We are loving this new space in the cool atrium of the Musuem Of Cycladic Art! The new Cycladic Cafe is a welcome retreat from the hustle and bustle of Athens. Whether visiting the museum or not, it is a perfect spot to relax in the heart of the city. Enjoy free WiFi, coffee, fresh fruit juices and even a light lunch in an inspiring modern Athenian space.

 

 

 

"Clean, crisp, fresh descried in a Doric way. We wanted the space to be a vessel for repose and contemplation were the design elements blend with nature and light and become the backdrop of the human activity. We believe that the space provides for a more serene and calm activity."

Hours Of Operation:
Mon-Wed-Fri-Sat: 10.00-17.00
Thursday: 10.00-20.00
Sunday: 11.00-17.00


Telephone:

2107228321


Location:

Museum Of Cycladic Art

Neofitou Douka 4, Athens, 10674


Website:

A vivious campaign of negative publicity in both international and national media, capital controls, the July 5th referendum, the refugee crisis and the seven months of negotiations with the lenders did not deter foreign tourists coming to Greece, breaking another record of arrivals.

Last year visitors to Greece reached a record 24 million. This year’s projected figures indicate that visitor numbers may exceed  25 million as figures suggest so far.

In the first half of 2015, there was a 21 percent increase in tourist arrivals and revenues rose by 8 percent compared to last year. Revenues from tourism will reach 17 percent of the Greek economy this year, one percentage point higher than the previous year.

To read more, please visit: Apokoronanews

Now that the weather is getting warmer, what better way to explore the city's beautiful neighbourhoods and the historical center of Athens than by bike!

And if you don't own a bike, not to worry! The City of Athens has officially launched a pilot project, like so many other European capitals, for its own bike sharing service. The bicycles will be initially available at Technopolis in Gazi and the service has been available to the public since Thursday March 3rd, 2016.

AthensBikes, as the initiative is called, is a service that offers locals and visitors the opportunity to rent a bicycle in Athens for a small fee. For more information visit their website (in English) here.

 

Source: iefimerida

Author and travel blogger, Marissa Tejada from Travel Greece Travel Europe, shares her secrets to making Sundays in Athens great. While many businesses close on Sunday, Tejada gives us her local insight, giving us plenty of options for a fun Sunday!

Located in the shadow of the Acropolis, Monastiraki is a part of what is known as Old Athens. The neighborhoods surrounding the ancient monument are just as ancient and full of charm.

Plaka is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the world. While you could consider it a touristy section of town — it is totally picturesque and a great place to walk and shop.

While the retail shops are closed on Ermou Street and other retail districts on Sundays, Plaka’s family owned shops are open. So, if you are walking around Plaka during your Sunday in Athens, you can shop for some quality Greek goods.

On Sundays at 10:30 a.m. in Syntagma Square, the presidential guard marches from their barracks to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A good photo opportunity to snap photos of the traditionally dressed evzones.

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

Meet Ahmad Alssaleh from Palmyra, Syria. Although he is only 31 and the youngest of ten children, he is not only unstoppable, he is about to celebrate the first anniversary of one of the most imaginative and best restaurants Culinary Backstreets has ever been to anywhere – not just Athens. His restaurant is called A Little Taste Of Home.

It all started back in 2009 when Alssaleh met Magda, a Greek girl who’d gone to Syria as a tourist. In those days he had been working in tourism himself, organizing “camping safaris” into the desert around the ruins of Palmyra on camelback and horseback and cooking traditional food for his groups. He was extremely successful and is even mentioned in foreign blogs about those happier days.

But happy as they were to be together, finding a job proved impossible in those early years of the “crisis,” and it took 18 months to get a residence permit.

“By now I had a little money, and I went to Poland, where a friend had a hostel for sale, but that didn’t work out. So instead I bought a five-room apartment near Omonia and rented it to refugees. This was when the border with Macedonia closed, and there was a housing shortage. All this time I wanted to open a café with Syrian snacks. Monastiraki was too expensive, but this place [in Gazi] was empty and affordable. Again it took many months to get the permit, and I needed more money to fix it up. My brother had an idea. He was among the refugees stuck at Idomeni, and he said, ‘Why don’t you bring up some bread from Athens? We can’t eat what they give us.’

