The European Solidarity Corps is the new European Union initiative which creates opportunities for young people to volunteer or work in projects in their own country or abroad that benefit communities and people around Europe.

The young people who participate in the European Solidarity Corps will all agree with and uphold its Mission and Principles.

You can register for the European Solidarity Corps when you are 17 years old, but you cannot start a project until you are over 18. European Solidarity Corps projects will be available to people up to the age of 30 years old.

After completing a simple registration process, European Solidarity Corps participants could be selected and invited to join a wide range of projects, such as helping to prevent natural disasters or rebuild afterwards, assisting in centres for asylum seekers, or addressing different social issues in communities.

Projects supported by the European Solidarity Corps can last from two to twelve months. They will usually be located within the European Union Member States.

For more information, please visit: Europa & Facebook

In this post on Travel Passionate, top travel bloggers from around the world share their favourite Christmas destinations in Europe!

The city’s Christmas Market is located in the quaint and charming Old Town Hauptmarkt (market square) where 180 stalls await visitors. The Christmas Market typically runs from the last week in November up to Christmas Eve. Visitors to the market can enjoy all sorts of things, such as horse carriage rides; regional foods (be sure to try the Nuremberg sausages – 3 on a bun); libations such as Gluhwein (mulled wine); handmade local products; souvenir and gift shopping; the children’s Christmas market where the Christkind visits with kids.

Nothing beats having a cup of hot gluhwein as you wander the streets of Prague. The weather is chilly but very pleasant, we have visited in the summer heat, and we much prefer the cooler temperatures. Stop in the local restaurants and shops to warm with some local treats or do a bit of Christmas shopping. Prague really is the perfect Christmas destination.

Brussels organises one of the biggest Christmas markets in Europe. Besides the impressive spruce tree in the middle of the Grand Place, the main attractions are the Sound & light show, the Ferris wheel and the numerous Christmas stalls around the Fish Market.

To read this article in full, please visit: Travel Passionate

There are many interesting things to do in Berlin, Germany, and it might surprise you that many of the city's sights are influenced by Greek art and culture. Here are few things not to miss while in Berlin.

Here you will find Greek artifacts including the reconstruction of Greek buildings from the ancient city of Miletus in Ionia, such as Pergamon Altar and the market gate of Miletus, whose parts were transported from the ancient city itself. You will also discover a piece of Greek history as the brilliant collection of antiquities that includes the altar of Pergamon, which dates back to the 2nd century BC.

Built between 1788-1791 and located in the center of the city, the Brandenburger Gate was designed by Karl Gkotcharnt Langkchans and is based on the Propylaea of the Acropolis in Athens. If you look closer, you will find that on both sides of the monument there are scenes from Greek mythology!

At the outdoor/indoor history museum in Berlin called the Topography of Terror museum, you will see compelling exhibits documenting the terror of the Nazi regime. The museum is built on the site where buildings were used by the Nazi regime from 1933 to 1945 as the headquarters of the Gestapo and the SS.

The Nazi regime destroyed much of Greece and completely demolished many Greek villages. It is a dark time in the history of Europe, and you can learn more about it at the museum through photographic and audiovisual material which has a special section dedicated to Nazi occupation in Greece.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

‘Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities; with so many places to visit, things to experience, stories to be told. And if you had only 60 secs to describe it, this is how Athens would look and sound.’

Athens Mayor Yiorgos Kaminis announced the 'Athens Tourism Partnership,' an initiative for tourism promotion in Athens. The City of Athens, Aegean Airlines, and the Athens International Airport unite for the first time having a common objective - promoting Athens as a modern cultural centre and attractive tourist destination throughout the year.

The first result of this collaboration is a new, vibrant and dynamic campaign entitled 'One City. Never Ending Stories' aimed at showcasing the Athenian experience.

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

 

 

Writer and blogger Marissa Tejada from Travel Greece Travel Europe discusses the perks of being in Athens for Christmas! In recent years, Athens has been coined as an emerging European city break destination. That holds true for the curious Christmas traveler. Traveling during the winter season here is great. Why? Less crowds, for one. You’ll experience Greece outside of its summer skin and see the way Greeks celebrate one of their favorite holidays.

The heart of the city is Syntagma Square and it’s where the city’s Christmas tree is lit. The square’s trees are strung with blue and white lights (the holiday colors of Greece) or with decorations such as karavakia (small Christmas ships). The municipality also schedules a series of free concerts during the month of December.

With a mild Mediterranean winter you can enjoy a scenic and sunny walk to some of the best panoramic spots of the city. Here are some photos from last winter when I took a Christmas day walk around Lycabettus Hill in Kolonaki.

While not as fancy or glamorous as other European Christmas markets, Athens has a few markets known as bazaars. Local artisans sell everything from handmade soaps, traditional Greek products to jewelry. Some bazaars are located in the metro stations (including Syntagma).

Without any crowds to push through or lines to wait on, Christmas holidays in Athens are a great time to explore. Visit the best museums in Greece including the National Archaeological Museum of Athens or the Acropolis Museum.

