XpatAthens

XpatAthens

A good friend of ours has put together her top ten reasons of why she loves living in Greece. We loved them for all the same reasons and wanted to share them with you.

1.   Koukaki has been named one of the 10 trendiest neighborhoods in the world!
 
2.    It is totally normal to book a doctor or manicure appointment at 9:00 pm.

3.    In less than 2 hours and with under 100 euros, I can easily change cultures, languages, currencies, and cuisines.

4.    It’s easy to be emotional in Greece. I’m very uncomfortable crying in public but the few times I’ve done it here, everyone leans in–way in–to see what’s wrong, how can they help, etc. There is no possible way to get away with “I’m fine.” They don’t accept that at all…And it feels so nice.

5.    I am 4,000 miles away from the US President.

6.    Greek merchants are very flexible. In instances when I haven’t had enough cash with me, they’ve let me buy groceries, pet food, get my nails done and have medical appointments with a casual wave of the hand—“you can pay next time!“ Once they even let me rent a car without my driver’s license…impressive. dear greece, you remind me that all things are possible…

7.    Even though I have visited maybe a dozen Greek islands, I still feel like I’ve just scratched the surface. There are so many islands you can stay interested for years and years…

8.    I can go to the laiki (outdoor market) and buy all the fresh fruit and vegetables I need for a week for less than 25 euros. And it’s fun.

9.    I now know enough people that I randomly bump into friends when I’m out on the street. That might not seem like a big deal, but when you start from zero, it’s huge.

10.    The pace of life I have here has allowed me time to write a book. I’m very grateful for that and I’m not sure I would have been able to do it in my more fast-paced San Francisco life.

To read more, please visit: LynnRoulo.com

Lynn is an American Kundalini yoga and Enneagram instructor teaching a unique combination of the two systems, combining the physical benefits of Kundalini yoga with the psychological growth tools of the Enneagram.

Most of her adult life has been as a Certified Public Accountant (US CPA) working in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco technology start up and venture capital industries. In 2012, she decided to move to Athens, Greece for purely intuitive reasons.  She's not Greek by heritage, she did not have a job here, she didn’t speak any Greek (at the time), and there wasn't a Greek man in the picture either! She simply had a really clear feeling that she should go to Greece. And so she did.
 
“I remember getting on the plane to leave San Francisco. My dog and two cats were in cargo below and I had packed a suitcase full of clothes. Almost everything else I had sold or given away. There wasn’t anyone to meet me in Athens because I didn’t know anyone. But it was one of the calmest moments of my life. I was totally sure I was making the right choice.  And I haven’t regretted it at all. I love Greece.”

To learn more about Lynn and all the great things she does in Athens please visit her webiste: 
http://www.lynnroulo.com/

Tuesday, 19 November 2019 07:00

Greek Fried Eggs

An easy and delicious breakfast treat; the Greek fried egg! Greek Boston shares their recipe on how to get a perfect Greek fried egg every time.

The secret is to use plenty of olive oil and then constantly baste the eggs with the hot oil until the egg was cooked perfectly.

 
 
 
Serves: 2-4
Difficulty: Easy
Cooks in: 5 minutes

Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Bread, for dipping
Cooking Instructions
 
Add olive oil to a large skillet. Set the heat to medium, and let the oil heat-up for a few minutes. When oil is hot, add the whole, cracked eggs one at a time.

Raise the heat to medium high and cook the eggs for a minute or two until the egg whites actually turn white. Turn the heat down to medium and using a spoon or small ladle, baste the eggs with the hot oil until the tops are cooked with the consistency you desire. If you like the yolk to remain a little runny, you’ll only need to baste the tops for a minute or two, for thoroughly cooked yolks, you’ll need to keep them in the pan a little longer.

Spoon the fried eggs onto each plate, sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste, and make sure you serve it with plenty of fresh bread.

