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

The news and lifestyle source, The Guardian, shared their top picks for the new museum openings in 2017 and the National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST) in Athens is recognized on their list!

‘The reconstruction of EMST has been quite a tale, with over a decade financial and bureaucratic setbacks. Still, in October 2016 it was finally ready for a soft launch, inaugurating the temporary exhibition space with the show Urgent Conversations: Athens–Antwerp in its newly reconstructed home in the old Fix brewery. The permanent collection is pegged to be unveiled in autumn 2017, when the museum is expected to finally open in its entirety.’

Other top new museum openings include the Institue of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, Design Society in China, and the Museum Barberini in Germany.

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

Hotel Grande Bretagne wins a Golden Chef’s hat award, there’s a new bike-friendly hotel in Athens, Athens Int’l airport is fighting climate change, and more!

 

As August is the month that most Greeks take their summer vacation, port authorities are advising travelers to arrive an hour earlier at the point of their departure as increased passenger traffic is expected at the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrion.

On just the first day of the August, 21 ferry routes took place from Piraeus port, as 23,036 passengers, 3,336 private cars, 742 trucks and 607 motorcycles departed for various Aegean islands.

According to data from the central port authorities and ferry companies, last June, July and August a total of 1,423,646 passengers departed from Piraeus to various Aegean islands and 469,917 passengers traveled to islands in the Argosaronic.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Registrations are now open!

Global sports figure Mike Tindall joins this year’s event!

Costa Navarino presents the 3rd edition of Messinia Pro-Am , 20-23 February 2019. The international golf tournament will welcome a total of 30 teams, while professionals will be competing for a total prize fund of 30,000 euros.

Among this year’s participants, a global sports figure will be joining Messinia Pro-Am: Former international rugby player Mike Tindall that represented England 75 times and 5 times as captain over a 17 year career.

Registrations for the 3rd Messinia Pro-Am are now open at the official tournament website, HERE  and will close on January 18 th 2019.

Those who register until October 20 th 2018 will benefit from an “early bird” discount on their participation packages.

The tournament will take place at the award-winning golf courses of Costa Navarino , which has been selected by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) as the “European Golf Resort of the Year 2017”. The two signature 18-hole golf courses, The Dunes Course and The Bay Course will once again host professional and amateur golfers, for a four-day event filled with unique experiences both on and off the course.

The 3 rd Messinia Pro-Am is organized in collaboration with the PGAs of Europe and is held under the auspices of PGA of Greece and the Hellenic Golf Federation .

AEGEAN, a member of Star Alliance, is the official airline partner of the event. The
company was awarded for the seventh consecutive year and for the eighth time in nine
years, as "Best Regional Airline in Europe" at the Skytrax World Airline Awards.

Erasmus is the official travel partner coordinating and ensuring the smooth registration
& accommodation process.

For those wishing to stay at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and enjoy the full
programme of Messinia Pro-Am, special accommodation packages are available HERE!

Watch the Messinia Pro-Am Video HERE!

Hashtag: #messiniaproam

( Photo credit: Vassilis Sfakianopoulos )

The center of Athens is the hub for most of the city’s museums, attractions, and cultural events. One of the newest additions to Athens’ museum and entertainment scene is the Museum of Illusions in Monastiraki which opened its doors to the public last September.

 

Get ready to enter a world of illusion, a world that will confuse your mind and senses. The Museum of Illusions is a visual, sensory, and educational experience that will impress children and adults alike.

 

Be brave enough to jump in an illusion created by the Vortex Tunnel that will drive you crazy and make you believe you’re struggling to make a step forward through the rotating cylinder – on a surface so stable and flat! See a deformed reflection of yourself in the Mirror Room, let yourself free in the Infinity Room, resist the laws of gravity and size ratio, and take pictures of yourself and your friends in every possible pose!

 

Before leaving make sure to visit the Playroom, a room full of intriguing and educational games, puzzles, and brain bashers that are great fun but can be quite frustrating as well.

