Between Karpathos and the shores of Asia Minor, Rhodes shows evidence of Western European influence from the days of the Knights and Italian domination.

Corfu is considered the closest to Western Europe, both geographically and culturally. It was the first area of the country to be conquered by the Romans and then eventually passed through the hands of the Venetians, the French, and the British. The Corfiots have a long tradition in music, theatre, and intellectual pursuits.

Considered the Gibraltar of the Peloponnese, Monemvasia was fortified during the Middle Ages to protect the inhabitants from raids by the Avars, Slavs, and pirates. The town took its name from the Greek words meaning single approach, the point at which the rock is connected with the mainland. This medieval fortress-state is built on a rock 300 meters above the sea.

The villages here seem to have been discovered around 912, but the area was really developed during the Ottoman occupation because of the privileges awarded to its inhabitants by the conquerors. There is a chain of 46 traditional villages in the mountains north of Ioannina, whose natural boundaries are Mts Mitsikelli, Gamila, and the Aoos River. Thick pine and fir forests, crystalline streams and stunning scenery, this area never fails to awe its visitors with majestic natural beauty.

The chaos of Mani’s past history and the severity of its bizarre customs forced almost every family to have its own defensive town to live in, its own chapel, and their own cemetery. In Mani, there are 250 villages and hamlets, 800 towers, and six castles!

To read this article in full and for more old town destinations, please visit: Hip Greece

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels has come out with a new electronic tourism guide for Athens and Attica named Trip2Athens that focuses on online booking, organizing travel and boosting business partnerships within the tourism industry of the Greek capital.

The Trip2Athens e-guide displays all tourism activities including accommodation, catering, entertainment, shopping, etc., and is offered in seven languages, Greek, English, German, French, Spanish, Russian, and Chinese. 

Through the platform, visitors from around the world can live out the “dream – plan – book – visit – share” experience: plan their journey to Athens from the beginning to the end, choose their transportation, choose the hotel for their stay, choose the attractions they are interested in visiting and make all the necessary reservations.

The Trip2Athens e-guide is also a business tool for enterprises as they can use it to promote their business to the international e-tourism market.

The platform encourages synergies between different tourism service providers for the offer of personalized services to travellers that will strengthen and improve the overall visitor experience.

Today the platform counts 2,000 companies, 470 hotels, approximately 1,000 sites, hundreds of activities and other places of interest in Athens and Attica.

All professionals on the platform can promote their businesses and increase sales through the guide by making a company profile, which can include photos, opening hours, contact details, interactive map, etc., and upload offers and discount vouchers. Guests that have already used the platform will be notified of all available offers.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

The Greek national open water swimming team will be in Santorini this October under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation!

Additional flights to Santorini and unique offers for the participants in the event! The best island in the world, according to many established travel magazines and reviews of millions of travelers, will become a point of reference of all the visitors from Greece and abroad this October!

‘Santorini Experience’ that focuses once more in the activities of running and swimming, is strategically promoting the island of Santorini as destination, by offering significant benefits and privileges to those wishing to travel for the event on October 7-9 2016!

Great names from our Greek national open water swimming team that made us really proud during Rio 2016 Olympic Games, will give a dynamic presence at this year's event! Among them, the recent Silver Olympic Medalist winner and World Champion in open water swimming, Spiros Gianniotis, the World Champion in open water swimming, Kelly Araouzou and top athletes of the open water swimming such as Antonis Fokaidis, Giorgos Arniakos and Dimitris Negris, will all attend ‘Santorini Experience 2016.’ The first sports tourism event that will be held under the auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation.

Due to overwhelming demand for ‘Santorini Experience,’ Ryanair as the official airline partner added 5 extra flights on its Athens - Santorini service on the 4th, 6th, 8th, 11th and 13th of October with special fares starting from only 19,99€ which are valid from September 1st.

These seats are available for booking on the Athens-Santorini route only from Thursday 1 of September to Sunday 4 of September (until midnight) for traveling between 4 to 13 of October. Since these amazingly low prices will be snapped up quickly, those interested in joining the event as active participants should log into www.ryanair.com and avoid missing out as this is the third flight added by Ryanair which is also expected to be fully booked soon as the previous two.

