When you think of Greek national pride, the first things that come to mind are the Greek flag and the national anthem.

The Greek national anthem, officially titled "Ymnos is tin Eleftherian" in Greek and the Hymn to Liberty in English, is a reminder not only of how far Greece has come since the Ottoman Empire was officially defeated, but also of the journey that the people took that ultimately led to their freedom.

 

The Anthem was written by the famed poet, Dionysios Solomos, in 1823. He was born and raised in Zayknthos, but his family were refugees from the island of Crete. As a member of a prominent wealthy family, Solomos was well educated, which eventually drove him to become a poet. Although he studied in Italy for several years, he eventually penned his poems in his native Greek language.

 

The Hymn to Liberty is one of Solomos' most inspiring works. The Greek Revolution began in 1821 and was happening just as he began his career as a poet. In addition to the revolution that finally ended the Ottoman occupation, it served as a source of inspiration for this poem. Solomos wanted to put into words his feelings about the struggles of the Greek people and the inevitability of the win.

To learn more, please visit: Greek Boston

Although Athens is not a city famed for its greenery, there are some lovely spots tucked away that offer pleasant green havens from the hustle and bustle of the city centre. Whether you want to take a peaceful stroll, offer your children a pleasant environment to play, or have an enjoyable picnic, here are some natural environments in Athens that are worth the visit!

Just a stone's throw from the centre of Athens, the Forest of Tatoi was once the summer retreat of King George and Queen Olga, before being converted to the Royal Family's permanent residence in 1948. Walking in the forest, you will be stunned by the lush vegetation; Aleppo pine trees, tall cypresses, poplars, plane trees, beech trees, Greek strawberry trees, olive ad citrus trees - among others, adorn the Tatoi forest, which is protected by the Natura 2000 network as a area of outstanding beauty. Don't miss the 10m waterfall that offers an unrivalled sense of serenity and enjoyment.

Created and designed by Queen Amalia in the 19th century, this is the ultimate children's paradise in the centre of the city, and is home to more than 500 different species of plants, trees, birds and animals.  There is also a Botanical and a Children's Museum, a zoo and a playground along with scattered ancient monuments and statues. Relax at the pleasant and always shaded coffee shop, where children can taste one of the best strawberry sorbet in town!

Antonis Tritsis Environmental Awareness Park
Welcome to the largest green zone in Attica! It’s the region’s precious gem that encompasses ponds, canals, a rich flora and a refuge of hundreds of species of birds and mammals. A specially designed system ensures continuous recirculation of fresh water between the park’s six lakes. This abundance of water has helped promote and preserve the park’s rich biodiversity. Immerse yourself in some trekking, jogging, biking and even horseback riding!

To read more, please visit: This is Athens

In a recent show of solidarity with fellow citizens, many Greek merchants have launched a food and coffee 'suspended' program for the needy.

The process happens something like this - you walk into the butcher shop and order the meat that you need for your own personal consumption. Then you tell the butcher that you’d also like to buy some additional meat and place it on the 'suspended' list for a family in need. The butcher keeps a record on what has been purchased 'on hold' and lists it on a banner or chalkboard inside or outside the shop.

Similar campaigns are popping in various other shops, like coffee shops, throughout the country. Patrons are able to purchase “suspended” coffees, sandwiches and other items for those in need.

A Facebook page (in Greek) can be followed HERE.

Originally posted on: Pappas Post

 

Greek carrier Ellinair has added additional destinations to its international network, which will substantially boost connectivity between popular Greek destinations and renowned cities abroad. Ellinair is a member of Mouzenidis Group.

In its second year of scheduled flights, Ellinair’s international network serves 40 cities in 15 countries.

This year, the airline’s flight program includes direct flights to many Russian cities from Thessaloniki, Athens, Corfu, Zakynthos and Heraklion and to cities in the Ukraine from Thessaloniki, Corfu and Heraklion. Riga in Latvia will also be connected directly to both Thessaloniki and Corfu.

From Thessaloniki, passengers this year will be able to fly direct to Tbilisi in Georgia, Astana in Kazakhstan, Tallinn in Estonia, Izmir, Budapest, Bucharest, Belgrade, Larnaca in Cyprus and to three cities in Italy: Rome, Milan and Verona.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Although we can still feel the crisis, Athens is slowly regaining its confidence... and with a vengeance.

As creativity stirs again, the enterprising young generation is breathing fresh and exciting life back into the streets of Athens - shops and businesses that beautifully combine the classics of ancient Greece with the anarchic character of modern times. The below video is a great depiction of how Athens is entering a new era. Enjoy!

Read this article from the New York Times for some great ideas on things to do in Athens.

Greece's Alpha Bank SA has launched a process to sell Athens-listed Ionian Hotel Enterprises, owner of the five-star Hilton Athens, a source familiar with the matter said.

Alpha Bank, which holds 97.3 percent of IHE, wants to receive expressions of interest by a deadline of March 11. Citi is advising Alpha Bank on the sale, the source said.

Alpha Bank was not immediately available for comment.

The Greek bank is aiming to further strengthen its capital base with the share sale, which is valued at about 106 million euros based on its last closing price of 8.13 euros.

Greek banks that have been recently recapitalized with the euro zone's help have agreed to divest non-core banking activities and sell their participation in overseas assets.

Citi's head of Greece and Cyprus investment banking, Theodoros Giatrakos, is leading negotiations with interested parties, which have been given the option of bidding alone or teaming up in an investment consortium.

