Meeting the Odyssey is a social and artistic collaborative project sailing from the Baltic to the Mediterranean Sea. Each summer from 2014 to 2016, artists and organizers from different European countries travel together, giving workshops and performing theatre pieces.

 

The project combines elements of the Odyssey, contemporary themes relevant to Europe and stories collected through exchanges with the local population. But Meeting the Odyssey is also a journey in and of itself: bringing people together through long term collaboration and discovering new artistic landscapes and cultural attitudes to develop synergies at the European level.

In 2014, the ship Hoppet sailed in the Baltic Sea, in 2015 in the Mediterranean Sea and this year, the tour will take place in Greece.

Here is what the Project Manager, Matilda von Weissenberg, had to say:

It is time for this project to reach its last tour. It is time to set sails and reach the final destination: Greece, the home of Odysseus himself, the origin of so many myths and legends, philosophers and artists.

When we planned the Meeting the Odyssey project in 2012, we decided that the last tour would happen in Greece as a tribute to all culture, arts, civilization and heritage that we can thank Greece for. Another reason was to show solidarity with the in times of economical crisis. We wanted to go against the trend of blaming the south for the crisis. We wanted to do something that would unite Europeans instead of dividing us. Meeting the Odyssey was our answer to those first signs of EU’s internal crisis that were discernible already back in 2012 – with a ship filled with theatre we wanted to enhance intercultural dialogue and overcome prejudices.

We have sailed many seas and performed in many ports since those planning days. Almost 19000 people have seen the performances in 25 places all over Europe. Meeting the Odyssey started its journey 2014 in St.Petersburg in the middle of very difficult relations because of the Crimean crisis. After a rainy and cold tour on the Baltic Sea, the project reached Central European places like Prague, Opole and Berlin. In 2015 the tour went around Italy, France and Malta, stopping also at Lampedusa, the island where so many migrants have landed after a dangerous trip from the African continent. All along, this project has been somehow present in the places of concern in Europe. The same pattern continues as we reach the final tour in Greece.

The European spectrum has changed during these years. We started out focusing on the collaboration and dialogue within Europe. We end up confronting us with a situation far more complex, where all of Europe is trying to deal with the arrival of thousands of people from outside Europe, people who represent different cultures, religions and languages. How can Meeting the Odyssey face these challenges? How can we, as artists, contribute to a better understanding between cultures and traditions? Can we do anything at all?

We think we can. We have a beautiful sailing ship called Hoppet to take us around in the Adriatic, Ionian and Aegean Seas and we have over 50 artists from all over Europe ready to perform fantastic theatre productions as well as Instant performances and workshops. Here we come Greece!

For more information, please visit: Meeting The Odyssey

Among the many languages offered on Facebook, Ancient Greek is now a choice.

 

When you save Ancient Greek as a language, from then on messages will be ‘Aγγέλματα’, Facebook will be asking you ‘Tί δοκείς;’, friend search will be ‘Φίλους ευρίσκειν’, the main page will be called ‘οίκος’, while under each post you will see the indication ‘Σχόλιον γράφειν.’

To change your language settings to Ancient Greek, go to Settings - Language - Select Your Language - Ancient Greek - Save Changes.

Source: Greek Reporter

The first professional blogger network in Greece, Travel Bloggers Greece (TBG), traveled to Pelion to celebrate its two-year anniversary and blog about the region. Spyrou Philoxenia, a top hotel management company with headquarters in Athens, invited TBG members to experience the sights, nature and gastronomy of the up-and-coming destination.

The three-day itinerary included hiking in Tsagarada with Trekking Hellas to photograph the region’s mountain and sea views. A tour of several villages included Vyzitsa, Millies, Afissos, Zagora and Makrinitsa. The bloggers also experienced local gastronomy including at O Patis taverna in Zagora and a tsipouro tasting at Lepi in Volos. For a coffee with a view, the Greece based bloggers enjoyed the hospitality at Hotel Maistrali in Afissos. Members also gathered at Manthos Hotel in Chania to cut the organization’s vasilopita, a traditional New Year’s cake. The coin prize was a gift certificate sponsored by Manas Kouzina-Kouzina, a traditional Greek restaurant in Athens. To end the blogger trip, TBG sat down for a traditional dinner warmly hosted by the staff at the award-winning Kritsa restaurant in Portaria, a member of the Guest Inn Network.

