30-06-2025
The Mysterious Allure of Spetses, the Greek Elite's Favorite Holiday Hotspot
Just two hours by ferry from Athens or a quick 10-minute boat taxi from mainland Porto Heli, Spetses has somehow remained off the radar—quietly sidestepping the throngs of travelers that descend on Greece's better-known islands each summer. Locals likely prefer it that way. Long favored by Athenian elites, the island has drawn Greece's old-money families and discreet international jet-setters who've been coming for generations. It caters primarily to those who return year after year, drawn by the discretion offered by lush pine and cypress trees that conceal their grand, neoclassical homes behind iron gates, where bougainvillea-draped lanes wind their way into the hills.
While there's an air of exclusivity and quiet luxury, Spetses doesn't show off. You won't find the iconic whitewashed cliffside views of Santorini's Oia, the surreal beaches of Milos's Sarakiniko, or the burgeoning art scene transforming Leonard Cohen's beloved Hydra—Spetses's neighbor in the Saronic Island group—into a sceney creative enclave. Instead, Spetses charms in quieter ways, drawing those who appreciate its more unassuming allure.
'I first visited Spetses when I was ten years old, and after that, we went every single summer, just me and my mother. We were always hosted by a remarkable friend of hers in a beautiful old Spetsiot house,' recalls Anna Deimezi, head of business development for The Thinking Traveller in Greece. The luxury villa rental company specializes in exclusive, high-end properties across the Mediterranean and has four villas in its Spetses portfolio. 'As an only child, Spetses became my ticket to freedom. I'd hop on a bike and the whole island turned into my playground.'
Here, find Vogue's guide to making the island of Spetses your own playground this summer.
What to Do and Where to Eat
