Chemists don’t come much grander than this palatial, pale stone, floor-to-ceiling glass edifice in the centre of Athens, close to Syntagma Square. Neighbouring chic luxury hotel Xenodocheio Milos, it houses cult Greek pharmacist The Naxos Apothecary, founded by the Korres brothers, Yorgos and Andonis, and pays homage to their birthplace, the Greek island of Naxos. Yorgos first gained notoriety in wellness circles when he established the brand Korres, the first homoeopathic pharmacy in Athens to offer an affordable range of natural cosmetics. Cleverly harnessing the restorative powers of Greek plant extracts, he began selling the resulting prized organic lotions and potions to a global audience, under its guise as a luxury natural fragrance and personal care brand.
The pair took inspiration from the renowned Mr.Tzivanidis’ Pharmacy, the oldest homoeopathic pharmacy in Greece, which used to be tucked behind the iconic Panathenaic Stadium – stage of the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern-day Olympics back in 1896. Tzivanidis was where all Athenians would head for their wellness pick-me-ups, and it was a legacy the brethren were keen to continue in their own venture.
The store houses three dedicated science-lab-resembling laboratories: homeopathy, phytotherapy and herbal cosmetics,all encased behind glass. Appointments are available for bespoke consultations, where white-gowned experts will garner the fruits of the island’s rich biodiversity and concoct remedies tailored specifically to your skin type. Take your pick of 54 different ingredients harvested from Naxos’s fertile shores, anything from vitamin-C-rich amaranth, vital to the body’s healing process as it helps process iron, form blood vessels, repair muscle tissue as well as maintaining collagen; sea lily extract, renowned for visibly reducing dark spots and evening out skin tone; to wild pear which delivers rich, deep hydration to the skin – no matter which ones you choose, they will all be clinically packaged up in style, with your own personalised ingredients listing label.
There’s even a botanicals bar on the top floor, a shaded space to hide from the unrelenting heat of the day where visitors are positively encouraged to design their own herbal teas, smoothies and syrups. Offering a unique insight, it aims to inspire the use of leaves, fruits and roots in our everyday lives.
Secret Tip: Don’t miss the other gems on offer – namely the store’s rich array of fragrances. Do as I did and stash a bottle of mandarin and lavender-effusing Korres Avgoustos in your checked luggage.
Kolokotroni 3-5 & Voulis, 10562, Athens, Greece; thenaxosapothecary.com
Lee Osborne is creative director of Secret Trips
