COMMUNITY CORNER
XpatAthens
Thursday, 10 November 2016 07:00
Over 50,000 Athletes Expected In This Year’s 34th Athens Marathon
More than 50,000 athletes will participate in the 34th Athens Marathon, which will be held on November 13th, 2016 following the historic route of Pheidippides, the dispatch-runner who brought Athens news of the Greek victory against the Persians at Marathon and then collapsed.
The president of the Marathon’s organising committee and SEGAS chief Kostas Panagopoulos said, “We’re happy this year to have more than 50,000 runners, but I want to tell you with great sincerity that I think we are just after halfway in relation to the goals we have set for the Athens Marathon. The goal is high. We want the Athens Marathon to be the most important cultural and sports festival in the world.”
He added, “We estimate this leaves the city an amount of around 15 million euros from which benefits not just the tourism industry, but also Athens’ daily life.”
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter
Published in
Local News
Tagged under
Monday, 09 March 2020 07:00
Patates Fournou - Greek Roasted Potatoes With Lemon & Garlic
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.
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cooks in: 45 minutes
Cooks in: 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes cut in small wedges (if long cut wedges in half)
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2-3 teaspoons dry oregano
- 1-2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3 cloves
- 3 allspice
- 2 garlic cloves quartered
- ½ teaspoon salt
- freshly ground pepper
Published in
Greek Food & Diet
Tagged under
Tuesday, 08 November 2016 07:00
Two Greeks Shortlisted For World Mayor Award
Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis and his counterpart from Lesvos, Spiros Galinos, are in the running for the biennial World Mayor Award to be selected through online voting at World Mayor.
The mayors of Athens and Lesvos have both made it into the Top 15 and have been singled out for their ongoing efforts during the refugee crisis.
The World Mayor Project aims to raise the profile of mayors worldwide and honour those who have served their communities well and who have made contributions to the well-being of cities nationally and internationally.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Monday, 07 November 2016 15:35
metamatic:taf
metamatic:taf is a pioneering cultural and digital centre in Athens established in 2009. It has a dual role of an independent space that organizes and hosts cultural events related to all forms of artistic production. It is also a meeting point where people can gather and socialize, assuming a new Athenian identity.
metamatic:taf has defined a contemporary model of cultural production and action, operating as a continuously evolving formation within urban networks. Having being established as an open space for circulating ideas and practices based on participatory culture, experimentation and cross-disciplinary exploration, metamatic:taf seeks to establish extended partnerships with communities of creators across a wide cultural spectrum, whilst building a substantial relationship with its audience through active engagement and co-creation.
Published in
City Venues
Tagged under
Tuesday, 03 September 2019 07:00
100 Under-The-Radar Places Everyone Should Visit In The World
Travel should be more than crossing attractions off a bucket list. It should be an opportunity to see some truly magnificent and unique parts of the world.
From a Japanese island that doubles as an active volcano to a neon green lake in New Zealand, Business Insider named 100 places deemed worthy of a trip of a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Here are a few of our favorites!
1. Weave through the world's longest hedge maze at Wiltshire's Longleat Maze, which measures nearly two miles.
2. Swim beside waterfalls in beautifully clear water at the Fairy Pools in the village of Carbost on Scotland's Isle of Skye.
3. Hop on a colourful boat in Aveiro, a vibrant canal city that's bursting with cool architecture on Portugal's west coast.
4. Travel to the very north of Denmark to Grenen, a beach in the town of Skagen that connects two seas: The Skagerrak Straight in the North Sea, and the Kattegat, which flows between Denmark and Sweden.
5. Climb inside the crater of an active volcano (if you dare) on the island of Nisyros in Greece's Dodecanese. The volcano's last eruption was in 1888.
6. Take in the views from the Kolukkumalai Tea Estate — a sprawling piece of land that sits at 8,000 feet above sea level — in Munnar, India.
7. Stay inside the temporary Ice Hotel installed every winter in Quebec City, Canada. It's not just the architecture that's sculpted out of ice — even the furniture is made out of the stuff.
8. Admire the ornate patterns on the houses and church in the village of Pyrgi, on the Greek island of Chios.
9. The US city of Boston is filled with cool cultural spots. George's Island, which is one of the islands in the Boston Harbour, was used as a coastal defence in the American Civil War.
10. Journey to the edge of a cliff in the Faroe Islands to visit the remote village of Gásadalur and enjoy breathtaking views.
Published in
International Travel
Tagged under
Monday, 07 November 2016 07:00
Greece Unveils First Contemporary Art Museum
"I think this is something that should have happened years ago," the museum’s director said.
Legislation establishing the museum, known as EMST, was passed 19 years ago. The museum is built in the refurbished Fix brewery in central Athens.
Introducing modern art to a culture brought up on marble columns and the galloping friezes of the Parthenon would appear to be a daunting and thankless task, but Katerina Koskinas, the director of Greece's first National Museum of Contemporary Art, was giddy with excitement and lack of sleep on the eve of the museum's opening.
