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Whatever your preference in food and drinks, these restaurants in Athens serve a variety of meze-style dishes in beautiful courtyards and gardens, perfect for a quick meal and a relaxing evening with friends.

Pyroliki
This garden restaurant in Metaxourgeio offers traditional Greek food with a twist. Friendly and cozy ambiance, an atmospheric backyard, and flavors from all over Greece will travel your mind to Crete and the Greek islands. Start with delicious seafood appetizers along with a glass of ouzo, wine, or Cretan raki, and continue your meal with typical Greek dishes! 

Location: 117 Megalou Alexandrou, Metaxourgeio
Telephone: 210 3420293

Rozalia
Rozalia is a great option for dinner in the Exarcheia neighborhood of Athens. It is a family-run taverna that serves grills and home-style fare. The dishes are brought around on a tray, so you can see, point and pick! Its distinctive character and beautiful garden make it an ideal destination.

Location: Valtetsiou 59, Exarcheia
Telephone: 210 3802725

Metaxou
Metaxou will make you feel just like home! Enjoy their delicious traditional greek appetizers, such as cheese pies, revithokeftedes, soutzoukakia, wine from the island of Ikaria, and occasionally live music.

Location: 10 Pithodorou, Metaxourgeio
Telephone: 210 5229290

Kouvelos
Located in the area of Koukaki, Kouvelos serves traditional Greek food in a romantic garden. Start with the deep-fried cheese pie, a specialty from Skopelos island, and end your meal with homemade hazelnut liqueur. 

Location: Genneou Kolokotroni 66, Athina 
Telephone: 211 4052418
 
Karderina

This garden in the area of Petralona attracts many Athenians and foreigners for its exceptional greek food and mezes, its famous tsipouro, and, of course, its affordable prices!

Location: 67 Kallisthenous, Ano Petralona
Telephone: 210 3454000
 
Hollywood movie star and heart-throb, Matthew McConaughey, recently appeared on Jimmy Fallon's 'The Tonight Show' to promote his new film called 'White Boy Rick.' While they did talk about the film, what caught our attention was his mention of his love for Greece!

McConaughey and his family, including his mother, father-in-law, wife, and kids, as well as Woody Harrelson's family, recently spent 3 weeks in a house in Antiparos this summer, relishing the Greek lifestyle. In the funny clip below, McConaughey tells Fallon about how his family loved Greece so much, that they decided to extend their holiday. However, when his mom was prepared to leave as planned, it didn't take too much convincing for her to stay!

In response to the need to quickly map the spread of the new coronavirus in Greece, post-graduate students from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens have created an application for the general public to quickly and easily report their symptoms.

If You Have Symptoms - Here's What To Do

Only complete this online survey if you have experienced any COVID-19 symptoms and allow your device to share your location. The process takes less than a minute and your responsible response can help map confirmed and presumptive cases of COVID-19 in Greece. 

The tracking system was developed as part of the MSc program "Environmental, Disaster, and Crisis Management Strategies."
Athens has surprisingly good running routes. Not just because of their beautiful locations, often surrounded by antiquities, but also due to their relative calm.

In the winter, you could be running in Athens’ “Central Park” of Philopappou, right below the Acropolis, with the historic hill all to yourself. What a treat!

 
Panathenaic Stadium
One of Athens’ best-kept secrets, this 500 metre racetrack on the rim of the Panathenaic marble stadium (home of the first modern-day Olympic Games) boasts some of the city’s most spectacular views. Accessible only from the rear, through a green gate on Archimidous Street, it is very much open and free to use, as long as you don’t enter the actual stadium. Although this wonderful track can get crowded in the afternoons, it is very quiet in the mornings and truly magical to run along, taking in the views of the Acropolis, Lycabettus Hill, and the glowing white stadium below.

