Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis and Lesvos Mayor Spiros Galinos are among the 10 most outstanding mayors in the world, according to the results of the biennial World Mayor competition announced recently by the organizer of the City Mayors Foundation.

Mayors Kaminis and Galinos stood out for welcoming refugees and offering them safety, shelter and support in their cities.

According to the World Mayor website, Athens, Lesvos and Lampedusa (Italy) are the three Mediterranean communities in the World Mayor Honours List that must receive special recognition for the welcome they offered to tens of thousands of men, women and children who were fleeing the fighting in the Middle East or poverty in Africa.

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

Athens International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos, was recently certified by the independent carbon management program Airport Carbon Accreditation as being certified carbon neutral. This makes the airport the 25th certified carbon neutral airport in Europe.

Proud of Athens’ accomplishment is Dr Yiannis Paraschis, the CEO of Athens International Airport. He says, ‘By achieving carbon neutrality, Athens International Airport continues to tangibly demonstrate its commitment to the fight against climate change.’

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

Read more about Kathara Deftera or ‘Clean Monday,’ learn how to make a Cretan-style fish for lent, sign up for the Cyclades Trail Cup, and celebrate 40 years of living in Greece with Greeker than the Greeks writer as she shares 40 things she learned!

 

Read more about the tradition of Tsiknopempti and why the National Museum of Contemporary Art is listed as one of the top museum openings for 2017. You can also meet a fellow expat and learn a few secrets of the Acropolis!

 

Find out why Athens is THE city to visit in 2017, why there’s always a church around the corner in Greece, and explore Nafpaktos with the top things to do!

 

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Navigate the expat life with learning how to find home in a foreign country and getting to know fellow expats!

 

The 1st international golf tournament, Messinia Pro-Am took place at The Dunes Course and The Bay Course from February 21-24 2017. The golf tournament attracted 27 Teams consisting of 27 top professionals and 81 amateur golfers from 14 countries, including the Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Russia, the UK and the United States.

The 1st Messinia Pro-Am was played over 54 holes (three rounds) with each team consisted of one professional and three amateurs. The high level of the golfers, offered a strong and competitive tournament where the daily results balanced until the end of each round.

The Messinia Pro-Am closed with the Gala dinner and Prize Award Ceremony, which was presented by Nadia Boule and Christos Chatziioannou. Mr. Achilles V. Constantakopoulos, Chairman & CEO, of TEMES S.A., developers of Costa Navarino opened the Gala dinner with his speech. He highlighted the long-standing dream of his father and founder of Costa Navarino, Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos to make Greece a premier golf destination.

The first award of the night was a special ‘Hole in One’ award given to German journalist from Golf Spielen, Petra Himmel. She is one of only 6 golfers to have managed this rare feat in competition at The Bay Course. Petra Himmel also received the awards for the “Longest Drive” and “Closest To The Pin” for women. David Arendt received the “Longest Drive” men’s category. Haris Papadopoulos received the Men’s “Closest To The Pin” award.

The 1st place Team was the professional Stuart Boyle and amateurs Haris Papadopoulos, Georgios Kyvernitis and Daniele Bovio.

2nd place went to the professional Steve Dooley and amateurs Gerhard Komarek, Andreas Hainz and Gerhard Marischka. Professional Panos Karantzias and his team of amateurs Igor Graskin, Christian Werner and Bettina Schroeder won 3rd place.

The evening concluded with the awards for the winning Professionals!

Federico Elli (PGA Italy) was the 1st Messinia Pro-Am champion. “Costa Navarino is always a top place to be…a wonderful hotel, wonderful golf course and all the staff are brilliant. I think this is one of the best spots for a golfing holiday…we will come back for sure next year.” said Mr. Elli. His interview can be watched here.

Ralph Miller (PGA Holland) was 2nd and Lorenzo Gagli (PGA Italy) 3rd. Hugo Santos and Emanuele Canonica were 4th and 5th respectively. Finally, Paul Nilbrink the winner of the 4th Aegean Airlines Pro Am (2009) came 6th. In addition to these top professionals, celebrities also participated in the tournament, such as top American basketball player Joe Arlauckas and German TV presenter, Annica Hansen.

The surprises did not stop there! In a special contest sponsored by Intersys SA, three lucky people won 3 unique TomTom Sports Runner 2 watches.

The 1st Messinia Pro-Am was a success because of the great support of many sponsors such as our official airline partner of the tournament, AEGEAN, member of the global airline STAR ALLIANCE, the official sponsor Loux, the largest soft drink and juice company in Greece, and the official sponsors Vodafone, Athens International Airport (AIA), Poseidonia, MyTransfer and CU BOX.

The company J.VOURAKIS SONS EE, an official supporter of the tournament designed the awards for the Prize Giving Ceremony. Other official supporters of the tournament were METAXA, the well-known companies Kyvernitis Travel, Heineken, Ford Motor Hellas and ΤοmTom Sports.

Messinia Pro-Am was also supported by a number of helpers: Kalamata Papadimitriou, the liquor and beverage brands of Stolichnaya and Fever-Tree, Predaris company with Cu Wrap, Dimiourgies company and the natural mineral water company Hyas.

