I feel it’s one of the defining ‘Athens centre’ districts, and has remained uniquely authentic and still somewhat off most tourist maps.  So I jumped at the invitation to join a group of friends on a photography walk of Psirri. We grabbed cameras and tripods and set out to wander the little side streets of the neighbourhood on a warm but overcast Saturday afternoon.

Past the main streets of the area, the more obvious with the little tavernas and bars, we wandered onto a series of streets and alleys that are covered in graffiti – the kind of grafitti one actually enjoys and wants to photograph. Psirri is the definition of street art. It’s grungy and shabby-chic, but also completely authentic and absolutely ‘local’.

Later, we stopped for a drink – and in wintertime Psirri one must order oinomelo or it’s stronger cousin rakomelo. This is wine or raki, sweetened with honey, and served steaming hot. A greek version of glüwein? Perhaps, but rakomelo is oh-so-Psirri.

We sat at Liosporos, one of those places I pass every time I’m in Psirri, but have never been in. I loved it. Small, cute, quaint, grungy enough to be authentic and styled enough to be comfortable. Nice vibe, good music, warm rakomelo.

Even if you think you know it well, check out Psirri – wander past the main streets, get lost, be brave – and be rewarded with one of Athens coolest neighbourhoods.

If nothing else, go for the rakomelo.

Liosporos
http://psirri.gr/liosporos/en/index.html
Miaouli 24
210 331 1841

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…

The isolated aspect of this beautiful area, combined with the independent nature of its inhabitants meant that some traditions developed separately from the rest of the Peloponnese and Greece so that a distinct society made its mark on the landscape. To this day the architecture of the area is famed for the tower houses and fortified family dwellings from the period of the Ottoman occupation of Greece.

Olive groves opaque with pollen, meadows carpeted with wild flowers, melting snow water gushing down mountain-sides before sinking into underground streams to reform as icy tendrils that curl about one's feet on early morning swims from empty beaches. This is springtime in the Mani. Uncluttered and pristine, it is a wild place; the people once infamous for banditry and the landscape contrasting between arid, ochreous rocks scattered with ruined tower citadels and cypress-strewn olive groves leading to the clear, blue Ionian sea.

Byzantine streets lined with castellated houses of golden stone lead to the sparkling sea. Tiny domed churches, some little bigger than beehives, pepper the hillsides, each one filled with colorful frescoes like Byzantine jewel boxes. The perilous road to the Inner Mani leads from the lush hill groves of Kardamili to a bleached splendor of rock and tower, and there are many nameless little beaches along the way.

Until recently, many Mani villages could be reached only by sea or precipitous donkey tracks. This was due in part to the topography and poverty of the area but also a strategic defense against frequent coastline attacks from invading armies, not to mention pirates. Over the centuries, homes became increasingly like fortresses and as the population grew they turned in on themselves to fatal effect.

The villages are famed for their tower houses from which rival families shot each other with cannons in vendettas that lasted generations. Shattered towers scatter the hilltops like miniature castles and the feeling of a shuttered inner-world remains in the crumbling hamlets, silent and brooding under the glare of the southern sun.

To read more, please visit ManiGuide and The Guardian

Perhaps one of the greatest virtues of Greece as a wedding destination is that its variety of landscapes permits the couple to really be in control of the aesthetics and tone of their wedding.

With that in mind, we’ve put together some of the most popular Greek wedding destinations and themes to inspire you.

Destinations

Santorini

Santorini is one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean and is justifiably one of the most popular wedding destinations in Greece. The island features the famous blue and white villas and churches, excellent beaches, and fantastic views stretching out over the blue water. The laid back and clean aesthetic of the island lends itself to small and personal weddings, though that’s not to say there isn’t plenty of scope to invite hundreds of your friends and turn it into a big wedding – there is. Whichever one you decide on, it’s hard to go wrong in an area as beautiful as this.

Kefalonia

The island of Kefalonia may only be 50km long and 25km wide, but it manages to pack a lot of romantic views into its small space. With beautiful beaches, stunning water, and an untouched atmosphere that is seldom replicated elsewhere, the island is the ideal place for a small beach ceremony with an intimate audience of family and friends.

Themes

Cruise Weddings

A great way to have a Greek wedding and begin your honeymoon is by taking a cruise wedding, in which you get to share the build-up to the ceremony, the ceremony, and week-long after party with your friends and family. A cruise wedding isn’t a Vegas wedding, however – you’ll still enjoy as much control over the day as you would if it were taking place on land. With so many beautiful Greek islands worth visiting, a cruise wedding is a great way to see them all and make your wedding especially unforgettable – it is also convenient for those couples who can’t decide which picturesque landscape they want in the background of their wedding photos.

Greek Group Weddings

With overseas weddings growing in popularity each year, couples are thinking of ever more creative ways to keep the costs down and turn their dream wedding into a reality. One of the most fun ways to do this is to double, triple, or even quadruple or more up with other engaged couples and have a group wedding, thus slashing costs. Sixteen couples recently wed in one massive ceremony on the island of Crete, taking the idea of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” to a whole new level! While it’s unlikely to save you big money on flights or accommodation, you can save on rentals, food packages, and just about everything else connected to a wedding (though feel free to splurge on your own dress!).

