best place on the Riviera for brunch.

For occasion dining, the two-Michelin-starred Delta does a marvellous 12-course tasting menu, created by mega-chef George Papazacharias. For a more traditional fish restaurant, Ithaki is a family-run taverna on the sand; another great favourite is Labros in Vouliagmeni, known for its local seafood and incredible views of Astir Beach.

What is there to do for culture?
The Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, at the southernmost point of the peninsula, was built during the golden age of Pericles. It looks particularly wonderful at sunset. The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Kallithea is home to the National Library and the Greek National Opera, both of which are world-class. And the Release Athens Festival at Plateia Nerou features Kylie Minogue, Idles and London Grammar this summer.

What’s your favourite thing to do on the Athens Riviera?
For me, the lifestyle is unbeatable, especially in the summer months. I love swimming and walking by the sea: Athines by the Sea in Voula has a wonderful beach club, lounge and restaurant where you can hang out all day. And Lake Vouliagmeni, just inland, is a natural oasis with a beach, spa and wellness centre.

The Athenians do open-air nightlife really well: the Bolivar beach bar in Alimos turns into a nightclub on the sand, and the Island Club & Restaurant in Varkiza hosts world-famous DJs who do great parties.

Portfolio recommends…
For superb, sustainably sourced modern Greek cooking, head to Patio, overlooking the Saronic Gulf in Vouliagmeni, which has won a Michelin green star for dishes made with produce from its own farm. Tennis fans can sharpen up their strokes on the clay courts at 91 Athens Riviera, One&Only Aesthesis has a Guerlain spa where exclusive treatments include a rose quartz stone massage, and the pools at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens have a retro Palm Springs vibe. 

DANAE TSAKIRIS, DIRECTOR ADVISORY & AGENCY,
SAVILLS GREECE
d.tsakiris@savills.gr