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Thursday, 20 May 2021 14:08

Gearing Up For Summer

Summer is just around the corner and everything that makes summertime in Athens so amazing is back on the menu, as the city officially opens its doors and legendary sites to the world with the official restart of tourism in Greece!

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Photo credit: @anamarija_ardzanova 
The railway system in Greece, including the metro, remains a pivotal mode of transportation despite the challenges faced in recent years. Serving tens of thousands of commuters daily, it stands as a cornerstone of both passenger and freight transit.

Diving into its rich history, one can't help but wonder: What marks the genesis of Greece's railway network? The answer lies in the Piraeus-Thissio electric line, a testament to the nation's pioneering spirit in transportation. Stretching over 8.8 kilometers, this line was inaugurated in 1869, heralding a new era of connectivity between the capital and its bustling port.

The journey to its fruition commenced in 1857, with a laborious 12-year construction period. Initially propelled by steam engines, it wasn't until 1904 that the line was electrified, earning it the affectionate moniker "Electrikos" from the Athenians.

Established by British entrepreneurs in 1869, the Athens-Piraeus Railway (SAP) became a cornerstone of Greek infrastructure. Over the years, it transitioned to local ownership and underwent expansions, including the extension to Omonia in 1895. This expansion, however, introduced a lesser-known underground station, shrouded in mystery to this day.
In its infancy, the railway offered a vital alternative to arduous journeys between Piraeus and Athens, replacing laborious foot travel or horse-drawn carriages. Today, this historic route has seamlessly integrated into the modern metro network, forming Line 1, also known as the "Green" Line.

As we traverse through time, it's noteworthy that the oldest railway line in Greece boasts the two oldest metro stations still in operation: "Thissio" and "Piraeus". Continuously serving passengers for an impressive 155 years, these stations stand as enduring symbols of Greece's railway heritage, tracing their roots back to February 27, 1869, when the inaugural journey embarked upon its historic route.

Originally published in Greek on: reader.gr
Wednesday, 18 February 2015 12:40

Gytheio

Gythio is located in middle south of Peloponese at the center of the Laconian Gulf. It is a lively, charming little harbour town. Most of its houses are two- or three-storey neo-classical mansions, stuck to the steep side of the Mt. "Koumaros". A long sea-side promenade, the colourful fishing boats, the narrow streets and stairways produce the typical Greek environment which fascinates every visitor.

 

There are not really mentionable ancient objects to be studied in Gythio. From its ancient past, only a small Roman theatre was left by an earthquake that destroyed the city in the 4th century. So, every visitor is free to just enjoy the Greek life of the present.

Gythio is protected by spurs of the mighty Taygetos mountain range. Its highest "Profitis Ilias", with 2.407 m the highest mountain on the whole Peloponese, makes a marvellous background scene. From November to May, the snow-white peaks are a magnificent sight behind the deep blue sea.

A little island called "Kranai" and connected with the mainlaind by a short dam, protects the port of Gythio town from the open sea. It is a beautiful place with pine-trees and an ideal view-point to overlook the gulf towards the Parnon mountain range in the east and Taygetos in the north-west. As it is reported by Homer, the island was the first refuge of Helen and Paris on their journey to Troy. According to the myth, Paris forgot his helmet on the islet as he was leaving - hence its name, since in Greek a helmet is calles "kranos". An interesting site on Kranai is the restored Tzannetakis Tower, a Maniot fortress-residence belonging to the Tzannetakis-Grigorakis families. It was donated to the state and currently houses the History and Ethnology Museum of Mani. Also worth visiting are the chapel of Agios Petros and the octagonal lighthouse of 22 m height, built in 1873 of tenarian marble.

There are many beaches around of Gythio and the largest one is Mavrovouni-beach. Because of its length of several kilometers it will never get crowded - just during the first half of August, when nearly all Greek people are on holiday, it may become a little more lively. In the afternoon, usually a perfect wind for wind-surfing will raise, and you can also hire a board and take lessons by the "Ocean Cafe". Mavrovouni beach is one of the favourite places for the "caretta-caretta" sea turtles to lay their eggs in the sand. The nests are surveyed and protected of the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece called ARCHELON.

In 2007 the beach of Mavrovouni was awarded the BLUE FLAG. The Blue Flag award is both based on all the bathing water quality results of the previous year and of the current year of the award. This means that only beaches with excellent bathing water quality standards in the previous year will be eligible for the Blue Flag award.

