Athens is a destination everyone should go at least one time in their lives. It has a history reaching back thousands of years, ancient ruins, and a thriving city of lively walking streets, fancy shopping, and a vibrant dining and nightlife scene.
One area that this region is also known for the spectacular Athens Riviera. Huge yachts and motorboats come in and out of marinas while Athens well-to-do cruise the waterfront’s boulevards in top of the range convertibles. It’s Greece’s version of St. Tropez.
The scene on the drive from central Athens changes from commercial and crowded urban areas to a much more peaceful pace. The 20km drive from Athens is along a tree lined boulevard with the ocean on one side and the Humettus mountain range on the other.
Vouliagmeni the first stop in the Athens Riviera and is known as the Beverly Hills of Greece with multi million euro homes, an exquisite culinary scene, vibrant beach clubs and one of Greece’s most spectacular natural attractions.
Amongst these haute homes, high upon a mountainside overlooking the azure waters of the Saronic Gulf is the Jootiq Loft, the perfect place to stay and play while in the greater Athens area.
The Jootiq Loft provides the perfect accommodations for couples, families, or friends vacationing together. The décor is bold with contemporary design, interesting objects d’art and modern furnishings. As you enter, there is a living room with table and a large television with premium channels and Apple television.
One the next floor there is a full gourmet kitchen with modern appliances including a full size refrigerator and everything guests may need to prepare a meal should they decide to dine in. On this floor is also where the bathroom is located and a whirl pool bath large enough to swim laps.
Back on the first floor is a second bedroom and the master bedroom which is quite spacious with a large television and sitting area. There’s a small office as well with computer, printer etc. should you wish to mix some work in with your vacation time.
The villa features an outdoor space off the master bedroom with fruit trees and a sitting area perfect for having a glass of wine or just relaxing in the fresh Mediterranean air.
A short distance from Jootiq Loft are two pine tree covered peninsulas and some of the area’s main attractions. There are marinas as well as several upscale restaurants, taverns waterfront walking areas and beach clubs.
Astir Beach is the most exclusive beach club to go for some serious sun, sand and sea. It is a proper beach club with plenty of lounge chairs and facilities as well as cocktail and food service. They also offer their Platinum Lounge which is even more elegant and exclusive, providing access to all of the beach facilities in a private reserved area.
Also nearby the Jootiq Loft is the Vouliagmeni Lake which is an unusual geological formation and a must see destination when travelling to the area. It is a cavernous lake of clear blue brackish water surrounded by porous coral like rock formations.
It is a stunning naturally beautiful sight to behold. The lake is known for its healing and restorative properties and has been a place where weary bodies have flocked for hundreds of years. Today it’s the place for visitors from around the world who come for a day of lounging and sun bathing in between dipping and swimming around the lake.
Vouliagmeni Lake’s temperatures range between 22 – 29 degrees Celsius year round so it’s never too cold or warm. The water supply comes from springs 100 metres deep with a high concentration in salts and minerals and in particular of potassium, sodium, lithium, ammonium, calcium, iron, chlorine and iodine.
As a result people of all ages come to the lake for a refreshing swim but also for its healing powers. In the lake you are not alone and will share the waters with some little creatures.
Garra Rufa, also known as Doctor Fish or Spa Fish. are little guppy-like fish with a voracious appetite for human dead skin. So as you rest in between your swimming, you may find yourself with a ticklish army of skin nibblers at your feet.
After a few hours of swimming and lounging around, there are facilities to indulge in for a refreshing cocktail, snacks or a fine meal. Greek and international dishes are delicious and made from organic and fresh local ingredients.
The Vouliagmeni Lake has also now become a gathering place for special occasions such as live music performance and wine tastings. The lake is now one of Athens’s top attraction and has a full range of services from changing rooms, showers and towel services and the full service restaurant and bar.
One of many other reasons to check out Vouliagmeni is the fantastic culinary scene. There are a wide variety of dining options from fine dining to great brunch spots to see and be seen, to casual bistros and pizzerias.
A short drive away from Jootiq Loft in the Astir Palace is one of the city’s hottest dining destinations. Matsuhisa Athens is the Greek outpost of Nobu Matsuhisa who is more famously known for his Nobu chain of Japanese restaurants.
Indoors is sexy, with dark spaces and mood lighting and Athens’s top DJ’s spinning sultry mid-tempo beats. This is a Japanese fine dining experience where each dish is a creative masterpiece with exotic ingredients and a haute presentation. One item after the next is a work of art for the eyes as well as a joy for the palate.
Not to be missed are the braised beef short ribs with Yuzu gremolata or the Black cod Kadaifi . Needless to say that Matsuhisa creates piquant sushi and sashimi dishes so you can’t leave without indulging in a few of those.
Suggestions are the Spicy toro roll and the Sea Urchin with urchins coming from Crete. The Greeks, as they should be, are also very proud of their tradition of creating some of the world’s finest wines.
Matsuhisa Athens has an extensive wine cellar and does a superb pairing of local wines with each of their exotic dishes that they serve. So you just may want to skip the sake on this one.
Outdoors at the Matsuhisa Athens is a hip scene and the place to be in Vouliagmeni when the sun goes down. There are wonderful views across the Saronic Gulf bay so it’s a great place to go to check out a romantic sunset as up-tempo lounge music plays for its sashaying guests.
Here is where you’ll find the Athens in-crowd, toasting the good life with bespoke Martinis and signature cocktails with some tasty Nobu tapas.
Vouliagmeni is an excellent place to stay and play in the Athens Riviera. Excellent beach clubs, the iconic Vouliagmeni Lake as well as the fantastic lounges and culinary scene make this a destination worth an extended visit. The ideal place for an unforgettable holiday in the Athens Riviera is the Jootiq Loft Vouliagmeni.
Address: Al. Panagouli 56, Vouliagmeni 166 71, Greece
Phone: +30 694 558 5756
