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Champagne consumption in the debt-stricken country is soaring - but it's largely driven by an influx of wealthy tourists, not locals.

Champagne consumption in Greece jumped by almost a fifth last year, making the troubled country the world’s fastest growing market for bubbly.

Greece’s champagne sales by volume increased by 18pc in 2014, which looks particularly stark compared to the global growth of 0.5pc, according to data from Euromonitor International. 

Consumption in the sparkling wine’s home country of France dropped by 1.9pc, while sales in the UK, champagne’s second biggest market, creeped up by 0.4pc. The disparity was even stronger in 2013, when Greek champagne consumption soared by 56pc and dropped by 0.8pc, 3.4pc and 0.5pc in the world, France and the UK respectively.  The relative size of the markets goes some way to explaining the vastly different growth rates.
 
“It’s not that all the Greeks in the last couple of years decided to go party and forget their troubles,” said Spiros Malandrakis, alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor. “In general, we’re talking about minimal volumes in total. Champagne consumption is still lower than before the crisis.” 

Around 300,000 litres of champagne were drunk in Greece last year, a fraction of the size of France’s 107.2m litres and even the UK’s 20.4m. 
That works out to a per capita consumption rate of roughly 1.7 litres of champagne each year for a French person, a third of a litre (slightly less than half a bottle) for a Briton and a negligible amount per Greek.

To read more, please visit: The Telegraph



Thursday, 18 February 2016 07:00

Apple Cake / Milopita

Milopita (Μηλόπιτα) or apple cake is traditionally enjoyed for breakfast in Greece. So moist, chock full of sweet, juicy apples and spiced with cinnamon and cardamom, milopita is a delicate breakfast or dessert that will become a fast favorite in your house!

This simple to bake recipe is a great way to use up apples that might be a little too bruised or old to eat on their own. And you can choose to mix in chopped walnuts or golden raisins for an apple cake with even more texture and tastes.

The apples for this cake are sliced, baked and chopped to your preferred size. Apple cider adds another layer of yum and helps to make milopita light and airy. I always like to freshly grind the cardamom seeds as they bump up the flavor and are the perfect complement to apples.

To bake your apples, just peel, core, thinly slice and layer in a baking pan.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes at 400 degrees. This is about 5 minutes less than you would bake them for Oven Baked Apples and leaves your milopita apples with a little bit of crunch and a bit more texture.

You can do this step ahead and keep your baked apples covered, refrigerated for 3-4 days.

To read more, including Ingredients, please visit: Greek Vegan


The Fall and Winter months in Greece tend to bring more rainy days than we're used to! Don't worry, though. When the weather forces us to stay inside, there are still plenty of activities for children. Here are just a few options:

Visit Golden Hall Shopping Mall
 
This shopping mall is new and clean with great facilities for children. The square has many picnic tables and also a well organized and clean playground with a sand pit, swings, zig-zags, and a jungle gym for children 2- 4 years old. Inside the Golden Hall on the second floor, you will find an indoor soft play area for children starting 3 years old. There is also an area for older children to play computer games. Golden Hall can be easily reached by car and by public transport.

Playmobil FunPark
 
The funpark has recently moved into a new building and it is like being in a huge toy store where endless play with all sorts of playmobil is possible. Playmobil funpark is suitable for children starting from 18 months old and there is also a (non-smoking) cafe and a shop.

Blanos Sports Park
 
This entertainment venue is huge. It offers a long list of activities for young children, teenagers and adults. There are bowling lanes (with special children’s bowling balls!) table football, billiard, electronic games, roller skating, trampolines, restaurants, and bars. The best part is the enormous jungle gym. It is separated in different sections so young children can play safely separated from the older kids. Blanos is easy to access and has a large car park.

For the full list of ideas and more information, please visit: Family Goes Out
Over 1,200 children migrants and refugees completed their first trimester in school, according to the International Migration Organisation (IMO). IMO said that 35 school buses transfer every day children from 13 hosting centers throughout the country to the closest schools.

According to Greek Education Ministry’s planning, 400 additional children refugees and migrants will go to school in January after the end of Christmas holidays.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter
Tuesday, 20 February 2018 17:02

Echoes of Athens - A Taste Of Home In America

At the age of 16, Vivian Economy came to the U.S. from Kalamata. Her adopted country offered many more opportunities than her beloved Greece. The young woman missed ‘home’ and came up with an idea to bring some of her old home to her new home. In 1949, at the tender age of 18, she launched the very first Greek radio show in the Southeast.

‘Echoes of Athens was broadcast on WATL in Atlanta, GA for 50 years. Vivian’s daughter, Vickie Henson, the show’s current host, recalled those days. “The entire Atlanta Greek Community would rush home after church each Sunday to tune in. Imagine, my mother, the young woman, a trailblazer! Her listeners would find out the latest in the world of Greek news, politics, music, concerts, local community events. From marriages to deaths — she covered it all.”
 
