Notes from Athens: Golden Hours

European summer is fast approaching and the Greek Islands are always on our list. Here we share the best of Athens, a city that is a destination in itself.

Athens is revealed as the day unfolds, from white brilliance to a golden calm. A week here invites a gentler rhythm. Our ritual always begins at The Agora, Ergon House where sunlight streams in while savouring a piece of impossibly flaky spanakopita.

Middays pass beneath the shade of Athenee Athens, freddo espresso in hand, watching local life and the city move.

Above: Ancient Agora of Athens

Above: There's always time for a quick coffee stop

Evenings call for the buzzing theatre of Pharaoh, an open-view kitchen with a woodfired menu that embraces Greek tradition with Michelin precision. This is the spot.

Cultural appetites are easily satisfied with performances at the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre, set against a panoramic sea of lights.

Our days start and end at the city’s sanctuary, The Dolli. A space that, like Athens, blends heritage and modernity, grandeur and intimacy.

Syntagma Square, Athens Above: Syntagma Square