Learn about Athens' architecture, how the city was named, and what to do for one day in Athens with young kids!

 

 

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Explore Athens with great articles about the best bars in the northern suburbs, popular places to eat and drink, and the ‘Best Of The Best!’

 

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Travelling by ferry boat is one of the best modes of transport in Greece. However, adding kids to the mix can prove a bit challenging. Celeste from Family Goes Out shares her best tips for family-friendly ferry travel!

Be Prepared. Greek ports can get chaotic during the busy season. If you are travelling on a large long distance ferry boat you will find cars, trucks, busses, people and pets, all boarding/departing at the same. Some ships have no separate waiting lines for all these and the boarding procedures are not efficient. It can be dangerous when cars and people are moving at the same time. Keep your kids close.

Bring sun hats/water and a stroller sun cover. Queuing for the ferry boat can take a long time and you will stand in the sun or sit in your car waiting to board. You will carry your luggage, too.

Ask for help. My experience is that the ferry boat staff is very helpful and they will give a helping hand carry your bags/kids up the stairs/ out of the boat. If you have booked a cabin, a porter will help you with your bags after you pick up your key. I often came alone with 2 kids and many bags. I always found help.

Bring something warm. The A/C in the Greek ferry boats keeps it very cool and I always bring a vest or scarf to keep warm and to cover my kids for a nap.

Bring snacks and drinks if you are travelling on a budget. Most ferry boats have good restaurant facilities with snacks, drinks, candy etc., but similar to airports. Prices are usually higher.

Do not rush to exit the boat. Unless you are using the smaller Flying Dolphin or catamaran boats, the entrance/exit to the ferry is usually via the garage. This means that you can find yourself and your kids queued on the stairs or inside a closed garage surrounded by cars and trucks for a while before the doors are finally opened. Although staff is usually eager to get everyone downstairs before arrival (so the ship can quickly continue it s journey to the next island) my suggestion is that you wait a bit longer and let others go first. But do make sure you do get off and not sail to the next island!

To read this article in full, please visit: Family Goes Out

After taking millions of TripAdvisor reviews into account over a 12-month period, the Acropolis Museum has been ranked as the #1 museum in Greece, 5th best in Europe, and 9th best in the world!

Designed by US-based architect Bernard Tschumi, the modernist building at the foot of the Acropolis’ southern slope showcases surviving treasures from the Archaic and Roman periods, with particular emphasis on the Acropolis of the 5th century BC. The museum opened in 2009.

Travelers’ Choice awards honor top travel spots worldwide based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers.

The 2016 list ranks the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City as the best in the world.

Sources: Greek Travel Pages & Ekathimerini

Everything is ready for the top sports tourism event Santorini Experience 2016, which is expected to surpass itself in its second consecutive year of implementation with the interest being directed outside the country's borders as it will include entries from Greece and abroad! Amateur and professional athletes in running and swimming give this year's appointment on 7-9 October 2016, in Santorini!

This year's event will have an unprecedented international promotion, as FOX Sports of FOX Networks Group, as the Official Broadcaster of Santorini Experience will display the event’s sports documentary, to millions of homes in Europe, Asia and Africa, creating a unique television product.

The schedule of Santorini Experience 2016 has been enriched this year with additional activities, presented for the first time in the event.

More specifically on Thursday, October 6, 2016, at 09:00 am, the activity of Kids’ Athletics will be presented for the first time in Thira Stadium (Panthiraikos) at Fira by the Olympic and World Champion in 400m. hurdles Periklis Iakovakis. The activity aims at getting children acquainted with the track and field sports, as it has been developed and established by a special panel of scientists from IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation) and is officially implemented in Greece by the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) in cooperation with the Ministry of Education.

On Friday, October 7, 2016, at 10:00 am, students will run the 1km running route that will be held at the Indoor Hall of DAPPOS, at Fira.

Respectively at 15:00 and 16:00 pm, the twice Silver Olympic Medalist, Alexandros Nikolaidis will undertake to introduce the secrets of the TaeKwonDo martial art to beginners and advanced athletes at the Indoor Hall of DAPPOS, at Fira.

On Friday, at 18:30 pm a Meet & Greet will be held with the great Olympic Medalists Spyros Gianniotis and Alexandros Nikolaidis and top athletes such as the World Champions Kelly Araouzou and Anthonis Fokaidis, the European Champion Giorgos Arniakos and the Greek Champion Dimitris Negris, at Alafouzos Sport store (official sponsor of the event) at Fira.

