Travel Hidden Greece
As tourists head to the usual Greek islands, it may be worth finding an offthe-beaten-path option— such as Porto Heli.
Greek Riviera
Luxury abounds in Porto Heli, located on a golden stretch of the Peloponnese coast
T
hose familiar with traveling across continents, hopping oceans, and skipping over time zones know that jet lag is tough. And that first day in a new destination, after a less-than-stellar night trying to sleep upright? The toughest. That’s how I found myself dozing rather heavily as my taxi wound through some of the most awe-inspiring mountain beauty in the Adriatic. Heading away from the airport after a trans-Atlantic flight, we skimmed past Athens, heading west on a flat, fast freeway. But before long, the cab left the busy highway and rolled into a landscape usually reserved for storybooks, romantic paintings, and Technicolor dreams about the Mediterranean. Honestly, I fought the urge to sleep. One minute I would be marveling at a peek-a-boo view of aquamarine, the blue sea visible through a
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narrow, steep-sided valley; the next, I would catch myself snoring. I would challenge myself to keep my eyes open long enough to see what was around the corner of another switchback, one of dozens along the route. In that jet lag haze, my arrival in Porto Heli, Greece, felt even more like a dream. Soft sea breezes cooled the natural heat of a summer afternoon in southern Greece. A cool drink was slipped into my hand before I had even checked into the hotel. A fresh-seafood lunch, capped off by a coffee, waited to help fuel the rest of the day. Porto Heli (sometimes called Porto Cheli) is tucked away on a hidden corner of the Peloponnese Peninsula. When most North Americans picture a Greek beach vacation, they usually think of islands, especially Santorini and Mykonos, which are receiving a crush of American tourists this summer. So you’ll have to search a bit to escape the crowds. It’s a good thing that—even by Peloponnese
GREECE Athens Porto Heli
Porto Heli is located about 2 1/2–3 hours by road from Athens.
FROM TOP L: AERIAL-MOTION/SHUTTERSTOCK, TIM JOHNSON COURTESY OF NIKKI BEACH PORTO HELI, COURTESY OF NIKKI BEACH PORTO HELI
By Tim Johnson
