Warm and generous, Thessaloniki is at the same time historic and avant-garde: the second largest city in Greece, ideal for a city break, a mosaic of cultures and fascinating holiday moments.

Located in Macedonia, Northern Greece, there is a city unlike anywhere else in Greece. Thessaloniki is a sprawling urban centre, a cultural melting pot, where dreams, ideas, visions and trends percolate in an alternative, avant garde scene. Its history is written upon everything you see: the Thermaic Gulf, the White Tower, Nikis Avenue, Aristotelous Square, Mitropoleos Avenue, Tsimiski Avenue, Ladadika, Modiano Market, Bit Bazaar and the Old City.

For thousands of years, this northern port-town has been a meeting point for people of different cultures. Impressive attractions, cafes, bars, traditional tavernas, gourmet restaurants, a lively nightlife – you’ll find everything here in Thessaloniki, the beautiful ‘bride of the Thermaic Gulf’.

Trace the civilizations and peoples that have left their mark on this great city of Thessaloniki. The Palace, the Triumphal Arch and the impressive Rotunda offer an insight into to the reign of emperor Galerius Maximilianos (early 4th century) and formed the city’s administrative and religious centre in Roman times. Or the Jewish Museum, in an elegant listed building of 1904 on Agiou Mina Street, recreating the life of the Jewish community in pre-War Salonica and its subsequent extermination by the Nazis. Finally, don’t forget to visit the former home of Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey.

Or wander the narrow lanes of Ano Poli, one of the oldest districts of Thessaloniki, above the modern town. There you’ll admire the numerous attractions, most of which are castles and religious monuments: the Trigoniou Tower, with its amazing view and the Eptapyrgio fortifications, Ottoman monuments, the Vlatades monastery and the Byzantine churches of Osios David and Agios Nikolaos Orfanos. This is the most unspoilt district of the old city. And let’s not forget, of course, the iconic 16th century White Tower, by Aristotelous Square in the city centre.

To learn more about Thessaloniki, please visit: Discover Greece

Just opposite the entrance to the Acropolis sits a huge white rock. Named after the Greek God of War, Ares, it’s thought that many murder trials were held here, including the trial of Ares himself for the murder of Alirrothios, the son of Poseidon. Climb either the marble stairs carved into the side or take the modern steel stairs (which is the best option to avoid slipping) and sit and admire the vista; Athens sprawls out below you with views of the sea and islands nearby.

Under the northeastern side of the Acropolis lies a hidden “island village.”. In the early 1900s, many people came to Athens from the island of Anafi to build the king’s palace. They built themselves their own neighborhood, called Anafiotika, to remind them of their island homes. Today, only 45 of the original houses remain, but it’s amazing to wander through the winding streets and discover an island village that almost looks out of place within the heart of a city.

Visit the brackish waters of Vouliagmeni Lake, a natural lake formed many years ago from a cave collapse and surrounded by a natural pine forest. The lake is a mixture of warm fresh water and cold seawater and contains the garra rufa fish that nibble at your skin as you swim.

Located behind the parliament building in Syntagma Square and designed by Queen Amalia in 1840, you’ll find a plethora of plant, bird and animal species at the National Garden. Open to the public, locals spend their afternoons here drinking coffee in the small cafes dotted around the garden and older men play tavil (Greek backgammon).

The Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion makes a perfect day trip from Athens. It’s about 42 miles southeast of Athens, but definitely worth it. Visitors can wander around the monument, which is surrounded on three sides by the Aegean Sea, and admire the breathtaking views across the water. Afterwards, relax on the beach below.

This article was originally posted on Onboard.com, which is no longer online.

Whether you’re in Athens, the Cyclades, the Peloponnese or somewhere in between, there’s always a great beach bar waiting for you! While there’s many to choose from, The Guardian takes us on a tour around Greece and finds 10 of the best.

From modest beginnings as a few friends who learned to catch the waves at Kolibithra beach, Tinos Surf Lessons has become a scene. Yiannis Vidalis and his crew have made something fun and friendly at the surf school that is also chic – a VW campervan converted into a bar, with driftwood furniture and umbrellas woven by local basket-makers. Everything is made to be packed up during the winter and leave the sands of one of Tinos’s longest (and windiest) beaches untouched.

One of the best swimming spots is Hydronetta, below the cannons guarding the yacht-lined harbour. Tables shaded by thatched parasols are squeezed on to stone balconies that zigzag down to a tiny sunbathing platform. Between dips, dry off on the rocks then hop back up for an iced coffee.

