This is normally a week of preparing for a summer getaway – packing bags, closing windows, catching ferries… In 2015, this is not necessarily the case. Many of us are staying put this summer, it seems, to sweat away the days and nights in Athens. The post-modern stay-at-home ‘staycation’ has become the new standard in vacation hotspots! Whether you’re here by choice or by circumstance, it’s not hard to enjoy summer in Athens.  With a few well-planned activities – and a jaunt down to the seaside – summer in Athens can be much more than just bearable…

 

So, where to go?

 

Marina Flisvos – a lovely destination for a family outing, with cafes and ice cream shops, facing the blue sea and the marina...

 

Anafiotika – this still ‘off the beaten path’ section of Plaka retains its island-esque charm, even though it seems to me that more and more tour books are pointing travelers in this direction…

 

Dionysiou Areopagitou – who doesn’t love to take a stroll around the pedestrian pathway that winds around the Acropolis. Grab an ice cream at Makriyanni Street, and head towards the setting sun…

 

Peiraiki – follow the meandering pathway around the Akti Themistocleous coastline of Piraeus – stop along the way at any of the endless tavernas and cafes, take in the blue sea and the sunshine – and burn a few calories all the way to Marina Zeas.

 

Thiseio & Pnyx Hill – back in the city centre, a walk through Thiseio is a walk through another time – old neo-classical houses, tree-lined streets, Agia Marina church, the National Observatory and the Pnyx Hill – this one is for the history buffs!

 

Monastiraki & Areopagus – for the ‘tourist within’, a stroll around Monastiraki will inspire you with equal parts history and kitsch. For the full-on history experience, climb the stairs to the Areopagus - the lesser known, but equally important ‘other’ rock, just opposite the Acropolis. A sunset cocktail at A For Athens or 360 will give you the full rooftop overview of the whole area.

 

Akti Tou Iliou (Costa del Sol) / Alimos beachfront – …and since Greek Summer follows certain rules regardless of where you are, a trip to the beach is required for every staycation. Hop on the tram or jump in a cab (or even on your bicycle!) and make your way to the beach. There are several nice spots along the Alimos coast – I’m sure you’ll find one to your liking.

 

Truth be told, there are worse ways to spend your summer holiday than a staycation in Athens. And, judging by the tour buses and throngs of sightseers everywhere, it seems many others had the same idea…

 

Enjoy the sunshine!

 

Until next week,

 

Jack

Millions of tourists and worshipers flock to well-known churches of Greece such as Panagia Paraportiani in Mykonos, the monasteries at Meteora, and the church of Kapnikarea in Athens. However, this list of 10 lesser-known churches steeped in beauty, spirituality, and history can give you great insight into Greece's culture, religion, and even architecture.

Situated on a windy peninsula, right below Kastro village in Sifnos, this chapel is surrounded by the beautiful blue of the Aegean sea. The sunrise here is breathtaking.

Located in a small lovely bay, near the Sykiada village in Northeast Chios, this is one of the most photographed places in the island.

According to tradition, the miracle-working icon of Panagia Vrefokratousa was found here and the first two monks settled in to protect it. The majestic monastery stands on a huge rocky crag of Mount Parnon and it brought hope to the Greek people during the Ottoman oppression.

Found on the western side of Kerki, the Holy Mountain of Samos, this chapel is built within a cave surrounded by earthen pots which fill from the water from the stalactites.

Declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO, this monastery was founded in 1088 when the Byzantine Emperor Alexios I Kommenos gave the island of Patmos to the soldier-priest Ioannis Christodoulos “the Blessed”. Hidden in the walls are fragments of an ancient temple of Artemis that was destroyed in the 11th century. Halfway down the cobbled path that leads to the monastery is the Cave of the Apocalypse, where St.John is believed to have received his revelations.

Lake Doxa is an artificial lake in western Corinthia, near the village of ancient Feneos. This small chapel is on a small peninsula in the heart of the lake.

To read the complete list of beautiful churches to discover in Greece, please visit: Pappaspost.com

It was announced recently that the Greek island of Tilos will become the first Mediterranean island to be powered exclusively by renewable energy sources in the next four years, thanks to the installation of a hybrid renewable energy system power station that will both generate and store energy.



The initiative is a multinational effort comprising 15 enterprises and institutes from around Europe and is headed by a team of experts in the field of soft energy and environmental protection from the Piraeus University of Applied Sciences. It was selected out of 80 projects competing to be included in the Horizon2020 program, the EU’s largest research and innovation program with nearly 80 billion euros available for funding. 