 
To read this recipe in full, please visit: Greek Boston
 
Monday, 05 June 2017 07:00

Quality And Simplicity In Sifnos

Sifnos is located in the middle of the western Cyclades islands, with only 2,600 inhabitants. It is surrounded by other islands, which enhance the views and has a mild Mediterranean climate with lots of sun and minimal rain. The island is quiet most of the year, except for August, and is known for its ceramics, pastries, and cooking.

Some say that Siphnos, leader of the Ionian colonists, a hero of Attica and the son of Sounios, gave the island its name, but it may derive from the Greek word ’sifnfis’ meaning ‘hollow.’ Herodotus wrote that the inhabitants were wealthy because of the gold and silver mines in the Agios Sostis region, where their buildings were attractive features of the town.

Apollonia

The capital and Sifnos’ largest village, extends over three hills, virtually joined to Exambella, Ano Petali and Artemonas. The island’s main life is concentrated along the narrow pedestrian street, Stylianou Prokou, which begins near the square and ends at the Agios Spyridon church.

To read more about Sifnos, where to go, what to eat, and what to buy, please visit: Hip Greece

Photo Credit: Hip Greece
Sunday, 25 February 2018 22:37

February 20 - A Land Of Culture

Learn all about the traditions of Clean Monday, discover the best reasons to live in Greece and check out an interesting e-learning platform aiming to promote Greek Culture and heritage!

Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletterFacebook, and Twitter!
This year's 6th Navarino Challenge, which will take place between 12-14 October 2018 in Messinia and Costa Navarino, announces its accommodation packages at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino.

The participants of Navarino Challenge who will book their accommodation package in The Westin Resort and choose to take part in the main activities (running, swimming,SUP) will also have the opportunity to enjoy free of charge the full activities program ofthe event. The program for those staying at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino includes: tae kwon do, climbing, cycling, pilates, basketball, golf, kick boxing, babyswimming, aqua aerobics, kids' athletics, beach volley, tennis cross training,crossfit, beach yoga, boxing, survivor games for kids and demonstration race withoptimist boats.

More information about the privileged accommodation packages can be found here!

Navarino Challenge, which has as its main goal the promotion of sports and fair play,will be full of activities covering the requirements of all ages. At the same time, thesecondary objective is to extend the tourist season. The sports tourism event with themost Olympic ambassadors returns once again in Messinia with 12 Olympic sports! Alongwith running, swimming, tae kwon do, this year we will live the experience of anothermajor Olympic sport such as beach volley, with the presence of one of the biggest andmost historic athletes of Greek as well as international volleyball, Michalis Triantafyllidis.This is the addition of a tournament called the King & Queen Beach Volley Tournament by Triantafyllidis Beach Arena and the beach volley courses by Triantafyllidis Beach Arena.

The former Greek national volleyball player holds the record of participations in the Greek National Team (ranked 3 rd in the European Cup at 1987) and holds the most titles of anathlete in volleyball and beach volley in Greece. Michalis Triantafyllidis said: “I find it veryimportant that beach volley is included this year in the program of an already verysuccessful event, such as the Navarino Challenge. For my part, I think we will have the best possible organization at both the beach volleyball tournament “King & Queen Beach Volley”and the beach volleyball training courses. I hope it will become a part of the successful organization”.

Registrations opened for the multi-awarded sports tourism organization!

The three(3) main activities are running, swimming and the Stand Up Paddling by BIC® Sport.

Participants can complete the special form, which is available here!

At the same time, the pre-sale can also be made via viva.gr, by phone at 11876, as well as at the pre-salepoints of the Viva network. Registrations will be completed on August 31, 2018.

This year's event is expected to host for one more year hundreds of professional andamateur athletes who will take part in numerous activities.

In the 2018 teaser you can geta taste of the event. Sponsors are, once again, Natural Mineral Water “Vikos” and Ford MotorHellas.

Official supporters are Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport and Avance.“Navarino Challenge” will be held with the co-organization of Costa Navarino, TheWestin Resort Costa Navarino and Active Media Group and the support of the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor and Trifilia.

