Summer in Greece is a feeling.

It’s the light—clear and golden. The scent of sun-drenched herbs carried by the breeze. The gentle rhythm of a country that has always known how to hold space for rest, beauty, and meaning.

At Istorja, this month is a quiet celebration of Greek living: soulful, rooted, and expansive. As part of our July series, we’ve gathered a handful of stays—each distinct in mood and setting, yet united by a shared devotion to design, land, and time well spent.

Beyond the popular destinations and busy resorts lies a different kind of travel experience—one rooted in simplicity, authenticity, and slow living. Here, luxury isn’t loud. It’s thoughtful. It’s found in the quality of the light, the slowness of the meal, the architecture that respects the land.

These are not the loud, crowded destinations you’ll find in guidebooks. These are places of stillness. Of thoughtful architecture. Of connection.

This is a guide to Greece’s hidden treasure hotels—intimate, unique spaces tucked into lesser-known corners of the country. More than just places to stay, they are invitations: to pause, to reflect, and to reconnect with what truly matters.

MANNA – ARCADIA

Tucked into the fir-covered folds of Mount Menalon, MANNA is a restored 1920s sanatorium turned soulful design hotel. Its neo-Byzantine bones remain, reimagined with quiet reverence—stone archways, carved marble, wool textiles, and flickering fireplaces create a grounded, tactile warmth.

Outside, the forest invites you to hike, breathe, and simply be. Spring water flows clear, trails wind through chestnut and pine, and the silence feels like a kind of balm.

MANNA is not about spectacle. It’s about stillness. A place where history and horizon meet—offering rest, presence, and the enduring beauty of restraint.

DEXAMENES SEASIDE HOTEL – PELOPONNESE

Once a wine factory, now an architectural landmark on the coast of Kourouta, Dexamenes redefines what a hotel can be. Brutalist yet serene, its industrial concrete tanks have been transformed into minimalist suites that face the Ionian Sea. A poetic example of adaptive reuse, Dexamenes honours both history and place—with seasonal gastronomy, local art, and the rhythm of the waves as its soundtrack.

MELISSES – ANDROS

On a hillside above the sea, Melisses feels like a summer dream half-remembered. Created by food stylist and creative director Allegra Pomilio, it is not a traditional hotel but a lived-in haven for those who crave simplicity, intimacy, and soul. The house hosts seasonal retreats rooted in cooking, storytelling, and design. Olive trees, linen sheets, long lunches—this is Greek island living as it was meant to be.

GUNDARI – FOLEGANDROS

Folegandros is wild, untamed, and quietly cinematic. Gundari captures that essence with unapologetic elegance. Carved into volcanic cliffs, the resort is a new kind of refuge—minimal yet rich, grounded yet elevated. Every detail is intentional, from the organic architecture to the raw materials that mirror the island’s rugged beauty. It’s a place to disappear and remember who you are.

MERAVIGLIA – PREVEZA

Hidden in the hills above the Ionian coast, Meraviglia is a contemporary retreat where architecture and nature coexist. With just six suites, it offers an experience that feels both luxurious and deeply personal. Earthy tones, clean lines, and panoramic views set the mood—quiet, introspective, slow. Whether you're soaking in the infinity pool or watching the mist roll over the mountains, time here moves differently.

KINSTERNA – MONEMVASIA

Tucked into the slopes above the medieval castle town of Monemvasia, Kinsterna is a Byzantine mansion brought back to life. Restored with reverence and care, the estate now flows with olive oil and wine from its own land. Its cobbled paths lead to fragrant gardens, Ottoman baths, and stone-built rooms that whisper history. A place to linger, grounded in land, legacy, and ritual.

TELLA THERA – CRETE

Far from the beaten paths of Crete, Tella Thera is a story of contrasts: contemporary lines against raw terrain, refined design in one of the island’s wildest corners. Overlooking the Libyan Sea, the villa merges Cycladic minimalism with Cretan spirit. Days are slow and elemental—think sun-warmed terraces, hand-thrown ceramics, and the sound of wind in the olive trees. Privacy here is sacred, silence golden.

These are not just hotels. They are places that hold you—gently, intentionally, and without noise.

In their architecture, you’ll find respect. In their pace, permission. And in their presence, a reminder that there is another way to travel. One that listens to the land, honours local culture, and invites you to slow down long enough to truly feel where you are.

Let this be your invitation—not to escape Greece, but to return to it more deeply. To the quiet corners. The soulful spaces. The kind of beauty that lingers.

For more thoughtfully chosen destinations, explore the full Greek Edit—a seasonal curation of places, objects, and rituals shaped by land, light, and soul.

DISCOVER THE GREEK EDIT