The Land of Mythology

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

By Tim Johnson

Those 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 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.

standards—Porto Heli is a bit remote.

Connected to the rest of mainland Greece by the Isthmus of Corinth, the Peloponnese has a long history. The Mycenaeans—a Bronze-Age people and Europe’s first major civilization with roots reaching back to 1750 B.C.—were based here. This is the land of Sparta and Argos and where the first Olympics were held, on the western side of the peninsula, in 776 B.C.

Porto Heli is set on the tip of a finger of land behind a curtain of mountains, reachable only by winding two-lane roads. The totally worthwhile effort to get there is part of the experience—the reward of being there is reserved for just a relative few willing to make the trip.

Until fairly recently, Porto Heli was just a sleepy little fishing village, and the small-town friendliness there remains. Now it’s home to a small handful of hotels, and Nikki Beach Resort, my home for a few days, is one of the finest. After a long journey, I spent most of my time in pursuits befitting a beach vacation. I sipped rosé and enjoyed the view of the Argolic Gulf, indulging in a massage at the spa and eating a late-night, long dinner at Qurio, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant, where the menu is curated by Arnaud Bignon, a chef with two Michelin stars.

Honey Farm

I learned a little more about the people who work the land there. Rolling up another series of switchbacks, a friendly taxi driver deposited me on a sunny hilltop, crowned with a series of stone buildings. A young woman named Eleni greeted me with a bright smile, welcoming me to Ermioni.

She walked me around a farm that has been in her family for five generations. The road leading from the capital to this area is a recent addition, she said, noting that her grandfather had to sail his goods to Athens by boat.

“It was a really old boat. You couldn’t be sure you’d survive,” Eleni said.

Today the farm has grown its modest bee operation to an apiary with more than 600 hives.

I saw old, traditional equipment used by former generations, such as a clay smoker, and a crank-style extractor, from the days when honey was gathered by hand. We walked past the hives, and she told me about the importance of healthy bees to properly pollinate our natural environment, noting that they’ve planted 10,000 different herbs.

The tour included a tasting, from thick and creamy honey made from heather to the stronger, earthier flavor of a batch made from thyme. It’s a big operation now, with four seasonal harvests yielding 10 tons of honey every year. They bottle it on site and also use it in a variety of natural products, including lip balm, soap, and sunscreen.

After a little wine and cheese slathered in honey, I was returned to Nikki Beach to pack and head for the hills. The seething streets of Athens awaited, but this time I was awake. I was sad to leave this tucked-away paradise of Porto Heli, although I was excited for the drive with my jet lag behind me. This time I appreciated every curve, peak, valley, and vista, all the way back to the city. 

Tim Johnson is based in Toronto. He has visited 140 countries across all seven continents.

FROM Porto Heli

you can easily visit glamorous Spetses and historic Hydra.

If You Go

Stay: Set right on the sand, Nikki Beach offers 66 rooms and suites just steps from the sea. Qurio has an upscale vibe, or you can enjoy pizza and pasta seasoned with salty breezes at Cafe Nikki. There’s also a full service spa, a swim-up bar, and lovely poolside loungers where you can soak up the sun. Take Note: During the summer, when afternoon temperatures reach the 90s almost every day, it’s best to book any excursions in the cool of the morning, including a visit to the apiary at Ermionis.