In the following link you may find this year's event schedule: http://santorini-experience.com/event_program_2016_en.html

Online Registrations in swimming and running will continue until September 30th through the official page of the event in the following link: http://activemedia.com.gr/product/santorini-experience-2/. From October 1st all last registrations will be implemented at Alafouzos Sport store at Fira (in Santorini). From Thursday, October 6 to Saturday, October 8, 2016, all participants will be able to receive their numbers from Alafouzos Sport store (hours: 09:00-21:00). Alternatively the running participants may also receive their numbers one hour before the start of their route on Saturday October 8, 2016, from the desalination plant in Oia while the swimming participants may also receive their numbers one hour before their start from the old port in Fira.

The event has taken care of the transfers of the participants who wish to be at the start points of their routes right before their race. More specifically, on Saturday, October 8, 2016, two bus transfers will be held (at 06:30am and 08:30am) from Fira (bus station) to Oia (desalination plant) with the event’s buses that will serve participants who wish to get at the start point of their running route. Similarly, the return of participants will be held at 12:30 at noon from Oia to Fira. Those who are interested to be transferred on Sunday, October 9, 2016, from Oia to the old port of Fira, for the start of their swimming route, they will be able to take the bus of the event from Passagio Santorini Oia, at 08:15 in the morning.

Santorini Experience innovates with the new service of chatbot which is provided for the first time in the event!

In cooperation with the MPASS the event is ready to serve, directly and reliably via Facebook Messenger, all the participants of the event who need to have all the necessary information for the top sports tourism event!

Chatbot allows you to find, through your personal Messenger, the news and information that interest you, via a brief automated conversation. By typing the specific keywords or by selecting the appropriate category from the menu, the application will directly send information and a brief preview of each theme.

Through Santorini Experience Chatbot, participants, when writing their bib number will be able to receive a message with their time, at the time of their finishing, be informed on offers that will be active during the event, and on individual activities which will take place. Similarly, they will be able to evaluate the event!

The official airline partner Ryanair has added extra flights to serve the event while other sponsors such as Alafouzos Sport, Blue Star Ferries, Avance Rent A Car and Passagio Santorini Oia continue with significant benefits and special offers to support the “Santorini Experience”. For more information about the offers of the event you may click on the following link: http://santorini-experience.com/event_offers_en.html. For the second consecutive year, athletes and organizers will move with the safety and efficient engines of the cars of Ford Motor Hellas, the official supporter of Santorini Experience. The athletes who will take part in the event will also have the opportunity to quench their thirst with the Natural Mineral Water “Vikos” that contributes to the good functioning of the body during sports. The event will officially be supported by Demilmar Restaurant Beach Bar.

Take advantage of the special prices offered in one of the hospitality sponsors of the event. For more information you may address your request to Aqua Vista Hotels, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aegean Plaza Hotel, Athina Luxury Suites, Santorini Secret Suites & Spa, Vedema A Luxury Collection Resort Santorini, Sunday Suites Santorini, Caldera Collection, West East Suites, 270 Oia's View, White Pearl Villas, Suites of the Gods Spa Hotel Santorini, Central Fira Hotel, Memories Hotel, Loizos Stylish Residencies, Esperas Santorini, Maistros Village Hotel and Sienna Residencies which are available in the following link: http://santorini-experience.com/event_accommodation_en.html.

Santorini Experience will be held with the kind support and under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Swimming Federation. Santorini Experience is a collaboration between the Municipality of Santorini, the Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (D.A.P.P.O.S.) and Active Media Group.

