The Athens Riviera

The year is 2021. Athens is a changed city. It is already acknowledged as a hip European destination. Neighborhoods that were considered no-go zones have become a magnet for alternative tourists - but not the kind who want to hurl petrol bombs in what they consider a Balkan playground. The Athens coast is transformed, overtaking Barcelona in popularity. Tourists can be seen enjoying a stroll or a cycle from Mikrolimano in Piraeus to the new Elliniko complex, or going for a swim. Cafes, bars and high-end hotels bustle with life, as does the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

A mere fantasy? Not at all. Athens is being reborn from the ashes of the economic crisis thanks to the private sector, which has shown resilience but also imagination and creativity. A new generation of Greeks with high professional and aesthetic standards are taking over in the food and...