When making holiday plans, many turn their heads to the warm shores of Greece and its islands, and for good reason. With a hot, but not uncomfortable climate, beautiful seas and vibrant culture, there’s enough on offer to keep anyone satisfied on their weeks away from reality. However, such variety also causes a dilemma, where should you set up camp? The most popular options are those that sit on the coast of either Greece’s beautiful mainland and its exotic islands. Why? Perhaps it’s that ocean breeze, the soft Mediterranean sand or tropical-esque beach huts. Or maybe it has to do with the history of Greece, its proud naval tradition and bustling trade ports eventually evolving small settlements into the vibrant and prosperous towns we know and love today.

Whatever the reason for their popularity, here’s our pick of the best Greece has to offer:

For anyone visiting Greece, a trip to Athens is a must; which is handy because most international flights flow through this hub. Known for its stunning ancient architecture, including the Theatre of Herodes Atticus, the Pantheon and even the world famous Acropolis. However, while it is home to some 3,000 years of history, modern-day Athens has its own merits. With ample opportunities for water sports, some of the world’s finest cuisine, stunning beaches and pumping nightlife, Athens of today can be just as exciting as Athens of the past.

Oia is perhaps the most beautiful town in all of Greece. Famous for its whitewashed architecture and blue-domed churches, the town sits on a gentle cliff that overlooks the turquoise Med below. Known for being a serene and quiet location, Oia is the perfect place to enjoy a peaceful break from the modern world, although there are plenty of shops, restaurants and other bits to keep you busy if need be. The town can also be used as a sort of base camp for those looking to explore the many exciting hiking trails of Santorini, an island formed of volcanic rock, giving it a distinctively dark look. Lastly, if you’re only visiting Oia for the day, make sure you stick around until sunset, as the town’s location makes it the perfect vantage point for one of nature’s most spectacular shows.

Famed for its exotic culture, Mykonos is probably one of the most well-known locations in Greece. While the town itself is locally known as Chora, it is often the place people are referring to when they talk about Mykonos, rather than the entire island. A cosmopolitan town, Chora combines traditional Greek culture with aspects of modern-day lifestyle, which has led to it being world-famous for its legendary nightlife. Along with its vibrant atmosphere, Chora is also a simply beautiful city with stunning architecture. However, most people come for the beaches, with numerous options located just a short distance outside the town.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

by

Cliff Blaylock

Just a few metres away from Syntagma metro station and right next to the Greek parliament lies the national garden which, together with the Zappion hall garden, covers 24 hectares full of vegetation, rare plants, saplings and birds.

The garden is accessible from seven entrances. The central entrance on Amalias Avenue, one on Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, three on Irodou Attikou Street and two more in the area of Zappeion park.

Before it was renamed “National”, the garden was called “royal” or “the garden of Amalia” the queen to whom it owes its rare existence. The interest of Queen Amalia, wife of King Otto, in the Garden was such that she is said to have spent at least three hours a day personally taking care of it. She herself also planted the iconic 25-metre-high Washingtonia palm trees which grab the attention  when one enters the garden from the gate on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue.

Next to the gate on Amalias Avenue, there’s always a street vendor supplying passers-by and visitors with traditional “koulouri Thessalonikis”, bread rings covered in sesame seeds, people are crowded at the bus stop and the kiosks are stocked for every contingency.  A few steps  into the garden allows you to escape the hurly burly of the city. Shaded by eucalyptus trees, its benches make an ideal spot to bury yourself in a book , make new acquaintances or perhaps even start a romance. There are also many Athenians who prefer the National Garden for their exercise and every now and again you will spot people jogging through this luxuriant city paradise.

To read more, please visit: Discover Greece

Navigating the Greek healthcare system can sometimes challenge even the most 'zen' personalities. Finding, booking, communicating with and paying for specialized practitioners does not always happen in one smooth straight line...

