From Chai to Greek Coffee: The Yoga of Travel

When two ancient cultures meet through flavour, rhythm, and ritual.

A yogi dressed in ancient greek clothes, enjoying their chai and greek coffee at the same time. Created with DALL-E

A swirl of steam rises from a cup of masala chai in Mumbai. Half a world away, in a shaded square in Athens, a barista stirs the froth of a Greek coffee with the same unhurried grace. Two drinks, worlds apart—yet both steeped in ritual, storytelling, and community. Between them lies a bridge that goes far beyond taste: a shared philosophy of living, rooted in connection, hospitality, and harmony.

In recent years, Greece and India have found themselves at the crossroads of a new kind of relationship—not political or transactional, but cultural and sensory. As flights, trade routes, and friendships multiply, so do the ways these two civilizations rediscover each other. What unites them is not just the exchange of products or tourists, but a shared rhythm of life that values time, presence, and spirit.

A Rising Flow of Travellers and Emotions

The numbers tell a powerful story. In 2023, nearly 30,000 Indian travellers visited Greece, a 36% increase from the previous year. By 2025, the figure is expected to exceed 50,000, driven by the upcoming direct flights between Athens and Delhi/Mumbai. More important than the numbers, however, is the quality of the visitor: Indian travellers spend on average 70% more than Americans and 140% more than Britons during their stay, seeking experiences that blend authenticity, beauty, and comfort.

From the marble glow of Santorini to the Byzantine echoes of Thessaloniki, the Greek landscape speaks naturally to Indian sensibilities. Both cultures see travel not merely as movement, but as a form of pilgrimage—a journey that nourishes both heart and soul. As Indian families pose beneath whitewashed chapels or newlyweds walk barefoot on Cretan sand, Greece’s timeless light mirrors the spiritual warmth of India’s festivals.

Tour operators have begun to respond. Greece now appears among the top 30 preferred destinations for Indian travellers and rising fast. Campaigns at India’s OTM Mumbai 2024 and SATTE Delhi 2025 positioned Greece as a stage for destination weddings, family retreats, and cinematic escapes. After all, Bollywood was among the first to “discover” the visual magnetism of the Aegean: the turquoise horizons, the amphitheatric towns, the light that feels almost divine.

The Senses Behind the Journey

To understand what draws Indian visitors to Greece—and Greek travellers to India—we must look beyond itineraries and into the senses.

Taste is an obvious starting point. Both cuisines are ancient, symbolic, and medicinal in their origins. In India, Ayurveda teaches that food heals through balance; in Greece, Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine.” Both nations live by the philosophy that cuisine is not fuel but culture.

Greek olive oil, feta cheese, honey, and mastiha have become prized exports to Indian gourmet circles, while Indian spices and teas have entered Greek households with surprising ease. Restaurants in Athens now serve lentil stews with cumin and turmeric, while luxury resorts in Goa pair mezze platters with ouzo cocktails. The fusion of simplicity and spice is creating a new shared language on the table.

Smell and sound follow. The scent of jasmine in a Greek courtyard recalls the floral garlands of an Indian temple. The rhythmic chant of a village festival in Epirus resonates with the drums of Holi. There is something profoundly familiar in how both nations celebrate through music, ritual, and generosity.

Even touch plays its part—the texture of a handwoven sari and the grain of Cycladic stone both tell stories of craftsmanship passed down through centuries. And finally, sight: Greece and India are both defined by light. In Athens, it is the dazzling, reflective light of marble and sea; in India, the golden, diffused light of dawn prayer. Each teaches us to see the world through reverence.

Wellness, Spirituality, and the New Traveller

The convergence of Greece and India finds perhaps its most meaningful expression in wellness tourism. Yoga retreats now dot the Greek islands—from Paros to Crete—combining Mediterranean diet principles with Ayurvedic philosophy.

At Kinsterna Hotel, a lovingly restored Byzantine estate in the Peloponnese, guests experience holistic renewal that bridges Greek and Indian wellness wisdom. The hotel’s spa—set within ancient cisterns and fragrant gardens—draws from both worlds: olive-oil rituals meet herbal infusions inspired by Ayurveda, and yoga sessions unfold under citrus trees overlooking the Aegean.