“The Tilos program is one of the European Union’s most innovative energy policy projects,” said Nikos Mantzaris, WWF Greece’s climate and energy officer. “The success of this program will provide a novel example of a living economy which we hope will be adopted not only in Greece but throughout the Mediterranean, with the aim of fostering independence from fossil fuels, energy security and an improved quality of life.”

Taking special care not to disturb the habitat of the unique avifauna native to the island, the team is searching for the ideal location for the photovoltaic park and wind turbines that will generate the electricity for the microgrid. The battery storage system will be used as a backup for the locals when the hybrid RES system does not produce sufficient energy due to unfavorable weather conditions.

The island has long been running on electricity transferred underwater from the diesel oil power station on the nearby island of Kos, a system which has resulted in frequent and often long power outages. Particularly during the summer months, when the islands of the Aegean also host thousands of tourists, it is difficult to meet the high demand for water and electricity, so a system like the one proposed by the program is a welcome change.

“The Tilos program is an innovative breath of fresh air, consistent with our island’s tradition of environmental protection,” said Maria Kamma Aliferi, mayor of Tilos. “It will provide new opportunities for ecotourism and enhance our island’s status internationally.”

To read more please visit: Kathimerini.gr

With the Greek capital in the spotlight, crisis and possible #Grexit and all, it’s still safe to travel to this ancient beauty, and right now the nation’s always hospitable people will be more pleased than ever to pour you a glass of raki and welcome you to their capital.

Athens has its share of markets with Monastiraki’s Sunday market being the most central and popular. A more “hidden” market taking place at the same time is the Gypsy Market just a few kilometers away. It’s where locals, who love the neat and valuable things that can be found in amongst the downright rubbish, head to and find themselves bargaining for it all with gypsy peddlers. The market is spread out on tables and blankets in an open-air area surrounded by the walls of an abandoned warehouse. Please note, the gypsies don’t like their pictures taken so watch where you aim your camera.
 94 Iera Odos, Sunday from 7:00 – 16:00.

In the shadow of its sister hills of the city, including the Acropolis, is Strefi Hill. Located right in the funky, anarchist/hipster/alternative  neighborhood called Exarcheia, you can hike up to the top for a 360 panoramic degree view of all of Athens and a super view of the Acropolis and beyond to the Athenian Riviera. Stay clear at night since some areas are frequented by drug addicts who love a dark and secluded path. However, in the light of day into sunset — it’s very safe. You’ll find locals jogging, kids playing at the basketball court at the foot of the hill, dog walkers and young Greek lovers who stop to adore a view of their city that they know most tourists don’t know anything about.

Athens is great for lots of outdoor activities and riding your bicycle… isn’t one of them.  That’s what makes  Freeday so cool. With the lack of biking infrastructure, Athenians have found a way to spread the word that the bicycle is an alternative, environmentally conscious and budget friendly way to get around the capital. They’re doing that by temporarily stopping traffic on a Friday night, with assistance from local police and volunteers, on what would be some of the most crowded streets in the city. The event has grown to attract up to a thousand people, including families, kids with all kinds of bicycles. Rent a bike from Athens By Bike or Funky Ride. Freeday riders meet every Friday night at 21:30, Thiseo Square outside of the Thiseo Metro. Lasts four hours.

A printing plant in the 1960s for the popular romance story magazine Romantso, this historic building is now an innovative and cultural hub in the city center. By day, Romantso is the home to innovative start-ups who rent out creative work spaces known as “incubators”.  By night, it’s a hub for rock concerts, indie film screenings, theatre performances and art exhibitions. You can also go for a drink in its post-industrial minimalist bar. Oh, and there’s a yoga class weaved into the day and night schedule too. Check out what’s new on their website at: www.romantso.gr

In an area called Faros Psychico, outside of the city center, you can find a little street of café-bars that locals love to go to and travelers rarely frequent. Faros refers to a locally known intersection off of the main road of a leafy Athenian suburb called Neo Psychico located a few kilometers outside of the downtown limits. Choose a place to quaff a coffee and sit back and people watch like a true Greek. The coffee sipping crowd morphs into the well-heeled nighttime crowd on the weekends.That’s when you can frequent the same places to sip a pretty cocktail and people watch like the Greek people do. Head to tiny but elegant Ombra for prosecco and Gaspar Food n Mood is popular for both coffee and cocktails.
 Dimitris Vasilieou Street in Faros, Neo Psychico.

