For many travelers, choosing Greece begins with a place: Syros, Corfu, Antiparos, Kea. Only afterwards comes the question of how to experience it. I fell in love with this country when I came for three days, and stayed three months once fated summer in Mykonos—ages ago. Then when I came to Athens in 2013, the same thing happened. A long weekend in the city morphed into another three month stint. So here I am, 13 years later almost to the day, doing PR for my favorite spots, and pitching you on “The Case for Living on a Greek Island for a Week.”
Living in my beloved Hellas has seen my inbox increase with “where should I go” messages from friends, and friends of friends. Even that odd ex who I went to high school with, the boy I went to prom with, and even his sister. But what I’m seeing more of is that these travelers are seeking ways to inhabit these destinations rather than simply pass through them.
Gone are the days of three nights here, two nights there or worse, a night in each location for a full week. Yes, I’ve seen it all. The more emails and DMs I get from friends are more about staying longer, moving more slowly, and connecting with the rhythms that shape each island. Greece, where geography and culture change dramatically from island to island, lends itself particularly well to this kind of travel.
That’s why when Greece’s newest villa brand, The Eugenes, came to me to talk about PR, things resonated. They have built an approach around this idea, offering a collection of private villas across the islands that allow guests to settle into a destination for a week or more. The concept is especially compelling in places where hotel development remains intentionally limited — islands such as Ithaca, Skiathos or Chios — where staying in a home can offer a closer relationship to the landscape and community.
What distinguishes the experience is not only the setting, but the access it allows. Villa managers act as cultural guides, connecting guests to the life of the island, from visits to small producers and family farms to introductions to local chefs and fishermen.
Some encounters are more unexpected. In Corfu, Olympic silver medalist in open water swimming and two-time World Champion, Spiros Gianniotis joins guests for private open water swimming sessions in extraordinary locations around the island, as well as sharing stories from his Olympic career and the discipline behind elite sport. Chef Athinagoras Kostakos hosts intimate culinary experiences exploring contemporary Greek cuisine through local ingredients and traditions. Guests may also be granted rare access to the silk factory of Zeus & Dione, where co-founder Dimitra Kolotoura personally opens the doors to the weaving halls, revealing how raw silk is transformed into the fabrics that define the house.
These kinds of encounters are exactly what The Eugenes thrives on: access, immersion, and the ability to connect guests with the people and traditions that shape each destination. Behind the scenes, a dedicated team remains on call around the clock, ensuring that every experience unfolds effortlessly.
The model reflects a broader shift in how people travel today. Rather than moving rapidly through destinations, many travelers are seeking to understand where they are — meeting the people who shape a place, shopping from small makers, and engaging with local culture in ways that leave a lighter footprint.
This summer, The Eugenes extends the concept beyond land with the launch of Carino, an 85-foot yacht designed for up to ten guests. The idea remains the same: to experience Greece slowly, whether anchored in a quiet cove or living within an island community for a week.
In a country where every island carries its own character, the approach offers something increasingly rare in travel: the feeling of briefly belonging to a place.
Article by Andria Mitsakos
Image: Kambos Estate on Chios, Greece. Image Courtesy of The Eugenes