Registrations in swimming and running continue with an undiminished pace- through the official page of the event in the following link: http://activemedia.com.gr/product/santorini-experience-2/ or alternatively at Alafouzos Sport store at Fira (in Santorini), the official sponsor of the event supporting it for a second consecutive year.

For your access to the island by ferry, there is always the option of Blue Star Ferries. Participants, supporters, and the spectators of ‘Santorini Experience’ will be able to travel for one more year with the safety and comfort of Blue Star Ferries. The top Greek shipping company will offer 50% discount on ferry tickets to those wishing to visit the event and the island between 6 to 10 of October.

In addition, 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.

Once you reach the beautiful island of Cyclades, or a little bit earlier to make the right planning, rent your car from Avance Rent A Car, the official car rental company of ‘Santorini Experience,’ that will serve you with one of the fastest growing car rental networks with presence in all major airports in Greece and Cyprus. Τhe car rental company Avance Rent A Car, as an official supporter of the event, can deliver your car at the airport, the port or directly to your hotel. So do not hesitate to contact Avance Rent A Car, to receive 15% discount on your car rental, during the days of the event.

To complete the services of your travel package enter the official site of the event www.santorini-experience.com and enjoy your trip!

Unroll the incomparable beauty of Santorini at sea with Santorini Yachting Club an established yacht charter company with experienced captains!

The event will receive the additional support of Aqua Vista Hotels, Saucony, Arena and Passagio Santorini.

‘Santorini Experience’ will be held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Swimming Federation and will receive the international promotion of FOX Sports TV network of FOX Networks Group, participating in this year's event as the Official Broadcaster.

Combine sports with tourism and take advantage of your stay in one of the hospitality sponsors of the event. For more information please address your request to Aqua Vista Hotels, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Athina Luxury Suites, Santorini Secret Suites & Spa, Caldera Collection, West East Suites, 270 Oia's View, White Pearl Villas, Central Fira Hotel, Memories Hotel, Loizos Stylish Residencies, Esperas and Sienna Residencies which are available in the following link: http://santorini-experience.com/event_accommodation_en.html. The page will be daily enriched with new supporters.

‘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 Sponsors: Alafouzos Sport, Blue Star Ferries, Santorini Boatmen Union
Official Airline Partner: Ryanair
Official Supporters: Ford Motor Hellas, “Vikos” Natural Mineral Water, Avance Rent A Car, Aqua Vista Hotels, Saucony, Arena, Village Cinemas, Santorini Yachting Club, Passagio Santorini
Official Broadcaster: FOX Sports
Hospitality Sponsors: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Athina Luxury Suites, Santorini Secret Suites & Spa, Caldera Collection, West East Suites, 270 Oia's View, White Pearl Villas, Central Fira Hotel, Memories Hotel, Loizos Stylish Residencies, Esperas, Sienna Residencies
Assisted by: Diana “exoplizein”

Under the Auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization
Under the Auspices of the Hellenic Swimming Federation

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For many of us, it’s back to the city after some time in the sun. Back to ‘normal’, whatever that is for each of us. Back to our old routines – and hopefully a few new ones. And certainly back to our favourite Athens haunts…

 

Out with some friends the other night, we were wandering through Psirri, a favourite hangout for a lot of Athenians. Maybe it’s the time of year, maybe it was the weekend, but I’ve never seen Psirri so alive – apart from the usual spots, every square meter of the neighbourhood was full of people.

Something is bubbling in Psirri… There is a sense of renewal, of creativity, of buzzy energy. Of course, Psirri has always been full of creativity and buzzy energy, of that there’s no doubt. But in the past few months I’ve noticed more – more activity, more buzz, and some cool new spaces.

Psirri has lately become a hotspot of AirBnb-style room rentals, and on the must-see list for all the in-the-know visitors to the city. Despite what looks like a ‘resurgence’ of sorts, it seems that Psirri has somehow managed to retain its authenticity – it’s still real and raw, covered in graffiti, a mix of crumbling walls and cool spaces. Hopefully that part will never change…

iFeel is one of those places: part of the new fabric of Psirri, a bistro/tapas ‘all day’ wine bar, great for a coffee, great for a meal, and great for a drink. We popped in on Friday night, after walking by and agreeing that ‘we must check it out…’ This is a cozy, warm space, with a small and carefully prepared menu, offering tasty Greek tapas-sized plates with yummy choices like octopus fava and melted Metsovone cheese, and an impressive and eclectic Greek and international wine list. Their Facebook page tells the truth in describing “fresh ingredients and culinary imagination.” The music soundtrack was equally inspiring, the service warmly professional, and the whole evening was perfect.

