Welcome to The Hamptons of Athens.
Vacationing on theEuropean Rivieranever goes out of style.
But over the last 50 years, Astir has changed the way we think about vacationing in mainland Greece.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
The early heyday of Astir Palace saw Jackie Onassis vacation on the Athens Riviera.
The area welcomed the likes of Brigitte Bardot, Frank Sinatra, John Wayne, and even Richard Nixon.
Of course, the scene needed to expand.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens
The ’60s had only just started to make the Athens Riviera happen.
And that meant continuing to build on the peninsula beyond Astir Palace.
As the infrastructure solidified in Astir, the arts and culture scene grew simultaneously.
Courtesy Four Seasons
The ’80s and ’90s artwork took the Athens Riviera to new cultural heights.
Art historian Dora Iliopoulou-Rogan brought in works from the National Bank of Greece’s private collection.
Iliopoulou-Rogan built up Astir’s artistic clout by commissioning pieces from both famed Greek artists and up-and-comers.
Flash forward to 2019.
It’s been about 50 years since the Athens Riviera first came on the scene.
