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Wednesday, 18 February 2015 12:39

Corfu – An Exquisite Greek Island Destination

Described by Homer as a ‘rich and beautiful land’, the Greek Ionian island of Corfu has delighted the senses of its inhabitants and visitors for centuries. With a rich history deeply entwined in ancient Greek mythology and later subject to numerous battling civilisations, the island has been left with a conglomerate presence of stunning village architecture, fortresses, museums, temples and churches built in turn by the Corinthians, the Romans, the Venetians, the Byzantines, the French and the British.

In ancient mythology, Poseidon, the god of the sea, fell in love with and abducted the beautiful nymph Korkyra to Corfu. Today the main town, Kerkyra, still carries her name.

The island of Corfu offers so much more than the 18-30’s image that may immediately come to mind. After all, this beautiful island was the birthplace of Prince Phillip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, in 1921 at the Villa Mon Repos. It is also the capital of cricket in Greece, with an oval and full scale cricket ground in the centre of Kerkyra square.

At night, the town is a magical sight of amber-lit Venetian architecture, the Saint Spyridon church tower and many monuments. The shops, restaurants, tavernas and bars buzz until well past midnight with people of all ages from children to grandparents, making for a lively, chaotic yet intimate atmosphere. The locals are friendly and the restaurant owners welcome tourists from all over the world. A must see is the breathtaking and intoxicating, uninterrupted view over the sea front, the Old Fortress, port and the old town experienced on the rooftop bar and restaurant of the Cavalieri Hotel. Succulent local dishes and fresh seafood are offered and can be enjoyed with a glass of your favourite local wine. The chocolate cake dessert completes the divine experience.

To read more, please visit www.travelwithanastasia.com

By Anastasia Paphitis

Published in Travel Greece

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Thursday, 19 February 2015 13:37

EU, Germany Warn Greece Over Debt Reduction Ambitions

The European Union and Germany warned Greece's new left-wing government Thursday that there was little support for a reduction in its massive debts, before it holds the first talks with its eurozone partners. Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will on Friday meet Jeroen Dijsselbloem, the current head of the eurozone group of finance ministers, which Athens said would mark the start of Greece's negotiations on revising the conditions of its bailout deal.

Ahead of the meeting, Greek bank stocks rebounded Thursday after plunging the day before on concerns about the dramatic first moves of Tsipras’s new administration.

The government has begun to roll back years of austerity measures demanded by the EU and the International Monetary Fund in return for a 240-billion-euro ($269 billion) bailout granted to avoid a financial meltdown in 2010, and says it will negotiate to halve the debt.

But European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker said a reduction of the 315 billion euro debt linked to the bailout “is not on the radar.”

“I don’t think there's a majority in the Eurogroup... for a reduction of the debt,” he told Germany’s ARD television, referring to the eurozones finance ministers.

To read more, please visit ekathimerini.com

Published in Local News

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Wednesday, 04 March 2015 15:37

TBG At The Clumsies

A tasting of top Greek wines and a unique personal bartending experience rounded out a Friday night in Athens for Travel Bloggers Greece (TBG) during the group’s second networking event this year. The event, held on February 27, was hosted by The Clumsies a new bar that prides itself on Greek hospitality and innovative ways to fuse Greek products in their cocktail offerings. The network event which gathered the Greece based bloggers started out with a wine and food tasting presented by The Clumsies’ co-owner, Nikos Bakoulis. It was followed by a personal bartending experience in a private room located on the upper floor of the historic building. Bakoulis, who is also an award-winning bartender, personally demonstrated the bar’s unique concept when it comes to its cocktail presentation and creation.

Displaying TBG gathers at its second networking event.jpg

Travel Bloggers Greece is currently planning its third networking event in Athens and upcoming FAM trips with several Greek travel brands. TBG was established in January 2015 as a professional networking group whose mission is to promote the interests of travel bloggers that cover Greece as a travel destination. Members abide by TBG’s code of ethics and continually strive to maintain the highest professional standards. TBG also facilitates business relationships in the Greek travel industry and abroad to educate about travel blogging, promote authentic travel and increased awareness of Greek travel destinations.

Membership opportunities are available for both bloggers and travel industry professionals. To find out more please visit the TBG website at: www.travelbloggersgreece.com.

Published in City Discovery

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Thursday, 18 June 2015 07:00

Apovathra Open Air Bar

Discover “Apovathra”, the outdoor platform of the Railway Carriage Theater to Treno sto Rouf, at Rouf railway station, only ten minutes from the lively Gazi district.

Enjoy refreshing cocktails, delicious Greek snacks, hip DJ sounds, art exhibitions, video screenings and live musical performances. Escape to the coolest spot of the city during summer.