In the past few days I've had appointments for a couple 'standard check-ups' - one to check my failing eyesight and the other a visit the dreaded dentist. I asked around for suggestions on 'good' clinics in the city centre, and was pleasantly surprised at the high level of care and service.

The dental office of Dr. Laghios looks more like a private airport lounge than a medical office - gorgeous design, flatscreen TVs, relaxing music and wifi. Equipment as modern as any I've seen before, and great friendly staff. And an Easy location 30m away from the Megaro Mousikis metro stop. They even called me the next day to ask if I was ok after my treatment - that's a first! All my 'boxes' were 'checked'.

The ‘Eye Clinic’ is also just outside the Megaro Mousikis station. This is a larger clinic that has a number of ophthalmologists on staff. Modern spaces, quick checkup, pay by credit card, everything in English – very pleasant.

In my view, an important part of medical treatment is trust - trust in the doctor, trust in the facilities and equipment, trust that you are receiving the best available care. The clinics I visited did just that. Modern facilities, pleasant (and English-speaking) staff, and overall a very 'civilized' experience.

If you’re looking for medical services and you’re not sure where to start, there are a number of websites and apps out there that can help. These sites allow you to quickly search for doctors based on medical specialty, your location and your insurance coverage. You can then read the 'profiles' of the relevant doctors and make an appointment directly through the sites. Simple.

Here are a few of the better-known sites to find an English speaking doctor in Greece:

DoctorAnytime

DOC

Find Your Doctor

With doctors just a click away, maybe now is a great time for a spring check-up?

Until next week,

Jack

 

Papadiamantopoulou 4

+30 210 72 13 598

info@endodontic.org

 

Leof. Vasilissis Sofias 64

+30 210 361 4700

Exploring European cities in the off-season provides a unique opportunity to experience each place anew. You can visit popular Mediterranean cities in the winter or Scandinavian cities in the summer to avoid tourist hordes and bask in how each destination is bathed in a whole new light as the weather shifts.

Many dream of an Italian summer getaway, but one Italian city is just as dreamy when the temperatures fall. Venice maintains a leisurely place in winter when the heat dies and the crowds disperse, creating a magical atmosphere that deepens one's appreciation of its canals and majestic architecture.

Belgrade's defining gritty urban flair is countered by its unique Balkan charm, making it a haven for the arts. Savamala, a riverside neighborhood, buzzes with creative energy and features two popular art performance spaces. Springtime also means Belgrade is ready to party in full force as the splavovi boathouses on shores of the Sava and Danube rivers pack crowds dancing to all kinds of beats.

Winters may cloak the city of Stockholm in layers of beautiful snow, but summer is the perfect opportunity to enjoy Swedish island life. In a city comprised of fourteen islands, Stockholm in summer is high time for swimming, kayaking or canoeing between the islands. Travellers venture out to the thousands of islands and skerries of the serene Stockhom archipelago during the warmer months.

Central Europe's freezing temperatures are no match for the thrill of discovering Prague when the snow is falling. Winter's gentle sunlight only enhances Prague's fairytale views of sky-high spires, Gothic cathedrals, and cobblestone lanes lit by the soft hue of street lamps.

Innsbruck's famously perfect ski slopes take on a new form each summer as a green haven for outdoor enthusiasts who visit to take advantage of warmer temperatures, the Austrian way. The town itself is awash in pastel-coloured buildings, with the city's rich heritage and modern architecture making it the epicenter of culture in the Tyrol region.

To read this article in full, please visit: Elsewhere Nine

Navigate the expat life with learning how to find home in a foreign country and getting to know fellow expats!

 

Turkey’s transport ministry said on Monday it was banning travel to Greece on yachts, sailboats and ferries after Greek authorities seized 11 vessels among them four yachts headed for Kos and Rhodes, as well as a freighter off the port of Kalamaki for violating maritime regulation.

All Turkish-flagged commercial yachts (starting September 25) and passenger ships (as of October 12) are banned from traveling to Greek destinations, the Turkish transport ministry said in a September 25 statement citing the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) inspections.

