The Greek Ministry of Culture and the Greek Growthfund will be auctioning off a group of 24 of the buildings within the Tatoi Royal Estate in the outskirts of Athens to a private operator for 65 years, while the Greek state will keep its ownership of the properties.

The international tender, which is expected to attract interest from foreign funds, was published on December 10, 2025, raising specific concerns about the nature, extent, and time length of the exploitation of the historical buildings by any successful lessee.

Aspiring concessionaires are invited to submit their expression of interest for the first phase of the project “Reuse, Development, Enhancement and Utilization of buildings and spaces of the former Tatoi Royal Estate” by January 26, 2026, 1 pm Greek time.

Candidates are to be revealed thereafter, before the second phase begins for the submission of binding offers by validated participants.

Ambitious restoration plan for Tatoi Royal Estate

The Tatoi Royal Estate, built in 1872 by the King George I of Greece, was used as the summer residence of the Greek royal family and was expropriated by the Greek state once monarchy was permanently abolished in the country.

Over the years, the massive estate and its majestic buildings were abandoned and fell into desrepair, until a comprehensive restoration plan was put into action in recent years.

24 out of 40 buildings contained in the estate have been approved to be assigned to a private operator in order to alleviate the high costs of repair and maintenance.

According to the tender documents, seen by the GreekReporter, the Concession Agreement that is the object of the tender is concerning “the exploitation, reuse, promotion, consolidation, mild development and maintenance of buildings and spaces within the former royal estate of Tatoi, including of the approved uses that are linked to and consistent with the operation of the buildings classified as monuments, and the general operation of the estate, taking into account the particular natural and man-made cultural environment.”

The successful concessionaire will undertake all the required actions, studies, licensing and works for the exploitation, reuse, development, operation and maintenance of specific buildings and accommodation and catering spaces within the former royal estate of Tatoi, the description adds.

Palace mansions, museums, excluded from Tatoi Concession Agreement

The actual Palace mansions, museums, cultural heritage sites and emblematic historical buildings in the estate are excluded from the concession and are to continue to be operated by the Greek state and the Ministry of Culture.

The 24 buildings to be managed by the private operator consist of former royal guesthouses and staff residences, auxiliary and administrative buildings of the estate, warehouses and agricultural facilities, as well as buildings supporting the previous operation of the estate, such as stables, workshops, and accompanying infrastructure.

Each of the buildings has a surface of 30-930 sq.m., and their proposed uses are hotels, restaurants, greenhouses, and wineries.

Tatoi Royal Estate should not be “turned into a Disneyland”

Nonetheless, Vassilis Koutsavlis, president of the Tatoi Friends Association -a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the protection of the heritage of the Tatoi Royal Estate- expressed concerns about specific details of the tender, primarily the mass assignment of buildings to one sole concessionaire for more than a half of a century.

Speaking on a current affairs show of the Greek public broadcaster ERT, Koutsavlis said the number of auctioned buildings and the extended time length of the agreement, at 65 years, are raising questions.

While he welcomes the iniative for the assignment of Tatoi Royal Estate buildings to private operators, Koutsavlis warns that the Greek state should avoid granting terms which could turn this historical landmark “into a Disneyland,” with extended terraces and commercial activities that could alter its character.