Greek Drama

The striking Peloponnese region is at the forefront of a new generation of high-end developments in Greece, discovers Holly Kirkwood.

- Holly Kirkwood

FROM the drama of its mountainous mainland to the innumerable idyllic islands that pepper its coastline, it’s hard to think of another European destination that can boast the sheer variety of Greece. Property hunters can, and do, buy everything from private villas with heart-stopping views to entire islands.

Developments, however, have historically remained thin on the ground and buyers looking for turn-key solutions need to head south, to the Peloponnese. An 8,000sq mile area located two hours south-west of Athens, the region is comprised of four peninsulas of mountainous landscapes, magnificent beaches and fragrant hills tumbling down into clear blue water where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean.

The Peloponnese contains countless pretty villages and towns, but the most sought after is Porto Heli. A traditional Greek fishing town built around a heavenly sandy bay, it’s reminiscent of St Tropez in the 1950s, as smartly dressed couples and families relax on the beach and take a freddo espresso in a waterside cafe. Visitors to the area also head for the pine-covered island of Spetses, a sailing Mecca where cars are banned and the smart set go to relax; the annual Regatta in June attracts a Who’s Who of superyacht owners and shipping magnates.