Allure of the Greek Isles
Aristotle Onassis was once famously quoted that “If women didn’t
exist, all the money in the world would have no meaning.” And were it
not for one particular woman- his second wife- it would be surprising
if the private island would come close to the allure it possesses today.
Thoughtful, stylish Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis was the widow
of assassinated US President John F. Kennedy and a compelling figure
whose fame was magnified by her tragedy. Her remarriage to Onassis,
a vivid public figure in his own right, took place on his private island of
Skorpios, tucked away in a northern corner of the Ionian Sea. Swarmed
by boats of paparazzi during the wedding and the couple’s frequent
visits, the image of the place where the couple found (relative) peace
left an indelible impression in the public consciousness what a private
island meant; luxury, glamour, and a safe harbour for those wanting to
escape from their own fame and just be.
Nafsika Island
€8,000,000
— 1,235 acres
Lat: 38°17’3.66”N
— Long: 21° 6’3.61”E
©
B o e h m G m bH
Rumours surface with regularity that the 32-acre island, now owned
by heiress Athena Onassis, will be privately offered for sale. But thus
far, the rumours have remained merely that. While Skorpios has been
speculated to have a value of more than $200M, another nearby
opportunity for recreating the Onassis idyll is far more accessible. At
more than 1200 acres, Nafsika is the largest island available in Greece,
and dwarfs all but one other on the entire European market. Belying
the rocky, arid image of the typical Greek isle, the Ionian has a more
temperate climate, allowing for the lush forests that cover the island’s
grounds. Nafsika’s broker, René Boehm, suggests that while the island
is now relatively undervalued compared to Caribbean properties, an
SKORPIO S
NAFSIKA
28
E u r o p e – G r ee c e
E u r o p e – G r ee c e
29
Allure of the Greek Isles
explosion in the values for Greek isles is imminent.
“As Greece is such a highly desirable destination for
tourists from across the globe, Nafsika would make a
wonderful upscale resort,” says Boehm. Even in the midst
of a global economic slowdown, Greece’s government
remains optimistic about the country’s unique attractions
for visitors, with a 7% increase predicted by the Tourism
Ministry for 2009. Combined with the most generous
budget for promotion and development assistance in
Greece’s history, the government’s commitment to
growth is a major attraction for potential developers.
In the case of Nafsika, combined incentives from both
Greece and the EC could provide for half of development
costs for a tourism venture.
With the island’s epic peaks and stunning views across
the Ionian to the mainland’s mountains, a tourism
development would indeed seem an ideal use for the
property. Allowing for a sizable project encompassing up
to 300,000 square metres of floor space, the island could
hold an entire resort complex, with a boutique hotel and
cliff-side villas. Set within a popular boating route, the
island’s large, sheltered bays offer natural harbours
suited to marinas with deep-water docking for yachts,
and the beauty of the surrounding seas would prove
irresistible to sun-worshiping vacationers from Northern
Europe and other target markets. While Boehm says that
like many Greek islands, Nafsika possesses little natural
beach, the sand-bottomed shallows that surround much
of the island could easily be built up into long stretches
of white seaside.
But while the immense island could indeed encompass a
significant development, there would be no better place
in the Mediterranean than Nafsika’s mountains to create
a singular retreat that would be yours alone. Perhaps
a simple Grecian villa set atop one of the peaks, white
against the rich brown hills with a view across the deep
sea. A haven, a place of rejuvenation, and if desired, of
the most complete possible solitude. Fittingly for a man
who found his fortunes in shipping, Onassis once advised
that “We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will
ever rest. We must learn to sail in high winds.” And as he
himself had experienced, a private island may not calm
the high seas, but provides, at the least, a temporary
harbour before one must set sail again.
©
B o e h m G m bH
SKORPIO S
NAFSIKA
30
E u r o p e – G r ee c e
E u r o p e – G r ee c e
31