It’s that time of the year: plan-making season. The time for resolutions and fantasizing about things to come. For travel sites, like last year, looking ahead at where we might be packing our bags to is shadowed by the uncertainty of where the pandemic is headed. But while staycations and virtual tours have been trending on Google for the last two years, the latest tendency seems to be… optimism. Like every other year pre-covid-19, the time has come for the annual lists of “best places to travel” in 2022.'

Unsurprisingly, Greece, renowned as one of the few countries that managed to keep tourism alive during the pandemic, has a place on most lists.

So it does on Condé Nast Traveller’s list, which they introduced as being perhaps their most important one ever. Among the 22 destinations, a carefully curated selection of places around the world that they consider to be “coming into their own in 2022,” we find the island of Samos.

According to the article, the North Aegean island, which is listed as one of the best places in the world to travel with family, is “quietly making itself known as the finest Greek island many people have never heard of,” boasting the perfect combination of a lively main town (Vathy) and quiet villages. And why is it a great choice in 2022? Sustainability, a new priority amongst many travelers, is one reason. Samos is to be considered a sustainable choice, they emphasize, as it is unhurt by over-tourism, and food served is made with seasonal, local produce. The new Casa Cook hotel, set to open in May, is another reason. But more than anything, people should visit Samos for its authenticity:

“Samos’s beaches are its real siren song, though – from the small but heavenly slice of shingle at the hamlet of Posidonio, to the spectacularly dramatic bluffs and waterfalls at Potami, which are enrobed with a liquid amber glow at sunset. Further inland you’ll find the twin peaks of Ampelos and Kerkis towering above ambrosial pine forest and on their slopes blissfully unshowy mountain towns – such as Chora, Pagondas, and Mitilini – which have remained deliciously unchanged over the years,” part of the motivation reads.

Other places highlighted by foreign media for this year have been, among others, Crete, by Travel+Leisure, and a Glyfada resort, by CNN.

This year, one of my New Year’s Resolutions is to put more fun and play into my everyday life and to laugh more. “Why?” you may ask.

I like what happens with my paternal family. When we get together, my mum, dad, brother and myself, we laugh a lot. My mum especially has this charisma to laugh wholeheartedly out of anything. It can be a word, a name, a movement, something one of us has done in the past. We’re never short of good “excuses.” And they don’t even have to be funny. One of us will say something, the other will pick it up and boom, that’s it. In seconds we find ourselves laughing so hard that our eyes are filled with tears.

This is pure joy, pure laughter. Of course, we all have difficult issues we’re facing, situations that are not pleasant. But for a moment we share something very special. And after such a good laugh we all feel more lighthearted afterward. It’s as if our batteries are full again and we can continue with more strength.

That’s exactly the kind of laughter I want to re-introduce into my everyday life. We all have way too many worries to think about and things to take care of. But we don’t need to keep on taking everything, including ourselves, so seriously. Yes, we all make mistakes, and no, no one is perfect. That’s a fact and the sooner we accept it the happier we’ll be. The question is “can we laugh at our mistakes?” I don’t mean to be irresponsible and ignore them but I also don’t mean to worry about our mistakes for years and years to come. What I mean is can we accept them, accept ourselves, learn from our mistakes and move on?

I’m sure you’ve heard that when it comes to relieving stress, more giggles and guffaws are just what the doctor ordered. Can you imagine how your everyday life would be if, like children, you’d put more humor, play, and laughter in it? What if you’d make a conscious decision to take a break during the day and let go? To tell more jokes, play more with your children or your friends, not take everything personal?

Sounds good, doesn’t it? Well, that’s what I’ll do. And when I wake up in the morning I’ll take a good look in the mirror and start my day, every day, with a smile. I’d suggest you do the same.

Originally published on: itsmylife.gr

 

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Not everyone appreciates winter, but we can all agree that, like every season, winter has its charm, too. It has something whimsical to offer to everyone, no matter where you are. If you find yourself in Athens this winter and feel like sipping a hot drink while cozying up next to a roaring fire, these warm and inviting Athenian cafes are the place to be! 



1. Yiasemi 


@yiasemi_bistrot

Located in the charming area of Plaka, Yasemi oozes with vintage romance. Its fairylight-decked exterior, climbing jasmine vines, and cozy interior give this place a magical feel, especially in the winter, when the fireplace burns bright. Once there, you can't miss out on the delicious orange pie and the cafe's specialty, jasmine tea! 

Location: Mnisikleous 23, Athina
Telephone: 21 3041 7937

2. Safe House


@evangelia.alexandri 

Located in Dionysos, this is without a doubt the ultimate winter hangout! If you visit during the colder winter months you may be lucky enough to see snow, while comfortable pillows and, not just one, but two burning fireplaces will make you feel like you are in a mountain lodge. Make sure to try the ginger cinnamon tea or a hot in-house cocktail!

