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Greece is among the winners of the 2017 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards, Europe’s top honor in the heritage field.

Greece received two awards in the 'Conservation' category for the Ancient city of Karthaia on the island of Kea and the Bastion of the Grand Master’s Palace on Rhodes.

With its two wins, Greece automatically has two entries in the Europa Nostra’s Public Choice vote for the 29 winners.

The project, directed by a Scientific Committee under directorate of the Greek Culture Ministry, offers visitors a glimpse into the past following the conservation, partial restoration and interpretation of the ruins of the ancient city of Karthaia, located on the island of Kea.

The site is one of few examples in Greece where both the unspoiled natural landscape and the planning of the city are well preserved.

The remains of the city include both temples and public buildings and are found on the southeast coast of the island which can only be reached by traditional footpaths or by sea.

People can now vote online for the Public Choice Award and rally support for the winning projects from their own or another European country. Vote now!

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Everything’s ready for the “Patmos Revelation” sports tourism event, which will take place on the sacred island between June 30 - July 2, 2017.

The main purpose of the Municipality of Patmos, in cooperation with The Region of South Aegean is the attraction of more alternative tourists who will participate in the event and become acquainted with the significant history of the island!

Few days are left for “Patmos Revelation”, the event which is now under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization, and registrations continue with a lot of participations from Greece and abroad. Registrations through the official page of the event will continue on a regular basis, while racing kits from all participants will be received on Thursday (29/6), Friday (30/6) and Saturday (1/7) from 09:00 -21.00, at Patmos Cultural Center, “PATMION”.

Click HERE if you wish to register for the event!

The program of “Patmos Revelation” includes Kids’ Athletics by the Olympic and World Champion, Periklis Iakovakis on Friday (30/6) at 09:00 at the football stadium of Patmos.

On Saturday (1/7), at 11:00 in the morning, the open water swimming race will be held at Grikos bay (1 mile/1.6km swimming route). The safety of athletes will be taken care of by Katerini’s Lifeguard School, Lifeguard Patrol.
On Sunday (2/7), morning, running races will be held having Skala as the starting point. The 15km route starts at 08:15am, the 5km route starts at 09:00am while the 1km route for children starts at 10:55am at the seaside of Skala.

The Greek national open water swimming team will be present at the swimming race, headed by the European champion, Antonis Fokaidis.

You may see the detailed schedule of the event at the following link: http://www.patmos-revelation.gr/en/schedule.html

The event has ensured special ferry routes through Blue Star Ferries to facilitate the audience and offer them direct access to the “sacred” island of the Dodecanese. All those attending “Patmos Revelation” will be able to travel with the safely and comfort of the top Greek shipping company. With an additional ferry route on Thursday (29/6) at 15:00, aiming to provide the best possible service, Blue Star Ferries offers a 50% discount on ferry tickets to the participant athletes, as well as a 30% discount to their escorts/family members and their vehicles to those wishing to visit the event and the island between June 26 to July 6.

At the same time, another great shipping company, Dodekanisos Seaways, will stand next to the event, offering a 30% discount to participants. With routes from and to Leros, Kalymnos and Samos, the company will enhance the tourist traffic of the island of Patmos.
Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa is an official supporter of the event. The 5-star hotel of “Divine Hotels” Group, is located at Grikos bay and is always ready to provide high quality hosting services to the participants and visitors of the island. In addition, the AB Vassilopoulos supermarket chain will support “Patmos Revelation” by offering products to participants and volunteers, while “Vikos” will offer the opportunity to all athletes participating in the event to quench their thirst with the natural mineral water “Vikos” that contributes to the good functioning of the body during sports.

The event has also taken care of the accommodation services for those participating in “Patmos Revelation”. Attractive packages for 4 days (3 nights) are offered with transport and accommodation for 2 people, starting at 260€.

VitaNTravel, as the official travel agent of the event, will take care and assist all athletes and escorts with information about the ferry routes, ferry tickets, car rentals and accommodation in the island. For more information click here.

The event will be supported by the following hospitality sponsors: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Allotina Houses, Skala Hotel Patmos, Onar, Chris Hotel, Alykes Studios, Porto Scoutari, Stefanos Katsaros Studios, Hotel Athina, Hotel Rodon, Villa Zacharo, Grikos Hotel, Hotel Effie.

