Picture a morning coffee on a terrace above the Aegean, an afternoon swim at a Blue Flag beach and Athens itself – with its museums, restaurants and international airport – less than half an hour away. That combination is what draws buyers to the Athens Riviera, the strip of coastline running south from the Greek capital down to Cape Sounio.
This part of Attica offers sea air and a slower pace without cutting you off from the infrastructure that makes everyday life – and property ownership – easy. Specialist hospitals, international schools, direct flights to the UK and a motorway to the city centre are all well within reach. For anyone weighing up where to buy in Greece, the Riviera deserves serious consideration.
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Glyfada
Arguably the liveliest of the Riviera towns, Glyfada functions as the area’s social and retail hub. It has a polished, cosmopolitan feel – Greek celebrities have bought here for decades – and offers a range of beaches, marinas full of luxury yachts, an 18-hole golf course and an active evening scene. Metaxa Street and Glyfada Square are good for shopping, while the seafront and the streets around it offer dozens of restaurants from tavernas to sushi bars. The Sea Turtle Rescue Centre is a highlight for families.
- Getting to Glyfada: The X96 airport express bus runs to the coast and up to Piraeus, stopping at Glyfada.
- Drive time to Athens airport: 29 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 28 minutes.
Voula
South of Glyfada, Voula has a different character – quieter, more family-oriented and less given to late-night activity. It attracts a mix of young families, working professionals and retirees who want Blue Flag beaches and open space without the energy of Glyfada. The Nautical Athletic Club of Voula, one of Attica’s most active sailing clubs, has its own port facilities here and a strong competitive programme. The Second Beach (B’ Beach) is undergoing a full rebuild and is expected to reopen, fully renovated, for summer 2026.
There’s lots of green space here, with parks and cycling paths along the waterfront. Kavouri, immediately to the south of Voula, is largely residential with family-owned tavernas, rocky inlets and unmanicured forest trails between the beaches – a ruggedness you won’t find in the more polished parts of the Riviera.
- Getting to Voula: The airport bus takes around 53 minutes, with multiple stops en route.
- Drive time from Athens airport: 22 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 31 minutes.
Vouliagmeni
The Riviera’s most expensive and arguably most beautiful address, Vouliagmeni occupies a series of protected bays surrounded by pine-covered hillsides and has long attracted Greece’s most discerning buyers. The Four Seasons Astir Palace here was named among the World’s 50 Best Hotels in 2025, and the wider area carries a similar sense of quality – excellent restaurants, well-maintained marinas and a beach infrastructure that matches anything on the Mediterranean.
The town’s most distinctive feature is Lake Vouliagmeni, a natural thermal lake formed in a collapsed limestone cavern, where the water stays between 22°C and 29°C throughout the year. It’s open every day and charges around €20-€25.
- Getting to Vouliagmeni: Take Metro Line M2 to Elliniko (20 minutes from Syntagma), then bus 122 (25 minutes) or a taxi (15 minutes).
- Drive time to Athens airport: 28 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 35 minutes.
Varkiza (Vari-Varkiza)
Continuing south, Varkiza has a more laid-back, island-adjacent atmosphere that sets it apart from the busier towns to the north. Varkiza has a working fishing harbour, good sandy beaches and a promenade that’s pleasant at any time of year. The local nautical club runs a full programme of water sports including sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding.
- Getting to Varkiza: The X96 airport bus stops near Varkiza; allow about an hour for the journey.
- Drive time from Athens airport: 24 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 39 minutes.
Lagonissi
Lagonissi sits roughly 30km south of Athens and is perhaps the most genuinely resort-like of the Riviera towns. The Grand Resort Lagonissi – a five-star hotel on its own private beach peninsula – sets the tone, and the surrounding residential areas share something of the same unhurried, spacious feel. Roads are wide, properties are well spread out and the pace is noticeably slower than the northern suburbs.
You won’t struggle for amenities. There are supermarkets, clothes shops, a sports centre with indoor basketball and volleyball courts, external courts and football pitches, a gym, a yoga and aerobics studio, and an equestrian club on the eastern edge of town. New schools have opened as more families have moved in, including an English-speaking nursery. Beaches include Pefko, Agios Nikolaos and Galazia Akti; restaurants and bars are mainly concentrated around Kalyvion Avenue.
- Getting to Lagonissi: Driving is the most practical option. By public transport, take Metro Line M2 to Elliniko then bus 122 south; allow around 90 minutes from central Athens.
- Drive time from Athens airport: 22 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 51 minutes.
Saronida
Saronida sits about 18km south of Varkiza and has a character all of its own. It’s small – around 3,000 residents – and genuinely tranquil, with three beaches along a scenic coast road, mountains to the east and forests to the south threaded with hiking trails. The shoreline is a mix of sand and pebble with some natural shade, and the water is shallow enough near the shore to suit families with young children.
The town has everything you need day to day – a medical centre, a school, basic shops – and its population has been growing steadily as more buyers look beyond the better-known suburbs for value and quietude.
A large-scale development has been proposed for the surrounding area: the €840 million Saronida Olympos Golf Project, which would include an 18-hole golf course, a luxury hotel, a marina and significant new housing. The project received government approval as a strategic investment back in 2022, but as of early 2026 it remains stuck in the permitting process, with outstanding environmental assessments and land-use approvals still to be resolved. It’s a long-term possibility rather than anything imminent.
- Getting to Saronida: Take the X96 to Glyfada, then change to bus 122, which runs the full length of the coast to Saronida. The full journey from the airport can take over two hours.
- Drive time from Athens airport: 27 minutes.
- Drive time to the Acropolis: 53 minutes.