Location: Vakchon, Dionisos
Telephone: 21 0800 5693

3. Arwma Plateias


@arwmaplateias

Located in the bustling central square of Nea Smirni, one of the coolest neighborhoods in Athens, Arwma Plateias is both trendy and cozy, featuring tasteful decoration and a laid-back atmosphere. You can choose between three main venues - each one with its own aesthetics. The fireplace is located in the lower bar, where you can drink coffee, try homemade pastries, and sip delicious cocktails, all while listening to relaxing jazz, Britpop, and funk-rock sounds.

Location: 25is Martiou, Nea Smirni
Telephone: 21 0935 7505

4. Plaka Cafe 


@cafe_plaka

With its distinctive pink exterior and beautiful terrace, this charming cafe is an all-time classic meeting point in the Anafiotika neighborhood. Its warm ambiance and cozy decor will make you want to literally hibernate in it all year long! Among its desirable traits are the cafe's extensive food and beverage menu, as well as the fact that our four-legged friends are more than welcome there!

Location: Tripodon 1, Athina
Telephone: 21 0322 0388

5. Paliatsos


@paliatsos_bar

Paliatsos is an all-day music restaurant in Penteli, reminiscent of a European bistro and filled with rare artifacts and furnishings from all over the world, collected by its owner during his travels. You can start the day with a mouth-watering breakfast or brunch, then sample the chef's refined delicacies, and end the day with a drink. There is also a venue especially for children with a fairy-tale-like setting that will impress both young and old. 

Location: Plateia Agias Triados, Penteli
Telephone: 21 0810 0889

In ancient Greece, temples were an important part of daily life and served as monuments dedicated to the beloved gods and goddesses. Many important ancient temples are located in Greece and other countries, such as Italy, which were then part of the ancient Greek world.

Let’s take a look at the ten Greek temples that you cannot miss!

Parthenon, Acropolis


Credit: @ankur.sinh_

The Parthenon, located on the top of the Acropolis, is dedicated to Athena, goddess of wisdom and the patron goddess of Athens. The Parthenon was built in the mid 5th century BC and was originally constructed to replace an older temple that was destroyed by the Persians. The statue of Athena which originally stood in the temple was made from ivory, silver and gold but was later stolen and destroyed.

Valley of the Temples


Credit: @hellenistichistory

The Valley of the Temples, which is located in Sicily, Italy, has some of the most outstanding examples of Greek architecture. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes temples dedicated to Concordia, Juno, and Heracles.

Temple of Hephaestus


Credit: @photoohistory

The Temple of Hephaestus, dedicated to the god of metal-working and craftsmanship, is located in Athens, Greece. The temple was designed by Ictinus, one of the Parthenon’s architects. The Temple of Hephaestus is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple in the world.

Paestum


Credit: @photoohistory

Paestum, an ancient Greek city located in Southern Italy, contains three well-preserved Greek temples. Two of the three were dedicated to Hera, goddess of marriage and childbirth, while the third one, located apart from the temples of Hera, was dedicated to Athena.

Temple of Zeus in Cyrene


Credit: MM / WikipediaCommons

The Temple of Zeus in Cyrene is located in Libya and was built in the 5th century BC. The temple has been destroyed and re-built multiple times. I was destroyed in 115 AD during a Jewish rebellion and restored five years later under Roman order. The temple was again destroyed by an earthquake in 365 AD and restored in the contemporary era by British and Italian archaeologists.

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

What are the most beautiful places in the world? Well, there are numerous lists out there, and plenty of places all around the world are claiming the top spots - beauty, after all, is a subjective concept. It lies in the eye of the beholder, don't they say? 

A recent study by the Britain-based travel company Kuoni followed a more scientific approach to the above question in order to create an official ranking of the world’s most beautiful travel destinations.

In this scientific study, participants viewed a series of images from 50 of the world's most famous natural attractions, from the Grand Canyon to the Maldives. The research used eye movement recording technology to determine which images were the most attractive to the human eye, or, in other words, which captured the eye of the participants the longest. 

According to the results of the study, the most beautiful place in the world is Lake Peyto in Canada - a natural wonder in Banff National Park. The magnificent shade of the lake's waters is a result of ice melting on the surrounding dazzling mountains. The second most beautiful place in the world is the island of Meeru in the Maldives, which enchants travelers thanks to its white sand and crystal-clear waters.

From exotic islands to colorful lakes and spectacular waterfalls, these are the most beautiful places in the world!