There aren’t any signs for this wooden canteen; it doesn’t even have a name, beyond being known as the bar at Limanakia beach. Tottering amid a series of craggy inlets between the coastal suburbs of Varkiza and Vouliagmeni, this Athens institution has no electricity (only a generator) or running water. There are no official opening hours either, but the bar is pretty much open 24 hours.

To read this article in full, please visit: The Guardian

From 20 to 22 November, Zappeion becomes the ultimate meeting point for businesses, startups, universities, private and public institutions.

Three days devoted to innovation and technological developments and opportunities to learn everything you need to know regarding education, networking and dynamic synergies.

Representatives from emerging and acclaimed businesses, investors, researchers, academics and government agencies will be present through interactive discussions, workshops, parallel presentations, and interviews.

Exhibitors from the most emerging industries, from agri-food and health, to fitech and e-commerce, come to showcase next-big-things and bring with them all the experience and know-how.

Top companies that generate value, create jobs and have a significant footprint inside and outside of Greece, come to meet promising startups that bloom within the ecosystem.

At the same time, with the presence of institutions from the central administration and the government, the participation of universities and investors from different institutions is composed of an innovative mosaic of innovation and entrepreneurship, helped by the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Incubator of Young Enterprises in Greece, in cooperation with the Attica Region, the Regional Development Fund of Attica and Industry Disruptors - Game Changers under the aegis of SA. of the President of the Republic Mr Prokopios Pailopoulou.

The detailed program of the Athens Innovation Festival on speeches, panels, exhibitors, operators, workshops and workshops will be announced soon.

Click HERE to learn more about this event or the Athens Innovation Festival's Facebook page.

For the first time in Greece, students at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens will be able to receive a four-year honors degree in Archaeology, History, and Literature of Ancient Greece that is taught entirely in English. This is the first undergraduate degree in Greece that is offered in English. 

The degree is being offered in association with the International Hellenic University in Thessaloniki, northern Greece. The course, which is targeted at international students, will cost €8,000 a year.

Eleni Karamalengou, the Dean of Athens’ School of Philosophy, described the new program as a “very important and innovative educational, scientific and cultural initiative for this country."

Source: Times Higher Education

Have you got an idea that can change people's lifes? Well the Athens Digital Lab is calling for you! Submit your proposal and get all the support and guidance you need, in order to make Athens an even better place to live.

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62% of UK adults have found relief from COVID-19 related stress by walking in nature. This information has been revealed by research carried out by the Mental Health Foundation.

Nearly half mentioned that spending time in green spaces helped them cope with the growing stress of the pandemic. Even if the distance traveled was not very long and the walk was only a short one, going outdoors had a positive impact on people's mental well-being.

Although science has not yet determined why nature is so healing, this research supports the findings of many previous studies that indicate a connection between access to green space and a reduced risk of mental health problems. In light of the study, the Mental Health Foundation partnered with WWF to publish a mental health book.

The 'Thriving With Nature' guide explores this relationship between the natural world and our mental well-being. The guide examines how nature can support positive mental well-being, but also how we can help nature in return.

"The benefits are often related to how our senses connect us to the environment," he says. From the natural forms and shapes that we see, the smells of the trees, and the charm that nature can stimulate by helping our mind to rest." Both organizations encourage people to find rest and relief in the green spaces that surround them.

For those of you who think 'I do not have time to get to the mountains or the great rugged landscape', a walk in a city park next to a canal can be just as refreshing, writes UK TV presenter Julia Bradbury in the guidebook's foreword. And if you work in an urban jungle, it is still worth going out into the light. A single tree can inspire as much joy as a "Great View". 'Thriving With Nature' offers seasonal suggestions for activities such as growing your own food and "green exercise" by cycling or walking in a green area.

Along with practical recommendations, the guide also offers techniques that help fight stress and encourage you to become aware of what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell.
 
Originally published in Greek on ecozen.gr
Translated by Codico Lab

These days I’m contemplating with the meaning of two small words that when put together they have the power to create miracles: “accept yourself.” I’m sure you hear and read about it all the time. But what does it really mean for you though?

One of my clients just got a new job. She’s a young woman, climbing the corporate ladder. She’s also the person that will wholeheartedly give a hand when needed. Another is a supermom of two who tries to keep the family balance while at the same time teaching part-time and volunteering in a children’s center. Both are kind and sweet and smart and good-looking. Both are amazing women. But when you ask them “what does accepting yourself mean?” and “do you really accept yourself?” you won’t get quite the positive response you’d expect.

And they’re not the only ones dealing with issues of self-acceptance. “Why?” you may ask.

Because one may have dark spots on her skin and believe no one wants to be with her; or because she cannot accept her curly hair and is constantly trying to make them straight; or because she doesn’t have the super career her sister does; or because she doesn’t have a university degree; or because her boyfriend/husband left her; or because her mother doesn’t approve of her way of raising her children; or because she’s not as slim as that model on TV. Any reason will do.