“As of today we have stopped the sailing of commercial yachts to Greece. The fact that Greece started to inspect and seize such small commercial vessels, shorter than 24 meters, by claiming they did not comply with the rules, has put at risk Turkey’s status as a ‘white flag’ country. This is unacceptable,” Turkey’s transport minister, Ahmet Arslan, said as reported by Turkish daily Hurriyet.

“We have also warned our correspondents and sent our experts there. If Greece changes this exception, our commercial yachts will travel to Greek islands and contribute to trade. But we will not allow those vessels to sail as long as Greece maintains its attitude regarding this rule,” he said, adding that he would discuss the issue with his Greek counterpart on October 12 while on an official visit to Athens.

In the meantime, companies offering Greek island tours have said they would stop operations as of October 12 while the head of the Bodrum Sailors Association, Mustafa Demiröz, said the issue should be resolved through dialogue.

Continue reading reading this article on Greek Travel Pages.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) in Athens, Greece, has been nominated for the RIBA International Prize 2018, a biennial architecture award given by the Royal Institute of British Architects.

The RIBA International Prize 2018 will be awarded to a building which exemplifies design excellence, architectural ambition and delivers meaningful social impact. The SNFCC, an international complex for sustainability, culture, education and entertainment, is the only Greek nominee among 62 buildings in 30 countries.

 

Designed by Renzo Piano Building Workshop in collaboration with the Greek architectural office BETAPLAN, the SNFCC is one of Greece’s largest infrastructure projects that houses the Greek National Opera, a two-million-book National Library and the 170,000m2 Stavros Niarchos Park on the Faliro Bay shoreline.

Winners will be announced in December 2018.

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

Photo Credit: Greek Travel Pages

For several centuries, the theatre of Epidaurus has been home to the theatrical arts, offering audiences ancient drama plays and comedies, as well as performances of opera, dance and classical music.

A series of Chinese comics events are being held in Athens from October 25th to November 5th. The events are hosted by The State Council Information Office of China, The National Radio and Television Administration of China, and the Embassy of China in Greece. Organized by The Information Office of the People’s Government of Guangdong Province, The Information Office of the People’s Government of Guangzhou, and The China Artists Association.

There will be more than 100 Chinese modern classic animation works featured at the exhibition, including the masterpieces of Feng Zikai, Zhang Leping and other cartoon masters. The masterpieces of contemporary Chinese cartoon masters Cai Zhizhong, Zheng Xinyao, Jincheng and others, as well as the representative works of Laoshu (Liu Shuyong), Xiaolin (Lin Dihuan) and Gao Youling in the new media era. Animation Movies include Havoc in Heaven, Where is Mama, Prince Nezha's Triumph Against Dragon King and other classic works with Chinese ink characteristics, and also those won the International prizes, such as One Small Step and Life Smartphone.

The participants also have the chance to watch the movie Ne Zha which had a big success in China. It was created on the basis of traditional mythology and has been re-interpreted in modern times creating a second smash hit at the box office in Chinese film history, and entering the Oscar Best Animation feature Primary.

The design exhibition of "Beyond the Tower: The Transfer and Transmission of China's Image" held at the same venue gathered more than 200 designers' works of cross era, cross theme, cross discipline and even cross-cultural background, trying to activate Chinese traditional culture, create new concepts, new categories and new expressions at home and abroad, and explain the macro, open, diverse and confident temperament of contemporary Chinese culture. The exhibition also brings with the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games mascot Bing Dwne Dwne to meet the audience in Athens Greece, the birthplace of the modern Olympic Games.

The exhibition of paintings starts on October 25th. The opening ceremony will be held at 3 pm on October 31st. The opening ceremony will combine activities such as animation, food and China Greece friendly stories sharing. Famous art experts from China and Greece will share their creative experiences and stories of cultural and artistic exchanges between the two countries. On the night of the opening ceremony, the movie Ne Zha will also be shown at the Michael Cacoyannis Foundation in Athens.