During Christmas holidays in Athens, head into any bakery and be tempted by traditional treats like kourabiedes (sugar cookies) and melomakarona (honey cookies). You’ll find both types of cookies displayed side by side.

To read this article in full, please visit: Travel Greece Travel Europe

 

 

 

Archaeologists have discovered an old lost city in Greece dating back 2,500 years!

Researchers from the University of Gothenburg and the University of Bournemouth have begun exploring the ruins at a village called Vlochos, around 300km (190 miles) north of Athens.

The team, which also includes researchers from the Ephorate of Antiquities of Karditsa, found the remains of towers, walls and city gates on the summit and slopes of the hill.

The leader of the team, Robin Ronnlund, said the city appears to have flourished from the fourth to the third century BC before it was abandoned — possibly because of the Roman conquest of the area.

To read this article in full, please visit: Independent

We are Efthymios and Neofytos, two Londoners born and raised in Athens and Cyprus. We have recently launched The Athenian, a small street food venture in London, offering freshly-made souvlaki prepared in the healthiest, most authentic way possible.

 

We are sure you know that our home country has been through some troubling times recently. By creating our own little business here in London, we help support people back home by sourcing our products from small, independent producers and farmers as well as local businesses here in the UK. We aim to keep our carbon footprint low where we can, without ever compromising on the authentic Mediterranean experience we want to bring to our customers.

We are proud to say we can trace back all of the carefully-selected ingredients used in our souvlaki. Our pita is hand-made in Athens, our olive oil is from the small town of Sitia in Crete, our herbs are from the mountainous town of Karpenisi and our dairy products come from the beautiful region of Messinia in the Peloponnese.

On moving to the UK, we realised that Greek cuisine was being somewhat misrepresented here. We were often disappointed by out-dated, unappetizing dishes and our search for lovingly-made, mouth-watering souvlaki was nearly impossible.

That’s how The Athenian came about: we wanted to bring something new to the people of London, with an updated image of Greek cuisine, to the city’s thriving food markets. By paying us a visit you will find souvlaki the way it is meant to be made: simple, fresh and authentically Greek.

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

Greek sushi master Antonis Drakoularakos, owner of Athens restaurant Sushimou, was named among the world’s 100 top chefs at the award ceremony of the first Chefs World Summit this year!

The 37-year-old physicist-turned-chef came in last on the list that places him among the ranks of the legendary Alain Passard (first place) of L’Arpege in Paris and Martin Berasategui (second place) of the eponymous eatery in Lasarte Oria, Spain.

To read this article in full, please visit: Ekathimerini

Oh the weather outside is frightful… So the song goes, and so the season brings! Winter doesn’t seem to scare off most Athenians from their nighttime fun. Let’s face it, even the coldest day in Athens is like a warm spring breeze in more northerly climates. But with decidedly chilly winter temperatures outside and Christmas around the corner, the best weekend plan is to phone a friend and plan a night out in a warm and cozy place…

We started our evening at Sowl in Thiseio. I’ve been here a few times, and even written about it in this space. Sowl is a restaurant-bar-art space in the old Stavlos space that used to house the stables of King Otto in the 19th century. It’s a cool, interesting space, with a newly refined menu that focuses on great Latin American-style food, everything from gourmet tacos to ceviche – with lots in between. A great Greek and international wine list, friendly service, DJ-led creative music soundtrack - definitely a cut above. The place on Saturday was almost fully reserved, but we managed to slip into a couple spots at the bar. When you’ve had your fill of tavernas, and have a couple extra euros to spend on something ‘different’, Sowl is worth a visit. Check out their site and Facebook page for events and gallery exhibits!

By the time our wine glasses had run dry, we had received an invite to meet another group of friends at Riza Riza in Koukaki. It was a last-minute birthday get together, and this is a newish place in the area. Now, let’s be clear: to walk from Thiseio to Koukaki should take between 10 and 15 minutes. On this particular Saturday night, we decided to drive over in my friend’s car. The drive over took about 5 minutes. The hunt for parking in Koukaki’s winding streets took – no exaggeration – 35 minutes! What started as an attempt to save some time ended up as an exercise in patience. I know I know – how long have I lived here?? But seriously, I think I had forgotten…

Frustrated and fully convinced of my decision to not own a car in Athens, we finally arrived at Riza Riza and joined our friends. Riza Riza is a casual, happening bar, with indoor/outdoor seating, extended seating in the back, a modern Greek styling and a hip attitude. It was really buzzing that night, and felt like a warm neighbourhood ‘local’. This is an all-day bar/café, with a small food menu, a great Greek-inspired cocktail list. Best feature for a cold winter’s night: hot winter cocktails like rakomelo and oinomelo. Exactly what the doctor ordered.

Lesson #1: Don’t let the cold stop you from enjoying a night out!

Lesson #2: Leave the car at home.

Until next week,

Jack

p.s. for those of you yet to explore the Koukaki district – here’s a great place to start: http://koukaki.gr/

Sowl
Iraklidon 10, Thiseio
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Riza Riza
Drakou 19, Koukaki
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