Greece Archives | Sports Tourism News

Santorini sports travel guide: Hiking, swimming and wellness on the Greek island

25Sep

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Destination Guides, Europe, Outdoor & Adventure

Santorini sports travel guide: Hiking, swimming and wellness on the Greek island

Santorini may be best known for whitewashed villages, blue-domed churches and caldera sunsets, but its dramatic volcanic landscape is also helping the popular Greek island develop another side to its tourism offering: active and sports travel. Running trails climb and descend across volcanic terrain, hiking routes trace the rim of the caldera, while the Aegean provides a spectacular setting for open-water swimming, sailing and water sports. The Municipality of Thira’s official tourism site promotes everything from hiking and scuba diving to kayaking, SUP, yoga and horse riding. That combination comes together each autumn at Santorini Experience, the island’s flagship sports tourism event, which in 2026 takes place from 16-18 October. Take on the Santorini Experience Now in its ...

Inaugural Greek Odyssey Running Festival to be held in Costa Navarino

20Aug

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Editor's Pick, Europe, Running & Athletics, Trends

Inaugural Greek Odyssey Running Festival to be held in Costa Navarino

Marathon Tours & Travel has announced the launch of a brand-new event, the Greek Odyssey Running Festival, taking place in Costa Navarino, Greece on Saturday 14 November 2026, which includes a half-marathon and 10K distance. Hosted the weekend after the Athens Marathon, the Greek Odyssey offers runners the chance to extend their time in Greece, combining two race distances with the country's rich mythology, dramatic coastline and warm late-autumn climate. Costa Navarino, on the south-west coast of the Peloponnese, sits amid landscapes steeped in ancient legend – the same rugged coastline and storied ruins, including nearby Methoni Castle and Voidokilia Beach, that have captured global imaginations again this year following the release of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, filmed ex...

Sports travel bucket list: the new Porto Carras Athlos event in Halkidiki

3May

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Bucket List, Events, Hotels & Resorts, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: the new Porto Carras Athlos event in Halkidiki

The Porto Carras Athlos is a new three-day international sports tourism and wellness event that will be held for the first time in northern Greece, at the highly acclaimed Porto Carras Grand Resort in Halkidiki. Located alongside a nine-kilometre sandy coastline, the resort is surrounded by a verdant area of 18,000 acres, with gardens under the shade of pine trees dressing the slopes of Mount Meliton. Its facilities include an 18-hole golf course, the biggest organic vineyard in Greece, a spa and wellness centre, restaurants with high-level gastronomy, a casino and a marina that provides integrated services. In addition, a wide range of sports and cultural activities on land and sea are available to visitors of all ages. About the Porto Carras Athlos The event...

Sports travel bucket list: Porto Elounda x United Fitness luxury wellness retreat

22Jun

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Bucket List, Trips & Experiences

Sports travel bucket list: Porto Elounda x United Fitness luxury wellness retreat

If your post-summer fitness regime needs a kick-start then check out this exclusive luxury wellness retreat at Porto Elounda Golf & Spa Resort in Crete, Greece. Taking place from 14-21 September 2025, the seven-night retreat will be held in partnership with United Fitness at the Elounda Collection property. Available for just 30 people and offering an all-inclusive experience, the retreat will be led by United Fitness’s team of expert trainers across Reformcore, Barrecore, KOBOX and Triyoga, providing a holistic approach to wellness bringing together both restorative and invigorating sessions. With tailored activities designed to cater to all fitness levels, the comprehensive programme will give guests the opportunity to enjoy a range of wellness activities, including: Sun...

Sports travel bucket list: play tennis at Kalimera Kriti resort in Greece

2Mar

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Bucket List, Europe, Hotels & Resorts, Tennis & Padel

Sports travel bucket list: play tennis at Kalimera Kriti resort in Greece

The Kalimera Kriti Hotel & Village Resort, a five-star property on the island of Crete, is a world-class sports resort that’s home to the largest tennis and padel centre in Greece. Located on the island’s northeastern coast and offering breathtaking views of the Aegean Sea, Kalimera Kriti boasts a selection of rooms and bungalows, sandy beaches, swimming pools, health and wellbeing facilities, plus restaurants and bars. For sports travellers, the main highlight is the tennis and padel centre, which was upgraded in 2023. Together with Patricio Travel – a specialised tour operator for tennis, padel and fitness travel – and other partners such as Wilson, the Patricio World-Class Tennis Center Crete has 20 real clay courts, six artificial grass courts, five padel courts, and a Wils...

