The new heatwave sweeping across parts of Europe, nicknamed Lucifer, is expected to affect Greece as of Sunday and through the week, with temperatures reaching as high as 41 degrees, the National Meteorological Service said on Saturday.

 

On Monday the 7th of August, the hottest regions will be the western parts of Greece with 40-41C while the rest of the country will see temperatures between 38C to 40C. On Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, temperatures will stay high and hover around 38 degrees Celsius, mainly over the Ionian Islands and the mainland.

This will be the third heat wave affecting Greece this summer.

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

As August is the month that most Greeks take their summer vacation, port authorities are advising travelers to arrive an hour earlier at the point of their departure as increased passenger traffic is expected at the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrion.

On just the first day of the August, 21 ferry routes took place from Piraeus port, as 23,036 passengers, 3,336 private cars, 742 trucks and 607 motorcycles departed for various Aegean islands.

According to data from the central port authorities and ferry companies, last June, July and August a total of 1,423,646 passengers departed from Piraeus to various Aegean islands and 469,917 passengers traveled to islands in the Argosaronic.

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

Check out our latest newsletter and discover top destinations to visit with the kids, top 10 things to do in Athens and discover some of the coolest events taking place in the city!

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Check out this list of garden restaurants, cafes & bars in and around Athens ideal to spend a refreshing evening with loved ones!

Vrasto Tavern


@to_vrasto

The family-owned taverna "To Vrasto", with over 40 years of tradition, situated next to Polydrosso's gully in Chalandri, has been offering, through the years, Greek cuisine dishes releasing a rush of aromas that take you on a trip down memory lane, always with commitment to quality and friendly customer service.

It was recently fully renovated with great care in order to create a warm but classy atmosphere and a place where customers and regulars, who have become friends over time, feel comfortable and cosy, enjoying private and business meals.

Location:  3, Rodon Str., Polydrosso - Chalandri
Telephone: 210 6813776 

Lefkes


@lefkesontheside

Located in Galatsi, the first step brings you into the courtyard, with the lush , green garden. The different cobblestone levels allow you to forget about the busy avenue which has led you here. The two tall elm trees in the heart of the courtyard are flanked by a large range of large and small local and exotic plants.

The menu is updated frequently, as are the “today’s specials” which allow many different choices to satisfy the most demanding palates.

Location: 100, Galatsi Avenue
Telephone: 210 292 4458

Dos Hermanos


@doshermanos.gr

True Mexican cuisine is made like its people, by contrast, impurities and full of traditions. One of the best authentic Mexican restaurants in Athens, Dos Hermanos invites you to discover a stylish and cosy space in the heart of Kifissia. The Chef daily prepares all the traditional Mexican dishes from every corner of Mexico, always using high quality ingredients.  

Relax in their cozy environment and enjoy unique flavors of Mexico!

Location:  24, Kyriazis street - Kifissia
Telephone: 210 8087906

Villa Grigio 46


@villagrigio46

The garden that shares sui generis sophisticated wine bar "Villa Grigio 46" with the popular Italian restaurant "Da Bruno" gives the charming sense of a secret corner just for you.

The Italians would describe the place as "aperitivi e vino", but in fact it is a multifunctional cafeteria, with 85 labels of Italian and Greek wines suitable for everyone!

Location: Agiou Alexandrou 46 - Palaio Faliro
Telephone: 210 9812080

Ta Romanakia


@taromanakia

This restaurant is located in Agia Paraskevi and serves exclusive authentic Cretan cuisine. Premises are open on a daily basis, from noon until late at night, and it aims to offer a tasteful experience, based on quality, uniqueness and the way Cretan life is valued.

Location: Mesogeion Avenue 366, Korai square - Agia Paraskeuh
Telephone: 210 6532278

With the Athens bar scene growing significantly in the last few years, Athens Coast dives into the nightlife and gives us the inside scoop on the best courtyard and rooftop bar experiences!

