Starting in February 2018, Piraeus port in Athens will get a direct rail link to the Athens International Airport. Piraeus is Greece's biggest port and one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean. The trip between the port and the airport is expected to take about 1 hour.

Piraeus will also connect to the airport at Spata, which is northeast of Athens, Kiato in northern Corinthia, and Halkida in Evia, all via the Proastiakos suburban railway.

The Proastiakos service will be much more frequent between Piraeus and central Athens, running every 15 to 20 minutes instead of once every hour.

Source: Ekathimerini

Beginning April 14th through the 17th, the annual ASTA Destination Expo will take place in Athens, Greece. This is a great opportunity to explore Greece beyond the main destinations like Mykonos, Santorini, and Patmos.

 

During the event, guests will receive destination training from local Greek experts, networking opportunities with travel suppliers, exclusive opportunities for pre- and post- FAM trips to the Greek islands. Participants will also get to experience Greece at an affordable price.

For more information, please visit: ASTA

Packing can be overwhelming especially if you are traveling lightly and unsure about the weather. Luckily, Greece in the summer is usually steady sunshine and warm days, but there are a few things to keep in mind when packing for the Greek Islands. Rebecca Hall from Life Beyond Borders shares her packing list and recommendations on what to bring!

T-Shirts and/or Tunics - Great for traveling and can be worn over leggings or even as a dress.

Flip Flops and Sandals - It's important to have one pair of beach shoes (flip flops) and a nicer pair of sandals for going out. Rebecca loves the Tea brand because they are great for walking up those steep and uneven cobbled lanes that the Greek islands are known for.

Several Swim Suits - As a good Greek will tell you, there's nothing worse than drying yourself in a wet swimsuit. All Greeks go to the beach with at least one change of swimwear.

All Purpose Dress - A light, cotton dress is perfect for day or evening wear. You can dress it up or down.

Sweater - Surprisingly, it can get cool at night on the islands. There's usually a breeze and when the sun goes down, you can definitely feel a chill in the air. Be sure to bring a light sweater if you plan on staying out at night.

The Greek islands are not just for visiting during the summer months. September and October, and even November, can be the best time of year to visit. Don't miss Rebecca's packing list for Autumn!

To read this article in full, please visit: Life Beyond Borders

Plastic bags will no longer be available for free in Greece and this is just the beginning!

The new year finally brought a change that may relieve Greece's natural habitat as plastic shopping bags will no longer be available for free. Consumers will either have to pay for bags - if they consider it absolutely necessary to carry their purchases - or have their own bags with them.

Since 2015, the European Union has set the goal of reducing consumption to 90 plastic bags per citizen by 2019 and to 40 by the end of 2025. Greece, however, is one of the last countries in the fight against the plastic bag. According to the latest data from the Hellenic Recycling Organization, each Greek uses up to 336 bags per year.

In the battle to limit plastic, Plastic Feel Greece - a newly created non-profit group aims to educate and inform the world about the environmental misfortunes of discarding plastic. Plastic Free Greece was founded by Dimitra Koutsoukou, Antigone Theodorou, Agnieszka Fibak and Tenia Kyriazis and collaborates with the international organizations Plastic Pollution Coalition and Plastic Oceans Foundation.

The group's activity has already attracted the interest of ordinary citizens and teachers who are willing to talk to their students about environmental protection. Plastic Feel Greece has bought the rights of two documentaries, A Plastic Ocean and Straws, which have already been screened in 115 schools across the country.

"The response from teachers is impressive. They get in touch with us and ask us to bring the documentaries to their schools. We send them the link to the films together with our own presentation in which we propose actions such as cleaning on beaches, updating local communities etc.," says Dimitra Koutsoukou.

They claim that the majority of Greeks do not realize how serious the problem of pollution is that has been caused by plastic.

"Most people think pollution is a problem that concerns India or Indonesia, not the crystal waters of the Aegean and the Ionian," says Dimitra. "However, many are shocked when they learn how overwhelmed the oceans are and are outraged when we show them pictures of Greek beaches being wrecked".