Official Broadcaster: FOX Sports

Official Sponsors: Alafouzos Sport, Blue Star Ferries, With the Kind Support of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Santorini Boatmen Union

Official Airline Partner: Ryanair

Official Supporters: Ford Motor Hellas, “Vikos” Natural Mineral Water, Avance Rent A Car, Aqua Vista Hotels, Aegean Plaza Hotel, Saucony, Arena, Village Cinemas, Santorini Yachting Club, Demilmar Restaurant Beach Bar, Passagio Santorini Oia

Hospitality Sponsors: Aqua Vista Hotels, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aegean Plaza Hotel, Athina Luxury Suites, Santorini Secret Suites & Spa, Vedema A Luxury Collection Resort Santorini, Sunday Suites Santorini, Caldera Collection, West East Suites, 270 Oia's View, White Pearl Villas, Suites of the Gods Spa Hotel Santorini, Central Fira Hotel, Memories Hotel, Loizos Stylish Residencies, Esperas Santorini, Maistros Village Hotel, Sienna Residencies

Assisted by: Diana “exoplizein”, Kassimatis Cycling, Science In Sport, Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), IAAF Kids Athletics, Grafistes

With the Kind Support & Under the Auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization

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Image Credit: Elias Lefas

The steps at Syntagma Square have been a traditional meeting point for people as all roads seem to lead here. You’ll find commuters rushing during peak hour traffic, children feeding the pigeons and backpackers dipping into the fountain to cool down during a heatwave after a spot of Athens sightseeing.

Sit still, listen carefully to the undercurrents of the pulsating crowd and tap into the next chapter of modern Greek history in the making. After all, every major event has either been mourned or celebrated here.

 

The Greek Parliament approved with a wide majority the deal for the sale and long-term lease of the land where the old airport of Hellenikon once operated in southern Athens.

The 7 billion euro plan will convert the derelict land into one of Europe’s biggest coastal resorts complete with shopping, retail and office centers, recreational areas, parks, marinas and beaches, as well as hotels and more than 8,000 new homes.

The Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research completed a report that estimated the overall impact of the project on the battered Greek economy will be huge, contributing 2.4 per cent to GDP growth and almost 7.5 billion in tax revenues over the next 25 years. Additionally, the project will provide 21,000 jobs.

The project will be managed by Lamda Development, a Greek company operated by the Latsis family. The investment group includes the Chinese conglomerate Fosun, Abu Dhabi-based Eagle Hills and the Latsis Group.

To read this article in full, please visit: Pappas Post

The GB Roof Garden Restaurant for the fourth year in a row has received a very important distinction from ‘Wine Spectator’, one of the most popular wine magazines, and is among the winners of the Wine Spectator Restaurant Award.  

Last year the restaurant was included in the list of distinguished wine lists receiving the 'Best of Award of Excellence 2015'. Once more this year, the GB Roof Garden Restaurant of the Hotel Grande Bretagne, has been awarded with the 'Best of Award of Excellence 2016', a distinction that honors and establishes the destination for true wine lovers, showing a deep commitment to wine, both in its cellar and through its service team.

The Sommelier of the restaurant, Evangelos Psofidis, with a significant knowledge, distinctions and passion for wines and spirits, aims to display the largest wine-producing regions of the world through the restaurant’s wine list. Thus, he chooses to incorporate into the awarded list, wines that accurately represent the characteristics of these areas.

Wine Spectator’ is a lifestyle magazine and since 1976 focuses on the culture of wine. It publishes 15 issues per year and includes news, articles, and many comments and evaluations on wines. It was ranked by the Luxury Institute as the #1 among several business and consumer publications. Its purpose is to recognize restaurants worldwide with interesting wine lists representing a vast variety to satisfy wine lovers and the appropriate choices in regards to their cuisine.



 

The restaurant GB Roof Garden follows the philosophy of 'food pairing wine' and believes that the ultimate taste experience can be achieved with Mediterranean dishes that are perfectly matched with fine wines.

The GB Roof Garden Restaurant of the Hotel Grande Bretagne and the Tudor Hall Restaurant of the King George hotel are the only restaurants in Athens that were included in the Wine Spectator’s list for having one of the most outstanding restaurant wine lists in the world.

Athens International Airport has received yet another distinction from World Routes, the biggest global airline networking forum! The recognition was voted by airline companies who has a special honourary distinction among 4-20 million passengers.

 

Athens International Airport offers continuous dynamic support to airlines for their developmental efforts under the extremely adverse economic conditions, but also during the recovery period of the aviation industry.

Athens International Airport is the most awarded airport in the history of World Routes, one of the most important institutions in the industry, with 13 distinctions in 10 years.

At the highly acclaimed Routes Conferences, airlines evaluate the airports’ marketing plans and programs, rewarding the ones that address most efficiently the airlines’ efforts to develop new routes and enhancing their presence in the local markets.

To read this article in full, please visit: Protothema