Source: Insidemani.gr

The first meeting between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and the President of European Parliament Martin Schulz took place in Athens on Thursday in a tense atmosphere, after the spat over the imposition of further sanctions against Russia.

During the two-hour meeting, which Mr. Schulz called “tiring”, there was some tension, however as the European official noted in the subsequent press conference, he was pleased with Mr. Tsipras intention to submit proposals to discuss.

Regarding the renegotiation which the Greek government is aiming for, both sides came to some agreement on tax evasion and tackling corruption, although it should be noted that Mr. Schulz does not have authority on this matter. Nevertheless, there was a mutual understanding that further time was necessary for the deliberation to begin.

The three main points of discussion were tackling tax evasion, transparency, the efficiency of public administration and the introduction of tax system based on an wealth list; the Greek government’s willingness to work towards primarily balanced budgets, with the downward revision of primary surplus goals up to 2020; funding the country’s productive reconstruction through a new investment deal, NSRF and the exclusion of public investment from the fiscal deficit target.

To read more, please visit tovima.gr/en

Thursday, 18 June 2015 07:00

100 Days Of Solitude - Daphne Kapsali

How far do you need to go to find yourself?
What do you have to give up?

Daphne didn't go very far. After too many years of living as a writer who didn't write, she gave up her life in London to spend 100 days of solitude on the remote Greek island of Sifnos, off season, and find out, once and for all, who she really was. Her challenge: to write every day.

One hundred days and one hundred entries later, her question had been answered in more ways than she could have imagined, and the things she'd given up never mattered in the first place. This book is her story, as personal as it is universal, of the most obvious and most fundamental quest of all: to be happy; to do what you love.
Part memoir, part fiction, part philosophy and part travel writing, 100 days of solitude is a collection of one hundred stories, all of them connected and each one self-contained.

To find out more about this book, please visit Daphne's site at: Daphne Kapsali

Available on Amazon
China Greece Times, a community newspaper in the Chinese language published in Greece since 2005, has launched a Greek-language section.

“Our readers used to be Chinese who live and work in Greece but also Chinese visitors to the country,” the paper’s editor-in-chief, Lydia Liang, tells Kathimerini. “However, as our two peoples had come so much closer over the past two years and the two governments are working closer together, we decided to expand to a Greek audience.”

The new edition forms a bridge of communication for many Greeks, mainly businessmen who are interested in expanding their activities to the Asian powerhouse.

“Many Greeks want to know more about the real China by reading Chinese news firsthand,” says Liang.

“There are already businessmen who have found partners in China and expanded their activities, such as Coco-Mat with its mattresses, Vianex with pharmaceuticals and Boutaris wines,” notes journalist Giorgos Tzogopoulos, an expert on Greek-Chinese relations who is also one of the newspaper’s columnists and founder of the website www.chinaandgreece.com. “Language has always been an obstacle and with this initiative we are removing it.”

Tzogopoulos admits that the political uncertainty in Greece is making potential Chinese investors hesitate, but in the meantime, “they are waiting and are interested in making acquaintances in the Greek business community.”

To read more, please visit: Ekathimerini
Thursday, 08 February 2018 07:00

6 Secret Beaches You Will Love In Greece

Romantic holiday or not, who wouldn't want to find a secret cove or a hidden beach where all you will find is yourself and the sea? Luckily in Greece, there are plenty of islands to find a secluded paradise and Greek City Times is here to help! Below is a list of 6 secret beaches in Greece you will definitely fall in love with.

Afales Beach, Ithaca

Ithaca, the destination of Odysseus and the symbolic end of his adventures, is one of the greatest islands of the Ionian Sea, with so many reasons to visit it! Afales beach is one of the most charming ones and totally secluded.

Seychelles, Ikaria

Ikaria is an island known for its wild beauty, but most importantly, known for its population’s longevity. One of the most magnificent beaches is Seychelles, with bright white and grey pebbles, blue- turquoise water, surrounded by cove scenery. Seychelles is located approximately 25 kilometers from Agios Kirikos, near the village Manganitis.

