The Magus: Hotel Philadelphia (Spetses)

The Magus: Hotel Philadelphia (Spetses)

“But there were two eyesores, visible long before we landed. One was an obese Greek-Edwardian hotel near the larger of the two harbours, as at home on Phraxos as a hansom cab in a Doric temple” - this is how John Flowels (as Nicholas Urfe) described Hotel Philadelphia. In real life - Grand Hotel Poseidonion that every Septeses’ visitor can see on the right side of the port when approaching the island. (The second “eyesore” was the school - read here https://reveal.world/en/story/the-magus-lord-byron-school-spetses)

Poseidonion Grand Hotel first opened in 1914 and was the brainchild of Sotirios Anargiros, a visionary benefactor who was responsible for much of Spetses’ development, including the school where Folwes taught English and which served as a prototype for Lord Byron school in his novel The Magus (read here https://api.reveal.world/en/story/the-magus-lord-byron-school-spetses). It has quickly become one of Spetses’ landmarks and a favourite destination for the high society, royalty and the wealthy Athenians.

https://www.poseidonion.com/

Guide me

Hear this story where it happened, along with the others around it. Say how many days you have and what you are into, and we put together a route through these places, with a voice guide telling each story as you arrive.

Guide me

Written by Holly Golightly

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