Spetses: The Grandest of Greek Isles

The images this summer were almost too painful to bear: Paris Hilton gliding down a Mykonos byway while posing for other peoples’ selfies, Lindsay Lohan sparring with her paramour on a Mykonian beach … would you really want to travel all the way to Greece for those off-red carpet shenanigans? I don’t think so. But once you move past the stereotypes of glitzy Greek islands like that other overcrowded princess, Santorini, you realize there is more to the Grecian archipelago than meets the eye. Indeed, there are fantastic island escapes within a two-hour ferry ride from Piraeus port.

Spetses may hold the title of poshest of the Saronic islands — Garbo was here in the ‘60s and super yachts are a fixture in its gentle aquamarine waters — but the little island holds a vaunted place in the modern Greek consciousness because of its prominent role in the Greek War of Independence, something feted every September when, during the Armata Festival, a replica Turkish ship is ritually blown up in the old harbor (as opposed to the newer one where the yachts are). Other than that, the isle exudes a decidedly more carefree vibe, its gentle pine-clad slopes giving way to countless secluded coves with beaches where there’s fine sunbathing and swimming to be had right through October. With the exception of a few taxis there are no cars here, so the way to get around is by horse and buggy or by foot — at any rate the distances are short and walking around the seaside lanes of the little port town is a pleasure. 

I can’t find her name in the guest register, but my bet is that when Greta Garbo stopped in Spetses in 1966, she might have stayed somewhere as legendary as herself: the Poseidonion Grand Hotel, facing the old harbor. It arrived on the scene in 1914 with its distinctive cupola modeled after the look of legendary hotels of the French Riviera such as the Negresco and Carlton, and was in fact one of the first luxury hotels Greece. Almost instantly a magnet for European and Hollywood royalty, a full renovation was completed in 2009 and the hotel is still the backdrop for key events and happenings in the social life of Spetses. One of which is, of course, eating. Everywhere I went in Spetses the food was fantastic, but things got downright Dionysian on the veranda of the Poseidonion Grand. Indeed, On the Verandah is the name of the hotel’s gourmet restaurant, where chef Stamatis Marmarinos oversees a menu of deftly deconstructed Greek Mediterranean dishes. It shares the same sweeping Saronic Gulf views as the more casual Library Brasserie, and both use ingredients from the hotel’s organic farm up in the island’s hills. 

With just 52 rooms and suites, the Poseidonion preserves not just a sense of history but a breezy boutique hotel flavor too that suits the island of Spetses especially well. After a day of beachside lazing or exploring, it’s the ideal anchor to come back to and unwind. The levels of service, almost always above par in Greece today, are here on a higher level. How high? When the sad moment comes to board your two-hour ferry ride back to Athens, your luggage will almost magically appear on the quay where the boat comes in: You don’t have to lift a finger and you don’t even have to ask. Speaking of boats, remember that in the Saronic Gulf, you are firmly within the orbit of Athens, meaning distances are small enough to make excursions to other islands eminently doable. I highly recommend taking the 30-minute ferry ride to Hydra, which has as spectacular a harbor entrance as any you’ll find in the Aegean. This summer, Kate Moss was seen walking the narrow streets, and found herself for a few moments in the same historic pharmacy as did Jackie Kennedy some decades prior. We’re talking atmosphere!

Three nights is the minimum you should stay in Spetses — to be sure, there is culture to take in, such as the museum dedicated to Greek naval commander Laskarina Bouboulina (there’s a statue of her in front of the hotel), but you also need time to slow down and take in the sea air and views. The pace will pick up naturally enough once you’re back in Athens, where I have two hotel picks. The first is the Stratos Vassilikos, a good, no-nonsense business hotel located away from the tourist fray and close to the American Embassy. The second is more for the urban adventurer: called Kerameion, it consists of one large ground floor studio room and one upstairs two-bedroom apartment. Both spaces are contemporary in design and the studio has a view onto some meticulously preserved ancient ruins. The location is Psirri, a very lively quarter of Athens that’s still a manageable walk to the Plaka and Acropolis. 

Poseidonion Grand Hotel: www.poseidonion.com

Stratos Vassilikos: www.airotel.gr/en