Does this sound familiar to you? Have you or any of your close friends been in this position? I know I have and it’s taken me a while to get out of there and into greener fields. I’d like to share with you what I’ve learned and am still learning.

Accept yourself as you are. Accept yourself with pride, not self-pity. Accept yourself when you’re happy and when you’re moody. Accept yourself when you have a fabulous day and when your day is ruined. Accept yourself without any criticism or self-judgment only with the will to become better, do better. Because when you accept yourself as you are a brand new world of opportunities opens up. Your horizons broaden and new choices make themselves visible. And that, my dear friend, is the first step of a new chapter in your new life.

Originally published on: itsmylife.gr

The Ancient Greeks loved their sports, and for this obvious reason staged the first formal Olympic Games in 776 B.C., giving the world the idea of organized sports events as entertainment for arenas full of spectators and adoration for new heroes. 

The Ancient Greeks were the first culture in which people idolized their favorite athletic superstars, to a level that even today’s most fanatical sports fans might find extreme.

1. Horse Races

Kele, or riders competing on horseback, was added to the Olympics in 648 B.C., according to Miller’s book. The race was about 1.2 kilometers (approximately three-quarters of a mile) in length. The jockeys—who were young boys and probably slaves—rode bareback, without stirrups, though they did have reins and a whip to guide the horses.

2. Running

The Greeks loved footraces, particularly the stadion, which was named after an ancient unit of measurement and corresponded to the 200-meter sprint in modern track, according to Stephen Gaylord Miller’s Ancient Greek Athletics. From 776 to 726 B.C., it was the only event at the Olympic Games. The Greeks later added the diaulos, the equivalent of today’s 400 meters event, as well as a distance event, the dolichos, which was between 7.5 and 9 kilometers—roughly similar to the 10K event that countless recreational runners now participate in each weekend. But the Greeks had one event that has no modern counterpart—the hoplitodromos, in which competitors emulated Greek infantry, and ran wearing helmets and bronze shin guards and carried shields.

3. Wrestling

In ancient Greek-style wrestling, grapplers fought in a standing position, with the object of throwing the opponent to the ground, according to Miller. The concept of pinning an adversary’s shoulders to the ground didn’t yet exist. Instead, wrestlers won a match by throwing an opponent three times. Another unique feature of the ancient event was that there were no weight classes, according to Lunt. The most fearsome wrestler of ancient times was Milos of Kroton, who in legend developed his great strength by lifting and carrying a newborn calf until it grew into a full-sized ox.

4. Pentathlon

The discus and javelin, to modern field events, date back to the ancient Greeks, but back then, they weren’t separate events. Instead, they were part of the pentathlon, a five-event combination that also included the long jump, running, and wrestling. The Greeks had lead or stone weights, called halteres, that some believe jumpers used in an effort to propel themselves further during the competition, though Lunt believes that the weights were only used in training.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com

The biggest FIBA 3X3 basketball event in Greece, Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival, returns for the 7th year, transforming Syros into a global basketball hub from June 27 to 29, 2025.

The prestigious event, which continues to support the vision of two-time champion and EuroLeague record-holder, Georgios Printezis, hosted thousands of visitors in 2024, turning the historic Miaouli Square into the ultimate basketball destination. In another record-breaking year, Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival attracted over 2,500 visitors on average every day, continuing to break new attendance records for the tournament and Greek 3X3 basketball. The event achieved one more success with the massive participation in the official FIBA 3X3, where 156 teams and 540 athletes aged from 8 to 57 years old competed on the 4 fully packed open basketball courts.

This year, the event takes things to the next level with surprise guests, exciting side activities, and fresh experiences for both participants and spectators. Basketball will take center stage across every corner of Syros, creating unique opportunities for sports tourism, all while showcasing the stunning Cycladic architecture and the endless blue of the Aegean.

Get ready for a three-day event filled with basketball, fun, and unforgettable moments in the enchanting Ermoupoli, from June 27 to 29, 2025!

Stoiximan is the title sponsor of the event for the fourth consecutive year, actively supporting both the event and the island through its social initiatives. Their contribution plays a key role in promoting amateur sports and tourism in Greece, while also advocating for healthy values in sports.

Progame, the Municipality of Syros-Ermoupolis, and the South Aegean Region are Stoiximan AegeanBall Festival’s Organizers.

More information about the opening of registrations and this year’s activities will be announced in the coming weeks.

#StoiximanAegeanBallFestival #ΓιαΤηΣύρο #WeAreSyros

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