XpatAthens

XpatAthens

Greece’s capital city Athens is among the top destinations in Europe that offered the best value for money during the month of June, according to a new study released last week.

Conducted by Mabrian, a leading tourism intelligence company, the study analyzed air connectivity, the average hotel price, and the levels of satisfaction and perception of visitors.

With regard to air connectivity, Mabrian looked at the number of seats on scheduled flights and the number of cities and countries with which each destination has a direct connection.

The analysis of visitor satisfaction is part of the Mabrian indices that measure the level of satisfaction and perception that visitors have with destinations in general and regarding the most relevant areas such as security, climate, accommodation, and the tourism product offer.

According to the study, the destination that offered the best value for money during the month of June was Zagreb, located in northwestern Croatia. Despite being among the last in terms of air connectivity, it has a very high level of satisfaction in most of the areas analyzed.

In second place was Athens, Greece, which is better connected than Zagreb but with a slightly higher average price and lower satisfaction levels than the Croatian city.

Large European capitals drop positions

London and Paris, despite being better connected, are penalized by a very high average hotel price among the destinations analyzed. In addition, the two capitals showed lower levels of satisfaction. Visitors are particularly dissatisfied with the hotel service in London and with the offer of tourist products in Paris.

Other big tourist cities such as Berlin, Barcelona and Amsterdam are at the bottom of the list for their high hotel prices and for the level of satisfaction, which remains low.

To read this article in full, please visit: news.gtp.gr



The Municipality of Athens recently launched a new application named Culture is Athens to provide residents and visitors with information on cultural events that take place in the Greek capital.

This new digital tool, available for free on Google Play and the App Store, both for mobile phones and tablets, enables everyone to have easy and direct access to the municipality’s rich program of cultural events held in the city center and the Athenian neighborhoods.

The new application and the municipality’s website present concerts, festivals, music, dance and theater performances, screenings, exhibitions, as well as educational programs for children and adults. 

The original app and portal also include the emblematic buildings and cultural venues of the Municipality of Athens: museums, libraries, art galleries, historical buildings, cultural hubs, and permanent collections, but also information on public murals and sculptures; everything that can be discovered by locals or visitors, during their tours around the city center and the neighborhoods of Athens.

The app’s main sections are as follows: 
The initiative is part of the three-year project "Culture is Athens" which aims to upgrade, unify and highlight the cultural fabric of the capital, as well as promote the practical support of artists and workers in the culture sector.
Thursday, 14 July 2022 15:17

Maceo Plex - Bolivar Beach Club

This Friday July 22, Bolivar welcomes the American leader of the electro scene MACEO PLEX to present an ELLUM night. Along with Raxon and Avision.

Maceo Plex or Eric Estornel is the big boss of Ellum Audio and Lone Romantic, "one of the five best Djs in the world" (Resident Advisor) and a recognized musical genius in the global electro industry. He has sealed some of the historic nights of legendary clubs such as Fabric, Space and Amnesia. The American producer and DJ has built his personal music empire by constantly experimenting with different musical genres such as dub, trap dance and ambient, always having tech house and techno as his base.
 
Purchase your tickets here.

Doors Open: 21.00
Tickets: 20€ Presale /30€ at the door

Persons per table: 6 Maximum
Location: Posidonos Avenue, Costa Del Sol , Alimos 174 55

Access: by tram station Kalamaki, by bus : 141, A1, A2, B1, B2, Ε22, X96 - 3rd stop Kalamaki
Transportation Check Link: http://www.zee.gr/stop/1549


Feel the Sand, Feel the Sea, Feel the Air, Live the Experience at Bolivar!

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Thursday, 14 July 2022 22:28

SNFCC: Park Your Cinema Kids

The Athens International Children’s Film Festival chose a single keyword to resound across this season’s Park Your Cinema Kids — Music!

We invite young viewers and their families to sing, dance and move to the beat of joy, adventure and friendship, with a series of all-time favorite films that exalt music in every possible way. From Sing, with the talented animal singers who follow their dream, to the Lion King remake featuring the much loved “Hakuna Matata,” this year’s range of options offers a fun getaway from the day-to-day, as well as valuable takeaways for all ages, conveyed through melodious stories that promote free expression, understanding and perseverance to achieve any goal.

For who’s to say that the Great Lawn of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center isn’t also a dance floor?
 

View the full schedule of screenings HERE!

Walk with the Museum’s archaeologists through the archaeological excavation, which stretches underneath the Museum like a giant exhibit. Wander on the ancient neighborhood’s streets.