To read more, please visit: Urban Travel Blog

By Marissa Tejada

Olive Magazine's round-up of the very best budget restaurants in the Greek capital, include Cookovaya, Kriti, Chryssa Chryssa, Stani and To Mavro Provato. These places offer traditional Greek dishes cooked in modern style, from feta pie with sesame and honey to fresh tzatziki with slow-cooked roast beef and octopus carpaccio.

The financial wrangling may be continuing in Greece but, for travellers, the situation is clear-cut: go now and you can enjoy both a cheap holiday, and the satisfaction of helping local businesses (and the people who rely on them). With that in mind, here are five great places to eat out fabulously on a budget in Athens.

Through an unassuming arcade in a slightly down-at-heel part of the city, Kriti is a family-run restaurant serving dishes from Crete. Cooked in a tiny kitchen by one Mrs Katchoulis, take your pick from fabulous ribs with red peppercorns and spicy sauce, smoked apaki sausage, feta pie topped with sesame and honey, Dakos salad (a crispy barley rusk base with fiery red tomatoes, galomyzithra cheese, and crettama, a Cretan sapphire), fried stuffed olives and plates of creamy, soft cheese from Sitia. A selection of plates to share costs around € 15 pp.

Address: 5 Veranzerou, Kanigos Square.
Tel: 210 382 6998

Well-known chef and owner Chryssa Protopapa lost her previous restaurant earlier in the crisis but after saving for several years she has now opened this simple, subtle treasure. Think refined traditional Greek cuisine – country-style knotosouvli (spit-roasted chicken) with roasted pies and fresh tzatziki, and slow-cooked roast beef with smoked eggplants. Nothing costs more than € 9. Pictured top is Chryssa Chryssa's Saganaki feta cheese pie.


Address: 4 Artemissiou.
Tel: 30 210 341 2515.

This stunning restaurant is the lovechild of five of the city’s best chefs who’ve joined forces in the kitchen to produce food they describe as ‘bright and clear without adornments’. The menu changes twice a day, the catch is from the Mediterranean only and everything is made in-house. Food is cooked in a wooden oven and on a charcoal grill and includes the likes of charred octopus or sea bass carpaccio and ergolavos dessert – almond biscuit, almond cream and strawberry compote. A three-course lunch costs around € 20 pp.

Address: 2A Chatzigianni Mexi st. 11528.
Tel: 210 723 5005.

To read this article in full, please visit: Olive Magazine
By: Audrey Gillan

Two aquariums in Crete were ranked among the 25 best in the world in Tripadvisor’s 2015 Travelers Choice awards for zoos and aquariums.

“The Travelers’ Choice awards are recognizing the top zoos and aquariums around the world that are the favorites of the TripAdvisor community,” Barbara Messing, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, said in an announcement.

The Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre in Hersonissos ranked 7th and the Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos in Heraklion raked 23rd among the world’s best.

Meanwhile, in the list of Europe’s top aquariums, the Aquaworld Aquarium & Reptile Rescue Centre in Hersonissos ranked 3rd and the Cretaquarium Thalassocosmos in Heraklion ranked 9th.

“Travelers visiting these award-winning attractions can get a close look and learn about the magnificent creatures that inhabit the world around us”, Ms. Messing added.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Greeks queued outside banks on Monday as they reopened three weeks after closing to stop the system collapsing, the first cautious sign of a return to normal after a deal to start talks on a new package of bailout reforms.

However limits on withdrawals will remain and payments and wire transfers abroad will still not be possible - a situation which German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Sunday was "not a normal life" and warranted swift negotiations on a new bailout, expected to be worth up to 86 billion euros.

The stock market will also remain closed until further notice. Increases in value added tax agreed under the bailout terms have also taken effect with VAT on food and public transport jumping to 23 percent from 13 percent...

...Limits on cash withdrawals have been made slightly more flexible, with a weekly limit of 420 euros in place of the daily 60 euro limit previously. "Capital controls and restrictions on withdrawals will remain in place but we are entering a new stage which we all hope will be one of normality," said Louka Katseli, head of the Greek bank association.

Greeks will be able to deposit cheques but not cash, pay bills as well as have access to safety deposit boxes and withdraw money without an ATM card.