1. Peyto Lake, Canada


@resul.gumus

2. Meeru Island, Maldives


@meeruisland

3. Jurassic Coast, U.K.


@thejurassictog

4. Yosemite


@california_matt

5. Lake Tekapo, New Zealand


@lachiou

6. Niagara Falls


@thereal4koj

7. Mount Snowdon, Wales 


@jo_fallows

8. Puerto Princesa Underground River, Philippines


@lydiajaneiballjones

9. Marble Caves, Chile


@tillotoro

10. El Yunque National Forest, Puerto Rico 


@evo_photography_pr

11. Aurora Borealis, Iceland


@eddiekruger7

12. Iguazu Falls


@kcakduman

13. Lake Matheson, New Zealand


@michalzborovjan

14. Phang Nga Bay, Thailand


@thefreedomcomplex

15. Grand Canyon


@ryanresatka

Athens has joined major metropolitan cities like Paris, New York, and London, to come third in the list of most beautiful night-time cities around the world as ranked by Instagram, reports Daily Travel News.

According to the report, 'when looking at the most popular night-time cities across the globe, it’s the city of love that emerges as favorite amongst users of the social media platform, with over 1,000,000 hashtags for pictures of Paris by night. Following Paris is London, followed by Athens, Rome, and Warsaw.'

European cities dominated the list with only a few countries making it from outside the old continent, such as Dubai, United Arab Emirates with 71,500 hashtags, New York City, USA with 50,000 hashtags, and Tokyo, Japan with 42,700 hashtags.

The Greek capital of Athens ranked third with 182,000 hashtags.

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

Main image: trikaliotis_giorgos

The transformation of Athens into a smart and sustainable city, where citizens enjoy living and working in it, is one of the top priorities of the Municipality. In the last two years, the Municipality of Athens has developed a series of bold interventions, creating new digital infrastructures and services that make the daily life of the citizens easier.

The Municipality of Athens has already created 118 easy-to-use digital services, which cater to the needs of both citizens and local businesses. Thousands of citizens can now receive certificates and documents online, thus avoiding the need to visit state services and helping prevent overcrowding.

In the past month, the Municipality of Athens took another important digital step, enabling residents and visitors of the capital to enjoy free internet access in 11 parts of the city. Available in some of the city’s busiest neighborhoods, these free wifi hotspots allow citizens to save internet data and money.

During the first three months of its operation, the program has offered free wifi access to over 100,000 users with almost 300,000 unique connections recorded so far.

The areas where free internet access is provided are the following: Syntagma Square, Lycabettus Square, Iroon Square (Psyrri Square), Kotzia Square, Seraphio of the Municipality of Athens, Central Library of the Municipality of Athens (Domokou 2), Cultural Center (Akadimias 50), Liosion 22, Karamanou Square, 1st Cemetery of Athens, and KEP Victoria.

Athens’ citizens and visitors can access the WiFi4EU network from the list of available wifi hotspots on their mobile devices. By selecting “WiFi4EU” and pressing “Login”, they gain free internet access for the next 12 hours, without having to enter any personal information to use the network.

"This initiative marks the beginning of a new era, in which free digital services, focusing on citizens, are being developed every day. Our goal is to extend the program to all 129 neighborhoods of Athens, so that every citizen and every visitor of the city has the opportunity, within the framework of equal opportunities, to use the internet. Athens has entered dynamically into the new digital age.", emphasized the Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis.

Developed as a hobby project in 2008 by Athens-based visual effects artist Dimitris Tsalkanis, the Ancient Athens 3D website presents a series of digital reconstructions of the city through time, from the Mycenaean Bronze Age (1600 BC) to the Early Modern period (AD 1833).

The project’s latest video, launched in November, showcases Classical Athens at the height of its power in the late 5th century BC, in the years before its defeat by Sparta and their allies in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC).

The 12-minute video, rendered in spectacular detail, takes the viewer on a fly-through of the city’s neighborhoods, circling its famous monuments, temples, civic buildings, and marketplaces. Each monument is accompanied by a short description.

The 5th century BC was a time of unparalleled change in the history of Athens. Partly destroyed by the invading Persian army in the years 480-479 BC, the extensive rebuilding program that ensued, accelerated by the great statesman and general Pericles in the second half of the century, made it the center of the Greek world.

During this period, dubbed the “Golden Age of Pericles,” the arts, sciences, and philosophy flourished in Athens, laying the cultural and political foundations of Western civilization.

Ancient Athens 3D was developed to present photorealistic digital reconstructions of the city and all of its monuments from 1600 BC to AD 1830. The project began with the first experimental 3D models of the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora, based on published archaeological and architectural data from scientific journals.

As the digital technology evolved, further reconstructions were added, and the site’s popularity grew. Great attention has been given to historical and archaeological accuracy in each of the videos, successfully communicating the development of urban planning through the ages.

In his work, Dimitris Tsalkanis has collaborated on projects with the Greek Ministry of Culture and Sports, as well as museums and local municipalities. His 3D reconstructions offer a superb educational platform, bringing ancient Athens to life for a wide range of audiences, from school children to academic researchers.

For more information about these projects, visit the Digital Heritage Creations website.