Watch the Patmos Revelation 2017 teaser video HERE

Official Sponsors: Blue Star Ferries, “Vikos” Natural Mineral Water
Official Supporters: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Sixt rent a car, ΑΒ Vassilopoulos, Dodekanisos Seaways, 1001 flights
Assisted by: SEGAS, IAAF Kids Athletics, T & G Patmos Rentals, Lifeguard Patrol
Hospitality Sponsors: Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa, Allotina Houses, Skala Hotel Patmos, Onar, Chris Hotel, Alykes Studios, Porto Scoutari, Stefanos Katsaros Studios, Hotel Athina, Hotel Rodon, Villa Zacharo, Grikos Hotel, Hotel Effie
Official Travel Agent: VitaNTravel
Strategic TV Partner: National Geographic

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Hashtag: #patmosrevelation

Press Office Contact:
Tel.: +30 210 9343020, fax: +30 210 9316505 e-mail: pr@activemedia.com.gr
Thursday, 21 December 2017 09:19

The European City That Loves Strangers

Unique in its antiquity, Athens boasts thousands of years worth of democracy, plays and philosophy, and classical buildings that surround the Acropolis. Amongst the Athenians have been foreigners and strangers visiting the capital city for centuries, creating the term philoxenia, meaning 'love of strangers.' It's a term that locals use to give warmth and welcome to foreigners and as BBC explains, the people of Greece, "can be very hospitable and friendly."

"Though more than 4.5 million people visit the city every year to delve into its past, Athens has plenty in its present to make it worth staying for the longer term."

Why do people love it?

"The always-on atmosphere of Athens attracts Greeks and expats alike. 'Athens is a buzzing city,' said Chrissy Manika, an Athens native and blogger at Travel Passionate. 'No matter when you go out you will see the cafes and bars filled with people having a good time.' She especially likes wandering the city centre neighbourhood of Plaka, on the north-east side of the Acropolis. 'With all the tourists around, it feels like you are on holiday on an island, especially in summer.'"

"Despite living in an ancient city, residents never get sick of the views. 'Driving into the city and seeing the Acropolis or the Temple of Zeus takes my breath away,' Mina Agnos from Travelive said. 'At every turn, there is a beautiful reminder of the ancient past of this city. It is a lovely reminder of our limited time and that we should make the best of it.'"

To read this article in full, please visit: BBC
Friday, 15 June 2018 18:06

Odeon Of Herodes Atticus

The Odeon of Herodus Atticus goes as far back as 161 AD as a majestic stage, hosting plays and performances that would captivate the crowd in its spectacular ancient surroundings.

Sitting beneath the slopes of the Acropolis, this open-air theater was renovated in the 1950s in order to be able to facilitate the needs of the hundreds of events it offers every year, especially since it is the prime location for the Athens and Epidaurus Festival.

From classical music and Opera concerts, to famous Orchestras and ancient Greek theater plays, this magnificent venue covers all tastes!
The registration period for those wishing to take part in “Navarino Challenge” comes to an end September 14th ; The award winning sports tourism event will be held for the 6 th consecutive time in Messinia and in Costa Navarino, October 12 th to 14 th 2018.
The open water swimming race of “Navarino Challenge” will be held for the first time with timing at Navarino bay, the place where the historic naval battle that changed the history of Greece was held. The Olympic sport of swimming will be organized with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation and the supervision of the Greek federal coach Nikos Gemelos.

Nikos Gemelos highlighted on the event: “A few days before Navarinia, we celebrate the opening of the events with the activity of swimming at the splendid landscape of the bay, at the very beautiful port of Pylos with the valuable assistance of the Mayor of Pylos-Nestor and the local businesses that really stand as helpers and support Navarino Challenge for the 6th year. The race is held with complete safety thanks to the efforts of the Port Authority of Pylos and the Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, the lifeguards of the credible Lifeguard Patrol School, the stunning Explore Messinia team, Surf Salad and the conditions and regulations set by the Hellenic Swimming Federation and FINA.

The second day of Navarino Challenge with sport activities such as sup, swim and sailing with optimist & laser boats gives the motto of this year's event, which is that Sports Unite People (#sportsunitepeople)! Come and swim this year and experience the magic of Navarino Challenge!”.

Registrations continue for a few more days and can be completed through the special form available HERE!

