A Table on the Athenian Coast
Vouliagmeni, late afternoon. A swim, then dinner.
We arrived at Zen Beach, in the Athenian neighborhood of Vouliagmeni just late enough for the light to soften — that hour when the city turns golden but the air still hums. No table was ready. No formal welcome. Just the sea calling. A swim was necessary — not optional. It resets everything, clears the mind.
Map of Athens.
The beach was quiet but far from empty. A handful of families drifted on floats. Nearby, a couple shared the kind of comfortable silence earned only after days spent together. The water was still warm, salty, and clear enough that you could see your toes as the sky shifted from golden to soft lilac.
View from Zen Beach (Vouliagmeni, Athens).
There wasn’t really a dress code. Like everyone else, we sat down in swimwear, hair still wet, with salt drying on our skin.
Close enough to the city yet far enough to feel like you’re somewhere else entirely, Vouliagmeni is a secluded gem along the Athenian Riviera. For more hidden gems and curated experiences in Athens, explore our Experiences section.
Dinner by the Shore
When we finally stepped from the water, the table was waiting, set close to the shoreline.
The Zen Beach restaurant welcomed us with a quiet and effortless hospitality. Our meal began simply: tarama, pale and whipped, paired with warm bread that begged to be torn by hand. We settled into silence, listening. Next came fried calamari — crisp and light, easy to share. Then an octopus salad, dressed simply with olive oil and lemon. The octopus had just enough chew to remind us it once swam in the same sea.
When we asked the waiter for the catch of the day, he smiled knowingly. Each dish arrived thoughtfully, timed to the pace of the evening, yet surprisingly fast.
The playlist overhead was forgettable, but we had our own that came from the surroundings: the buzzing of cicadas, Greek murmurs, the clink of ice and fork in glass.
Still at the Shore
By the time dessert came—a rich and crumbly halva, dusted with cinnamon, alongside a sweet lemon slushy drink, bright and refreshing,— the beach had emptied. Though only twenty-five minutes from the city center, this stretch of coast reminds you that sometimes, the best parts of Athens are found off the beaten track.
We lingered as the last light slipped behind the hills, feeling part of the rhythm rather than a guest. A quiet end to a day well spent.
Want more like this? Read our Cape Sounio piece.
What to Know
Zen Beach Restaurant
Where? Vouliagmeni, Athens
When? Arrive late afternoon. Swim first. Book a table closest to the water.
What our editors ordered: tarama, fried calamari, octopus salad, catch of the day (dessert was on the house).
