Expat Explorer, one of the largest surveys of it's kind, wants to hear from you! Help us to help them gather information about living and working in Greece!

The survey takes approximately 10 minutes to complete and is open until Monday April 27th. It can be taken here: https://start.yougov.com/refer/v2fdHjNr0y73P7.

The 2014 Expat Explorer survey interviewed almost 10,000 expats about their views on different elements of life abroad, from general experience, through to personal finance and family life. The data is publicly available on an interactive portal designed to help expats make the most of their life abroad: http://expatexplorer.hsbc.com/.

Ryanair has announced that it will increase the frequencies to flights on its Chania routes to Athens and Thessaloniki this August due to overwhelming demand, as part of its Chania summer 2015 schedule.

The flights from Chania to Athens will increase from three to four daily and to Thessaloniki will rise from one to two per day.

Ryanair’s Chania summer schedule also includes two new routes to Glasgow and Manchester (29 routes in total), and extra flights to Dublin. The airline expects the summer schedule to deliver one million passengers annually and support 1,000 on-site jobs at Chania Airport.

According to the airline, Greek customers and visitors can now choose from 29 routes to/from Chania this summer, while enjoying allocated seating, a free second carry-on bag, reduced fees, an improved website and app with mobile boarding passes, as well as Ryanair’s Family Extra and Business Plus services.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

In the midst of renewed (never-ending?) talk of crises and new economic measures, blockades and taxes, refugees and borders, somehow this week we hit the weather jackpot. This is more like it - early February and 17 degrees! I heard it once said that climate is 80% of life. Maybe this is what explains the fact that Athens hasn't totally buckled under the pressure. We are coming frighteningly close - no argument there - but the shining sun manages to play some very welcome tricks on the soul...
 


And when the weather turns warm, the feet feel like wandering - getting out of the house is top of the to-do list. 
 
This week I popped out to a couple great places - neither really 'new', and neither really cheap, but worth adding to your list...
 


Living in Thiseio, everyone knows the old Stavlos bar. This is the historic building at the top of Herakleidon St., the (actual) horse stables of King Othon during the mid-19th century. The building has gone through various incarnations, most recently as 'Root Artspace '. That business has now been re-opened as The Sowl, and has undergone a considerable makeover the process. The beautifully restored space has been given a warm 'southwest' feel in both the decor and the menu. Think 'tex-mex' meets 'bohemian', and throw in a colourful water fountain. Almost deliberately over-the-top... They serve up delicious food, including a Mexican fusion-style menu and modern Greek selections. And there is a surprisingly interesting wine list with some nice international choices. All this means that your night out will cost you more than your local taverna - but it's 17 degrees outside after all ;)
 


Ths Sowl is still functioning as an art and events space, with a event room and an upstairs gallery. I actually went by on Saturday for a morning yoga class run by Lynn Roulo, and stayed afterwards for brunch with the group.
 


On another warm night I was invited for dinner at Cinco in Kolonaki. Cinco has been on my list to try for a long time - the Iberian/Japanese/Peruvian fusion menu is pretty unique in Athens, and I heard the vibe was very cool... I was not disappointed. Definitely interesting menu (sea bass ceviche with pomegranate-tigers milk and red quinoa…!) and a relaxed trendy vibe, in a lofty industrial space. There is a ceviche bar, there are interesting cocktails, there was retro pop playing that night - a trendy spot by any standard, and easy to imagine that you are far away from Athens... Again, this is not your neighbourhood taverna - think The Sowl and then some. A bit over-priced if I’m being honest, but not the usual Athens kitchen...
 


I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that they both accept credit cards, but even my neighbourhood mini-market has touchless payments these days. A topic for another time...!
 


Go ahead - get out and enjoy this Athenian winter... It's 17 degrees outside after all. 
 


Until next time,
 


Jack


Herakleidon 10, Thiseio

+30 210 345 0003

https://www.facebook.com/The-Sowl-456485757870561 
 
 


Cinco

Skoufa 52, Kolonaki

+30 210 364 3603

What was once the Old Hellenic Parliament Building in Athens, it is now the National Historical Museum, home to interesting items and artifacts that are from the period of 1453 to the Second World War. The museum emphasizes the Greek Revolution and Dave found that the museum built upon his knowledge of the Greek War of Independence.

