Destination: Greek Paradise With Wild Discovery
As students, the image we form of Greece is a mythical land
once home to Zeus and the gods of Mount Olympus. We read about Hades and the
underworld, Prometheus carrying the earth upon his shoulders, and Dionysus
cultivating his grapevines. We learn about Jason and the Argonauts and Medusa’s
vile head of serpents.
But we’re never enlightened as to the natural paradise
Greece was and still is. Deep blue skies, virgin forests, pale waters, and air so
fresh it’ll keep you pumped up even as night falls. It’s no wonder some of the
world’s fleshiest olives grow here, why plump, sweet grapes are harvested to ferment into wine.
Today when we think of Greece, our health-conscious minds
conjure up visions of strained yogurt, figs and honey. Greece is where the
Mediterranean diet thrives, and if you visit its lush landscape, you’ll
immediately understand why.
So a month ago, I packed a solitary carry-on and boarded
Aegean Airlines out of Beirut to Thessaloniki, via Athens, on a trip organized
and hosted by Lebanon’s premiere travel agency, Wild Discovery. 9:30 a.m. on a
Friday morning, we were already zooming across Halkidiki’s verdant terrain, destined for the tip of one of its
jutting peninsulas called Kassandra.
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| The colors of placidity |
Miraggio Thermal Spa
Resort
An hour and half later, we arrived at Greece’s newest luxury resort and oasis, opened in May 2016. Miraggio
is everything you’d associate with paradise, from the azure sea glistening from
every angle you stand poised, to the soft sand sifting through your feet,
to the amphitheatric setup of the 300 suites and rooms that frame this
veritable Garden of Eden.
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| View from the lobby terrace |
Nothing will prepare you for that walk-turned-sprint across
the marble floors of Miraggio’s lobby, as you near the automatic glass doors
that welcome you to the terrace and big blue yonder. This is no mirage: you’re
seeing the seafront enclave 100% clearly.
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| The Miraggio lobby |
And the suites are equally reflective of that majesty. A
walk-in shower closet, a bathtub, sinks for him and her, a separate room for a toilet…you’re
almost compelled to hole yourself up in your room and enjoy all the honey-based amenities.
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| Double sink |
Did I mention a big firm bed with a cluster of pillows representing the range of the softness scale? Or the cantilever table running
the length of the room, festooned with art-worthy dessert and a bottle of spumante prosecco compliments of Miraggio?
There’s a partial barrier dividing the bedroom from the salon area; slide
open the door to admire your deck and plot of lawn.
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| Family suite |
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| A sweet welcome treat in-room |
Once you come to grips with the fact that is your room, and
you can seek respite in it as often as you fancy, you allow yourself to go explore the premises. You could lounge by one of the several pools,
sprawl out by the sea, take a dip, or just listen lazily to
the gentle water lapping at the shore.
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| Down by the sea |
For the ultimate pampering, Myrthia
Thermal Spa is your utopia. Occupying 3,000 square meters, this space
features thermal water pools with hydrotherapy jets in addition to seven modern
treatment rooms to suit the needs of
every guest. You feel the years sloughing off your skin as local thermal source
water floods your pores and rejuvenates every iota of your being. To complete
the effect, request a special fresh juice from the café situated inside the
thermal spa.
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| Myrthia Thermal Spa with hydrotherapy jets |
When it’s time to dine, Kritamo main restaurant packs in a
buffet of handpicked local ingredients reflecting the Greek tradition of caring
when cooking. For breakfast, expect a mind-boggling array of strained yogurts,
honey, jams, cheeses, charcuterie, fresh fruit and cereals. There are omelets,
pancakes and waffles being prepared à la minute, aside from over a dozen hot
dishes cradling eggs, beans, steamed veggies, potatoes, and more.
A “Healthy Corner” comprises organic fruits, smoothies,
gluten-free and bio products, honey from a native beekeeper, home-churned Greek yogurt,
local delicacies and superfoods such as dried goji berries and flaxseeds. You’ll
feel like royalty as you fill your silver tea kettle with hot water and select
one of a variety of gourmet teabags.