Philopappou Hill
The location of choice for serious runners and probably the coolest place to jog in Athens. Imagine running all by yourself amongst wildflowers and catching cinematic glimpses of the Acropolis through clearings in the pine trees. Start at the entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou walkway and turn left into the trees just before the church of St Demetrius. Try to follow the route to the old quarry and from there past the rock-climbing area. Meandering along the wall of rocks you will get to the landscaped stone path of Dimitris Pikionis that leads up to the monument of Philopappou on the summit. Take the opposite direction and rejoin the main path leading right. You will reach the wooden observatory and the dramatic seat of the ancient Pnyx, from where you can almost touch the Parthenon. This is what it would feel like to run in Ancient Greece (minus the sandals!). 

Laimos Vouliagmenis / Ladies Run
Ladies Run, the first and only race exclusively for women in Greece, takes place every October. It has the added perk of following a breath-taking route by the sea, along Vouliagmeni’s pine-studded Laimos peninsula. Of course, you can enjoy the same route all year round, especially if you are staying in the southern suburbs near the sea. The Ladies’ Run starts in front of Astir Beach (Athens’ most elite beach) and moves up Apollonos Street as far as the tip of the peninsula, taking in some of the scenic promenades inside the swish new Four Seasons resort. Having enjoyed the splendid views, run back in the opposite direction to the marina. Follow the Ladies Run route along the marina, past the yachting extravaganza, and then retrace your steps back to the beach.

Alsos Syngrou
This large, under-visited park is on the way to the northern suburb of Kifissia (and close to the business hub of Maroussi if you are travelling to Athens for work). Apart from the fragrant pine trees that cover most of the park, Alsos Syngrou has other attractions such as a small pistachio grove, a vineyard, a theatre, a small lake, sports courts, and the city’s only Gothic Orthodox church, designed by the renowned Saxon architect Ernst Ziller. It is also a must-visit if you are training for the Athens Marathon: A full swing around the park is a tenth of the classic route, or 4.2 kilometres—ideal for clocking in long runs.

National Garden
Your best bet for an easy run in the city centre, especially if you are staying around Syntagma and Kolonaki. The National Garden has many paths that are clearly mapped near each entrance. Attractions include ancient Greek columns, a Roman mosaic, rare century-old trees from around the globe, and a small animal enclosure. The best thing about running in the National Garden, apart from the downtown location, is that you never get bored with the routes on offer: an abundance of promenades, alleys, cul-de-sacs and lawns for stretching guarantee variety, though the layout is not ideal for those craving speed.

This content was originally published on This Is Athens

Written by: Anthony Grant
Photo by: Thomas Gravanis

Whether you've just arrived in town – or have been here for years – Athens always has new secrets to share! 

This is Athens is the official guide to this captivating city of ancient energies and booming urban culture. Compiled by a team of specialist local writers, This is Athens brings you an authentic and intimate portrait of a living Athens beyond the guidebooks – along with daily curated listings of all the best events and great weekend inspiration all-year round. From must-know neighbourhoods and emerging art hubs, to gourmet hotspots, cool shopping and the buzziest bars, This is Athens will help you to get the most out of living in Athens!
 
Thank you This is Athens for your contribution as an XpatAthens Partner.
 
Although most famous for its beaches and islands, 80% of Greece is mountainous, meaning that a wide variety of nutritious and delicious herbs can be found growning in the country's slopes. 

Used all across the country in traditional cooking and get-well home brews, these herbs not only smell and taste great, but also have a number of healing attributes.



Fliskouni


Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Also known as mountain mint, fliskouni has been known as a natural aphrodisiac since the ancient times, while ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Arabs also used it as medicine. Among others, it is believed to stimulate the nervous system and promote the strength of the respiratory system, battling respiratory diseases such as asthma. It can also be used as a flavoring in cooking and confectionery and if you ever catch a cold, it's the perfect frangnat hot drink!

Marjoram

Marjoram flowers
Credit: SKsiddhartthan/Wikimedia Commons

Marjoram has been cultivated in Greece since the ancient times and it's used extensively in Greek cuisine as well, paired with meat, salads, cheese, and bread. It's a natural tranquilizer and has numerous therapeutic properties. It's commonly used for runny nose, cough, common cold, other infections, and various digestion problems, while the steam produced by the hot infusion of this herb is very helpful for the human respiratory system.