To read the rest of Alssaleh’s inspiring story, please visit: Culinary Backstreets

Photo Credit: Manteau Stam for Culinary Backstreets

Beginning from July 22, 2018, the process to set up a business or company will only take two days, at the longest. This piece of news is according to a joint ministerial decision determing the mode of operation and the stamp duties at the one-stop shops for establishing an enterprise.

By being set up at one-stop shops, companies are automatically entered into the tax register and receive an registration number (AFM), while the one-stop shop will also automatically inform the Single Social Security Entity (EFKA).

When an application to start a company is submitted at the one-stop shop, the latter must examine all relevant documents and data, and, if the legal prerequisites are met, the process should be completed on the same day or the next.

Applicants also have the option of submitting all documents online, at https://eyms.businessportal.gr.

To read this article in full, please visit: Ekathimerini

With over 11,000 exhibits at the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, it's easy to feel overwhelmed trying to see it all! Luckily, Why Athens put together this list of 7 things you must see while you're visiting the largest museum in Greece.

The Kore (young maiden) and Kouros (young male) were discovered in Mirenda, south-east of Athens in 1972, with the female Kore being fully preserved and considered one of the most important pieces of Archaic art in existence. Both statues were created by the sculptor Aristion of Paros around 550-540BC.

Zeus or Poseidon, the museum itself asks the same question as the experts can’t agree but the locals will tell you it is Zeus. Found in a shipwreck off the island of Euboea (Evia) the hollow cast bronze statue dates back to the early Classical period around 460BC and is one of the few original pieces in existence from this time.

To read this article in full, please visit: Why Athens

Photo source: Wikipedia

The Foundation of the Hellenic World supports the Ministry of Digital Governance's initiative #DigitalSolidarityGR and invites us on an educational and entertaining journey through a series of free online documentaries (in Greek) and their Digital Encyclopaedia of the Hellenic World (in English), both with archaeological, historical and cultural content.

These resources provide thorough insight into Greek history covering as many aspects of Greek culture as possible. You may also like to explore "Hellenic History on the Internet" which is an educational program that has been produced by the Foundation of the Hellenic World and is available in its entirety online. "Hellenic History on the Internet" is an innovative way, regarding both its extent and method, to present Greek history to people all over the world. This significant project has been made possible by distinguished Greek historians, researchers, archaeologists, and information technology experts. It is worth mentioning that it refers to all aspects of Greek activity such as politics, military, history, literature, culture, private life, society, economy, from Prehistory to the present day. It is also accompanied by an extensive bibliography, timelines, and photographic material.

Outlined below are some of the documentaries available on the FHW website (in Greek):

Miletus...A City in Four Dimensions

This 30-minute documentary won 1st prize at the 5th Archaeological Film Festival of Amiens in France. With the use of three-dimensional models, dramatized scenarios, and shots taken in the natural surroundings of Miletus, the ancient city has been restored to its former vigor.

Asia Minor...Echoes of Memory

"Asia Minor...Echoes of Memory" is a visual journey into Asia Minor with a series of 4 half-hour documentaries. Each documentary follows the dramatic dialogue of two voices that travel through time and space in search of their roots. As they move from city to city, they uncover the rich cultural mosaic that forms the history of Asia Minor. 3D reconstructions of monuments complement all 4 documentaries.

The Ever-burning Candle...On the Tracks of Christianity of Asia Minor

CContinuing the Asia Minor theme, this half-hour documentary looks at the history of the church in Asia Minor, from its beginnings until the early 20th century. Of particular significance is the documentary's 3D presentation of the church of the Dormition of the Virgin in Bithynia, destroyed in 1922.