Originally posted on Vice.com
Translated by XpatAthens

Once again, the Hotel Grande Bretagne is included in the 2018 Gold List of Condé Nast Traveller Magazine titled 'Our Favorite Hotels in the World.'

Our Favorite Hotels in the world: Gold List is a list of the best hotels in the world as voted by the travel editors of the most discerning travel publication featuring top hotels from 54 countries and 6 continents. This year, the Hotel Grande Bretagne has the distinguished honor of being the only hotel in Greece as part of the list.

This is one more great recognition of excellence for the landmark Hotel Grande Bretagne which is committed to creating exceptional, indigenous experiences for its guests.

To view the full 2018 Gold List, please visit: Condé Nast Traveller Magazine

 

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Grande Bretagne

If you like sparkling wines, then you will want to check out Warehouse CO2 in Athens. Located close to Syntagma Square, this new all day bar is an offshoot of the more established wine bar in Exarchia. Warehouse CO2 houses wines from Greece and around the world, offering an impressive list of different kinds. Follow along with Why Athens on a Friday afternoon off work and explore Warehouse CO2!

"We’re at the beginning of the sparkling wine movement in Athens and as it currently stands, Warehouse CO2 are the pioneers. I was overjoyed that sparkling wines were finally not treated as an afterthought in this city and I now have a choice beyond one overpriced glass of Moet. The other part of course is that you can get acquainted with Greek sparkling wine which I have to be honest, I knew nothing about and was a tad sceptical of. But I do now, and in short, they’re very good and deserve to be tasted."

"This second Warehouse CO2 is a place you can easily get acquainted with and a welcome addition to the bar scene in Athens. It offers a solid introduction to Greek sparkling wines or to reacquaint you with your sparkly favourites."

To read this article in full, please visit: Why Athens

The Athens School of Fine Arts recently celebrated 180 years of cultivating young artists, coinciding with the history of contemporary Greece and three years after the conception of Athens as the capitol.

 

ASFA originally began as a Sunday school for architecture to support the Greek state and after the 1843 Revolution, the school was divided into three divisions. Once the school was divided, this also laid the foundation for the creation of the National Technical University of Athens.

In 1930, ASFA became an independent university and was officially named the Athens School of Fine Arts. This was also when the first annexes, or Art Stations, were created around throughout Greece, which can be used by students and artists for educational purposes and events. During this time, a new style of artistic expression in Greece arose, revisiting Greek tradition and reviving true 'Greekness.'

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek News Agenda

Photo Credit: Greek News Agenda

Since fleeing their home countries with their families, young refugees have been adapting to life in Athens and facing many challenges along the way. To help ease the transition and learn techniques to face these challenges, Free Movement Skateboarding was created to teach children and teens how to 'get back up' through skateboarding. NBC News reports on this Athens based charity and gives us a glimpse into the lives of young refugees learning how to ride.

"In a third-floor apartment in Athens’ graffiti-covered Exarchia neighborhood, the British trio behind the charity recently prepared for another long and loud afternoon."

"One of them, Ruby Mateja, 26, gathered roughly a dozen banged-up donated boards and replaced the metal trucks one by one. She then fastened the polyurethane wheels, scratched and blackened from carrying enthusiastic young boys and girls."

To read this article in full, please visit: NBC News

If your New Year's resolution is to start eating better, then look no further than these places Greece Is recommends for healthy eating. Whether you're a vegetarian, vegan, or you simply want to add more nutrition to your meals, these restaurants in Athens will have you covered.

Jars filled with spices, herbs, superfruits, oats and seeds line the walls in this health store, which doubles as a juice bar.

Address: Ermou & 17 Aiolou

Hours: Mon-Sat 8:00-23:00, Sun 9:30-23:00

Holy Greens, located in an office building in the northeastern suburb of Marousi, follows a Swedish concept of healthy but filling salads to give you energy throughout the day; perfect for a quick bite in between meetings.

Address: 3A Fragoklisias, Marousi

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-19.00, Sat 10:00-16:00

Juices you could live on as well as raw soups and smoothies made with homemade almond milk.

Address: 6 Athanasiou Diakou & Porinou

Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00

To read this article in full, please visit: Greece Is

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