Voutoumi beach, Antipaxos

The island of Antipaxos is a small one near the well known Paxoi. The truth is that during the last years Antipaxos is becoming popular and due to its small size and easy access from Paxoi, it is often crowded. Nevertheless, Voutoumi beach tends to differentiate. It’s a quiet and hidden part, which you can access by a pathway.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek City Times
Following the growing trend towards artist-run initiatives in the global art scene, FokiaNou Art Space will take part in an international art fair specifically for artist-run spaces, presenting the exhibition “FokiaNou Goes to Supermarket”, curated by Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris. FokiaNou will exhibit nine of its artists at Supermarket 19, Stockholm Independent Art Fair, in Stockholm, Sweden, 4-7 April, 2019. Initiated and run mostly by artists since 2007, Supermarket Art Fair is a showcase for independent, artist-run spaces all over the world, providing international exposure and the opportunity for collaboration and networking to such spaces. The fair has hosted exhibitors from more than 60 countries, becoming one of Sweden’s biggest art events, and has firmly established Stockholm on the art world map. In addition to the main exhibition, which takes place at Sickla Front, Uddvagen, the fair hosts a Talks and Performances program, meetings and networking events, and offers an internationally distributed Supermarket Art Magazine. https://supermarketartfair.com

FokiaNou Art Space is an artist-run project space in an intimate, small apartment in an old building in Athens. FokiaNou encourages collaborative creative efforts between Greek and foreign artists, and promotes the local art community. Founded in 2014, the non-commercial space hosts exhibitions, workshops, talks and performances under the direction of two artists, Mary Cox and Panagiotis Voulgaris. This is the first time an Athens initiative will participate in the fair, and also the first time FokiaNou Art Space will participate in an international event. At Supermarket 2019 FokiaNou presents artists whose work reflects the current climate in Athens: diverse, creative, difficult but at the same time optimistic. John Bicknell, Mary Cox, Panajotis Daramaras, Sarah Ettlinger, Jane Grover, Nikos Podias, Ioanna Terlidou, Iliana Theodoropoulou, and Panagiotis Voulgaris will show work ranging from painting to art books, textiles, video, and mixed media. http://www.fokianou247.gr

Participating Artists: John Bicknell, Mary Cox, Panajotis Daramaras, Sarah Ettlinger, Jane Grover, Nikos Podias, Ioanna Terlidou, Iliana Theodoropoulou, and Panagiotis Voulgaris
Friday, 06 November 2020 11:04

Second Lockdown In Greece

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Thursday that Greece will enter a second national lockdown on November 7 for three weeks until November 30th.
 
“In the last 5 days, we have seen an exponential increase in cases,” said the Prime Minister while addressing the Greek people in a national broadcast.
 
The significant rise in hospitalizations, incubations, and the number of patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU's), and the low ratio of hospital admissions and discharges has led the government to put Greece on a second lockdown.

Click here to learn about safety measures that will be implemented during the lockdown.
 
Click here to see what SMS to send when you need to go outdoors.

Click here to read about symptoms and how to protect yourself.



 
On the occasion of World No Tobacco Day, on May 31st, a smoking cessation clinic is piloted by the Municipality of Athens, under the guidance of pulmonologists from the Hellenic Thoracic Society and specialized psychologists. This project aims to inform citizens about the dangers of smoking, as well as teach them practical tips to help break their nicotine addiction.

The Smoking Cessation Clinic starts in June, through four weekly group sessions, under the supervision of the Deputy Mayor of Health and Education Manolis Kalambokas. The long-term goal is for the clinic to be established permanently in the city's Municipal Health Clinics.

The clinic's main goal is to make quitting smoking easier and safer, as well as encourage those who are not yet ready to kick their cigarette habit for good.

The following actions will take place: 
  • Detailed briefing on the effects of smoking and the benefits of quitting. 
  • Preventive medical examination of the cardiorespiratory system.
  • Application of international smoking cessation guidelines, according to which a combination of personalized counseling and medication increases success rates.
  • Provide support to those who have managed to quit in order to prevent relapsing. 

Are you are interested in participating in the program or want more information?
Please call 210 2015510, from 09:00 until 14:00 every day, until June 5th. 

On May 26th, the Municipality of Athens will host an online press conference at the Serafio Swimming Pool by the Hellenic Thoracic Society in collaboration with the Hellenic Society of Cardiology.

At the same time, the Hellenic Thoracic Society will organize a set of actions to inform people about quitting smoking and its benefits: 
  • On May 30th and 31st, a short informative video for World No Tobacco Day will be shown in central parts of Athens.
  • On May 31st, the fountain of Omonia will be illuminated as part of the antismoking initiatives.
Finally, on Wednesday, June 2nd at 19:30, the Municipality of Athens and the Smoking Cessation and Public Health Promotion Team of the Hellenic Thoracic Society will organize an informative online scientific day for students and their parents on the prevention of addictive behaviors, with the participation of specialized pulmonologists and pediatricians.


XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing news and inspiring stories about how Athens aspires to be a clean, friendly, and welcoming city to live in


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