June 1961: Jackie Kennedy in Greece

In June 1961, Jackie Bouvier-Kennedy, wife of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, visited Greece at the invitation of Amalia Megapanou, wife of Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Karamanlis.

During her eight-day stay in the country (June 7-15), the “First Lady” of the United States, accompanied by her sister Lee and her husband, Polish Prince Stanisław Radziwiłł, took a cruise in the Aegean Sea aboard the “North Wind” owned by shipowner Markos Nomikos. The first stop was Epidaurus, where she visited the Ancient Theater, followed by Mykonos, Delos, and Rhodes.

She also visited the Acropolis and the Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, and attended a performance of “Iphigenia in Aulis” at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which was staged especially for her.

The trip was primarily for leisure and did not include any official political meetings. The sole exception was her visit to Tatoi, where the royal family hosted a luncheon in her honor.

On June 13, Jackie toured the palace gardens, while Crown Prince Constantine captured the moments on his movie camera. This rare photograph is part of the Museum’s collections (Floros Brothers Archive – Nikos L. Floros).

After lunch, the heir to the throne offered to drive her himself to the villa where she was staying, taking a route that would give her the opportunity to get to know Athens and Piraeus better. Jackie enthusiastically accepted the proposal and, despite King Paul’s reservations, they set off from Tatoi toward the center of Athens. They then crossed Syngrou Avenue, passed through Tourkolimano and the Piraeus Clock Tower, and ended up in Kavouri, where Markos Nomikos’s villa was located.

Greece made a tremendous impression on Jackie Kennedy. According to reports from that time, she expressed a desire to return the following summer with her children. Although this did not happen, she returned to the country in October 1963 as a guest of Aristotle Onassis. A few weeks later, the assassination of John F. Kennedy would dramatically change her life. From 1968, with her marriage to Onassis, Greece was destined to hold a special place in her heart, with Scorpios becoming her refuge for the years to come.