“Our two-year anniversary was a great opportunity to promote beautiful Pelion, a special year-round destination in Greece,” said Elena Sergeeva, co-founder of TBG. “Our members look forward to blogging about their experiences in full, over the next month, on their individual travel blogs.”

“Spyrou Philoxenia showed us the best that Pelion has to offer so we can relay what we learned to our international followers,” said Marissa Tejada, co-founder of TBG. “TBG members love traveling in Greece and are seasoned in effectively sharing those travel experiences through quality digital content and through social media.”

The blogging trip included a stay at Aglaida Apartments in Tsagarada, where members also celebrated their two-year anniversary with a “Greek party” which included a traditional dinner prepared by the hotel.

“In this digital world, we understand the importance and impact travel blogging has on today’s traveler holiday decisions. As Greece destination experts, we knew that Pelion would be an ideal place for TBG to explore for their special anniversary weekend,” said John Grigoras, Deputy Manager, Sales and Marketing of Spyrou Philoxenia. “We look forward to the positive impact, excellent blog coverage and social media exposure the blogger trip will have on the region in coming weeks and in the long term.”

To sponsor the TBG blogger tour, Spyrou Philoxenia successfully managed collaborations between private business and regional tourism organization including Trekking Hellas, Les Hirondelles, the Hotel Owners Association of Magnesia and the Prefectural Units of Magnesia and Sporades Islands.

Established in 2015, TBG is the first professional travel blogger networking group in Greece. Members are Greeks and expats who live in Greece and abide by ethical and professional standards. A membership committee approves candidates based on specific professional criteria. TBG works with businesses in Greece and around the world to help promote authentic travel.

For more information, please visit: Travel Bloggers Greece

Hotel Management company, Spyrou Philoxenia organizes special tour packages through authentic experiences coupled with professional services and select accommodations at Spyrou Philoxenia Affiliate Member Hotels.

For more information, please visit: Spyrou Philoxenia

Even today, a lot of Athenians don’t know how the squares and neighborhoods of Athens received their names! Now, Greek Reporter teaches us the meaning of the most popular squares and neighborhoods of Athens!

America Square today is deteriorating as the whole Kypseli neighborhood is downgrading. Yet, the busy square was named in 1927, as the municipal council wanted to show its appreciation for the philhellenism shown by the United States. Until then it was Agamon Square, or Square of the unwed. It was named so in 1887 after three middle-aged Athenians who had a café in the square and were all unmarried.

Anafiotika is an Athenian neighborhood on the north slope of the Acropolis Hill. Particularly picturesque, with tiny houses and narrow streets resembling a Greek island, it was created around 1860 by craftsmen and laborers who had come from the island of Anafi to work in the excavations of the Acropolis, but also to build the capital, which was a relatively new city then. One of them, on the pretense of building a small church, gathered materials and with the help of a carpenter, he made a house in one night and settled in. In a few days (or nights …) the builder, helped the carpenter to get his own home. Thus, Anafiotika was born from these two builders from Anafi.

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

The 35th Authentic Marathon took place in Athens this past weekend on November 12, 2017 bringing together more than 51,000 runners. Around 18,500 runners came from all over the world and the rest came from Greece.

Most of the athletes competing come from the UK (1,054), Italy (1,000), the USA (834), France (815) and Germany (741). Other athletes travelled from countries such as Brazil, South Korea, New Zealand and Vietnam.

The course was a 42km course that followed the footsteps of the legendary soldier Pheidippides. The Athens Marathon has developed in recent years into one of the biggest annual sports events for Greece.

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

Photo Credit: Facebook

Greek wines are finally gaining recognition around the world, recently reported by Tornos News. "With near-perfect grape-growing regions and oodles of sun and favorable conditions for producing wine in a wide range of varies, from the bitter retsina to the silky smooth Assyrtiko and a host of others, Greece is finally being discovered."

At a recent event organized by the National Inter-Professional Organization of Vine and Wine of Greece (EDOAO), Greece has been involved in a campaign to extensively market their wines beyond the borders of the European Union.

Greek winemakers have not only seen increases in their sales abroad, but also in the prices buyers are willing to pay, a fact that demonstrates that the country is gaining recognition as a source of high-quality wines.