The 1st Messinia Pro-Am was organized under the auspices of the PGAs of Europe, the PGA of Greece, the Hellenic Golf Federation and the Hellenic Olympic Academy.

Watch the best moments from the 2017 Messinia Pro-Am tournament!



For more information, please visit: Messinia Pro-Am

In his new book, Billy Cotsis explores 36 Hellenic kingdoms, territories, empires and a fiefdom to demonstrate the extent of the Greek world. From Pyrrhus to Cyprus covers the period following the end of the Alexandrian empire to the fall of the Byzantine Empire in 1453. Added to the mix are a number of independent Greek entities which existed during and post Ottoman times. The book has a twist and a connector in that it is told by a fictional Thucydides, who has managed to survive for an eternity thanks to a spell cast by Apollo. This is his tribute to the brilliance of Thucydides as the first ever historian who truly presented primary facts with minimal bias.

Why From Pyrrhus to Cyprus matters?

The Greek world was never about mainland Greece, it was always much bigger… The Hellenes travelled in search of colonies, new territories and empires. They founded hundreds of colonies and territories in the Mediterranean, Black Sea, Africa and Asia. A number of these survive to this day, with many of its inhabitants speaking a dialect of Greek and maintaining differing aspects of Hellenic culture. It is important that we never forget how far the Hellenes were able to reach and in many cases directly rule vast territories far beyond the Greek heartland. This book therefore brings you an overview of 36 identified Greek “territories,” after the disintegration of the empire built up by Alexander the Great. Starting with Pyrrhus, the king of Epiros, the book also provides an overview of the conquests of Alexander and the Hellenistic Age, Byzantine Empire, Trebizond, Ionian Republic and many more. These many more include the fascinating Indo-Greek Kingdom, which is the furthest point for the Greek conquerors, Empire of Nicaea which was the only Greek empire to retire without being subjugated, the independence of Samos and Icaria, the will of Crete and the creation of a fiefdom in the Crimea.

This book would not exist without the generous support of the Hellenic Club of Sydney.

 

 

Billy Cotsis was first published in 1995 in the Greek media in Sydney. Since then he has featured in dozens of publications in four continents and is the author of over 100 articles. In 2013 he began developing short film projects and they are listed below. His first book was the acclaimed, “The Many Faces of Hellenic Culture,” and he occasionally delivers a lecture series on Greek communities.

Billy can also be found on MerakiTV and is a member of a Community Board.

All this work is undertaken as a hobby and to promote interest in his true love, Greek history and satire. His second book has been out since February 2017 and he is currently developing a new book.

Having lived in London and Greece, he has travelled extensively over the years and can be found on www.herculean.wordpress.com

An avid Manchester United and Canterbury Bulldogs fan, sport is something he enjoys but is not actually good at.

With about a whopping 61,500 hectares of vineyards, Greece is no stranger to wine, as it has one of the world's oldest wine cultures.

Here are some of the top wine bars in Athens, where travelers and residents alike can sample the greatest wines Greece has to offer!

Set in the historical center of Athens, Heteroclito, a wine bistro with a charming vintage flair provides customers with the opportunity to learn about and appreciate outstanding Greek wines, as well as discover the greatest varieties from a diverse range of local production. A year-round destination offering outdoor seats along the pedestrian way to enjoy alfresco living to the fullest!

Address: Fokionos 2 & Petraka, Monastiraki

Telephone: 210 323 9406

This wine bar is conveniently located near the intersection of Plaka and Monastiraki. Classy and elegant it offers an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. There's a 200-label wine collection on hand, as well as a full dining menu, promising to take you on an exciting culinary adventure!

Address: Mitropoleos 66

Telephone: 213 029 6570

Just 200m from Syntagma square, this is the first wine bar that opened in Athens, in 2008. More than 1000 labels rest in the well-designed cellar area, that can be perfectly combined with the bar's comfort yet gourmet menu. The wine list also includes 50 glass labels that are updated every week!

Address: Voulis 45-47

Telephone: 210 322 9374

A beautifully refurbished 19th-century mansion near the National Gardens hosts this lovely wine bar! There, you will find a selection of 500+ wines, both Greek and international, rare Old Greek Vintages, premium imported Fine Wines, a large variety of Champagnes and Sparkling Wines, as well as Distillates and Dessert Wines.

Address: 3 G. Souris Str. & Philellinon

Telephone: 210 323 2560

 

Fresh Hotel is the first Athens hotel to receive a special sticker indicating that it welcomes bicycle lovers and certifying that it has the facilities to accommodate their needs.

Fresh Hotel meets all six of the basic requirements including nine additional standards such as offering bicycle rentals options, working together with agents offering bike tours, providing bike racks, offering organic breakfast choices and rejuvenation and wellness options.

‘We welcome Fresh Hotel to the Bike Friendly Hotels family with great pleasure. It is the first hotel in Athens to receive certification, which is very hopeful for Athens’ tourism,' said Vicky Karantzavelou, PR manager NATTOUR.

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