Santorini Experience 2024: Greek island’s popular sports event returns in October

2May

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Events

Santorini Experience 2024: Greek island’s popular sports event returns in October

The Greek island of Santorini, one of the world’s most popular tourism destinations, will host the ‘Santorini Experience’ sports event for the seventh year from 3-6 October 2024. Santorini, with its breathtaking views, dominating volcano and captivating beaches, once again welcomes professional and amateur runners and open-water swimmers for its sports tourism showcase. Running enthusiasts will have the opportunity to enjoy three stunning trail running routes, overlooking the Caldera and the magnificent views of the volcano, having as background the settlements of Imerovigli, Firostefani, and Oia. The 5km route is designed for both running and dynamic walking, while the 10km route caters to those with more experience in longer distances. The 15km distance is tailored for...

Tennis holidays in Greece and Turkey with Mark Warner in 2023

7Jun

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Sports Travel, Trips & Experiences

Tennis holidays in Greece and Turkey with Mark Warner in 2023

From intensive tennis weeks to private one-on-one coaching, independent activity holiday company Mark Warner has been serving up tennis holidays for nearly 50 years. Each of its five properties in Greece and Turkey have a choice of courts, and with a team of expert coaching staff on hand, there are options for all ages and levels. Guests all enjoy complimentary access to the courts and equipment, with social tennis sessions included in their stay and drills sessions also available. Additional activities which can be booked and paid for either in advance or locally range from serve clinics and group tennis coaching sessions, to one-on-one tuition and private tennis lessons as well as LTA courses and mini and junior LTA courses for children. Padel and pickleball Alongsi...

Video: Rafa Nadal visits his tennis centre at Sani Resort in Greece

5Jun

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Hotels & Resorts, Sports Business, Sports Travel, Trips & Experiences

Video: Rafa Nadal visits his tennis centre at Sani Resort in Greece

Spanish tennis icon Rafa Nadal, who holds the joint-record of 22 Grand Slam men’s singles titles, has been in Greece to visit the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center at Sani Resort in Halkidiki. A collaboration between the Rafa Nadal Academy by Movistar in Mallorca and the Sani/Ikos Group, the tennis centre features eight clay courts and since 2018 has held tennis training programs for players of all ages and all levels. During his visit to the five-star Sani Resort, Nadal revealed that he has been impressed by the “spectacular” facilities. “The truth is that I was really looking forward to finally come to Greece, but my schedule and Covid had had made it impossible,” he said. “Toni [Nadal], Carlos Moya, Carlos Costa and the whole team had told me wonderful things about the c...

ZenBoat: Greece wellness sailing holidays on a vintage gulet yacht

11May

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Trips & Experiences

ZenBoat: Greece wellness sailing holidays on a vintage gulet yacht

Launching in September 2023, ZenBoat will offer wellness sailing holidays aboard a vintage Greek gulet yacht. Featuring activities, tours and healthy meals, itineraries will take in spectacular Greek islands, from the mystical Ionian islands to the magical Peloponnese coastline, and the delightful and little-known Saronic Islands en route to Athens. Founded by Swiss chef Louis Papadopoulos and his wife Lisa, who together run The Maya Boutique Hotel in Nax, Switzerland, the idea of ZenBoat was born during the pandemic. While they were holidaying in Greece, they realised they could transfer their experience and skill set from the hotel and create a similar holistic concept, but on a vintage gulet. “Life isn't about the destination – it’s about the journey; ZenBoat is about both,” they ...

Greek Running Tours by Dean Karnazes: the ‘ultimate runcation’ in Greece

18Feb

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Sports Travel, Trips & Experiences

Greek Running Tours by Dean Karnazes: the ‘ultimate runcation’ in Greece

Greek-American ultramarathoner Constantine “Dean” Karnazes has partnered with sports tourism and wellness agency ActiveMedia Group to launch Greek Running Tours. Greece, the birthplace of the marathon, is a land where history has been created, legends made and where magic and mythology come together. As tribute to his Greek heritage and his desire to promote Greek tourism to a global audience, Karnazes gives runners the opportunity to explore Greece on foot, immersing in the history and beauty, eating the food and experiencing this legendary land in a way that few tourists ever will. Dean Karnazes (Image: Angelos Zymaras) Along with the running (and a walking option for non-runners) each day will include cultural experiences – from bread making in the mountains of Crete, to olive...

Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino: tennis holidays in Greece

30Jul

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Hotels & Resorts, Sports Travel, Trips & Experiences

Mouratoglou Tennis Center Costa Navarino: tennis holidays in Greece

Improve your serve and hone your on-court skills with a tennis-themed holiday in Costa Navarino. Located in the Greek region of Messinia, southwest Peloponnese, Costa Navarino is home to world-class sports facilities and luxury hotels. Where to play tennis in Costa Navarino The region is the first European location for a Mouratoglou Tennis Center. Here you can play on state-of-the-art clay, hard and grass courts – offering the equivalent of grand slam court conditions. The centre has 16 brand new tennis courts and benefits from year-round sunshine. Guests can enjoy a tennis-inspired holiday full of breathtaking views of the Ionian Sea, while receiving personalised coaching from the best in the world - with lessons and packages for children and adults. Prices for tennis coac...