When Vivian retired in the 1990s, there was a void in the community. Vickie took up the torch in recent years, armed with a new technology her mother would never know — the internet — which now allows ‘Echoes of Athens’ to be broadcast all over the world.

To read this article in full, please visit: Windy City Greek

Please click HERE to listen to Echoes Of Athens!
Thursday, 07 March 2019 00:35

March 7 - Spring In Athens

Greek culture is full of wonderful traditions and the beggining of Spring is bound to have one as well! And since the weather is getting warmer, why not pay Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center a visit? In 2018 alone it received 5.3 million visits and has plenty to offer! Read all about them in this week's newsletter.



Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletterFacebookTwitter and Instagram!
Monday, 13 January 2020 09:37

New Business Hubs Attract Startup Talent

Entrepreneurs, SMEs and startups flock to new wave of business hubs

The tiger economies of Asia may conjure up striking neon images of Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore, but there’s a new player on the scene. Ho Chi Minh City, formerly known as Saigon, has been earning an enviable reputation in recent years for its vibrant startup ecosystem.

With a population of 7.5 million people, Vietnam’s most populous city has established itself as somewhere entrepreneurs can set up a business on a limited budget, with more and more staff from established companies in the States such as Apple making the trip there to begin their own startup dream.

With 70% of the population under 30 years old, the city bursts with the kind of vibrant spirit that truly embraces a thriving business culture, while low costs (local wages range from $500-$1,500) make the scene doubly attractive for any new business. 

Take a trip over 7,000 miles away and you at Tel Aviv. Israel’s business and financial centre has embraced the startup scene like few others cities in the world. An enviable talent pool and corporate entrepreneurship combine to create a city that truly feels dynamic, welcoming and that has its eye firmly fixed on the future. Because of its burgeoning reputation, the city’s business rents are fast catching up to those of more established business centres in the USA and Europe, but serviced offices such as those operated by Regus offer a ready-made way to keep costs online, while still enabling startups to truly make the most out of being part of this vibrant destination. 

The Finnish capital of Helsinki, quite simply, has it all. Combining access to a wealth of local talent, business accelerators and the government’s own support for newly formed business known as the Finnish Start-up Permit, there are few better places in Europe to turn dreams into entrepreneurial reality. And while the West Coast of the States has earned plenty of kudos for its tech giants like Google and Facebook, Helsinki has got its fair share of heavy hitters too, with companies such as Nokia and Linux helping establish it as a true technology and innovation powerhouse. 

If warmer climes are what you’re looking for, the subcontinent might have just what you need. Previously known as Bangalore, Bengaluru boasts a wealth of tech talent that has seen the city ranked as the third-largest tech ecosystem in the world. Its fast-growing reputation has led to an influx of both new businesses, and government funding for affordable housing has helped drive continued growth. 

While Berlin may earn all the plaudits when it comes to new business and a vibrant night-time economy, Cologne has the added bonus of being much quieter, less populated and altogether less stressful than the German capital. The presence of companies including Electronic Arts and Deutsche Telekom mean the city is no stranger to corporate giants and has an enviable history of investing heavily in media and tech. 


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As the gateway between Europe and Asia, it’s no surprise that Istanbul should have established itself as an up-and-coming entrepreneur hub. Formerly Constantinople, a combination of Eastern mystique and a culture that still feels familiar and open to westerners, affordable housing and laws which provide equal investment rights to foreigners as they do to Turkish nationals, have all helped turn Istanbul into a truly enterprising jewel on the Bosporus. 

Over in Iceland, things are certainly warming up in a business sense too. Despite being one of the least populated areas in the developed world, Reykjavik benefits from an open business culture and a true entrepreneurial mindset. With a range of incubators, co-working spaces and a government that has put innovation firmly at the top of its business agenda, Reykjavik really is an exciting place to be. 

From chilly and sparsely populated to sunny and busy, with a gargantuan population of 12.11 million people, there’s certainly no shortage of potential customers in São Paulo. Brazilians may be known for their love of football, but as a business hub this sprawling certainly knows where the back of the net is when it comes to scoring a startup success. And with business accelerator schemes and co-working spaces playing host to some of the most innovative startups in the country, an impressive higher education system also makes it a great place to attract the very best talent.

Taking a step across the Atlantic, there’s another city bathed in warmth that’s also earning an enviable reputation in SME and startup circles. Nestled in the shadow of Table Mountain, Cape Town is a true Africa Business Center and has its sights set firmly on being the continent’s main technology hub. With its thriving incubator scene, diverse population and great universities, the city has also benefited from ‘the Silicon Cape’ initiative, combining a community of venture capitalists, developers and creatives.