For Indian visitors, these experiences offer spiritual continuity in a European landscape; for Greek hosts, they open doors to an ancient wisdom that feels strangely familiar. As one retreat owner notes, “When we speak of balance, of inner light, of the four elements—we are speaking a language both Greek and Indian.”

The wellness movement is not just a lifestyle trend—it’s a bridge industry. With India’s yoga and wellness market exceeding USD 20 billion, and Greece positioning itself as Europe’s rising wellness destination, the potential for collaboration is vast: from holistic resorts and Ayurvedic spas to wellness conferences and educational exchanges.

Cultural Affinity, Everyday Connection

Beyond the curated experiences lies something simpler: warmth. Indian travellers often say that Greece “feels like home.” Perhaps because both societies are family-oriented, emotionally expressive, and rooted in faith. In both Athens and Delhi, strangers still strike up conversations over coffee or chai; both nations share an unspoken belief that human connection matters more than efficiency.

Across Greece, the tourism industry is learning to speak this emotional language. Hotels now offer vegetarian and vegan menus, adapt meal times to family groups, and celebrate Indian holidays such as Diwali and Holi with local flair. Chefs in Santorini experiment with lentils, chickpeas, and spices, creating menus that respect both Ayurveda and the Mediterranean diet. It’s not cultural imitation—it’s cultural empathy.

Meanwhile, the Indian diaspora in Greece—around 13,000 residents— acts as a living bridge. Their small temples, spice shops, and community festivals enrich local culture and create new hybrid identities. Many second-generation Indo-Greeks now work in tourism, hospitality, and the arts, becoming natural storytellers between the two worlds.

The “Chai & Coffee” Philosophy

If chai is the rhythm of India and coffee the pulse of Greece, their meeting represents more than fusion—it’s dialogue. Both rituals invite pause. Both transform a beverage into a philosophy of living.

At a café in Kolonaki, a group of Indian students discuss their new life in Greece while sipping freddo cappuccino. In Kochi, a Greek traveller savours a clay cup of steaming chai on the edge of a spice market. Neither of them speaks the other’s language perfectly, yet both understand the moment. That shared pause, that human warmth, is what modern travel is made of.

The “Yoga of Travel”, then, is not about flexibility of the body—it’s about flexibility of perception. It’s the ability to see oneself in another culture, to feel at home in foreign rituals. Between Greece and India, this yoga unfolds naturally: through food, conversation, and the slow rituals that remind us to be present.

Bridging Economies through Emotion

Behind this cultural awakening lies a growing web of economic opportunity. The rise of long-haul experiential tourism, supported by Eurobank’s Indo-Hellenic initiatives, is helping position Greece as a hub for Indian travellers, while encouraging Greek enterprises to explore India’s vast domestic tourism market.

Eurobank’s vision goes beyond financing hotels or flights—it aims to finance connection. Through its partnership in the India–Greece–Cyprus Business Council, the bank supports investment in cultural, wellness, and hospitality ventures that redefine tourism as a two-way experience. The belief is simple: when economies connect through empathy, growth becomes sustainable.

Shared Light, Shared Future

As the first direct Athens–Delhi flight takes off, the symbolism is profound. Two of the world’s oldest civilizations are once again face to face, not as distant observers but as partners in storytelling.

For the Indian traveller, Greece is no longer just a postcard of sunsets—it’s a land where every taste, sound, and gesture resonates with familiarity. For the Greek host, India is no longer an exotic faraway realm—it’s a mirror that reflects the same respect for family, food, and faith.

Between chai and coffee, between mantra and melody, lies the beginning of a deeper dialogue—one that blends the emotional intelligence of travel with the strategic foresight of partnership.

In that space of warmth and wonder, Greece and India rediscover what they have always shared: the art of feeling, and the wisdom of connection.

This article is part of the “Journeys” chapter of GRtraveller @ WTM 2025 issue,
powered by Athens International Airport, strengthening cultural ties between Greece and India