Porsche 718 Boxster - Greece
We landed in Athens on a sunny morning and followed the clearly signposted route to Sixt. Five calm minutes at the counter, a swipe of the card and a short walk to the garage later, a white Porsche Boxster convertible slid into view—clean, well-kept, the sort of minor rental scuffs you note once and forget. Roof down, sunglasses on and that quick exhale you get when a trip starts exactly the way you imagined.
Two Rimowa carry-ons and two backpacks disappeared into the car with surprising ease - front trunk, rear shelf, nothing jammed or awkward. Once connected to the Apple Car Play, we pointed west for the Ionian and set off.
Outside the city, the roads opened up - wide, smooth and empty in that rare, cinematic way. Greece does highways properly: long sightlines, clean surfaces, thoughtful signage. It was the kind of drive where you can actually feel what the car wants. The Boxster’s steering is why people love Porsches - light at the rim, precise at the front axle, genuinely communicative on mountain switchbacks. Click into Sport, the throttle sharpens, shifts snap, and the car gets more nimble and eager without ever feeling brittle. Put your foot down and it pulls confidently, not the bragging kind of fast—just enough to stitch the straights between corners in one clean line.
Tolls came and went; traffic didn’t. We crossed causeways and bridges, and the land slowly broke apart into islands and light. By the time we were climbing the last stretch into Lefkada, the road had narrowed to a ribbon and the Ionian flashed between pines. The heated seats and steering wheel earned their keep at dusk - top still down, a slight chill off the water, and the car just settled into the evening. Final approach: a string of tidy hairpins up to our villa tucked into the hills, olive trees on one side, the sea unfurling on the other. Park. Silence. The engine ticks as it cools; the sky goes from gold to ink.
A few notes for the car itself, because some of you will ask. The mid-engine balance is the Boxster’s party trick - you turn in and the car just pivots, no drama, no weight sloshing around. Brakes are confident without being grabby. Ride quality is firmer than a grand tourer but never punishes; on Greece’s well-kept tarmac, it’s exactly right. The convertible roof is quick enough that passing showers are a non-event. Visibility with the roof up is fine; with it down, you remember why you chose a convertible in the first place.
As for Sixt, everything worked the way it should. The car was well maintained, tyres fresh, fluids right, no mysterious warning lights and the minor exterior scratches were noted at pickup so there was no drama. Return was as civilised as the handover.
Would I choose a convertible Boxster again for Greece? Completely. The car fits the country: open roads, no traffic, sea air, and long, empty stretches that make you a little protective of your time. It’s fast enough to be fun, small enough for village lanes, and comfortable enough to do a long run in one sitting without a complaint.