With the rise of flexible workspace, all these incredible locations can easily become the new HQ for a startup or SME looking for a Scalable Network. Regus has affordable, serviced offices in each location, each with the same business-grade IT infrastructure and high-speed Wi-Fi access. What are you waiting for?

Find out more about how Regus can help your business!


This content has been sponsored by IWG - an XpatAthens Brand Partner.
Originally published at Regus



Lycabettus Hill, an iconic landmark in Athens, is to undergo a major overhaul designed to make it safer and more attractive to visitors and local residents.
 
The hill's 407 acres belong to the Municipality of Athens, while the other 35 belong to the Public Properties Company S.A. (ETAD), which, until recently, didn't allow the Municipality to proceed with the enhancement works first announced in 2019. 

Through common sense and a mutual spirit of cooperation, the Municipality of Athens and the Public Properties Company S.A. (ETAD) were able to come to an agreement, setting into motion a series of works that will upgrade the hill and its facilities. The project's main goal is the reconstruction and reopening of the landmark Lycabettus Theater, which remains closed for almost 20 years. 

The CEO of the Public Properties Company, Mr. Stefanos D. Vlastos, recently signed an agreement with the Mayor of Athens, Mr. Kostas Bakogiannis, to hand over jurisdiction of the 35-acres area of the hill to the Municipality of Athens, so that the upgrade can be completed. 

Mr. Kostas Bakogiannis stated: "Our cooperation with ETAD untangled a "knot" that has kept us bound to bureaucracy and opens a new chapter for the historic Lecabettus Theater and the surrounding area. It turns out that we can find solutions when we all look for them together and set common goals. Lycabettus Hill is part of an ongoing drive for the overhaul of the Greek capital and its transformation into a modern and sustainable city that respects its residents and invests in free public spaces, improving the daily life of citizens and visitors."

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.
Although we know Greek history and mythology is loved all over the world, probably not many would guess that a Greek Mythology Museum exists in South Korea. What makes this museum all the more interesting is that it’s not even on the Korean mainland, but on the holiday destination of Jeju Island.

The museum itself is modeled after classical Greek architecture, featuring a row of columns outside and replicas of ancient Greek statues and famous paintings depicting scenes from Greek mythology.

The impressive museum is divided into seven large galleries that are all focused on one aspect of Greek mythology, such as the “Olympus Galley,” the “Love Gallery,” and the “Hero Gallery.”

Each gallery features spectacular white-plaster replicas of imposing ancient sculptures, as well as information regarding Greek mythology and history in both Korean and English.

It even features a replica of an ancient Greek village that visitors can explore, as well as historically accurate costumes they can wear, which help to transport them through time back to ancient Greece.

In the “Olympus Gallery,” replicas of famous ancient Greek sculptures of the gods line the room, along with copies of famous paintings depicting stories from Greek myth. Visitors can learn about each of the twelve gods and admire the artwork displayed in the museum.

The site is also home to a number of replicas of important items from Greek mythology, such as the Trojan Horse, albeit on a smaller scale. The museum also features interactive displays about zodiac signs and the constellations and even explains the Greek myths behind many of the constellations.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
Monday, 12 September 2022 07:00

The Municipality Of Athens' Brand New Website

The Municipality of Athens' new portal has been online for a few days now, a modern and simple-to-use digital tool designed from the ground up, focusing on the needs of citizens, professionals, and visitors of Athens.
 
The brand new site is a modern, user-friendly digital tool replacing -after about a decade- the outdated philosophy of the previous website. It features exceptional ease of use, as every piece of information is given to the visitor in a simplified way. This means that you don't need to know the structure and services of the municipality to be able to access the information you are looking for. 
 
Using the search bar located on the main page, the visitor can easily find any information related to the municipality or search for electronic services such as the issuance of a resident parking card or a permit allowing entry to the Athens ring, etc. On the same site, visitors can discover cultural events and programs offered by the municipality, contact the homelessness support services in Athens, etc.
 
The user-friendly experience is enhanced thanks to the organization of information in thematic sections. Thus, users can easily find all the information regarding sports activities, cultural events, cleanliness and recycling, environmental news, parking, health, children, the elderly, accessibility, lifelong learning, entrepreneurship, and the homeless.
 
More specifically, at cityofathens.gr users can: 
  • Issue certificates. 
  • Find the electronic services provided by the municipality and those for which a physical presence is required. 
  • Book their appointment with the municipal services online. 
  • Report a problem. 
  • Find information about the cultural, sports and entertainment activities offered by the municipality. 
  • Watch the Municipal Council live and read the decisions that concern them. 
  • Read the municipality’s news. 
The site is available in Greek only for the time being, but an English version is expected to launch soon. 
 
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