Social distance in scenic Santorini with a luxury stay at Mystique
Greece has reopened to tourism, but this year will see safety-minded travelers being more discerning about just where they want to lay their head, and seclusion and distancing may be keywords for the next year. With this in mind, Mystique, a hideaway resort voted one of the top 20 hotels in Greece and Turkey, is the perfect destination.
Mystique is managed by Kanava Hotels & Resorts, a Greek company that specializes in private villas with properties on Santorini and Paros, as well as a boutique hotel in Mani in the Peloponnese.
Carved into the volcanic cliffs below the village of Oia, northern Santorini's most charming whitewashed hamlet, Mystique is an exclusive hideaway that features private villas and suites, two pools and a vantage point that looks out on the calderas, volcano and captivating Aegean Sea.
The scenery makes it the perfect spot for romantic escapes, honeymoons or just those in need of a bit of pampering surrounded by exquisite natural beauty. The resort is designed to show off Cycladic architecture, mixing gentle curves and sculpted arches into light-enhancing spaces, with cobbled paths connecting all of the resort's enticing features.
Guests here can opt for luxury suites and private villas, some of which even have their own private fitness room and feature unique designs, personal plunge pools and jacuzzis, in addition to plenty of other enticements. Balconies offer dreamy views of the Aegean, as well as of the caldera surroundings in this one-of-a-kind destination.
There are 41 suites and villas to choose from, led by the large freestanding Mystery Villa, which comes not only with an expansive outdoor terrace and private pool, but also an NOHrD bike, swing bells and wall bars in its personal fitness room.
You've got a choice of restaurants for dining, ranging from the gourmand Lure, headed by renowned French chef Olivier Campanha, where traditional Greek and Mediterranean dishes are given contemporary twists, to the open-air Charisma, serving Mediterranean fare above the sea.
Chef Campanha will also create a degustation menu with dishes available for pescatarians and vegans, as well as meat eaters, served out on your own private terrace away from the crowds and looking out at the Cycladic island archipelago below.
Mystique also boasts the Secret Wine Cave, paying homage to Santorini's prowess as a grape growing paradise. Guests can book private dinners here and eat alongside the 150-year-old wine cellar that holds a large collection of excellent local Santorini wines.
If the sun, sea and gastronomy get to be too much, you can also avail yourself of the resort's Elios Spa, a sanctuary for renewal and renovation. Wellness treatments promise to be high on the wish list, and you can treat yourself here to signature treatments using natural ingredients.
You can even opt for a range of body therapies, from wraps and scrubs to massages and facials. The resort also offers sunrise yoga sessions, the perfect way to welcome an Aegean morning.
Venturing out from the resort, it's not far to the picturesque narrow alleys of old Oia town, which is also the best place on the island to watch the magnificent sunsets from up on the clifftops, or from the old castle ruins. The more actively-inclined may want to hike down (and up!) the 350 stairs from the village leading to the fishing port at Amoudi Bay.
Other island escapes include the unique black sand beach of Kamari, the ruins of the ancient trading site of Akrotiri, and a trip up through the traditional village of Pyrgos, which features the island's most stunning panoramas seen from its hilltop Kalisti Castle, which is the highest point on the island.
The combo of privacy and the deep blue Aegean waters of the Mediterranean just below are unbeatable, and Mystique is about as romantic, secluded and pampering as it gets. For top island escapes, you'll be hard-pressed to beat the barefoot luxury options here, not to mention being able to isolate and have plenty of time and space away from the crowds.
If you're looking to "self quarantine" in elegance, have a knockout "staycation," or just a plain old sublime holiday in a wonderful spot, a visit to Santorini and Mystique makes for an excellent summer travel choice.
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