Upstairs, the group also runs the new Andronis boutique hotel. Part of the high-end Adronis family of hotels in Santorini, this is the group’s new Athens presence – smack in the middle of the city’s graffiti-painted heart. With 4 rooms, modern interiors and a price tag to match, this is a special spot, like a secret mix of hipster cool and Greek design, with quality built in to every detail. Hotel guests disappear into their private upstairs spaces, and come down to enjoy their gourmet breakfast and delicious all-day menu. The overall effect is high end, but still edgy enough and definitely not in-your-face – tucked away and combining the best elements of Psirri’s energy with an updated, cleaned up attitude.

Beyond Psirri, other parts of the city are also waking up to a renewed sense of self. Just opposite the newly restored square of the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, you’ll find The Zillers – a boutique hotel with a fantastic rooftop patio, another of the ‘all day bar/bistros’ that are becoming the signature of Athens. In a building dating from 1895, this space has been totally renovated and re-designed with great attention to detail. A delicious menu, great cocktails, another great wine list, atmospheric music and a decidedly hip vibe – with a view of the acropolis that is tough to beat.

If this is what the autumn has in store for nights out in the city, I just might be able to forget the beach… at least temporarily…

Until next week,

Jack

iFeel

Where: Karaiskakis 33
Telephone: 210 323 2244
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The Zillers

Where: Mitropoleos 54
Telephone: 210 322 2277
Website
Facebook

Photo Credit: iFeel Facebook

Homer’s Iliad is widely considered the founding text of western literature and is generally regarded as a piece primarily concerned with war and conflict. It has been compared to the Hebrew Old Testament in that it emphasizes the moral nature of man, his vices, flaws, fears, and finally, the redemptive, cathartic notions that allow its protagonists to achieve peace.

Apart from concepts dealing with man’s psyche, the Iliad also reveals ideas that would generally be considered more modern. These two profound passages reveal that Homer even dealt with ideas of animal activism and environmentalism.

In book 17 of the Iliad, Homer sings how the two immortal horses of Achilles cried for the death of Patroclus, his corpse covered in dust and blood. Zeus from his heavenly throne looks upon the suffering animals “Unhappy pair, why did we give you, ageless and immortal, to that mortal king, Peleus? Did we mean you to sorrow with these wretched men? For what is there more miserable than man, among all the things that move and breathe on earth?”

However, Homer did not just write about the nobility of animals but went on to script on environmental defense.

In book 21 of the Iliad, the warrior Achilles wishes to avenge his friend Patroclus and kills all the enemies he can, throwing their corpses into the river Xanthus. The river Xanthus stinks with the pestilence of rotten bodies and its waters run full of blood and flesh. The great river god asks Achilles to stop contaminating its waters, formerly clean and crystalline. Achilles replies that he will throw whatever he wants wherever he so chooses! The great river god then raises himself, pounding with turbulent waters and tides upon Achilles who begins to drown. Achilles is only saved thanks to the help of the god Vulcan who burns the river with fire.

Olive oil is always present at the Greek table and nearly every dish Greek cooks prepare uses this highly prized oil.

According to legend, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, is responsible for giving Athens the olive tree as a gift. It is unclear in some of the re-telling of this story whether other parts of Ancient Greece already had the olive tree or not. However, the story shows that the olive tree was highly important to the people of Ancient Greece.

In the legend, Athena and Poseidon were in competition over who would have the new city-state named after them. Poseidon struck the ground with his staff and gave the Athenians the gift of flowing salt water. Athena struck the ground with her staff and it turned into an olive tree.

Since the olive tree provided wood, nourishment, and trade, she won. The olive tree became a symbol of peace because of this victory.

Even though Athena is credited with giving the Athenians the gift of the olive tree, it is really the Early Minoan Civilization on Crete who displays evidence of being the first to cultivate the olive tree in 3500 BC.