Take a closer look at the houses with their courtyards and wells. Enter in the heart of the impressive mansions with private baths. Examine the workshops with the water reservoirs and take a magical stroll through time, history, and the daily life of the people who lived by the shadow of the Acropolis’ rock for over 4.500 years.

When:
English every Monday & Saturday, 11 a.m.
Greek every Monday & Saturday, 1 p.m.
More than one in four hotels in Greece have embraced the “Greek Breakfast,” an initiative connecting the tourism industry to the hospitality sector.

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) describes the new program’s purpose in the following way: “to help connect the gastronomical wealth of the country with the Greek hotel guest experience.

“Greek Breakfast” promotes the regional culinary heritage of Greece in a program formulated to highlight local specialties and products. It is an innovative and highly-structured program requiring strict adherence to well-defined specifications by participating hotels to ensure quality and authenticity,” writes the HCH.

Speaking to Greece Is, the HCH explained that participating hotels are required to serve specific ingredients or dishes that originate exclusively from – and thus represent – the region where a hotel is located. These ingredients/recipes are listed for every region of Greece by the HCH and their inclusion in the breakfast menu must be strictly adhered to, while there are also optional dishes/ingredients that can be added to a breakfast menu.

Apart from regional products and recipes, hotels around the country that are participating in the program must all include inherently Greek products in their menu, such as rusks, olive oil, olives, yogurt, honey, and fresh, locally-grown fruit as the basis of the “Greek Breakfast.”

To read this article in full, please visit: greece-is.com
Cyprus has opened its first underwater archaeological park, offering visitors a glimpse of history at one of the eastern Mediterranean’s best preserved ancient harbors.

The now-submerged harbor lying off the ancient city-kingdom of Amathus was constructed between 312/311 BC and 294 BC when Cyprus was the focus of conflict between the two successors of Alexander the Great. It was probably constructed as a naval base because of its narrow entrance, though experts say its combined commercial use cannot be dismissed either.

Over the centuries, it has developed into a natural reef where marine life thrives.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com
Grace Hotel, a member of the Auberge Resorts Collection, was awarded the title of No 1 Best Resort Hotel in Greece at the prestigious Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2022.

It was also runner-up for Best Hotel in Europe and Best Hotel in the World. These important distinctions for the 20-room luxury boutique hotel in Imerovigli on the southern Aegean island, “reflect the effort of the entire hotel team and are a special reward,” said Giorgos Avgoustis, general manager of Grace Hotel.

The complex also hosts the Varoulko Santorini restaurant, where Michelin-starred chef Lefteris Lazarou presents a menu of Greek and Mediterranean cuisine.

Originally published on: greekcitytimes.com
Monday, 18 July 2022 07:00

The Nymphs Of Ancient Greece

For ancient Greeks, every waterway was protected by nymphs. These were invariably ageless young girls who existed even before the Olympic gods and long before the birth of mortals.

They were not all immortal. Some died after living for centuries. Still, they existed in a magical world between mortals and gods. Nymphs were generally harmless, too, but not always.

For a man, encountering a nymph while alone might put him in a precarious situation. The term nymphomania is derived from the word nymph. It means uncontrollable desire in a woman and stems from a belief that some nymphs would bewitch innocent young men, becoming their lovers and never releasing them.

Nymphs were everywhere in ancient Greece

These graceful young girls not only populated waters but were found throughout nature. For instance, every tree in every sacred grove was believed to owe its life source to the nymph who lived there.

Wherever Greeks ventured into nature, they were conscious of these beings. Villagers were aware that they were watched, measured, and evaluated by intelligent beings who were wild and unpredictable.

Usually, nymphs were invisible, but thousands of Greeks in ancient times reported seeing them. Nymphs seemed to be everywhere in ancient Greece. They presided over all natural phenomena, including clouds, caves, meadows, and the rocky beaches found all over Greece.

As nature spirits, they were associated with several of the Olympic gods, including Zeus, Hermes, Artemis, Poseidon, Demeter, and Dionysos.

The most famous of Artemis’ nymphs were the Pleiades, seven sisters who were immortalized by Zeus when he turned them into the Pleiades constellation. The Pleiades were originally mountain nymphs, but there were many families.

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

Thursday, 14 July 2022 11:47

Athens Sea Kayak, Temple Of Poseidon

We paddle along the Athenian Riviera enjoying the clear blue waters, the imposing slopes and the hidden caves. Our first stop is the rocky islet of Archi or one of the hidden beaches of Sounio, for swimming and a refreshing snack. Full of energy we continue to the Temple of Poseidon. The iconic Temple of Poseidon is revealed to us from a point of view that only a few can enjoy.




Visit TrekkingHellas.gr to learn more about the tour!




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