Official Sponsors: Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Ford Motor HellasOfficial Supporters: Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport, Avance Rent A CarPartners: Navarino Outdoors, Swim Academy, Surf Salad, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena,FitnessArt, Vizantinos target sport clubAssisted by: Navarino Racquet Academy, Pylos Association of Enterprises for TourismDevelopment, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Explore Messinia, Navarino GolfAcademy, Target Security, The DinerStrategic Partner: National Geographic

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Photo Credit: Elias Lefas - Navarino Challenge runners crossing Voidokilia beach 
Monday, 31 December 2018 17:25

December 31st - New Year's Eve In Athens

Greece is a wonderful place to spend Christmas with your friends and family. But how much do you know about festive Greek traditions? From New Year's Day to New Year's Cake - or Vasilopita - we have all you need to know to enjoy the holidays as much as possible!

Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletterFacebookTwitter and Instagram!
Greece is aiming to end the use of single-use plastics by July 2021, according to Kostis Hatzidakis, the Greek Minister of Environment and Energy. Single-use plastics include plastic bags, straws, coffee cups and stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging.
 
The Ministry has announced its partnership with the AC Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, entitled, "Greece, Free of Single-Use Plastics."
 
Angeliki Kosmopoulou of the AC Laskaridis Charitable Foundation noted that "Greece is taking a great leap forward" to ban single-use plastics and called for new regulating laws as well as a public awareness campaign.
 
"Every day, we use a million plastic coffee cups in Greece," Hatzidakis said. "This cannot continue, so we are moving ahead with this initiative, which the prime minister himself has strongly supported, and which must be done in tandem with citizens," the minister added during the event.


To read this article in full, plese visit: greekreporter.com
Greece breaks one renewable energy record after another according to the latest data, both at investing and demand levels with green technologies covering 67 and 68 percent of the country’s energy needs on April 1st and 2nd.

The operation of the system with 68 percent participation of the RES is a great performance for today, but, will be the rule in a few years as the target for 2030 is 67 percent of the electricity to derive from renewable energy sources.

As Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE) president and CEO said at the Delphi Economic Forum “The major storage works are necessary in order to maximize the benefits of the green energy and in parallel preserving the stability of the electricity system”.

Meanwhile, a week ago at the Delphi forum, the Greek tourism ministry and Google announced on Friday a new partnership for the acceleration of a green and sustainable transformation of the Greek tourism industry. The collaboration includes the creation of a new training program for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises, in collaboration with the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC).

The American company also announced one million dollars in funding from Google.org to support organizations that help social enterprises in Greece, with an emphasis on sustainability and ecotourism.

The transition of the Greek tourism industry to a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly growth model is a key priority in dealing with the inevitable consequences of the climate crisis.

According to a new survey conducted by the Institute for Tourism Research and Forecasting (ITEP) on behalf of Google and the Hotel Chamber of Greece, three out of four hotel owners consider the implementation of sustainability practices crucial for the future of their business, with 79%t expressing interest in obtaining sustainability certification. However, only 41% consider their level of knowledge about sustainability practices to be satisfactory.

Originally published on: greekcitytimes.com
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Lighthouse, Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, Athens

Two years after the CAMHI’s inaugural conference in January 2023, which marked the launch of the initiative and presented its objectives, research findings, and programming, we will meet again at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC) to discuss our work to date. This time, and in continued dialogue with the community, the conference will focus on critical mental health issues faced by children and adolescents, presenting ways to strengthen care and support through the public sector in Greece, in line with international best practices and the voices of young people.

Conference speakers include the Co-President of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF), Andreas Dracopoulos, the Founding President and Medical Director of the Child Mind Institute, Harold Koplewicz, and Deputy Ministers of Health, Marios Themistokleous and Dimitris Vartzopoulos. The event will feature a wide range of presentations and discussions, as well as a targeted panel on the role of media in shaping the discussion on mental health, curated by iMEdD (incubator for Media Education and Development). Speakers moreover include members of CAMHI’s network and Youth Engagement Scheme, representatives of the Greek state, experts from distinguished institutions and organizations, and professionals from the fields of health, education, the judiciary, and social welfare. 