Bankers said there may be minor disruptions after the three-week interruption to services but they expected services to resume largely as normal. "I don't expect major problems, our network and the network of our competitors are ready to serve our clients," said a senior official at Piraeus Bank, one of the big four lenders. "There might be lines because many people will want to withdraw money from their deposit boxes," the official said.

To read this article in full, please visit: eKathimerini

A great, positive opinion piece by the Huffington Post.

I was in Greece last week and experienced a country completely different to what was being portrayed on TV, amazed at how political and economic considerations could color the news so darkly.  The fear-mongering did not work and Greeks voted overwhelmingly to say No to Europe's impossible demands.

My findings: the Greek people, known for their 'philoxenia' or 'hospitality,' continue to be as warm and inviting as they always have been.  Greece has among the largest percentage of repeat visitors in the world and, in the first quarter of 2015, North American visits were up 54%.  I say: Now is the best time to travel to Greece.  Greece today is safe, affordable - and more beautiful than ever.

Most of us have images of Greece in our minds that range from the Acropolis in Athens to the Islands - more than 3,000 of them.  For the past two decades Santorini and Mykonos have consistently won the awards for 'best island' in both the Europe and Overall categories.  But Greece is that much and more - our visit inclued Athens, the incredible Isle of Evia, and the majestic mountain region of Karpenisi.

I arranged to visit Greece the week leading up to its historic Referendum.  Although I have lived in Europe for several years and written about Greece and Greek-Americans, this was my first visit there.  What I was not prepared for was both the warmth of its people and the sunlights - different than any I have experienced anywhere in my travels.

Over three hundered days of sunshine explains why so many activities are enjoyed outdoors.  The temperate climate allows for the freedom of walking around and exploring at all hours of the day and night.  A Mediterranean Vancouver.

The Acropolis in Athens with its Parthenon is even grander than imagined.  Literally meaning the 'highest spot in the city,' it soars about the capital and must have stunned early visitors thousands of years ago.  This ancient citadel, located on a high rocky outcrop above the city, features a soaring modern museum at its base.
 

The Island of Evia on the Mediterranean in central greece was also an absolute delight.  Starting in the capital - Kalkida, we journeyed south for skin and SCUBA diving, and then north for the hot springs, enjoying incredible, fresh cuisine from the garden and sea from one end of the long island to the other.  To the sound in Limionas, our group explored the breathtaking underwater Purple Caves, followed by lunch in a traditional Greek taverna.

To read more, please visit: The Huffington Post

by Jim Luce

A round up of the very best drinking dens in the Greek capital, including the TAF Foundation, the Clumsies, By The Glass, 48 Urban Garden and Galaxy Bar - and drinks that range from cocktails made with white and black rum with pineapple and passion fruit to premium gins and some of Greece's best wines.

Greece may be struggling to find a way out of its economic crisis, but the citizens of Athens still have plenty of choice when it comes to escaping their woes over a drink.  Whether you're in town to party or talk politics, here are five great places to drink in the country's capital.

Through a tiny door in the middle of an antique-shop-filled street in Monastiraki is the TAF Foundation - taf is the Greek letter T but in this case also stands for The Art Foundation - a courtyard arts space.  The yard is lined with a bar (think high tables and seats, covered in winter and open to the elements in summer) and the whole place feels like sitting in the middle of a film set.  The in-house exhibition this summer is of cocktail posters.  For each poster, a cocktail: the Hangover is white and black rum with pineapple and passion fruit, Peacock Blues is gin, honey, grapefruit and spearmint. Website (in Greek): http://theartfoundation.metamatic.gr/

New cocktail bar The Clumsies is home to an experimental kitchen where you can find the staff distilling the essence of blue cheese and mixing it with alcohol. The Clumsies created Greece's first premium gin and the drinks list includes a cocktail made with frapa lemon, bitters, oregano and rosemary.  Speak to the bartender and he or she will customize your drink to your tastes.  Vasilis Kyritsis, one of the owners laughs,  "A friend observed that we spilled a few things behind the bar, but we say the right way is to be a little bit clumsy!"

Read more about The Clumsies here. Website: http://theclumsies.gr/

By The Glass offers the best of Greece's modern wines - fabulous whites, roses and reds. Sit in the arcade or inside at one of the high tables and try the tiny 25ml measures, or 'by the glass,' or full bottles.  As the name suggests, a special sealing method is used to make every bottle in the house available by the glass.  Food to compliment each of the wines is also available. Website: http://www.bytheglass.gr/#!home-en/c1lvn

To read more, please visit: Olive Magazine
by Audrey Gillan