TIME magazine has named Aria Hotels’ La Divina as one of the World’s Greatest Places To Stay in 2025.
The 12-suite boutique hotel on Adrianou Street in Thissio is set in a restored 19th century building that once was the Odeon Athenaeum music hall, which honoured late American-Greek soprano Maria Callas.
The classical building that blends contemporary design with neoclassical heritage and stone walls is in close proximity to the bustling Plaka neighbourhood and has views of the Acropoli, the Ancient Agora and the Athens Asteroscopio, which TIME describes as “summon[ing] images of mythological bravura”.
La Divina, with it’s name paying homage to Maria Callas’ nickname, is also in 10-minute walking distance to the Maria Callas Museum that opened in late 2023. This homage is reminiscent of Aria Hotels’ dedication to creating immersive cultural experiences for travellers through their restoration of historical heritage sites. The Libra Group’s Greek-born hospitality subsidiary have over 50 boutique hotels and villas over Greece in Athens, Crete, the Cycladic, Dodecanese and Ionian Islands, Evia and the Peloponnese, including the award-winning Patrick Leigh Fermor House, located in Kardamyli in Southeastern Peloponnese.
Their CEO is Makis Pantazatos, who joined the Libra Group in 2000. According to the Aria Hotels website, Pantazatos oversees all of Aria’s strategic management and is responsible for their major expansion throughout Greece. They have recently undertaken expansion into Colombia with their luxury home Casa del Torno.
The building that La Divina is housed in bears a rich history. Initially constructed in 1897 as the residence of the Karavasili family and later acquired by the Kampas family, the building quickly became one of the largest and most prestigious urban homes in old Athens, renowned for hosting lavish events and cultural gatherings. It’s role changed dramatically during World War II when it was repurposed as Italian barracks, before later becoming a shelter for vagrants and beggars. Shortly before becoming Odeon Athenaeum Music Hall, the structure served as a factory for ZAMA zippers.