Sea Routes - Cyprus

Cyprus, with its natural ports and diachronic presence of the Greek element, is the subject of the Foundation's last film production. The myths of Cyprus, its history, its natural resources, its people, and the power of the sea that surrounds it create the portrait of an island with strong traditions and its people who are famous for their tremendous inner strength.

Royal Purple Harbors

The documentary brings to life the travels of the Greeks, already from the Minoan period to Lebanon, the land of the Phoenicians, one of the most important commercial centers of the Mediterranean, and reveals the influence of Hellenic culture there.

The House Of Hermogenes

"The House of Hermogenes" is an animated 3d reconstruction of a typical house of Priene based on the research of Prof. Dr. Wolfram Hoepfner. Its subject is to demonstrate the arrangement and the functionality of a residence of the classical period. It has won an Honorable Mention in the Use of Animation category in "The Archaeology Channel International Film and Video Festival."

Originally posted in Greek on Skai.gr

Translated by Codico Lab

 

 

You probably would never think this, but Athens is one of the best cities in the world to cycle!

Ringed by mountains on three sides and with the coastline of the Saronic Gulf on the other, few capitals can compete with such majestic geography and a warm, dry climate that makes cycling a comfortable proposition all year round.

 

On your bike!
Your first Athenian cycling experience should start with the pedestrianised circle that rings the Acropolis, passing through Plaka, Anafiotika, Monastiraki, Thissio, and Koukaki, with a slight detour to pedal around the National Garden. Not only is this one of the most beautiful urban rides anywhere in the world, but it takes you on a journey through three millennia: from the ruins of Ancient Greek and Roman temples and monuments; Byzantine churches and Ottoman mosques; to the bustle of the modern city today.

Head for the coast
To leave the centre behind and escape to the sea, you can take the 7-kilometre bike track that begins at Thissio Metro station. This entirely flat and traffic-free route is perfect for riders of all skill levels. After riding down Ermou, follow the green-painted track along the side of Metro Line 1, through the leafy and serene Athenian suburbs of Petralona, Kallithea, and Moschato. Follow the route of the ancient Ilissos River (now sadly buried beneath asphalt and apartment blocks) all the way to an incredible coastline reveal from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Faliro. (But be careful not to miss the left turn across the bridge at Lamprou Katsoni.)

From here, you can trundle along the seafront promenade of the Athens Riviera, passing through Flisvos Marina, Palio Faliro, and Alimos to the buzzy coastal suburb of Glyfada. Or, if you have the legs (and a suitable bike), you can ride the full 60 kilometres to Cape Sounion and Poseidon's Temple, as many Athenians do in the evenings and at weekends. Hugging the shore all the way, this spectacular ride offers many opportunities to swim and cool off, on organized beaches at Vouliagmeni, Varkiza, Lagonisi, and Saronida, or any of the more wild, free coves running the length of the coastline.

For challenge seekers
For more ambitious and independent riders, you can find incredible routes and challenging terrain in almost any direction. The near-1,000 metre Mount Ymittos can be reached by a grueling hour's climb from the city centre. Further afield, climbing Mount Pendeli gives you a thrilling descent down the other side towards the coast and beaches around Schinias. Tackling the formidable Mount Parnitha rewards you with an otherworldly, almost lunar landscape around the casino and an eerie, abandoned sanatorium.

For mountain bikers, the Parnitha National Park offers some intense trails, as does Hymettus, although that's a far rockier proposition. Trails through the cypress, olive, and citrus orchards of Tatoi, home to the former Royal Palace 27 kilometres north of Athens, are easier and more accessible for beginners.

It's true that investment in cycling infrastructure hasn't matched the pace of other European capitals in recent years, like Amsterdam, Copenhagen, or even London. Safety is still a concern and traffic pollution in summer heat can be oppressive. But cyclists are a growing community and the Municipality of Athens has committed to ensuring that cycling plays an increasing role in the city's future, by designating a number of strategic new bike lanes across the city as part of its Great Athens Walk project to create a less motorised metropolis.

To read this article in full and learn more cycling tips visit: thisisathens.org

Photo by: Thomas Gravanis