9 Nights
Greece is a mosaic of cultures. Here, more than elsewhere, time has not faded: the mythological gods still walk side by side with the beliefs of today. This journey takes you from Mount Athos to the palace of King Minos–a voyage that is as much archaeological, touristic, cultural and spiritual as it is a personal exploration. Whether in Thessaloniki, on the sublime island of Mykonos or the large island of Crete, this trip will inspire you to read The Odyssey on the crystal-clear waters of the Aegean Sea.
This property is annually closed. Reopening on 01/05/2025
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. This is where the Titans fought the gods, where Mount Athos soars into the sky, and where the Virgin Mary, accompanied by John the Evangelist, came and blessed the mainisland’s shores, leading to the many monasteries scattered along its hillsides. Avaton Luxury Beach Resort’s contemporary villas are a reflection of this mythological spectacle set within the Mediterranean’s garden and overlooking the Aegean Sea. Owner Themistoklis Chantzis affectionately presides over this estate perched above a private beach of cerulean blue. As for the chef, he adds his own touch by flavouring the freshly caught seafood with wild herbs from his extraordinary garden. The sleek style of the private residences provides a wonderful contrast to the unique panorama, whose splendid history is within easy reach. ... Learn moreless
Attending Orthodox Easter on Mount Athos takes great patience and good luck. A site of supreme spirituality for millennia (it is mentioned in Greek mythology), and strictly forbidden to women, it only welcomes 100 visitors of the Orthodox faith and 10 of non-Orthodox faith every day. All entry permits...
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Located in the vast warehouse No. 1 in the port of Thessaloniki, this is the only museum dedicated exclusively to photography in Greece. Endowed with a rich permanent collection, the museum also offers beautiful exhibitions highlighting the work of contemporary Greek and foreign photographers. The institution...
Read More lessThis property is annually closed. Reopening on 30/04/2025
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Right above the famous Platis Yialos beach and surrounded by gardens, this temple of excellence and wellness has an exceptional location with breathtaking sea views near the finest sandy beaches and Mykonos town. Here you will be delighted to enjoy the exceptional services and charming Myconian hospitality. After exploring the treasures and beautiful landscapes of the Greek islands, indulge in some highly deserved pampering in the superb thalassotherapy centre, which offers massages, baths and divine treatments. Also on site are three indoor seawater pools, each with rigorously monitored salinity and temperature. ... Learn moreless
This property is annually closed. Reopening on 09/05/2025
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. Whitewashed blocs clinging to the rock above Elia Beach, offer stunning views down over the sea and distant islands. This ‘place of perfection’, with its traditional architecture, modern materials, original artwork and contemporary furniture, invites you to enjoy the best that Mykonos has to offer: watersports on the private beach, lounging beside the infinity pool, which appears as if suspended over the sea, or relaxation on the terrace. All hotel guest rooms boast stunning sea views. And a regular shuttle to the picturesque port of Mykonos offers you the opportunity to enjoy island life. ... Learn moreless
This property is annually closed. Reopening on 30/04/2025
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. This privileged spot that claims the island’s most iconic views onto the old port of Alefkandra and 16th-century windmills on the edge of the city of Mykonos, also happens to be the site of the first hotel built by George Daktylides in 1979. Inherited and renovated by his youngest son, the Korali exudes the essence of boutique luxury that draws both on the spirit of its past as the family’s first guesthouse, and the celebrated service excellence of the Myconian Collection. Entirely sea-facing, the Korali is the perfect lookout from which to let the hours wash away and be dazzled by the spectacle of the deep blue Aegean Sea. The panoramic terrace invites to sunset drinks that lead into sumptuous dinners prepared with care by the chef from locally sourced produce and the day’s catch. ... Learn moreless
The story of a unique bird who became the island’s mascot during its heyday in the 60s and 70s: found wounded in 1954 by a fisherman, the pelican was nursed and – when having fully recovered – became the local mascot, always roaming around town and being fed by the locals, who in turn named him Petros....
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Situated in the city centre, near the so-called three wells (“Tria Pigadia”), the Aegean Maritime Museum showcases the island’s naval tradition with scale models of all kinds of vessels. Also, near the harbour, it contains a unique collection of sculptures, ceramics, and jewels from various sites in...
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Located near Ano Mera, the most ancient settlement on Mykonos, Paleokastro monastery is the best example of traditional Cycladic ecclesiastic architecture. Also near Ano Mera, the impressive Tourliani monastery was built in 1542, restored in 1767 and possesses a lovely carved-wood temple screen crafted...
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Delos is a small island of great archaeological importance, about 3 miles west of Mykonos, and a Unesco World Heritage Site. The whole island is quite literally an open-air museum. Out of its many interesting sites, discover the antiquities of this island once unseen (a-delos in Greek) that emerged from...
Read More lessThis property is annually closed. Reopening on 13/04/2025
Hotel and restaurant on the seafront. On the native island of Zeus, the King of the Greek gods, sits the Elounda Mare Hotel, with its white cottages that look out onto the turquoise waters of the Mirabello Bay. An ethereal light bathes this retreat and its maze of sweet-smelling gardens. The spacious and intimate bedrooms, the bungalows, all different but all with a private pool, enjoy magnificent panoramic views. The hotel’s location is the perfect place from which to discover Crete and its legends, monasteries and chapels bequeathed by the Byzantine civilization. There is even a chapel overlooking the hotel’s private bay, offering stunning vistas of the Mediterranean. ... Learn moreless
Legendary residence of King Minos, the palace of Knossos still impresses visitors. While its original frescoes can be seen in the nearby Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, the site itself has been perfectly preserved and restored over the centuries. Private apartments, porticoes, its throne room and...
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Out of the many sites in the area of Elounda, and if you only have a half-day on your hands, then make sure you take a boat ride to Spinalonga, the island-fortress with astonishing venetian fortifications and its old houses depicting traditional Cretan styles of architecture. If you happen to be chartering...
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Many archaeological sites and musea, both in nearby Aghios Nikolaos and at the capital, Herakleion, showcase the great Minoan civilization. Both the palaces of Knossos and Phaestos are within easy driving distance, while the Byzantine churches on the Spinalonga peninsula can be visited on foot, just...
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**Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Total price communicated as an indication, based on a stay of the number of nights recommended on this webpage, taking place in the next 3 months, and based on double occupancy (excluding recommended activities, excluding properties not bookable online).
To give you inspiration, Relais & Châteaux presents the Routes du Bonheur:
Suggestions for travel itineraries that you can fully personalise according to your wishes and the experiences you would like to discover. Our consultants are available to help customise your route and assist you in making reservations at our properties. It is up to you to reserve any recommended activities on-site or nearby that might interest you.
** Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Call our concierge to tailormade your booking and itinerary*. *Price of a local call
Spyros Kokotos and his wife, Eliana, have been in the hotel business all their lives. In 1987, five years after opening, Elounda Mare Hotel became the first hotel in Greece to enter the association of Relais & Châteaux. "This is the story of the route I’ve been following for over forty years, every summer, with family and friends, travelling between the islands of the Aegean between Athens and Elounda, Crete. These days, the voyage takes place in an elegant, comfortable sailing yacht. Welcome on board…"