To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News

On May 18, 2018, Greece is celebrating International Museum Day with free admission to museums and a number of cultural events with the theme 'Hyperconnected Museums: New approaches, new publics.'

International Museum Day aims to raise awareness of museums and how they are a significant means of cultural exchange. This year’s theme focuses on the integral role of the internet in relation to museums around the world. On the occasion of International Museum Day 2018, the Greek branch of ICOM will honor the OTE Telecommunications Museum, which is operated by the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization OTE SA in Athens.

A special event will be held on May 18, at 19:00, at the OTE Teleocommunications Museum in Nea Kifissia. The event will include short speeches, guided tours and music performances. From May 17-20, the museum will also host guided tours, educational programs and workshops, and more.

For more information, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

According to the Infrastructure Minister Christos Spirtzis, victims of the Attica fire will be able to submit applications starting from July 31, 2018 to receive 5,000 euros in aid.

The government has stated that they will pay 5,000 euros to households affected by the fire and 6,000 euros to families with more than two children. Businesses will receive 8,000 euros.

After inspecting over 3,500 buildings, Spirtzis and his team declared almost 1,000 of those not fit for use and about 800 buildings are temporarily unfit for use.

Government spokesperson Dimitris Tzanakopoulos also announced in addition to this aid, a complete set of measures for fire victims, including support for unemployed and pensioners, measures to compensate and support the families of victims, suspension of foreclosure auctions, reparation of material damages, and measures of direct tax and contribution relief.

Please visit Greek News Agenda to see the full list of fire relief measures.

Articlce source: Ekathimerini

Athens is a large metropolis that might not seem particularly kid-friendly at first sight. However, despite what most people think there are lots of exciting things to do and see with your children in Athens. Home to numerous museums, parks, and playgrounds, the Greek capital provides endless options for a fun and educational family outing.

Here are some of our favorite children’s activities in and around the center of Athens:

 

To enjoy a great sightseeing tour of the historical center of Athens, all you need to do is hop aboard the Athens Happy Train. This toy-like street train starts from Syntagma Square and will take you and your family around the most famous sight and landmarks of the city. You can even transform the 40-minute tour into a day trip by hopping on and off and exploring your favorite monuments and attractions along the way.

Address: Ermou Street, Syntagma Square

Visiting the Planetarium is a great opportunity to familiarize your children with complex concepts in a fun and interactive way. Kids love the huge domed screen, the amphitheatrical auditorium, and of course the state-of-the-art interactive shows that take place in the Planetarium. It's a fun and educational outing for the whole family.

Address: 387 Syggrou Avenue, 175 64, Palaio Faliro

 

Located inside the Athens Conservatoire, this museum aims to teach children all about the world they live in. Its philosophy is based on the phrase ‘I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand therefore its activities include things like creating with building materials, experimenting with different ingredients in the kitchen, and learning about the concepts of supply and demand in the museum’s marketplace.

Address: 19 Vasileos Georgiou B, 106 75, Athens

Located near the Flisvos Marina, this playground is one of the best in Athens. It covers an area of almost 13 acres and offers various exciting activities. The park is divided into several sections; one for children aged 2 to 5, one for children up to 12 years old, walking and cycling paths, mini soccer, and basketball facilities, and an outdoor gym! Just a step from the sea and full of exciting games and constructions, the Flisvos Park Playground is ideal for a fun family outing.

Address: Flisvos Park, Posidonos Avenue, Palaio Faliro

Focused on the study, conservation, and protection of the natural environment, the Goulandris Natural History Museum will certainly impress children of all ages. The museum's collection is focused on botanology, entomology, minerals, paleontology, and marine biology and includes hundreds of thousands of specimens. Children will be impressed by the life-sized replicas of animals and rare plant species that will help them comprehend the earth’s ever-changing ecosystem. The museum is also home to the Gaia Centre and the unique ‘Geosphere’ monitor, which presents the geological evolution of the planet from its creation, 4.6 billion years ago, until today.

Address: 13 Levidou, 145 62, Kifisia

 

Living in Greece is an exceptional experience. And it is always nice to hear stories from expats who believe exactly the same thing! So it's no wonder the country is expecting twice as many visitors from the US in 2019... You can't blame them!