One of Greece’s Most Popular Islands Has a Secret Side

Plus, After Mass Grave of Skeletons Found, Some Won't Set Foot in This Starchitect's Library

Manage newsletters View in browser The entire world in your inbox. Hello all—   I'll never forget a dinner I was at some years ago. It was one of those upper deck of the Titanic kind of gatherings where you sit in disbelief at how out of touch people are, and the cherry on top was when one woman slurred, "It's truly not summer unless it's summer in Greece."    Now, I don't make it to Greece every summer (hats off to those of you that do!) but when I do, I'm always struggling to find an experience that isn't run of the mill. Problem solved with this  lovely feature from our archives on the island of Sifnos, as well as this latest installment to our It's Still a Big World series about the "other side" of Paros. Siobhan Reid recounts her discovery of the quiet and understated side to the uber-popular island, and how it transformed her trip.   Greece is also featured in Alex Sakalis' piece on the country's new National Library located in Athens's harbor, our latest for the series on the World's Most Beautiful Libraries. Designed by Renzo Piano, a mass grave was found while excavating—which no surprise, stirred up some trouble! But I have to say, the park running along its roofline is one of the best-smelling places I've ever been. Enjoy!   —William O'Connor, Travel Editor One of Greece's Most Popular Islands Has a Secret Side How to lose the crowds and find tranquility on Paros. After Mass Grave of Skeletons Found, Some Won't Set Foot in This Starchitect's Library Renzo Piano's inviting design may herald an Athens of the future, but not all are convinced. Forlorn Forlini's Fans Can Buy the Art of Shuttered Cult New York Restaurant The beloved Italian eatery closed this year, but 32 of its artworks, including landscapes, provincial domestic scenes, and a portrait of the Forlini brothers, are up for sale. Street Art Is Getting Stolen, and Even Held for Ransom Street art is becoming more and more valuable—not just in the realm of art dealers, but as lucrative stolen goods. "Cleopatra's flagship, the Antonias, was no doubt splendid. The Ptolemies were not ones to spare expense on a royal vessel. Think of the barge on which Cleopatra had rowed upriver in Tarsus to meet Antony ten years earlier. When one source on Actium says that she signaled the breakout maneuver by raising the purple sail on her golden ship, it might not be an exaggeration." —Barry Strauss reexamines the battle that gave Cleopatra a bad rep. OMG I Want to Rent This House!    Wategos Villas, Byron Bay, Australia (Vrbo): For two years, we've all been glued to news of the "next wave." So, it's safe to say, we all deserve a break. But if you choose to take the vacation days that we believe every human being on the planet has accrued by living through COVID and use them on a holiday in Byron Bay, you will not necessarily get a break from wave watching. That's because this hotspot in New South Wales is famed for its excellent surfing. Between spending days in the South Pacific Ocean and nights in this gorgeous villa, you may just start to feel a little of that ol' 2019 energy coming back.   The property listing claims that Wategos Villas "amplifies every experience." Normally, we would call bullshit on such an overblown claim. But, in this case, they just might be right. If only our boss would send us to Byron Bay to see for sure...   Book Your Stay: Wategos Villas, Byron Bay, Australia: $3,110/night via Vrbo   Don't miss previous OMG, I Want to Rent This House posts, which spotlight the most spectacular and unique homes that you can actually stay in.  Check out the full archives.  Travel to France's Most Over-the-Top Private Home It's a palace with one of the greatest tales in French history—a minister overshadowing his king only to be pulled down to nothing. That's the long and short of Nicolas Fouqet, King Louis XIV, and the fabulous Vaux-le-Vicomte, a chateau south of Paris that is the subject of a delightful new coffee table book from Flammarion, Vaux le Vicomte: A Private Invitation.   The rooms captured are sumptuous and the vistas arresting—few rooms have ever competed with the oval Grand Salon looking out over Le Notre's Baroque gardens. What is amazing is that the house is still in private hands, those of the de Vogüé family.   Especially captivating are photographs from Vaux's signature event. Every Saturday from late spring to early fall, the chateau and grounds are lit entirely by candles as they were the night of Nicolas Fouqet's grand party that sealed his fate with the Sun King.   Don't miss our other selections for our series on gorgeous travel-related coffee table books, Just Booked. BUY ON AMAZON  >>                 Please note that if you buy something featured in one of our posts or newsletters, The Daily Beast may collect a share of sales.   Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC I 555 W. 18th Street, New York NY, 10011   Privacy Policy   If you are on a mobile device or cannot view the images in this message, click here to view this email in your browser. 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