Sage

Dried sage in a glass jar, fresh sage on the vintage wooden table, preparation of medicinal herbs drying, selective focus (Dried sage in a glass jar, fresh sage on the vintage wooden table, preparation of medicinal herbs drying, selective focus, ASCII
Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto

Known for its strong aroma and earthy flavor, sage is also packed with a variety of important nutrients and strong antioxidant properties. In ancient Greece is was considered a holy herb and women used to brew it for their husbands as a fertility-tonic. The herb is thought to stimulate brain function, boosting memory and preventing various congitive disorters, while it's also known to reduce blood sugar levels, support oral health, and protect against certain cancers. 

Mountain Tea

Mountain Tea
Credit: Lemur12/Wikimedia Commons


Mountain tea is the most commonly found Greek herbal tea and, thanks to its mild and sweet aroma, it is deliciously drunk both hot or iced. It's also called Sideritis, a name given to it in ancient times, to describe its capability of healing wounds caused by iron weapons during battles. It has a number of antioxidant, antimicrobial and antifungal properties, while it's used to help cope with stress and various inflammations of the respiratory system. 

Dittany

Dittany

Credit: Aqua1975/Wikimedia Commons

Originating from the island of Crete, dittany, also known as erontas, meaning "youthful love" is considered an aphrodisiac. It has been widely used for medicinal purpose and even Hippocrated had acknowledged is healthy properties, as he used it to treat stomach aches and facilitate digesting process. Tea made from dittany is used to relieve headaches while its essential oils have antiseptic and anti-fungal properties and can be used to treat burns.


The British magazine "Conde Nast Traveller" has highlighted the Greek islands of Lipsi and Patmos as must-do destinations that should be at the top of every international traveler's list, underlining their spiritual aspects that promote well-being.

Patmos, with its unspoiled landscapes and its cultural heart, is a real pleasure for the body and soul, the article said, pointing to the additional glamour provided by Unesco world heritage monuments such as the Cave of the Apocalypse and St John's Monastery, or the pretty central village of Chora, while providing everything that the modern tourist requires.

A few miles away, the island Lipsi offers a 'castaway' experience and seclusion, with Conde Nast describing it as the "ultimate switch-off destination" for enjoying the simple pleasures, such as swimming in its blue-green waters, hiking, and dining in traditional restaurants.

Originally published on: tornosnews.gr

Main image: @pascalidou
The Hotel Grande Bretagne in Athens celebrated the beginning of the holiday season with its traditional Christmas Tree lighting event in its lobby in a festive atmosphere. The ceremony included Christmas carols performed by the children’s choir of the educational institution “Themistoklis”. Volunteers of the non-profit organization PNOE were also present at the event informing guests about their important initiatives. 
 
Everyone enjoyed themselves with the overwhelming Christmas spirit, exchanged happy wishes, and had the chance to watch the Hotel’s new Christmas video. Every year, the glittering 7.5 meters tall Christmas tree has been the highlight, decorated with impressive garlands, special ornaments, and more than 10,000 lights creating a glowing festive background in the lobby.  
 
Being part of a socially responsible company, Hotels Grande Bretagne and King George continue their special fundraising campaign. From December 1st and for six months, €1.50 will be added on top of each bill issued at the GB Roof Garden and Tudor Hall restaurants with the customers’ consent and will be donated to support PNOE non-profit organization in its pioneering work, aimed at providing medical equipment to Intensive Care Units for children and neonates. 

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Thursday, 05 February 2015 14:59

Cats?

Full disclosure: I never know what to say when a friend calls and asks, “Do you have plans tonight?” My instinct is to be honest, but my self-serving, suspicious side normally replies, “Yes, I’m supposed to go to… But what did you have in mind?”

So I was pleasantly surprised on Saturday when I was offered a free ticket to see Cats at the Badminton Theatre. I accepted with a smile, and a small pang of guilt…

Badminton Theatre itself is pretty nice. It’s the re-purposed badminton stadium from the 2004 Olympics. It’s not a fancy ‘posh’ theatre – it’s rather industrial, ‘modern’, efficient. A nice example of what can be done with ex-Olympic venues. More than ok. And accessible by metro, a short walk from Katehaki station.