The pre-sale is available also via www.viva.gr , by phone at 11876, as well as at the pre-sale points of the Viva network

One of the biggest online gaming companies worldwide, Bwin, consistent with its efforts to enhance Greek sports, supports the event as the Grand Sponsor of this year's Navarino Challenge. By promoting actions of public good, Bwin recognizes the goal of Navarino Challenge, which is to raise awareness of the issue of childhood obesity and to promote physical and mental well-being through the message “sports unite people”. Bwin will be
there to welcome the participants of Navarino Challenge by organizing the Bwin Welcome Party with the voice of Penny Baltatzi, in retro swing and jazz music rhythms (#sportsunitepeople #bwincares).
For the second consecutive year “Navarino Challenge” innovates with Samsung the event’s official technology partner. Samsung will enrich the experience of those participating and attending the event with the innovative Samsung Galaxy ecosystem services such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+ coupled with the Gear 360 and Gear VR with unique content at 360 degrees, as well as the QLED TVs with their outstanding picture quality and stylish design. For the days of the event, Samsung will create a special Samsung Business Lounge and a Samsung Gaming Corner and offer endless fun, information and entertainment to the Navarino Challenge participants. At the same time, it will sponsor the Samsung King & Queen Beach Volley Tournament by Triantafyllidis Beach Arena that will be held at Costa Navarino.

Everything you know and love on the Ford Focus. Add a brand new level of smart design, a modern style and more space than ever before. Combine them now with the highly advanced connectivity and a range of impressive technological driver assistance systems that you will truly appreciate. This is the new Focus. At Costa Navarino you can discover them all... driving it!

At Navarino Challenge, we believe in the ancient saying of “a healthy mind in a healthy body” and this year, with the support of the Hippophae of Meteora, Hippocrates Farm, we realize it.

The Greek Hippophae of Rezos Brands is grown on the model multifunctional farm Hippocrates Farm in Meteora and aims to promote the hippophae as a top Greek super food with unique beneficial quality for the human body. An excellent food, a fruit with 190 beneficial elements!

Navarino Challenge participants who will book their accommodation package at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and choose to take part in at least one of the main activities (running, swimming, SUP) will also be able to enjoy the organization’s full program of activities free of charge, including:Tae kwon do, climbing, cycling, pilates, basketball, golf, kick boxing, baby swimming, aqua aerobics, kids’ athletics, beach volley, tennis cross training, crossfit, beach yoga, boxing, beachathlon and demonstration race with optimist boats.

More information about the accommodation packages may be found HERE!

Official sponsors of the event are for another year the Natural Mineral Water “Vikos” and Ford Motor Hellas. Luanvi is the official sports supplier of the event for the first time.

Official supporters are Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport, Avance and the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor.

Navarino Challenge is co-organized by Costa Navarino , The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and Active Media Group with the support of the Municipalities of Pylos- Nestor and Trifilia. Navarino Challenge will take place with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation, under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization.

Grand Sponsor: Bwin
Official Technology Partner: Samsung
Official Sponsors: Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Ford Motor Hellas
Official Sports Supplier: Luanvi
Official Supporters: Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport, Avance Rent A Car, Hippocrates Farm, Municipality of Pylos-Nestor
Partners: Navarino Outdoors, Swim Academy, Surf Salad, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, FitnessArt, Vizantinos target sport club, Red Swim Academy, Fysiotek Sports Lab
Strategic Partner: National Geographic
Assisted by: Lifeguard Patrol, Navarino Racquet Academy, Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Explore Messinia, Navarino Golf Academy, Target Security, The Diner, Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation, Athens Easy Transfers, Anazoe Spa, Kayak, Collective Resort, Department of Sports Organization & Management from University of Peloponnese, Karalis City Hotel & Spa, Karalis Beach Hotel
Hashtags: #navarinochallenge #costanavarino #sportsunitepeople #eatwell #runwell

Photo credit: Elias Lefas
With the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), governments and organizations around the world have been enforcing emergency measures to keep the general public safe.

Even though it is sometimes hard to keep up with the ever-changing measures in Greece, we do our best to stay on top of the headlines and inform our readers in as much detail as possible.

Click here to learn more about how to protect yourself, symptoms, and where to seek medical treatment. Click here to read about how to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in Greece.

Measures Against The Coronavirus In Greece - Updated on May 13, 2021

General Measures

The Greek government announced that Greece will be lifting most lockdown restrictions. From Friday, May 14th the "SMS System" along with the "Click-Away" & "Click Inside" methods for shopping at retail stores will no longer exist.