EMST may not fire up the art market directly, since it is not an art broker, but it will make Greek artists more visible.
EMST was conceived in a period of optimism. In the late 1990s, Greece planned its new Acropolis Museum, now the country's most popular attraction after the Acropolis itself. The shift to culture could emerge as Greece's next national project.
To read this article in full, please visit: Al Jazeera
To read this article in full, please visit: Al Jazeera
Published in
Local News
Tagged under
Wednesday, 02 November 2016 07:00
Excitement Builds For The First Messinia Pro Am - An International Golf Tournament
The countdown to the inaugural Messinia Pro Am is underway with extensive interest from golf teams both in Greece and abroad.
The event is set to take place from February 21-24, 2016 at Costa Navarino, the prime sustainable golf destination in the Mediterranean, with many professional and amateur golfers already forming the first Pro Am teams set to participate.
The event will celebrate its inaugural year with the presence of former professional basketball player Joe Arlauckas. Commenting on his participation, the great basketball player stated, “It feels great to be able to visit one of my favorite countries, Greece, and I am really looking forward to spending time playing at the two great signature designed golf courses as well as enjoying all of the amenities Costa Navarino has to offer.”
Each team participating in the tournament consists of one professional and three amateur golfers. The event will kick off on February 21st with a practice day for all teams followed by the main competition taking place between February 22nd and 24th.
The focal point of the action will be Costa Navarino’s two award-winning golf courses, The Dunes Course and The Bay Course. The Dunes Course opened as the first signature 18 hole golf course in Greece, followed by The Bay Course, another 18 hole seaside golf course.
Both golf courses received the accolades of Best Newcomers by the World of Leading Golf Association in 2014, while in 2016 the courses were recognised by the internationally renowned magazine Golf World as number 6 in a list of the Top 100 European Golf Resorts. Further accolades include placing within Robb Report’s ‘Best of the Best Golf Courses’, while 1Golf.eu named The Dunes Course as second place in a round-up of Europe’s Most Popular Golf Courses 2016.
The Director of Local Operations, Navarino Dunes, Costa Navarino, Mr. George Hadjiosif highlighted, “Golf has again become an Olympic sport for the first time since 1904. In Costa Navarino, we are proud to launch the Messinia Pro-Am, an international golf tournament aiming to become an established institution hosting the golfing elite from around the globe and promoting golf and golf tourism in Greece. Being under the auspices of the PGAs of Europe is an honour for us and we look forward to a successful event.”
Registrations and participation forms for the 1st Messinia Pro Am continue at a quick pace at the official page of the event: http://messiniaproam.costanavarino.com/registration.html. For those who are interested in staying at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and enjoy the full experience of the Messinia Pro Am 2017, special accommodation packages are available:
AEGEAN, member of STAR ALLIANCE, the leading global aviation alliance will be the official airline partner of the event, while the company Kyvernitis Travel is the official supporter of the event.
The 1st Messinia Pro Am will be held under the auspices of the PGAs of Europe, the PGA of Greece, the Hellenic Golf Federation and the Hellenic Olympic Academy.
Official Airline Partner: AEGEAN
Official Supporter: Kyvernitis Travel
Organizer: Costa Navarino
Published in
Local News
Tagged under
Tuesday, 20 September 2022 07:00
Free Museums In Athens
Athens is so rich in history and culture, so it's not surprising that it has some of the best museums in the world!
Most of them have an entrance fee, which is usually in the range of €6-12, however there are some that have free admission weekly, as well as some fixed dates out of the year that are free for everyone to visit.
The dates with free admission to museums in Athens are as follows:
And here are a few recommendations of free museums in Athens to check out all year round!
Ziller-Loverdos Museum
- March 6 - In memory of former Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri
- April 18 - World Heritage Day - International Day of Monuments
- May 18 - International Museum Day
- June 5 - World Environment Day
- The last weekend of September – European Heritage Days
- Sundays from November 1 to March 31
- Οfficial holidays
Ziller-Loverdos Museum
Free Admission
@keeptalkinggreece
Hosted in an impressive neoclassical mansion, the Ziller-Loverdos museum opened its doors to the public in May 2021. Once the residence of German-born architect Ernst Ziller, the museum now hosts one of the most important collection of post-Byzantine religious art in Greece, including icons, manuscripts, and wood-carvings.
Opening hours: Every day from 08:30 until 15:30, Tuesday Closed
Electric Railways Museum of Piraeus
@keeptalkinggreece
Hosted in an impressive neoclassical mansion, the Ziller-Loverdos museum opened its doors to the public in May 2021. Once the residence of German-born architect Ernst Ziller, the museum now hosts one of the most important collection of post-Byzantine religious art in Greece, including icons, manuscripts, and wood-carvings.