There are hundreds of items on display, ranging from weapons to a collection of traditional Greek costumes. The ship's wooden mastheads  from the revolution era were particularly striking. Perhaps even a little cartoon like!

The Old Parliament Building is certainly worth seeing from the outside, even if you do not have the time to visit the museum. The building is of a neoclassical design, and an impressive bronze statue stands at the front. This is of General Theodoros Kolokotronis, one of the most prominent characters of the Greek War of Independence. Anyone interested in the creation of modern Greece should definitely visit this museum!

Visit on a Sunday. It’s free!

To see more of Dave’s experience at the museum, please visit: Dave’s Travel Pages.

Traditionally cooked with meat, these potatoes are a classic Greek dish. Crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, Greek-style, roasted potatoes are hard to resist. Elena Paravantes from Olive Tomato shares her mother’s recipe, which adds two special ingredients.

Because of the recent super (and very full) moon, Nafplio residents discovered a new beach in front of Nea Kios village. The full moon caused a low tide, moving the water dozens of meters back.

This unusual low tide was particularly impressive because of its wide extent. The phenomenon is repeated twice a day due to the gravitational attraction of the moon and the sun on Earth, as well as the rotation of the celestial bodies.

 

Source: Greek Reporter

Giannis Antetokounmpo has gone a long way from the streets of Athens to the top of the NBA after being announced as the 2019 league MVP (Most Valuable Player) last week.

However, the top of the NBA isn't the only peak he has conquered; at the top of Mount Olympus, the tallest point in Greece, Nike made an honorary gesture to celebrate the "Greek Freak" and his recent accomplishments.

For the video, Nike "placed" a basketball hoop at the highest peak in Greece. Written on the hoop is an inscription that reads, 'Fate can start you at the bottom. Dreams can take you to the top.'

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Greece is one of the most friendly countries in Europe, according to a recent report by InterNations.

Thousands of expatriates took a survey for InterNations, a site that offers essential tips to expats around the world, to help determine which countries in Europe and around the world are the most friendly. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Greece, a country known for its extroverted people, ranked among the top ten in Europe.

Greece among top ten most friendly countries in Europe

Greece was voted the eighth friendliest European country, while Portugal topped the list. Greece was also ranked twelfth on the list of best countries in Europe for making friends.

Taiwan topped the international list of friendliest countries, and Mexico ranked first for making new friends.

The least friendly country on the survey was Austria, and the countries least conducive to making friends were Sweden, Denmark, and Norway.

Greece’s friendly reputation amongst expats and tourists likely stems from the longstanding Greek value of hospitality, or “philoxenia.” Philoxenia, which literally means “friend of a stranger” in Ancient Greek, is an ancient concept that is still very prominent in modern Greece.

In fact, Greek god Zeus is also known as “Zeus Xenios” because he was also the protector of strangers and travelers. He thus embodied the ancient Greek religious obligation to be hospitable to travelers.

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

The Riviera Tower in Elliniko is set to become the first skyscraper and the tallest building in Greece.

Lamda Development secured the first ever building permit for the construction of a skyscraper in the country, the company announced.

Securing the permit for the iconic tower was a particularly complex process, the announcement said, as a large number of special approvals were required, such as from the Civil Aviation Service, the Central Council of Architecture, and the Fire Brigade Headquarters, and over 1,900 blueprints were made.

A large number of competent ministries and regulatory institutions were also involved in the permit approval.

First Skyscraper building in Greece ready to start

With the building permit in hand, construction for the two hundred-meter skyscraper is expected to begin in a few weeks.

The skyscraper is part of the massive Hellinikon regeneration project at the former Athens airport, which is planned to become a state-of-the-art commercial, leisure, and business destination.

The project is expected to generate seventy-five thousand jobs, according to its developer, who envisages the old runways of Hellinikon airport becoming beachfront villas and high-end shopping malls with a marina, five-star hotels, a casino, office space, and the largest public park in Europe.

When the project was first presented to the public in 2021, Lamda said that the skyscraper would be forty-five stories tall with a total of two hundred apartments.

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