Hilton Athens was one of the venues that hosted recent negotiations between international creditors and the government of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in 2015.

To read more, please visit: Ekathimerini

Revithia sto fourno, baked chickpeas, is something everyone MUST make at least once – it’s just that good. Using only five of the most ordinary of ingredients, this positively perfect authentic, rustic peasant dish is a cinch to make for the modern home cook.

Two big time-savers include subbing in canned chickpeas (good quality, of course) for dried and making your caramelized onions up to 4 days ahead. Fresh chopped rosemary, olive oil and salt/pepper round out your shopping list for this one so seriously, give it a try – YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED. 

Of course, when you have the time, it’s always good to start with dried beans and boil your own so I’ve included the boiling directions below.  As I mentioned above though, it’s absolutely acceptable to substitute canned chickpeas here. Either way you go, remember to RESERVE either 2 cups of boiling liquid or 2 cups of the canning liquid to use in the recipe. It helps give an really nice, extra creaminess to the beans.

And caramelizing the onions is easy to do especially with the oven method shared here. It’s honestly just a matter of setting aside the time to peel and slice the onions.  The amount written may seem like more than you need but the thing is the onions really shrink down to a fraction of their original volume. Their sensational sugary, golden brown goodness infuses right into your chickpeas while they’re baking so they’re a KEY ingredient here. Just jump right in, start with one onion and they’ll just fly, you’ll be finished in no time!

• 1 pound dried chickpeas (soacked and boiled until tender) or four 15oz cans
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 cups reserved boiling liquid from chickpeas, or liquid from can
• 1 tbsp dried chopped rosemary
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 2 1/2 cups caramelized onions

To read more, and to discover how to make Revithia sto Fourno, please visit: The Greek Vegan

From rare bronzes found in the sea to goddesses that proved a millennium ahead of their time, ancient Greek art is majestic, vital and full of high drama. Here are some of the most important works from ancient Greece:

There is a tragic pathos to this mighty sculpture of a dying hero from a temple on the Greek island of Aegina. Tragedy is a Greek concept. The tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus are still performed. This statue shows a strong man fallen, heroic to his last breath.

Classical Greek art changed rapidly as Greece itself went through wars and imperial transformations. In what is called the Hellenistic age it became much more emotional, sensual and even sensationalist. The furious sculptures on the Pergamon altar – which can be seen in its own museum in Berlin – are full of passion and psychological drama.

The Riace bronzes (460-420BC)  
These tremendous statues found in the sea off southern Italy in 1972 are important because so few original Greek bronze statues survive.  Most of the classical nudes in museums were carved in marble in the Roman era, as reproductions of such rare, and now largely lost, originals.  Here we see the true majesty of Greek art in its classical age, which occured in the fifth-century B.C.

Goddesses from the east pediment of the Parthenon (c 438-432BC)
Sitting and reclining in graceful unison, these goddesses carved in marble for the Parthenon in Athens are among the most beautiful and mysterious images of human form ever created.  Incredibly, the artist makes the draperies that cover their bodies as real and richly textured as similar garments painted by Leonardo da Vinci a millennium later - and who didn't have to produce his illusions in stone.  These are dream goddesses.

Dionysus, god of wine and madness, sails on his boat, surrounded by dolphins, in this delightful painting. Part of the fascination of Greek art is that its themes were taken up by artists down the centuries, as the myths of this culture were constantly being rediscovered. So this image of Dionysus can be compared with later portrayals of the wine god by Titian, Michelangelo, or Cy Twombly.

To read more, please visit: The Guardian

Archaeologists working on the Greek island of Crete have uncovered artifacts and structures that suggest the ancient city of Knossos - Europe's oldest city - was three times bigger and richer than previously thought.

Knossos is believed to be Europe’s oldest city, according to archeologists. It was an epicenter of Aegean and Mediterranean trade and culture, but historians thought that after a solid 600-year run of prominence during the Greek Bronze Age, the city suffered a major decline in the wake of a socio-political collapse around 1200 BC, when Thera’s volcano erupted.

The latest excavations suggest a more positive trajectory, however, extending Knossos economic and political successes well into the Iron Age.

Most of the new artifacts — bronze and other metals, jewelry, pottery and all sorts of status symbols — were recovered from burial sites. The archaeological haul reveals a city that was rich with trade well after the collapse of the Aegean palaces.

“No other site in the Aegean period has such a range of imports,” lead excavator Antonis Kotsonas, an assistant professor of classics at the University of Cincinnati, said in a press release.

The newly unearthed cemeteries also show Knossos was much larger than previously thought.

To read more, please visit: Pappas Post

Cosco Pacific is pushing for the inclusion of Piraeus in the plans of all major international cruise groups, and for its use as home port.

The aim of the Chinese company that won the tender for the acquisition of Piraeus Port Authority (OLP) is to swiftly develop the major potential of the Greek market and for Piraeus to emerge as one of the world’s biggest cruise ports as early as next year.

To that end, as soon as it has undertaken OLP’s management, Cosco will embark on infrastructure investments that will gradually reach up to (or even exceed) 135 million euros.

It is also beginning a consultation process with cruise groups such as Carnival, Royal Caribbean, MSC, Celestyal and others in mid-March in Florida, in the context of the industry’s main annual exhibition, Cruise Shipping Miami.

To read more, please visit: ekathimerini