The conference will convene at the Lighthouse of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC), on Thursday, February 27, from 09:00 to 17:30.

Participation in the conference is free and open to all, upon registration.

To register, please CLICK HERE!

Wednesday, 18 February 2015 13:36

Folegandros: Images of an Undiscovered Gem

Shining under the Aegean sun, Folégandros was named after the son of king Minos. This off-the-beaten-path destination captivates the visitors with the untouched beauty of its beaches, the luminous blue of its waters, and the unadulterated style of its architecture. At 200m above sea level travellers will discover Kástro, a Venetian castle. Hóra, the capital town of the island, it's been built partially in it. Bougainvilleas leaning over the balconies, sugar-cube whitewashed houses, and sheer cliff drops convey the island’s ethereal, yet wild, beauty.


Walk along the cobblestone narrow streets of Hóra past white houses with multi-coloured doors and windows, timeless creations of the traditional Cycladic architecture. If you need to take a rest, plane trees will offer you their cool, welcome shade. Wait until the sun sets into the eternal blue of the Aegean and join the locals in the village’s squares. Share with them homemade dishes and local delicacies, such as “matsáta” (handmade noodles with rooster or rabbit), sourotó (white goat cheese), and drink “rakómelo” (raki with honey) the famous spirit of the island. Here you will find most of the island's fine hotels.

• Tour natural and religious sites.

The Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary

Towering above Hóra and with a stone path leading to it, a whitewashed impressive church awaits to be discovered. Allegedly built on the site of an ancient temple, the church hosts significant ancient immured inscriptions and statues’ pedestals in its yard and interior. Tradition has it that the silver-plated icon of the Virgin Mary is miraculous. Linked to pirate stories, the icon is carried around the town in a procession held every year on Easter Sunday.

Hiking tip: Follow the rocky path starting from Poúnda square all the way to the church (walking time app. 15 min).

Ano Merá

The picturesque village of Ano Merá is a traditional rural settlement of the 19th century. To learn more about the traditional everyday life of Folégandros, visit the Folk Art Museum (open from 17:00 to 20:00 in the summer).

Chrysospiliá

Chrysospiliá is a natural monument of great interest, and not just to archaeologists and speleologists. Situated below the monastery of the Virgin Mary on a rocky beach at 30m above sea level with impressive stalactites and stalagmites, the cave is globally unique for the ancient male Greek names written on its walls and roof, dated back to the 4th century BC. Nicagoras, Themistocles, Cleon, Callimachus, Pythagoras, and Lysicrates are some of the names carved on the cave walls. According to some theories, the cave was used as a worship site where ceremonies for young men coming of age used to take place.

Important info: Accessible only by the sea, the cave is temporarily unavailable for visitors due to archaeological research in progress.

• Head to the island's pristine beaches.

This small island in the Cyclades is full of pebbly beaches covered with tamarisk trees. The scenic harbour of Karavostássis with its beautiful beach is the perfect starting point for an exploration of the glorious beaches of Hohlídia, Vitzétzo, Latináki, Pountáki and Livádi, a village with a sandy beach, turquoise waters and a camping site. Those of you, who don't feel like walking, can take a caique from Karavostássis to Kátergo, the most beautiful beach on the island, with thin pebbles and crystal-clear waters. Sheer cliff drops and azure waters embrace Agali beach to the west of the island. A trail from here will take you to the clothing-optional beach of Ayios Nikólaos, where a small taverna with delicious food and a marvelous view awaits you. In the northeastern part of the island lie the beaches of Voriná, with green stones peculiar-to-Folégandros, Ayios Geórgios and Serfiótiko, accessible only by caique or on foot.

• Taste culinary delights and local wine:

Matsáta: handmade noodles with rooster or rabbit
Sourotó: white goat cheese
Kalassoúna: cheese pie made with sourotó and onions
Cooked caper
Baked chickpeas
Karpouzénia: a local sweet made of fried watermelon (in Greek watermelon means “karpouzi”)
Sesame bars
White and red wine

Source: Visitgreece.gr

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