As of May 14th, the curfew will be in effect from 12:30 am to 05:00 am. During these hours, citizens will be able to send an SMS to 13033 only with codes 1 (going to a pharmacy or visiting the doctor) and 6 (only valid for pet walking)

Until today,  the government has decided to re-open:
- Restaurants, bars, and cafes, only for outdoor dining.
- Primary and secondary schools.
- Organized beaches, under measures that include social distancing and hygiene rules

Upcoming re-openings: 
- Museums in Greece on  May 14th.
- Movement between regions will be allowed again from May 15th to coincide with the country's opening to all international visitors.
- Nurseries and day care centers on May 17
- Conservatories of music on May 17
- Open-air cinemas on May 21 (operating on a 75 percent capacity to ensure social distancing of customers)
- Live cultural events and shows in outdoor areas (only with seated guests) on May 28

There are 3 ways to inform authorities about being outdoors:
1. Filling-in a form on the government website forma.gov.gr.
2. Sending an SMS to the number 13033 see details here.
3. Stating your reason in a simple, signed personal declaration.
Due to coronavirus measures, Greeks will celebrate Easter for a second time at home this year, with several restrictions applying to religious services. 


Public Transport

Means of public transport will continue to operate on 65% occupancy; commuters still need to use the SMS service.

Public Services

Public service offices will remain open but will serve the public by appointment only to avoid overcrowding.

Education

Schools will close and students will attend classes via e-learning. 

Tutoring and language centers will only operate with distance learning.

Workplace Measures

Mandatory teleworking (work from home) for 50% of public and private sector employees has been applied.

Employees must arrive at their workplace in 3 groups (7 am, 8 am, and 9 am) to prevent public transport congestion.

Employees must depart from the workplace in 4 groups to prevent congestion on public transport.

Frequent checks will occur at workplaces of public and private sector services, and fines imposed on supervisors/employers and employees who do not comply with personal protection measures in the workplace—namely, the mandatory use of a protective mask.

Rapid Covid-19 tests will be carried out at workplaces of the public and private sectors, public service buildings, and congested areas of Attica, such as schools, public transport, and hospitals.


Important Notice from XpatAthens
 
It is important to remind our readers that XpatAthens is not in any way a media source. While we do our best to keep our readers informed, we advise you to consult Greek media outlets such as ekathimerini.com, amna.gr, naftemporiki.gr, and protothema.gr and/or international news sites for up-to-the-hour updates on the coronavirus. Be wise and stay safe.

Article sources used above: www.gtp.gr and www.who.int/ and ekathimerini.com
Thursday, 13 August 2020 13:37

Reminiscing The 2004 Athens Olympics

On the 13th of August, 2004, Greece shared its history and culture with the rest of the world with a spectacular Olympic Games opening ceremony.

It was a remarkable evening for the 72,000 spectators who watched the ceremony live at the Athens Olympic Stadium and the hundreds of millions who watched it live on the television.

The ceremony received significant recognition and featured cutting edge technologies such as a giant pool with slip-proof fiberglass flooring, innovative lighting design, and awe-inspiring floating pieces of sculpture. Even though it was widely thought that a small country like Greece would be unable to successfully host the Olympic Games on the evening of the 13th of August 2004, doubters were finally silenced.

A few years later, 2 Americans who worked on the Athens 2004 bid and the Athens Organizing Committee wrote about the fantastic experience they had working for the success of the Games: “The sight of Greeks coming together and delivering a world-class event was deeply impressive and not to be forgotten or dismissed,” Mark Steitz and David Dreyer, wrote in Greek daily Kathimerini.

“We had heard stories of Greek problems, of past bids for the Games gone awry, of negative national traits. We saw the opposite. We were met with humor, patience, and goodwill. Philoxenia was quite for real,” they added.


To read more about the Athens 2004 Opening Ceremony, please visit: greekreporter.com

There is a popular perception that words derived from Greek are long, exotic-sounding, and mostly only used in discussions of science and philosophy. It’s true that there are a lot of Greek words that fit this description. For instance, very few people would use words like otorhinolaryngology, homoousian, ataraxia, or peripeteia in casual conversation.

There are, however, a lot of really simple Greek words that people use nearly every day. Some of these words don’t sound Greek at all because they have passed through so many languages that they no longer bear any of the distinctive sounds or spellings that we normally associate with Greek words, but they are still of Greek origin.