Located on the roof of the Central Hotel in Plaka, this is Athens Coast’s go-to. “I like this place because it is never over-crowded and the service is friendly and attentive. Also, after a few cocktails, when the lights shine on the sides of the Acropolis, you can see the outline of a goat’s head.”

A hidden boutique hotel with a roof terrace over-looking Acropolis. The Zillers popped onto the scene recently and is on all of the trendy ‘Athens is the new (insert cool city here)’ lists.

This hostel has one of the highest rooftop bars in Athens, so you can see Acroplis and Mount Lycabettus. In the elevator on the way up, you will see a sign that reads, “No we don’t have wifi, get drunk and talk to each other.”

 

 

Black Duck Garden (website is in Greek)

As it is the official bistro for the Museum of the City of Athens, the Black Duck is the classiest joint on my list. Take a stroll through history and enjoy a coffee in the garden of the first palace in Athens. Black Duck is open year round, with the outdoor courtyard open Spring-Fall.

A renovated shopping alleyway on Kolokotroni has become an industrial, hip hang-out. Food, coffee, juices, cocktails- you name it, they have it.

 

 

To read this article in full, please visit: Athens Coast

 

Photo Credit: Athens Coast

A celebration of planet earth and the ability to travel from one end to the other, BBC Travel gives you 50 reasons to love the world in a beautiful photo gallery. First reason, Meteora, Greece!

To view the gallery, please visit: BBC

The perfect spot in the city center for getting a mouthful of delicious food and an eyeful of amazing scenery, from the Acropolis to Lycabettus Hill all the way down to the Saronic Gulf! Lay back comfortably in your deck chair and sip on refreshing cocktails or cool down under the impressive waterfall in the most stylish rooftop pool bar of Athens!

Located in Monastiraki Square, this wonderful bar is a favorite among the young and the older crowds. At the bar, you can choose from a selection of 60 different cocktails, while at the restaurant, you will savor imaginative dishes inspired by Mediterranean and Greek cuisine.

@kuzina.gr

Located in one of the most crowded pedestrian streets of the city, overlooking the Acropolis, in front of the Temple of Hephaestus, Kuzina combines Greek traditions with the latest trends, always using the freshest ingredients. Enjoy tasteful dishes and cocktails while the sunset paints the sky in the most unique colors!

Facing the sacred rock of the Acropolis, this hidden bar on Normanou street is most definitely one of the most beautiful terraces in the center of Athens. The all-day menu includes cocktails, coffee, healthy snacks, finger food, delicious burgers, and pizza. When the sun sets, you'll enjoy selected lounge and house music by well-known Greek and world DJs!

 

Location: 3 Normanou, Monastiraki
Telephone: 216 7004917

Telescope


@telescope_cafe_bar_restaurant

It's like love at first sight! You most definitely won't need more than a moment to fall in love with this place. Inside the store, you will find 21 telescopes which you can use to look at the magnificent view from the Piraeus port to the Olympic Stadium! The ideal spot for a relaxing drink or a romantic dinner!

A total of 93 free-entry events in 115 archaeological sites, monuments and museums all over the country are organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports for the full moon of August, which this year takes place on the 7^th of August!

In addition, 22 venues and museums will remain open to the public without  specific events being held. 

At the Central Archaeological Council meeting, all members  gave the "green light" for events that include music, dance, theater and visual exhibitions as film screenings, poetry nights, guided tours and many other actions.

Last year's statistics showed that 63,795 people participated in 82 events  that were held in 116 archaeological sites, museums and monuments or visited  34 sites that were just open to the public.

This year's events will culminate on August 7^th, but there will be more around this date. As for Athens and Attica, that evening the Acropolis will remain open until 8 pm and Sounio until midnight.

Musical events will be held, among other things, in the archaeological site of Olympiou, with the Philharmonic of the Army General Staff (20.00-22.00), as well as in the adjacent area of ​​the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus ("Melodies in the Full Moon" with the soprano Vasia Zacharopoulou, Dimitris Paksoglou and The Underground Youth Orchestra, at 21.00).

