These secret Greek hot spots will help you ditch the crowds

Have Greece’s hottest spots finally gotten too hot? Billionaires compete with celebrities for mere slices of Mykonos and Santorini. Restaurants slap tourists with $1,200 bills for calamari and cocktails.

But the lure of waters azure and clean cuisine mean New York’s obsession with Greece won’t be ending anytime soon. In fact, the Mediterranean cognoscenti have already made a new discovery: Costa Navarino.

Located in Messinia, in the southwest Peloponnese — north of Libya and across the Ionian Sea from Malta and Sicily — Costa Navarino didn’t see resort development until 2010.

Its late-to-the-game construction means that it could be built with sustainability foremost in mind. Natural surroundings were preserved and existing stone was used to build architecturally stunning accommodations with sweeping views of Navarino Bay.

The area now has four hotels — an adult’s-only, couples-friendly W (the first in Greece), with rooms you can swim up to (from $268 per night). Next is the family-oriented Westin (from $300 per night), which has a waterpark and kid’s club. Finally, there are the five-star Romanos and Mandarin Oriental, which opened in August (from $2,256 per night).

But despite the growing resort presence, this area has more to offer than sand and sea. For instance, golf aficionados come for the four magnificent 18-hole courses, overlooking sparkling beaches along the Ionian Sea. A Mouratoglou Tennis Center, the first in Europe, has 12 clay courts and very engaging pros. Swimmers have options of every shape and size, including a seemingly endless infinity pool with an edge that looks like it will drop into the bay. Costa Navarino even has an NBA basketball school that opened this spring.

Sure, there are picturesque beaches to explore, but why walk when you can cycle? There are miles of scenic rides to discover. If you are a bit tired to pedal back on some of the rougher roads, don’t stress — the hotels provide e-bikes that will have you navigating those hills effortlessly.

Though the weather tends to be spectacular, there are also indoor options at Costa Navarino’s Sports & Entertainment Centre, including bowling, volleyball, soccer, a climbing wall and workout classes.
But there is no law against relaxation here. In fact, there are two healing havens here: Away and Anazoe spas.

Naturally, therapies — like the nourishing facial — are performed with olive oil (the town of Kalamata is just a hop away). For precocious, wellness-traveling children and teens, the spas also have specially designed treatments.

While there are many local dining spots worth visiting, the hotels themselves have 20 of their own, including Italian, Japanese, Lebanese and steak spots. But, of course, there is nothing like enjoying Mediterranean cuisine at Armyra and Kooc Taverna, where your lavraki was swimming in the sea and tomatoes and olives plucked off the vines, hours earlier.

The resort area is still in an expansive mode. In addition to the new Mandarin Oriental, an open-air market called Navarino Agora debuted in July, offering street food, retail, music, cultural events and nightlife.

Flights from New York go into Athens and, as of this summer, there are new connections to Kalamata airport, so you now have a choice of taking a three-hour drive from there to Costa Navarino, or hopping on a quick flight.

Since you are flying into the historic capital, it’s well worth spending a couple of days there on either end of your trip, and you would be hard-pressed to find a more luxurious hotel than Athens’ Four Seasons Astir Palace.

Just over 12 miles from the Acropolis, it is located on a peninsula called the Athens Riviera, and has three private beaches. Rooms have oversize verandas that gaze over water and mountains, and some have their own pools. The general swimming area is on a spectacular waterfront setting and the hotel’s spa has indoor swimming, as well. The Four Seasons has eight restaurants including Michelin-starred Pelagos.