join me on a long weekend and full immersion into the real athens

Athens is a city that is best lived with a local. It’s sprawling and packed with hidden spots that you have to really know about to experience.

It’s a chaotic, frenetic meeting point between East and West but in this jungle, balconies drip with tropical flora, farmers’ markets pop up to colour the streets with the primary hues of Greece’s best produce and tavernas spill out onto pavements and plateias (squares), contributing to the rich, cultural tapestry of the city.

On this Epicurean’s weekend in Athens, we will dine in hidden tavernas, stay in beautiful mid-century apartments that showcase the best of Athens’ golden period of architecture and stalk out the very best places to shop (think wild mountain tea, spices, oregano and flea markets of course).

We’ll drink Greece’s best wines in buzzing wine bars and stay up late to the twang of the bouzouki and mandolin while swilling raki and ouzo.

THE WHITE CITY

Few capitals in the world are as loaded with history as Athens. A magnet for visitors and a reason for Greeks like me to take pride in our culture, the remains of the ancient city-state rise up amid today’s energetic urban environment.

In among the crumbling the graffiti-daubed apartment blocks are appealing neoclassical structures, modernist ‘polykatoikies’ and dramatic detail in the sweeping marble staircases and extravagant wrought iron doors, examples of a golden architectural period in the 1960s. The city is a dense, unsystematic mix of old and new, east and west; a site of constructions, reconstructions, renovations and innovations.

THE VIBE

This is not a ‘retreat’ in the yoga wellness sense.

There will be no yoga, but there may well be some hiking and the first dip of the summer season into the inky blue of the Aegean.

This is an epicurean’s weekend, so prepare to eat, drink and dance like an Athenian.

Yeia Mas!

Sign up here

or

email me anastasia.miari@gmail.com if you have any questions!

There’s no rivalry: antithesis, maybe; coexistence, yes.

Athens clings to its past but is also increasingly dynamic. The ancient ruins are majestic, but the present-day metropolis is defined by its exciting new architecture, thriving arts scene and steady stream of cultural hotspots popping up in revived districts like Exarcheia and Kypseli. Stylish eateries and shops, first-class galleries and museums rub up against traditions such as rebetiko.

what we’ll get up to and what’s included

3 nights accommodation in a luxury hotel in a central Athenian neighbourhood
A long weekend of activities meticulously curated by me (with time to enjoy the city solo too!)
All meals - lunch in hidden tavernas, dinners at my favourite Athenian restaurants
Art workshop with a contemporary artist (think ceramics, life drawing and cyanotypes in the sun)
Tours of the markets
A comprehensive guide to eating in Athens + other spots to visit in your free moments

about the accommodation

The hotel I’ve chosen is the ideal place to encourage the conviviality I love when hosting these retreats, bringing an interesting group of people together in one beautiful space at the heart of Athens.

Monsieur Didot is a brilliant example of Athenian architecture restored and repurposed by bright young Athenian architects. Think parquet floors, breezy linens and sun drenched terraces with romantic flourishes that nod to an Athens of old.

Mona has been restored with great respect for the building’s neoclassical architecture. The structure itself remains unchanged, revealing a century of history. Emphasis is given to preserving original features, including a wooden staircase, parquet floors and neoclassical façade.

WHERE WE’LL STAY

Kolonaki is where you’ll find Athens’ swankiest apartments. Located in Athens’ city centre just strolls away from the National Gardens and the majestic houses of parliament in Syntagma Square, this is a eighbourhood for the well-heeled. Citrus trees line the streets and well-dressed locals spill out of the many kafeneions in the area.

Our home for the weekend, Monsieur Didot is a pretty Neoclassical building (typical of classic Athenian architecture that existed pre the building boom of the 1960s), transformed into a boutique hotel with six luxury suites.

It’s rumoured that John Lennon and Yoko Ono stayed here on an Athens trip in the sixties but aside from this, the parquet floors, high ceilings and Juliet balconies as well as the intimate feel of the place make it particularly special. I wanted the ultimate place to give you the best experience of a true Athenian home and neighbourhood…

The area offers a true bridge between the city’s past, present and future, with boutiques, eateries and established foodie institutions on every corner.

Monsieur Didot is conveniently located near Syntagma Square, where you can conveniently link with a direct train to Piraeus port (15 mins) and the airport (40 mins).

Sign up for updates