Opening hours: Every day from 08:30 until 15:30, Tuesday Closed
Electric Railways Museum of Piraeus
Free Admission
@jovallianatou
Did you know that Line 1 of the Athens metro started running in 1869? That's one of the many interesting facts you'll learn about Athens transportation upon visiting this amazing museum in Piraeus. Inside, you will see carriages, uniforms worn by railway employees, photos, tools, tickets, and all sorts of exhibits related to the Athens – Piraeus railway. It’s a place with definitive historical and cultural value.
Opening hours: Every day from 08:00 until 14:00
Benaki Museum
@jovallianatou
Did you know that Line 1 of the Athens metro started running in 1869? That's one of the many interesting facts you'll learn about Athens transportation upon visiting this amazing museum in Piraeus. Inside, you will see carriages, uniforms worn by railway employees, photos, tools, tickets, and all sorts of exhibits related to the Athens – Piraeus railway. It’s a place with definitive historical and cultural value.
Opening hours: Every day from 08:00 until 14:00
Benaki Museum
Free admission every Thursday from 18:00 until 00:00
@thebenakimuseum
Established in 1930 by Antonios Benakis, Benaki Museum hosts an impressive collection of artifacts from prehistorical to modern times, an extensive collection of Asian art, rare Byzantine icons, traditional costumes, and much much more. The museum includes several satellite museums in Athens and beyond, each focusing on a specific collection, while the main museum is the best museum in Athens to get a quick overview of Greece’s rich history.
Opening hours: Wednesdays and Fridays: 09:00 - 17:00
Thursdays and Saturdays: 09:00 - 00:00
Sundays: 09:00 - 15:00
Mondays and Tuesdays: closed
National Historical Museum
@thebenakimuseum
Established in 1930 by Antonios Benakis, Benaki Museum hosts an impressive collection of artifacts from prehistorical to modern times, an extensive collection of Asian art, rare Byzantine icons, traditional costumes, and much much more. The museum includes several satellite museums in Athens and beyond, each focusing on a specific collection, while the main museum is the best museum in Athens to get a quick overview of Greece’s rich history.
Opening hours: Wednesdays and Fridays: 09:00 - 17:00
Thursdays and Saturdays: 09:00 - 00:00
Sundays: 09:00 - 15:00
Mondays and Tuesdays: closed
National Historical Museum
Free admission every 1st Sunday of the month (November - February)
@scaryujiro
Housed in the Old Parliament Building at Stadiou Street, the National Historical Museum is one of the most well-visited museums in Athens. The Museum narrates the history of Modern Greece with exhibits covering the period of Ottoman and Latin rule, the Greek War of Independence, the creation of an independent state, and the political, social, and spiritual development of Greece.
Opening Hours: September - June: Tuesday - Friday, 09:00-16:00, Saturday - Sunday, 10:00-16:00
July - August: Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00-16:00
@scaryujiro
Housed in the Old Parliament Building at Stadiou Street, the National Historical Museum is one of the most well-visited museums in Athens. The Museum narrates the history of Modern Greece with exhibits covering the period of Ottoman and Latin rule, the Greek War of Independence, the creation of an independent state, and the political, social, and spiritual development of Greece.
Opening Hours: September - June: Tuesday - Friday, 09:00-16:00, Saturday - Sunday, 10:00-16:00
July - August: Tuesday - Sunday, 10:00-16:00
Published in
City Discovery
Tagged under
Thursday, 01 March 2018 07:00
Al Hammam Turkish Baths
Travel blogger and author Rebecca Hall from Life Beyond Borders explores the Al Hammam baths in Athens with members of Travel Bloggers Greece and shares her experience!
Al Hammam Turkish Baths are located in Chania, Crete and in the Plaka district of Athens. Actually, more towards the Anafiotika area of Athens, literally under the Acropolis, so imagine the views from the rooftop terrace where one can sip tea and eat Turkish treats after your experience? It’s literally a 100 metre walk from the museum Bath House of the Winds.
The one hour experience the Travel Bloggers Greece were offered was called the Al Hammam. This included:
- 30 minutes sitting in the Hammam followed by;
- 15 minute body exfoliation with a kese glove
- 15 minute hair wash
- 15 minute olive soap bubble massage
First you sit in the Hammam ‘mist’ room. After changing in the (rather small) changing rooms into either disposable underwear (if you’re happy to go topless), or swimsuit (like me), then you enter the marbled, humid, steamy room and sit around, basically like a sauna and getting hot and sweaty. But it’s larger than a sauna; it’s circular and as you gradually get hotter and hotter, you can fill up a bowl of cold water and basically pour it over you!
To read this article in full, please visit: Life Beyond Borders
Published in
City Discovery
Tagged under
Thursday, 03 November 2016 07:00
Record-Breaking 'Extra Supermoon' On November 14th, 2016
If you missed some of the amazing astronomical phenomena this year, then you could make up for it in one outing. On November 14th, 2016, the Moon will come the closest it has been to earth since January 1948. The supermoon, as the phenomenon is called, will appear up to 14 percent bigger than an average full moon. This is the closest the Moon will get to Earth until 25 November 2034, so you really don’t want to miss this one!
To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News
Published in
Videos
Tagged under