Lunch and dinner can also be had here. Pile your plate high and
amble out to the terrace, where breathtaking vistas will lull you into
gastronomic ecstasy.
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| Kritamo opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner |
Sani Resort
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| Sani Beach |
Sani Beach is located by the spellbinding Cape Sani and
extends to Bousoulas Beach, whose sands are fringed with 6 km of pine. For a more
private setting perched among hills, Sani Club houses bungalows with
magnificent views over Mount Olympus and the Aegean. Porto Sani is ideal for
families and boasts a sensuous spa suite with tailor-made aromatherapy
treatments, while its lagoon pool is a hit with children. And finally, Sani
Asterias is all about exclusivity and intimacy, from VIP beaches to
Michelin-starred executive chefs. No extraordinary request is too far-fetched here.
We stayed in a double room trimmed with contemporary design
and featuring its very own balcony, peering over Bousoulas.
Families with children can opt for a number of accommodation types, from
multi-bedroom family suites to deluxe beachfront properties. And that’s what
truly distinguishes Sani from other resorts – the sheer diversity of lodgings
available to guest parties of every size and character.
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| Bousoulas Beach |
Besides the beach, Sani Resort harbors a luxurious haven for
yachts along its marina. The piazza is studded with a dizzying
array of eateries (don’t miss Vosporos Grill House and its succulent kebabs),
as well as a row of chic boutiques selling top international brands.
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| Sani Marina |
Be sure to have breakfast at Ammos, a chic bar-restaurant
where guests can dig into the finest Greek and international cuisine against a
backdrop of water caressing the shore. Crepes, omelets, fresh fruit and yogurt
figure among the edibles, and you’d do well to sample the bulbous dried figs.
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| Greek strained yogurt, bananas, flax seeds, goji berries and honey |
If it’s greenery you long for, there is an easy path through
the woods skirting the long sandy Bousoulas, with views across the
wetlands and bird sanctuary. Twice a day, a biodiversity expert leads tours
originating from the lobby of Sani beach and winding through the forest. Spot
tortoises and beehives along the way before reaching the Sani wetlands, declared
a European Important Bird Area and home to more than 180 different kinds of
birds.
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| Reach the forest mere minutes' walking distance from Sani Beach |
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| Sani wetlands is a bird sanctuary |
The beautiful thing about Sani is that you could
never tire of it. With 34 bars and restaurants, endless expanses of
blue waters and clear skies, and a suite of excursions you can embark on to
animate your stay, Sani is a self-sufficient community. Come here to capitalize
on its natural beauty and disconnect from the duress of daily life.
Closing Remarks
For a country as steeped in history as Greece, it’s surprising
so much of it feels undiscovered. Halkidiki in particular, shaped like Poseidon’s
trident and poking out into the Aegean Sea, is painted with blooming forests
extending to the beach; golden sunlight reflected in the turquoise waters; and
endless coves adding their own pristine touch to the unique natural canvas.
The major hotel complexes nestled here only underscore this
intoxicating blend of blue and green. Rather than deter, they reverence. Rather
than destroy, they preserve. It is this compatibility of nature and manmade
habitat that make Halkidiki so enticing.
For many, Halkidiki is an annual mecca. In fact, 60% of
business at Sani Resort is repeat, and customers are known to book the
following year’s getaway upon checkout. I expect Miraggio will in time reap a
similar statistic, because such idyllic environments can’t be found just
anywhere.
Yet somehow Halkidiki would fool you into thinking they can.
Because here, every corner of land is natural nirvana.
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| Sani aerial view |
Wild Discovery offers a variety of destination packages to Greece. If you're interested in visiting Halkidiki, start making plans for a trip next year anytime between April and October. For more details, consult a travel advisor at +961 1 565646.
This trip was organized and hosted by Wild Discovery Lebanon, in partnership with Aegean Airlines.
For the purposes of this article, a selection of pictures was reproduced from the photo galleries on the Miraggio Thermal Spa Resort and Sani Resort websites.
More images from the trip can be found on my Instagram account.
I think "gastronomic ecstasy" might be my new favorite phrase! :) - Denise
ReplyDeleteHaha, as a fellow foodie, I'm sure you can easily relate :D
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