Porto Heli, on the east side of the Peloponnese, is one of Greece’s most beautiful seaside locations. It blossomed as a tourism attraction in the 1970s and, for a number of years now, has been experiencing a rebirth as a premium destination.
The first DS model established itself as one of the legendary vehicles of the 20th century. When launched, in the 1950s, this model impressed with its futuristic, for the time, design – which proved to be pioneering, forever changing the appearance of cars – as well as its innovative technology.
Back to now, when we received our new DS 4, the latest version of this iconic car model, we had already made up our minds that our first road trip would be to Porto Heli, to combine a premium driving experience with a destination of equivalent standards.
Before our journey, we were aware of the fact that the DS 4 had been named the “Most Beautiful Car of 2022”, an accolade that, for us, became fully apparent, instantly.
The gold-coloured, Cross series vehicle proved to be love at first sight. French finesse is combined with dynamism, expressed by the big wheels and imposing front lights.
At the back side, its sculpted lights perfectly match the stylish silhouette, while the model’s spacious interior and cockpit are impressively designed. The handmade aspects and superb craftsmanship of the interior spaces was one reason we chose this specific vehicle.
The decorated Clous de Paris guillochage features, inspired by superior-quality watchmaking, give emphasis to the dashboard and DS AIR conditioning controls. The air conditioning system is innovative. Its very compact central air ducts are placed in high, discreet positions.
At the same time, the Criollo Brown OPERA interior typifies the brand’s expertise with Criollo Brown Nappa Leather seats, offering particular texture, while the dashboard is also covered in Criollo Brown Nappa Leather. The Brown Ash wood trim adds another touch of refinement.
We took off and quickly found ourselves on the Athens-Corinth highway. The drive progressed smoothly and quietly courtesy of the 8-speed automatic transmission, which also included an innovative touch as the traditional lever has been replaced by a pioneering and stylish DS E-TOGGLE. As a result, we could comfortably learn about our new car’s features. These include DS SMART TOUCH, a unique gesture control system on the centre console. This 5-inch screen is connected to the DS IRIS SYSTEM, a new, easy-to-use system controlled by voice and gesture. It incorporates a personal assistant capable of recognising what’s said to it so that the system can carry out requests with precision. We also had the opportunity to try the innovative DRIVE ASSIST system and experience augmented reality with the DS EXTENDED HEAD-UP DISPLAY, a new immersive technology used on fighter planes. It projects vital driving information, such as speed, four metres ahead of the windscreen following the driver’s gaze as a 21-inch projection.
Courtesy of the DS 4 we had an Augmented Reality driving experience. Our new car’s engine was virtually noise-free. We enjoyed listening to music through the 14-speaker Focal sound system.
We made a first stop at the Corinth Canal to enjoy the view from above. Returning to our car, the sun’s rays had emerged, leaving us stunned, once again, by the elegance of the “Most Beautiful Car of 2022”.
In French, DS is pronounced “Déesse”, meaning goddess. Indeed, the car parked before us was a golden goddess. Our 1500cc diesel version has a 130-horsepower engine. The vehicle also comes in three other versions – two gasoline-powered versions (PureTech 130 EAT8 and PureTech 180 EAT8), and, mainly, a plug-in hybrid version, E-TENSE, with a 225-horsepower engine. Its combination of fuel and electricity-powered engine ensures dynamism and flexibility for the driving experience. This version incorporates all the technical knowhow of DS Performance, the team that has won four Formula E titles. The E-TENSE version is an ideal choice for drivers seeking fuel-efficiency and big driving performance.
From the Corinth Canal to Porto Heli
We continued on our road trip. The beginning of summer is probably the best time to enjoy the captivating beauty of nature offered by the journey from the Corinth Canal to Porto Heli.
The landscape alternates beyond Epidavros. Pine trees give way to small capes and the greenery alternates with the blue colour of the sea. As we got nearer to our destination, the landscape became drier, more Mediterranean, olive trees and shrubs dominating the setting. Some of the area’s most impressive greenery is the result of gardening efforts, resulting in striking gardens at houses and hotels on the side towards the Argolida region. These impressive gardens could be seen from our elevated position as we headed downhill towards Porto Heli and its harbour.
It was early in the day, on a weekday in late May. A considerable number of people were at the harbour. Before settling into our room, we enjoyed a coffee by the sea. As we took in the view of small bays and calm waters, our DS 4 had become the main attraction for passersby. One of these people even asked us about the car, impressed by its beauty. “It’s very beautiful. French cars are generally great for travel,” he commented.
Kova beach
Our next objective was to explore the region’s beaches. Taking the advice of the local who offered compliments, we drove a few kilometres and reached a very special beach, Kova. Being a weekday, early in the summer, it had not yet attracted many people, a crucial factor, as Kova is not a particularly big beach. But it is delightful, with crystal-clear waters. Classy Spetses was visible opposite us.
At Ermioni
The second day of our road trip included some driving around, swimming, as well as a visit to nearby Ermioni, just a 20-minute drive, at most, from Porto Heli. This drive was short but extremely scenic, featuring vineyards, cypresses, impressive houses with lovely gardens and flowers, as well as small bays where yachts had moored. Quite obviously, the region is enjoying a rebirth as a premium, upscale destination.
The short route to Ermioni, it should also be pointed out, is quite demanding with lots of bends, narrow road sections, and a deteriorated road surface. These adverse conditions were reduced to child’s play by the DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION, a strong point of our new car. This system uses a camera that is positioned at the top of the windscreen to view and anticipate irregularities in the road surface. It transmits data to a computer for car suspension adjustments, depending on the road surface. Our driving comfort was assured, regardless of the road’s condition.
At Ermioni, a very authentic place, we enjoyed a fresh fish meal at a taverna supplied by local fishing boats, went swimming, and visited the archaeological site. Soon afterwards, we took off for the drive back to Athens. We chose to do so at night, which gave us the opportunity to try yet another technical and stylistic innovation on the DS 4, the DS MATRIX LED VISION, very slim headlamps that combine matrix and directional lighting. They are complemented by Daytime Running Lights made up of two lines of LEDs on either side.
Memorable experience
It is worth making it to these areas before the arrival of the busier summer months of July and August, to enjoy the experiences they offer when still relatively quiet.
This road trip provided us with ideal conditions to experience the new DS 4. The very first DS, the legendary 20th century model, became known in Greece as the “frog”. For quite some time now, the frog has become a prince, the DS 4 being its more high-end version, something between a hatchback and SUV with premium Crossover character, design and features well above its category.
Read also:
Agiofarago: Fine pebbles and amazing waters, at the mouth of the Gorge of Saints