Saturday night was almost a full house, with lots of international, expat types – I could hear English all around. The play itself was in English, and the theatre has Greek subtitles showing on electronic boards above the stage.

It was a London production – costumes great, set great, music great with a live orchestra (which I couldn't actually see, but I suppose one should believe them…). We had 15 eur seats, the ‘cheap seats’, but I could see and hear perfectly.

I had never seen Cats, I never really paid much attention – all I really knew was that it has been wildly popular, and has run continuously since the 1980s.

Here’s the thing: Cats is kind of dumb. It’s two+ hours of cats singing. Literally. It’s one song after another, each one about a different type of cat – the sneaky cat, the funny cat, the lazy cat, etc….  No real story that I could follow, no drama, no resolution. Just cats. Singing.

My apologies to all those who love the story – and I’m no expert on musicals – but Cats just didn’t do it for me…

But hey, for a different night out in Athens, check out Badminton Theatre – there is sure to be a show that satisfies!

Badminton Theatre

www.badmintontheater.gr


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…

Tuesday, 17 February 2015 15:44

What To See In Athens

Daily events (including music, bars, museums, galleries, markets etc.)

 

 
 
 
 
 
Acropolis

Summer daily 8am-7pm; winter daily 8.30am-3pm and floodlit by night
The Acropolis is a rocky mound rising above Plaka. It is the birthplace of Athens, and crowned by three ancient temples, the best known being the Parthenon.

Agorá
Daily
In ancient times Athens' political, administrative and cultural heart, today the Ancient Agora in Monastiraki is a green landscape dotted with crumbling ruins.

Balthazar
Daily
Balthazar is an exclusive bar-restaurant set in a romantic walled garden decorated with fairy lights.

 

 
Battleship Averoff Museum
Daily
The Battleship Averoff is the most important and impressive surviving naval vessel in the history of the Hellenic Navy. Commissioned in 1911, it served for 44 years.
 

Benaki Museum
Daily; not Tue
Occupying a neo-classical house in Kolonaki, the Benaki Museum offers a walk through the history of Greek art from 3000 BC up to the 20th century. Exhibits are laid out in chronological order.

 Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Daily; not Mon
The Islamic Museum in Athens, part of the Benaki Museum, has relocated to a bigger building for a better viewing experience. The neoclassical complex houses works from India, Persia, and Asia.


Byzantine & Christian Museum
Daily; not Mon
In its underground exhibition space in Kolonaki, the Byzantine and Christian Museum traces the Byzantine Empire from the birth of Christianity to the 1453 fall of Constantinople.

Centre of Hellenic Tradition
Daily
For orignal souvenirs and gifts, call at the Centre of Hellenic Tradition, which stock authentic Greek folk art.
 

Dimitris Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art
Daily
The Dimitris Pierides Museum of Contemporary Art houses over a thousand paintings, sculptures, engravings and ceramics and includes works by artists from Greece and Cyprus.

Frissiras Museum
Daily; not Mon or Tue
In Plaka, the Frissaras Museum is Greece's only museum to contemporary European painting. There's a permanent collection, dedicated to the human figure, as well as pieces by Hockney.

Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
Daily; not Tue or Sun
In Kolonaki, the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art is revered for its collection of elegant marble figurines. Surprisingly contemporary in style, these enigmatic pieces were placed in burial sites.


Kerameikos Archaeological Site
Daily
The Kerameikos was the potters' quarter of classical Athens and also the official cemetery of the city. Today it is a tranquil and fascinating archaeological site, away from the bustle of the city.

Lykavittos
Daily
Athens' highest point, 295 metres high, Mount Lykavittos is served by cable car from Kolonaki. Paths zigzag up through pinewoods to the summit, capped by a whitewashed church and cafe.

