Opinion: Is it Greece’s Time to have a ‘Moment’?
OliverPosted 9th June 2026
I’ve just returned from three weeks on the road; Spain, Scandinavia, Montenegro, Croatia, and Greece. One question keeps coming back to me: is Greece quietly having its moment?
Every destination had something to offer. Scandinavia delivered quality of life in spades, though at a price that still makes me wince (£4.50 for a Twix, really?). Montenegro’s Bay of Kotor was as stunning as ever. But Croatia’s Dubrovnik is buckling under the weight of its own popularity, and even beloved Spain can let you down with indifferent service the moment you step outside a great RB recommended hotel.
And then there was Greece.
I couldn’t get over the warmth of the people, the freshness of the food, the sheer number of beautiful hotels; and the remarkable value for money. Clients and colleagues who have been back recently share the same feeling. One returned from a self-drive tour through the mainland glowing. Kayleigh came back from a friend’s wedding in Zante with rave reviews of the locals, the food, the boat trips, the scenery. Nathan is heading back to Mykonos again this weekend, and when someone who works in travel keeps returning to the same place, that tells you everything.
And yet so much of Greece remains undiscovered. With over 6,000 islands (admittedly not all habitable), there’s a world beyond Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Crete, and Corfu. Places like Kimolos, Lipsi, Angistri, and Astypalaia that most people haven’t even heard of.
Even the well-known islands keep giving: on a recent Corfu visit, we arranged an VIP private pontoon boat from Corfu Town which took us down the coast to the Grecotel Imperial, where the level of hospitality extended to a simple day visit was genuinely remarkable. Greek warmth, done properly in arranged perfectly by RB HQ!
On the luxury front, Greece is more than holding its own. The Ikos/Sani group continue to lead the premium all-inclusive space, with their latest a property, Ikos Kissamos recently opening on Crete. Grecotel’s LUXME brand is pushing into the same territory with LUXME White on the same island attracting a lot of attention. There are no wristbands at these properties, just beautifully considered resort experiences for both the adults and families alike with a real emphasis on the premium.
We ended our trip at the 5* Cape Sounio, directly opposite the Temple of Poseidon, about an hour south of Athens. As a fire-red moon rose from behind the temple over dinner, Rob and I looked at each other and simply said: Wow. We couldn’t work out why we hadn’t spent more time in Greece before now, and made a promise to fix that.
Greece, you are one of the warmest and most rewarding destinations we’ve visited in a long time. The moment, I think, is now.
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