Enjoy the atmosphere among the blooming oleanders and the subdued lighting from the train carriages of the unique Railway Theater.

Address:
“Rouf” Railway Station on Konstantinoupoleos Ave., 11854. (Map: https://goo.gl/maps/0eiDx)

For more, please visit: To Treno Sto Rouf

Published in Pubs, Bars & Cafes

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Monday, 06 June 2016 07:00

Miracle In Athens As Greek Tourism Numbers Keep Growing

For an economy stuck in depression-era recession, dependent on emergency bails, and seemingly locked in a perpetual fiscal vice, tourism is vital. A record 23.5 million holidaymakers visited Greece in 2015 – generating €14.2bn in direct receipts, or 24% of gross domestic product.

“It’s a miracle, what’s been happening in Athens,” Greece’s tourism chief, Andreas Andreadis, told the Observer. “The tourist industry in Greece grew two to three times faster than in Spain, Portugal, Italy or France last year. This year we expect around 4.5 million visitors in Athens alone.”

It’s been a busy winter in downtown Athens, where scaffolding, tarpaulins and dust have been symbols of hope: a mini construction boom heralding a tourist renaissance. Nine hotels are being built or restored around the city centre.

This year, the Greek Tourism Confederation is predicting the number of visitors could reach 25 million and 27.5 million if you count the cruise ship passengers. Economic recovery depends on the tourism sector to a great degree.

Much of the upsurge is linked to Greece’s safety record. Tourists are staying away from resort in Egypt, Tunisia, Turkey and elsewhere in the wake of high-profile attacks.

Tourism provides one in five jobs in Greece, at a time when unemployment in the nation has hovered stubbornly around 25%. Youth unemployment stands at an astonishing 67%.

“It’s going to be a challenge but our hope is that we will see an improvement on record numbers again,” said Yiannis Retsos, president of the Hellenic Federation of Hoteliers. “Tourism is all about positive psychology and Greece is a safe place in the south-east Mediterranean region.”

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

Published in Local News

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Thursday, 02 February 2017 07:00

Greek Documentary 'Little Island' Captures Audiences

'Little Island’ is a documentary about the story of a man who left everything behind to live on a small Greek island south of Crete for the past 40 years.

Despite the fact the first years were difficult, the man finally blended with the environment and managed to make a life worth living.

‘Little Island’ by Angeles Psomopoulos and Alex Vilaras was nominated in the 2016 Los Angeles Short Film Festival and mesmerizes its audiences with its simple beauty.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

Published in Videos

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Thursday, 10 August 2017 09:43

Air China To Begin Direct Beijing-Athens Flights In September 2017

Air China will start direct flights between Beijing and Athens as of September 2017, according to a press release issued recently after a meeting between State Minister Alekos Flambouraris and Chinese Ambassador to Greece Zou Xiaoli at Maximos Mansion.

The two officials discussed the presence of Chinese companies in the coming Thessaloniki International Fair that will kick off on September 9, 2017 where China is the honoured country.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

Published in International Travel

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Thursday, 28 March 2019 00:00

The City Of Athens Has Been Selected To Host the 44th "Space Olympics"

The Council of the Space Research Committee (COSPAR) has selected Athens to host the 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly – also known as “Space Olympics”. The scientific assembly is scheduled to take place in the Greek capital from 16 to 24 July 2022.

The other candidate cities for the 2022 “Space Olympics” were Lausanne, Warsaw, and Prague. Athens was chosen at the 42nd COSPAR Assembly in Pasadena, California, where more than 3,300 space scientists from around the world had gathered.

COSPAR’s international assembly is hosted, on a different continent, every two years. The 2022 assembly in Athens is expected to draw about 4,000 scientists from research centers and universities from around the world, as well as delegates of major international space agencies.

Greece’s candidacy for the 44th COSPAR Scientific Assembly was prepared by the Space Research and Technology Bureau of the Academy of Athens and was actively supported by the City of Athens, the Ministries of Tourism and of Digital Policy, all the Universities and Research Institutions in the country, private and public entities, and Greek scientists from across the globe.

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

Published in Greece In The News

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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

Published in Newsletters

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Friday, 05 April 2024 10:27

155 Years & Counting: Athens' Oldest Operating Train Stations

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

Published in City Discovery

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Corfu – An Exquisite Greek Island Destination

EU, Germany Warn Greece Over Debt Reduction Ambitions

TBG At The Clumsies

Apovathra Open Air Bar

Miracle In Athens As Greek Tourism Numbers Keep Growing

Greek Documentary 'Little Island' Captures Audiences

Air China To Begin Direct Beijing-Athens Flights In September 2017

The City Of Athens Has Been Selected To Host the 44th "Space Olympics"

Gearing Up For Summer

155 Years & Counting: Athens' Oldest Operating Train Stations

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