Over time, the Minoans on Crete perfected the process of cultivating the tree and it became an important part of their culinary tradition and also helped generate income through trade. They were the first to export olive oil to both Africa and the Middle East.

The Ancient Greeks understood that olive oil was highly nutritious. Therefore, top philosophers and physicians in the 7th century BC in Ancient Greece explored the use of olive oil as medicine. Hippocrates, for example, used it for various things when he was treating his patients. Nowadays, olive oil is used to help with digestive problems, skin conditions, coughs, sore throat, congestion, and other respiratory complaints.

It’s also considered a health cure and essential beauty aid. The oil is used to combat dry skin, control frizzy hair, and even soothe irritated skin. It even played an important part in the Olympic games by becoming a symbol of the games themselves and part of the award given to winners. The olive tree, therefore, was not only important in history, but it also is still highly important today.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Boston

After the restoration of the 2,000 year-old Aerides Clocktower, also known as the 'Tower of Winds,' is finally open to the public after 200 years. The Tower of Winds still stands at the bottom of Athens' Acropolis hill despite attempts by Lord Elgin to move it to Britain.

It is said to be the world’s first weather station and was used by merchants to tell the time – even in darkness. At nearly 14 meters (46 feet) tall, it is credited to the architect and astronomer Andronicus of Cyrrhus, but all these years later no one knows exactly how it worked.

Stelio Daskalakis, head of conservation, said “It was of great value for the merchants to read the weather and also tell the time their goods would arrive.”

 

Based on the most prominent theory, a hydraulic mechanism powered a water clock device with water flowing from a stream on the Acropolis hill.

“It’s unique in that such an important work was not a temple but had a utilitarian use,” Daskalakis said. “We don’t know who funded it, whether it was private or a high-ranking official.

Over the years, the Aerides Clocktower transformed from a weather station to a place of worship. Restorers discovered fragments of frescoes with Christian subject matter, including an angel and a saint on horseback. In addition, a mihrab niche was carved in the direction of Mecca and Ottoman inscriptions decorate its walls.

The monument has been largely shut to the public since the Dervishes left in 1828, barring brief use to store antiquities in 1843. The years took their toll, as did natural disasters, and pollution, prompting a full restoration, which began in 2014.

To read this article in full, please visit: Ekathimerini

The traditional dance festival called ‘Diamantis Palaiologos,’ held on Skopelos island this August, won a European award by the EILEEN (Enhancing Intercultural Learning in European Enterprises) project. There were over 600 participants and volunteers this year from Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine, and Nepal.

The Festival of Traditional Dances ‘Diamantis Palaiologos’ is a member of European Folklore Festival Association and is organized by Konstantina Angeletou, President of the Plegma, a nonprofit organization, along with the Thessaly Region.

The Greek National Commission to UNESCO, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education, Research and Religious Affairs, the Greek National Tourism Organisation and the Municipality of Skopelos embrace this big cultural event, putting the Festival under their auspices.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

What archaeologists found at the ancient Cemetery of Phaleron in Athens were at least 80 skeletons with their wrists clamped together in iron shackles.

 

Archaeologists have speculated and suggested that the skeletons appear to be the victims of a mass execution, but their crime still remains to be unknown.

What archaeologists are now saying with a new theory is that the skeletons came from the ‘Cylonian Affair’ from 632 BC, the earliest reliably dated event in Athenian history.

The event refers to a failed coup attempt led by aristocratic Cylon, who once plotted to overthrow the Athenian elites with the help of his tyrannical father-in-law. This was during a time of civil unrest in the ancient society.

The grave site of the Phaleron Delta necropolis is thought to date back between 8th and 5th centuries BC and is from a time of great social turmoil.

To test this theory, Dr. Stella Chryssoulaki who is head of excavations, said that more research is needed to confirm if the skeletons are the remnants of Cylon’s failed coup attempt. DNA tests could confirm this theory.

Over 1,500 bodies were buried in the Phaleron Cemetery, but unlike the renowned occupants of the Kerameikos cemetery where many elite Greeks were buried, the Phaleron Delta necropolis appears to be the final resting place of Athens’ everyday inhabitants from ordinary backgrounds.

Article Source: Euro News