Monastiraki Flea Market
Daily
Like an Eastern bazaar, the open-fronted stores of Monastiraki Market stock copperware, backgammon sets, army surplus gear, leather goods and cheap jewellery. On busy Sunday mornings, everyone meets here.

Museum of the City of Athens
Daily; not Tue
The Museum of the City of Athens is housed in a neoclassical building constructed in 1833 which was used as King Otto's temporary palace from 1836-1842.

Museum of Greek Folk Art
Daily; not Mon
The Museum of Greek Folk Art in Plaka displays costumes, embroidery, jewellery, ceramics, arms and folk theatre artefacts from around Greece. Don't miss the Theofilis Room.


Museum of Greek Traditional Instruments
Daily; not Mon or Sun
Hidden away in pretty Plaka, the Museum of Greek Traditional Instruments displays 1,200 musical instruments, ranging from gypsy flutes to shepherds' goatskin bagpipes.
 

 

National Archaeological Museum
Daily
National Archaeological Museum
Home to the world's finest collection of ancient Greek art, the marble-floored National Archaeological Museum, near Omonia, displays larger-than-life sculptures of heroes from Greek mythology.

National Gallery of Art
Daily; not Tue
Tired of ruins? Make sure you visit the biggest picture and portrait gallery in Greece, the National Gallery, or Ethniki Pinakotheki.


National Gardens
Daily
Designed as the grounds of the 19th-century royal palace, now the Parliament, the National Gardens in Syntagma display lush planting, duck ponds, strutting peacocks and a small zoo.

Numismatic Museum
Daily; not Mon
With a history going back to 1829, Athens' Numismatic Museum is one of the few of its kind in the world and the only such museum in the Balkans. The strength of its collection lies in some of the world's oldest coins.

Plaka
Daily
The Plaka sits in the shadow of the Acropolis in the oldest part of Athens and with most of the streets closed to automobile traffic, it is one of the most pleasant neighbourhoods in the city.

Roman Forum
Daily
From 1BC to 4AD, traders met in the Roman Forum - a rectangular courtyard lined with shops. Also on the site in Plaka stands the octangular Tower of the Winds, built in 1BC by Macedonian workers.

Spyros Vassiliou Museum
Daily
The home and studio of Greek artist Spyros Vassiliou (1902/3-1985) is now open to the public as a museum and archive, becoming the principal authority on the artist.

Stavros Melissinos
Daily; not Sun
Stavros Melissinos began crafting handmade leather sandals in 1954. When poet Stavros retired in 2004, the shop moved to Psirri and is now run by his son, Pantelis.


Technopolis
Daily
The once run-down industrial area of Gazi began its transformation into Athens' most happening nightlife district with the opening of Technopolis in 1999. Occupying the former city gasworks.

Vorres Museum
Daily
The Vorres Museum consists of a complex of ten acres of buildings, courtyards and gardens. Its collection of over 6000 items covers 4000 years of Greek history.


War Museum
Daily; not Mon
The War Museum of Athens explores the history of warfare from stone axes to heavy artillery. Other exhibits cover the classical and medieval period, the Greek War of Independence and conflicts.

 

 

Thursday, 19 February 2015 12:29

Greek Startups ‘Dream Team’ Goes To London

IRISena is a promising Greek startup that will take part in DroidCon London 2014, one of the most important European exhibitions on development and new technologies. 

Along with IRISena, characterized as one of the most innovative products in the field (a smartphone communication tool that delivers relevant information to one’s audience or other defined user groups anytime, anywhere), the infamous Taxibeat, Workable, Dopios and LazyPub form the “dream team” of Greek startups, that have been chosen amongst hundreds to participate in the conference, next to colossal new technology companies. The “magnificent five” of Greek startups will be in London’s Business Design Centre on October 30 and 31.

Even though IRISena is a new-born company, it has already won its place amongst the other four that will also be presented in DroidCon London with their own kiosks, as it has managed to convince both the investors and the public that it will have an impact on the field. Being placed on the lists of www.eu-startups.com and European Startup Initiative with the top five promising Greek startups, its developers have the chance to secure their own position in the world of computer technology.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Aggelos Skordas
 

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