 

Museum of Illusions

Address: Ermou 119 (entrance from Astiggos 12)

 

Photo Credit: Museum of Illusions

Who would have expected that? Greece is making important steps towards a smoke-free country through campaigns and strict fines! Also, if you're thinking on going on an excursion then look no further, because Sparta might be the right destination for you! Discover more details in our newsletter.

The area around the theater on Lycabettus Hill in central Athens is about to undergo a complete makeover. According to Topio7, the architectural and landscape design firm, which won the competition to undertake the project, the redesign will concentrate on highlighting the hill's rugged scenery and the stunning views of the capital that spreads below the hill.

 

Panita Karamanea, one of the company's 3 partners, stated that "Lycabettus is not just any hill in the capital, it's not just a green space. It is a place with a mythological and cultural dimension, something very important for its identity."

 

The remodeling will convert the parking lot and its surrounding areas into a space for walks and recreation. At the same time, the redesign of the supporting buildings will accentuate the aesthetic value of the theater.


To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.com

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced a televised address to the nation on the second wave of the pandemic and announce additional measures to curb its spread.

“I will have the opportunity this afternoon to address the Greek people, to explain where we are and what are the additional measures we need to take,” the Prime Minister told President Katerina Sakellaropoulou during a meeting at the Presidential Mansion.

“We are facing the second wave of the pandemic. We are still doing better than the rest of Europe, but that is not a consolation,” he added.

Possible measures include a public curfew from 12.30 a.m. to 5 a.m. in an attempt to curb outdoor parties and gatherings, the mandatory use of face masks everywhere, and a possible ban on travel outside the region.

To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini.com

It may be a little hard watching everyone packing their suitcases and heading for one of the so much-appraised Greek islands, but, just because you are stuck in Athens during the hottest month of the year, it doesn't mean you can't have a blast! 

The Greek capital is full of surprises; a city that never sleeps; a city that has something up its sleeve for everyone, locals and visitors. Here's a list of fun things to do in the city this August!

Watch A Movie At An Open-Air Cinema


@neofilms_gr

In Greece, you know it’s summer when outdoor cinemas are finally open. It’s the ultimate sign of summer the season. Movies under the starlit sky, jasmine-scented gardens, and fresh popcorn; what else could you ask for? Almost every Athenian neighborhood has its own open-air cinema or “therinos” in Greece, with Cine Thisio perhaps being the most pretty one, since just above the movie screen one can see the lit Acropolis.

Who said you have to leave the Greek capital to find lovely beaches and have a great summer vacation? The Athens riviera has an array of organized and non-organized beach heavens that will make you feel you have escaped to a Greek island. Except for swimming though, there is so much you can do along the Athenian riviera; exercise, eat seafood, sip cocktails at a beach bar, and the list goes on. 

Sitting outside at bars and restaurants is, of course, an integral part of summer in Greece, and rooftop bars take the al fresco experience to a whole new level. Whether you’re looking for a romantic setting with gourmet food and lounge music, a place to party under the stars, or a spot to chile, Athens has a rooftop for everyone. Just imagine enjoying an exotic drink all while contemplating the mesmerizing views towards the Acropolis and gazing at majestic sunsets; pure magic!

Attend A Performance At The Odeon Of Herodes Atticus


@marco_marro

Summer in the city also means outdoor concerts. Therefore, a visit to the Odeon Of Herodes Atticus is a must! This stunning gem sitting on the southwest slope of the Acropolis Hill is one of the prime locations for the Athens Festival, happening every year from May until September, and for years it has been welcoming top-notch names from the local and international music and theatre scene. 

For many, Plaka is the most beautiful neighborhood of Athens, and justifiably so. Just below the Sacred Rock of Acropolis the oldest neighborhood of Athens is teaming with impressive neoclassical buildings, small churches, taverns, scenic cafes, museums, galleries, bougainvillea decorated houses, and breathtaking views. Wandering its winding streets is a unique experience that makes for lots of Instagram-worthy moments!