Here is a list of commonly-used words in English that don’t sound Greek, but are ultimately of Greek origin:

  • The word box comes from Late Latin buxis, which comes from earlier Latin pyxis, which comes from the Greek feminine noun πυξίς (pyxís), meaning “box.”
  • The word church comes from the Old English word cirice, which comes from Proto-West Germanic *kirikā, which comes directly from the Greek adjective κυριακόν (kyriakón), meaning “belonging to the Lord.” This word, in turn, comes from the masculine noun κύριος (kýrios), meaning “Lord.”
  • The word idea is derived from the Latin word idea, which is derived from the Greek feminine noun ἰδέα (idéa), meaning “form,” “shape,” “appearance,” “sort,” or “idea.” This word is, in turn, derived from the verb εἴδομαι (eídomai), meaning “to be seen” or “to appear.”
  • The word lamp comes from Middle English lampe, which comes from Old French lampe, which comes from the Latin word lampas, which comes from the Greek feminine noun λαμπάς (lampás), meaning “torch.”
  • The word machine comes from the Latin word machina, which comes from the word μαχανά (machaná), which is the Doric Greek form of the feminine noun better known by its Attic Greek form μηχανή (mēchanḗ), meaning “machine,” “contrivance,” or “device.”
  • The word paper comes from Old French papier, which comes from Latin papyrus, which comes from the Greek masculine noun πάπυρος (pápyros), meaning “papyrus.”
  • The word place comes from Old English plæce, which comes from Latin platea, which comes from πλατεῖα (plateîa), the singular feminine form of the Greek adjective πλατύς (platýs), meaning “flat and wide.”
  • The word plate comes from Old French plate, which comes from Medieval Latin plata, which comes from Vulgar Latin *platus, which comes from the Greek adjective πλατύς (platýs), meaning “flat and wide.”
  • The word problem is derived from Middle French probleme, which is derived from Latin problema, which is derived from the Greek neuter noun πρόβλημα (próblēma), meaning “hindrance,” “obstacle,” or “matter for discussion.”
  • The word sock comes from the Old English word socc, which comes from the Latin word soccus, which comes from the Greek masculine noun σύκχος (sýkchos), which referred to a kind of buskin shoe worn by comic actors.
To read this article in full, please visit: talesoftimesforgotten.com
Thursday, 05 February 2015 14:12

My Week in Athens… Mar 19

Another week of work and more work... Apart from a few visits with my 9month old nephew - and a few overdue visits to the supermarket - this was another week lost to emails, reports and phone calls. Skype is a life saver...!

I know spring is on its way, some say it has already arrived. But I can't help but feel that ever-present longing for the heat of summer, the warm sun on my face. I want to complain that it is 'just too hot'...!

This will have to wait. But in the meantime, maybe I can steal a few hours of escape...

I've always loved Nafplio. It's cute, it's just small enough, it has something for everyone, and it's close enough for a day trip and far enough away to feel that you've actually gone somewhere!

For those who haven't been, I highly recommend a trip. For those who have been, you'll know what I mean...

So I've decided to jump on the bandwagon and join my XpatAthens friends on the day trip next weekend. Good destination, good people, nice lunch, I don't have to worry about driving - my pre-spring break. Well-deserved, I'd say.

Interested? More info click HERE

Should be fun!

Until next week,

Jack


In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…

Monday, 16 February 2015 11:49

Rosebud - Vegetarian Restaurant in Kolonaki

This restaurant needs no introduction. It is one of the most popular places on Skoufas Street. The atmosphere is inspired by one of the best films of all time "Citizen Kane"-with a little intrusive "Tintin" - the bar is loud and the console "plays" a mix of soundtracks, '40s-'60s jazz, bossa nova and sometimes Americana. 'Citizen Kane' is now a vegetarian. He prefers a humus-rich millefeuille of beetroot with a little orange, and molasses from a Samos Muscat, special linguine with crispy wakame leaves, onion and saffron or a delicious burger made with bulgur and grilled pleurotus mushrooms. Do not miss that broccoli velouté soup with coconut milk and a little curry!

Omirou 60 & Skoufa 40, Kolonaki
Tel: 2103392370

Prices: € 20-25
Details: Open for lunch.

 

Do you have a recommendation or recipe to share? Send it to us at ideas@xpatathens.com!

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