The Acropolis Museum will celebrate the August full moon on two separate nights. On Thursday August 18 at 9 pm, the museum will host the well-known band The Swingin’ Cats.

Furthermore, the museum galleries will remain open from 8:00 am to midnight (entrance will be free after 8:00 pm), allowing visitors to look through the permanent and temporary exhibitions. At the same time, the restaurant, located on the museum’s second floor, will also be open to the public. Visitors will be able to taste exquisite dishes based on traditional recipes, while listening to jazz music.

Acropolis Museum – Free entry to museum from 8:00pm – 12:00am

The Acropolis Museum invites its visitors to a musical performance by the well-known musician and singer Manolis Mitsias and his band who will perform popular melodies by Greek songwriters and composers including, Manos Hadjidakis, Mikis Theodorakis, Stavros Xarchakos, Thanos Mikroutsikos, Loukianos Kilaidonis, Christos Leontis and Dimos Moutsis. Performance from 9:00pm. Museum opens 8:00am.

National Archaeological Museum – open until midnight

A musical performance in the garden of the museum, 9:30pm – 11:00pm.

Numismatic Museum

A musical performance by quartet – “Quarderinas Moonlight Stories”, 9:00pm – 12:00am.

Source: WhyAthens.com

Greece is one of the best countries in the world to travel with children. Rather than just catering to kids with entertainment parks and special menus, the Greeks will welcome them with true warmth and a natural sense of inclusion in all activities. Expect locals to make a friendly fuss over your kids and try to treat Greek kids the same way, and a good time will be had by all.

With ruins to clamber over and child-geared sights to explore, there is plenty to keep children busy in Athens. From the Acropolis to the Ancient Agora, kids can retrace ancient history. Bring a book of Greek myths to read for bedtime stories, and they will have plenty to enliven the imagination.

Athens’ shady National Gardens has a playground, duck pond and mini zoo, or look for the fountain stocked with swimming turtles in neighbouring Zappeio Gardens. You can escape the heat and entertain the kids with a virtual-reality tour of Ancient Greece at the Hellenic Cosmos or explore the universe at the impressive Planetarium. At the War Museum, kids can climb into the cockpit of a WWII plane and check out other aircraft in the courtyard.

The Museum of Greek Children’s Art has a room set aside where children can let loose their creative energy and learn about Ancient Greece. At the Hellenic Children’s Museum kids can join Greek cooking and craft classes. A bit like a play centre, it has a games room and a number of exhibits for children to explore.

Further afield on the outskirts of the city, the enormous Allou Fun Park and Kidom is Athens' biggest amusement-park complex.

The sugar-cube island villages, glorious beaches and speedy catamarans linking the Cyclades daily make this island group ideal for families. In fact, when you think ‘Greek island holiday’ you’re probably imagining the iconic Cyclades. Many of the islands also offer outdoor activities and beach-side gear rental. For budding teenage kitesurfers, Paros has some world-class sandy beaches with ideal conditions for kitesurfing. Wee coastal explorers will enjoy Milos with its multihued volcanic beaches. Naxos offers both beach life and striking temples, plus interior mountains so you can mix water play with relaxed local culture. You can easily set up on one island for your whole holiday, or jump between several.



From the ancient theatre at Epidavros where you can hear a pin drop a hundred meters away, to Ancient Olympia, the site of the original Olympic Games, the Peloponnese is a playground of splendid kid-friendly historical sites. It also has the wonderful, walkable Venetian city of Nafplio. You could easily spend your whole holiday criss-crossing the villages and ruins of the Peloponnese, where the way of life remains refreshingly non-touristy.

To read more, please visit: Lonely Planet

Students of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki have created an innovative interactive tool that helps dyslexics read easier online, says a report in Chinese agency Xinhua.

The tool named “3asyR” (Easy Reader) allowed dyslexics and people with learning disabilities to easier read the website created for the 1st International Journalism Summer School.

The tool provides the opportunity for users to underline words or highlight material on online texts and choose among 15 dyslexic friendly colors and font size options or a Text-to-Speech option, supporting almost all languages.

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