Spotlight: Greece’s Island to Visit this Summer

Mark your maps: this summer, the Greek island of Folegandros will top the list of passionate travelers thanks to Gundari, the destination’s first luxury boutique hotel. (The property will complete the final phase of its opening, including brand-new villas.) A lesser-known gem of the Cyclades, Folegandros has wild and wind-carved landscapes, and Gundari (meaning “rocky place”) takes its aesthetic inspiration from this natural splendor. Set amid a protected wildlife reserve on the island’s southeastern coast, the resort comprises just 30 bioclimatic, Cycladic-style suites and villas that blend into the copper-colored clifftops. Each suite features a private solar-powered heated infinity pool that appears to drop into the Aegean Sea below.

Unlike the neighboring islands of Santorini and Milos, Folegandros has kept a blissfully low profile. Much of its land is classified as protected forest, and most guests arrive via sea as the island lacks an airport. Folegandros’ sublime landscapes and delightfully slow rhythms served as inspiration for Gundari‘s Australian owner, Ricardo Larreira, who fell in love with the island after visiting with his business partner, Terry Seremetis, whose family has local roots going back several centuries. In 2019, Larreira acquired the wild, 100-acre property framed by dramatic limestone cliffs and bathed in sunshine, offering sunset views over Milos to the west and Santorini to the east. Folegrandos’ whitewashed main village, Chora—considered one of the jewels of the Cyclades—is just two miles away.

The remote beauty and intimacy of Folegandros were also key influences for Athens-based design studio Block722. An earthy palette, unpolished marble floors, linear lines, and ample indoor-outdoor spaces lend an organic, understated elegance. Three- and four-bedroom cliff front villas provide nearly 6,500 square feet of indoor and outdoor living, with spectacular views of the surrounding reddish-hued cliffs and the Aegean, as well as a solar-powered infinity pool and Jacuzzi. A deep reverence toward the land is evident throughout the property, an EarthCheck Certified hotel. Before construction started, over 600 indigenous plant seedlings were collected and nurtured. The property is also dedicated to the protection of the threatened Eleonora’s Falcon, one of the island’s rare native species with a population of fewer than 20,000.

At the helm of Orizon restaurant is Lefteris Lazarou, Greece’s first Michelin-starred chef, whose menu emphasizes local products including fresh, responsibly sourced seafood and produce pulled from the on-site organic farm. Guests are invited to select their own produce from the farm, then enjoy a farm-to-fork dinner that incorporates their gathered ingredients, such as sun-ripened tomatoes and fragrant wild herbs. Meanwhile, the sunken swim-up bar and main bar—a high-fi listening lounge inspired by Japanese Jazz Kissatens—offer creative beverages crafted by Line Athens, rated one of the world’s top-rated cocktail dens.

At the subterranean spa, ancient Greek rituals convene with Folegandros’ native herbs and tonics to create a transformative wellness experience, with rituals guided by a roster of international visiting wellness practitioners. Treatments range from sound baths, energy healing, yoga, and meditation, aromatherapy rituals, and a variety of facials and massages that include heated herbal compresses.

Guests have access to a fleet of eco-friendly toys—six Fiat 500e Cabrios, a Jeep Renegade, one electric Mini Moke, 12 electric bikes, and a Cool Jub 250S e-motorbike—for discovering the island’s pebbly coves, traditional villages, and local landmarks such as the dramatic hilltop Church of Panagia. A history and architecture tour can also be arranged to delve into the Folegrandos’ centuries-old past. Guests can also join scuba diving and snorkeling trips in the island’s crystal-clear waters or hike along 35 miles worth of trails that wind around the property and island. Gundari’s private Axopar speedboat can be chartered for excursions to nearby islands such as Polyaigos and Sifnos, sunset cruises with cliffside dinners, or wine-tasting adventures on Sikinos.

• Foodie Highlight: A private cooking class at Folegandros’s iconic Irene’s Restaurant can be arranged. A local institution for more than 70 years, —where owner “Yia Yia” Irene will teach guests to make rice-stuffed tomatoes and other beloved dishes.
• Newsworthy: This summer, the property will complete the final phase of its opening with the unveiling of three clifftop villas and a small wine bar, housed in an original farmhouse on the property.
• Getting There: There are daily high-speed ferries from the port of Piraeus (Athens) and from Santorini to Folegandros (two and a half hours from Athens, 45 minutes from Santorini). Guests at Gundari can also charter their speed boat for private transfers from Santorini.