Greek Style

Most people who get married in Greece do so because of the beauty of the landscape, but those who delve a little deeper will find that adding a healthy dose of Greek culture to the ceremony adds plenty of potential to make it unique, stylish, and memorable. The beauty of this approach is that it is so simple – just think about Greek culture while planning! This means adding plenty of fish and local fruit in your meals, serving Greek olives, and making sure all the wine comes from within the country. You can even find plenty of wedding dresses inspired by Ancient Greece and include local music, dances, and customs into your ceremony and after party. If you really want to be Greek, follow the age-old custom and turn your wedding into a three day celebration – it’ll be worth it!

Final Advice

The hospitality and beauty of Greece makes it an unforgettable wedding location. And the beauty of a Greek wedding is that there are no rules to follow – you can have an intimate or extravagant ceremony, choose a romantic island or the bustling city of Athens; the choice is yours. Whichever you decide, take the time to really think about what your perfect wedding would look like – because in Greece, it’s probably achievable.

By Jemma Bond

Photo: iefimerida.gr

There is no legal age in Greece and some suggest this is why most children learn to drink moderately. Clubs and retail stores sell alcoholic drinks to those overf 16 and lately driving laws and regulations have become stricter to avoid alcohol-related car accidents.

Tsipouro

Tsipouro is a Greek traditional distillation product from the pomace of grapes (the residue of the wine press) particularly brewed in Thessaly (Tsipouro Tyrnavou,) Epirus, Macedonia, Mani Peninsula and the island of Crete, where Cretans call it tsikoudia. Tsipouro is a strong distilled spirit containing approximately 45 percent alcohol. Other areas of Greece use the name raki.

According to tradition, the first production of tsipouro was the work of Greek Orthodox monks. This occurred during the 14th Century on Mount Athos in Macedonia. The idea of using the pomace left over from the wine-making process produce a distilled spirit was passed to viticulturists in poorer regions across the country.

Depending on the time of year, tsipouro is used either as refreshment or as a hot beverage, and depending on the time of day, it replaces for many the drinking of coffee or wine. It is usually served in shot glasses, with ice, often with delicious meze including feta, ham, olives, tomatoes, halva or other desserts in restaurants.

Ouzo

This anise-flavored aperitif is a symbol of Greek culture and has many scores of thousands of enthusiasts in Greece and Cyprus. Deriving from the anise flavored version of tsipouro, modern ouzo distillation largely took off in the beginning of the 19th Century following the Greek independence fight, with production blooming mainly on the island of Lesbos, which claims to be the originator of the drink and remains a major producer. In the early 20th Century when absinthe was gradually abandoned, ouzo rose as the new substitute.

In 1932, ouzo producers developed a method of distillation using copper stills that is now the standard method of production. One of the largest producers of ouzo today is Varvayiannis, located in the town of Plomari in the southeast portion of Lesbos, while in the same town Pitsiladi, a variety of high quality ouzo is also distilled.

Ouzo is traditionally mixed with water, becoming cloudy white, and served with ice cubes in a small glass. Ouzo can also be drunk straight from a shot glass. Served with a small plate of a variety of appetizers called mezes, usually small fresh fish, fries, olives and feta cheese, ouzo has a smooth yet distinctly sweetened taste that can bring light-headedness in only a few shots.

Ouzito

Ouzito, as you may have imagined is a coctail with ouzo. The Greek answer to mojito – as many call it- is a mix of mint, lemon, soda water, sugar and ouzo. Making the coctail you can also use Coke instead of soda water in case you want it to be more sweet and have a less liquerish taste. Ouzito is moreof an after food drink, rather than a drink to accompany your food.

Retsina

Retsina has been something like the national beverage for Greeks since the 1960′s. Produced from Greek white (or rosé) resinated wine, the beverage has been made for at least 2000 years. Its unique flavor is said to have originated from the practice of sealing wine vessels, particularly amphorae, with Aleppo Pine resin in ancient times.

Popular legend has it that the evolution of retsina stems from the Roman conquest of Greece. Stories claim that the Romans plundered the wines of Greece, angering the citizens who turned to pine resin as a way of extending their store of wine and as a deterrent to their thirsty conquerors. The harsh flavor was said to put off the Romans, who refused to drink the bitter ferment.

In Greece, local retsina is produced throughout the country with widely popular brands being Malamatina, Tsantali, Kourtaki and Georgiadis. Major production centers around Attica, Boeotia and Euboea. Retsina should be served extremely cold, and in wide, open glasses along with delicious savory, spicy meze.

Wine

Greece is one of the oldest wine-producing regions in the world dating back some 6,500 years. In ancient Greece, wine was produced in households or communities and soon became a main product of trading between the Mediterranean people. The geographical anatomy of the country and its climate serve the brewing of some 300 elegant indigenous wine varieties in the best possible way, such as in Assyrtiko (Santorini island,) Aghiorgitiko (Peloponnese,) Malagousia (Macedonia,.) Robola (Kephalonia,) Mavrodaphne (Peloponnese and Ionian islands,) Amorgiano (Rhodes and Crete) and many others.

The vast quantity and flavors of Greek wines make it imperative for everyone to taste a glass of God Dionysus’ liquor with their food. When in a restaurant remember to share your wine from the karafe or bottle because that’s common when eating with Greeks.

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Stella Tsolakidou

Learn more about OXI Day in Greece and explore Athens in the fall! 

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