"In Athens, a new cultural space has opened in a former tobacco factory. Though the city has seen its fair share of new cultural institutions in the past couple of years, a 6,500 sq m space still feels like something of an exception. Many suspect that it could offer a new lease on life to the Kolonos neighborhood and it looks like they might be right. Neon’s first exhibition, Portals – which investigates the relationship between disruption and artistic creation – has already drawn in a slew of locals since it opened on 11 June. The show runs until the end of 2021."

"Perianth opened its doors in summer 2018, creating a welcome design-led outpost in the buzzing heart of the city. Its 38 rooms and suites all have king-size beds and balconies – many with views of the Acropolis – plus terrazzo floors, marble side-tables and custom-made furniture. The Sgoumpopoulos family spared no expense when renovating the 1930s modernist structure, hiring Greek firm K-Studio to transform it into a sleek affair with unfinished concrete walls, brass detailing and calming shades of grey. Amenities include Athens’s Zen Center for yoga and meditation classes, Italian restaurant Il Baretto and meeting rooms. Furry friends are welcome to stay too."

"Housed in a former residence on Avdi Square, this bustling restaurant features mismatched furniture, brightly coloured walls and an open kitchen. Ask to sit outside and enjoy recipes and ingredients from all over Greece: black-eyed pea salad with smoked eel; slow-cooked octopus with pickled okra; or pappardelle with kavourmas (sautéed meat) from Komotini. All this plus lots of local cheese – a tasty accompaniment to a bottle of Greek red."

"Since 2014, designer George Soumpasis has grown his label from a small range of graphic T-shirts and sweatshirts into a full ready-to-wear collection of pared-back basics, including short-sleeved striped shirts, unisex trousers and accessories. “I had no background in fashion, just a series of messages about Greece during the years of the crisis that I wanted to share and convey graphically,” he says. His slogans – “Epos” and “Are you happy?” – are already a hit with stockists from Stuttgart and Berlin to Tokyo. In Athens, the emerging label is housed in a converted garage and is slated to host a café and speciality roastery."

"Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris began collecting ancient artefacts in the 1960s. By the 1980s they had enough to fill a cultural institution and opened the Museum of Cycladic Art, showcasing more than 3,000 Cycladic, ancient Greek and Cypriot works. The marble figurines displayed here, dating from 3,000BC to 2,000BC, have inspired many 20th-century artists, from Henry Moore to Modigliani and Picasso."

"It’s impossible to miss this roughly hewn Orthodox church among the polished glass-and-metal shopfronts of Ermou street, one of Athens’s busiest retail strips. It was erected on the remains of an ancient temple in the early 11th century and is dedicated to Panagia (the Virgin Mary). The stone-and-brick structure is laid out with a cross-in-square plan, typical of early Christian churches. The petite columned porch was added to the exterior in the 12th century and the Greek painter Fotis Kontoglou and his students painted the interior murals in the 20th century. Its surrounding low-rise walls make for a popular perch with ice cream or coffee in hand."

"These crystal-clear waters, served by both the sea and thermal springs, maintain a year-round 28C and allow underwater life to flourish to the point of distraction: garra rufa fish provide a natural pedicure while the Paranemonia vouliagmeniensis, a local sea anemone, is a visual delight. Entrance to the lake is costly but can be combined with lunch or dinner on the wooden deck overlooking the water. If you’re feeling active, choose between aqua aerobics, hiking or snorkelling."