The Athenian Riviera: Conde Nast Traveler’s Hidden Gem and Top Destination for 2025

Hellinikon tower

Forget about Athens for now; the Athenian Riviera has emerged as one of the top 10 destinations to explore in 2025.

As each year draws to a close, our thoughts turn to travel plans for the coming months, and Conde Nast Traveler has spotlighted a destination surprisingly close to home.

Athens Riviera

The Athenian Riviera is fast becoming a hotspot, blending luxurious accommodations, rich cultural experiences, and easy accessibility. It beckons vacation days, with prestigious hotels gearing up to welcome travellers in 2025.

Conde Nast Traveler praises this coastal gem of Attica, marvelling at its stunning features: shimmering waters, secluded beaches, and bougainvillea-laden shores that bask in 300 days of sunshine annually. Surprisingly, the Athenian Riviera remains somewhat ‘hidden’ in today’s visually-driven era. To put it in perspective, the #athensriviera hashtag has just 114,000 posts on Instagram, compared to Santorini’s 8.1 million and Mykonos’ 5.6 million. Once a celebrity and royal retreat, its popularity waned in the early 1990s due to Greece’s financial crisis and the closure of a nearby US airbase.

The Hellinikon Project set to attract numerous investors

However, 2025 marks a renaissance for the Athenian Riviera, fueled by new investments poised to revitalize the 60 km coastline, just a 30-minute journey from central Athens. A centrepiece of this transformation is The Ellinikon, an ambitious $8 billion redevelopment of the former Hellinikon International Airport. Set to be completed gradually from 2025, this project is expected to generate 70,000 jobs and fundamentally elevate the Athenian Riviera.

Where should you travel in 2025? Could Conde Nast Traveler’s anthem truly be for the Athenian Riviera? The plan features prominent residential, cultural, and hospitality projects, including a waterfront mall designed by Kengo Kuma, a Mandarin Oriental resort, and a Hard Rock hotel and casino slated for completion in 2027.

The crowning jewel of the Athenian Riviera is an expansive coastal park—Europe’s largest—to be unveiled by the end of 2025. This park will double Athens’ green space in a city known for its scarcity of such areas.

As anticipation mounts for a tourism surge, a slew of new hotels is emerging along the coast, marking the first arrival of a prestigious hotel group since the Four Seasons Astir Palace in 2019. In July 2024, One&Only made its Greek debut in Glyfada with One&Only Aesthesis, offering lavish bungalows and suites nestled among olive trees along the coast.

Nearby, travellers can stay or swim at the 120-room beachfront Ace Hotel & Swim Club, which offers day passes for its two pools.

91 Athens Riviera in Voula is a new wellness sanctuary with 30 chic glamping tents surrounding a spa, gym, tennis court, and beach club for even more relaxation.

This growth is accompanied by more direct flights to Athens, introducing new routes from Shanghai, Sharjah, and Brest starting in 2024.

So, where will your travels take you in 2025? Does Conde Nast Traveler have reason to sing praises for the Athenian Riviera?

Beyond the Athenian Riviera, other enchanting destinations await exploration. Conde Nast Traveler’s recommendations for 2025 include:

  • Ahr Valley, Germany, for its exquisite wines and stunning natural landscapes.
  • Arrabida, Portugal, for its unspoiled nature, Moorish castles, and excellent wines.
  • Albania for its beautiful beaches and affordable accommodations.
  • County Clare, Ireland, for eco-friendly lodging and traditional craftsmanship.
  • Faroe Islands for its access to the country’s hidden gems.
  • Geneva, Switzerland, for soccer and sailing.
  • Marseille, France,e for its vibrant art scene, French cuisine, and glamorous beach clubs.
  • Matarraña, Spain, for its natural beauty and extraordinary stargazing.
  • Sussex, UK for its cozy new hotels and vibrant creative community.
  • Vienna, Austria, is known for its music performances and renowned restaurants.