Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens

Five floors of neoclassical stonework anchor Syntagma Square's northeast corner, where the Grande Bretagne has operated since 1874 — its rooftop pool looks directly onto the Parliament building across the square.

The GB Roof Garden restaurant and bar rank among Athens' harder reservations; the kitchen sources from Peloponnese producers and the terrace gives unobstructed Acropolis sightlines at dusk. Inside, the spa occupies a full lower level with a lap pool, steam rooms, and a menu of Greek-herb body treatments unavailable at comparable city addresses.

Syntagma Metro station sits at the hotel's front steps, putting Monastiraki's flea market six minutes away and the Acropolis Museum eleven. Walking tours of the Plaka depart from the concierge desk on a fixed weekly schedule.