The Greek islands were announced as this year’s best in the world at the annual Condé Nast Traveller Readers’ Travel Awards held in London.

For the 18th year, the readers of the luxury travel magazine voted for their most favorite travel companies, airlines, destinations, spas and hotels worldwide.

The Greek islands received the votes of Condé Nast Traveller readers and ranked first in the “Favorite Islands” category.

“The islands of Greece, as a tourist destination, won yet another international award”, the Greek Tourism Ministry said in an announcement.

To read Conde Nast's top 20 world islands, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Have you ever heard of a Greek Goddess dip?  The Greek element to this recipe comes from using dill instead of watercress.  Use it as a dip at parties for vegetables or even to dip chips in.  What's more, it's gluten free.  Great for summer and winter.

Preparation takes 5 mins, and it can serve 4-6 people.

• ½ cup packed fresh dill
• ½ cup packed fresh mint
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley
• ⅓ cup packed fresh basil
•  2 garlic cloves, chopped
•  2 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
•  1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
•  Pinch salt, more to taste
•  ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
•  ½ cup crumbled feta cheese
•  ½ cup Greek yogurt
•  ¼ cup mayonnaise, optional
•  Raw chopped vegetables or pita chips, for serving

To read how to prepare, please visit: New York Times

A vivious campaign of negative publicity in both international and national media, capital controls, the July 5th referendum, the refugee crisis and the seven months of negotiations with the lenders did not deter foreign tourists coming to Greece, breaking another record of arrivals.

Last year visitors to Greece reached a record 24 million. This year’s projected figures indicate that visitor numbers may exceed  25 million as figures suggest so far.

In the first half of 2015, there was a 21 percent increase in tourist arrivals and revenues rose by 8 percent compared to last year. Revenues from tourism will reach 17 percent of the Greek economy this year, one percentage point higher than the previous year.

To read more, please visit: Apokoronanews

Ryanair has announced improvements to its flight times on the Athens–Santorini route, aiming to offer a much more comfortable experience to Greeks and visitors from abroad.

The airline’s winter schedule will offer two daily flights from Athens to Santorini, a morning flight at 7am and an evening flight at 6:25pm (instead of the current 10:35pm flight).

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages.

Let’s be honest! What are your first thoughts when planning your holidays?

Where will I stay, where will I eat, how the local life looks like and of course, how will I communicate!!

No worries, that’s all what Glossopolis provides you with!

Glossopolis is an e-learning platform providing Greek language courses for people who want to visit the place, speak the language of the locals instead of using some typical scholar phrases and wish to have a touch with the local element instead of visiting the touristic side of the place.

How we do that? When you sign in the platform you watch a map of a language city ‘’Glossopolis in Greek’’ and you just click on the places you wish to communicate in (hotels, taxis, restaurants, bars, etc). This gives immediate access to all the educational content teaching how to communicate (text, audios, grammar exercises, videos, cultural and linguistic tips) but there is also access to geolocated ads of local business Glossopolis cooperates with.

To read more, please visit: Family Goes Out

Greek engineer and activist Ioanna Fotopoulou from Thessaloniki, Greece was chosen as one of the 30 finalists who will have the chance to travel to space as part of the Rising Star Programme for young leaders from across the world.

At this stage the competition is tough, but the 26-year-old engineer is well prepared. In 2013 she was among 40 people who spoke at the annual world summit organized by the non-profit organization One Young World, in Johannesburg, South Africa. One Young World brings the youngest and brightest minds in the world together to create positive change. In 2014 she was chosen as speaker again at the summit which occurred in Dublin Ireland.

The Rising Star Programme sent out more than 20,000 invitations to young people, through One Young World, the young activist said. The organizers will select a person to travel to space with two-seater shuttle XCOR Lynx, to convey the message travelling to space is not that far away.

Ioanna is an engineer and since 2008 she has been actively involved in the empowerment of Civil Society. She was working for almost 2 years in Serbia and Bosnia Herzegovina, promoting and advocating for two programs supporting the rights of Roma and stateless people.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

Greece is steadily growing into a leading destination for those ready to tie the knot, with all the more resorts and boutique hotels across the country and on its isles ready to offer everything from legal arrangements, booking the officiant/venue/priest/, finding the church, arranging the flowers, dinner and reception, organizing the cake, music, dancers, fireworks, photographer and videographer, accommodation, transport, excursions, and much more.

The latest feature in British daily The Telegraph is saying that “wedding fantasies do not come more idyllic than those you can plan in Greece”.

In a recent story titled “Weddings in Greece: Romantic Locations to say ‘I Do’”, Greece is a “nuptial paradise” where unique destinations offer everything from stunning locations and perfect ceremonies to delectable confectionery and, what else? Seclusion, whether on a hideaway island, on the beach, in a vineyard, aboard a boat or in a fairytale castle.

To read more, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

With such a huge need for aid and assistance among the refugees in Greece, we've created this article in order for the community to know how and where they can help first-hand.

We've done our best to collect accurate information and although some of these initiatives are by organizations, do keep in mind that many of them have been organized by individuals in the community. The information below has been gathered via various social media pages and we'd like to thank everyone for making these posts available. (Note: The information has been outlined in random order.)

Individual Initiatives:

A) St Paul's Anglican Church in Athens: Contact Fr Malcolm Bradshaw - anglican@otenet.gr

B) To send donations to Thessaloniki: Please send parcels to Craig Wherlock, Oikopolis, Ptolemaion 29a Thessaloniki.

To send parcels to Lesvos: Please send parcels to Eric Kempson, Eftalou, Molyvos, Lesvos, Greece, 81108.

* All donations small or large are appreciated. Baby milk, diapers, wipes, sanitary pads, soap, track suit bottoms for men and women and underwear are all needed.

C) Donations Needed - Small easy to carry activity kits for refugee children. Contact: Eileen Botsford Mmc at activitykitsforrefugeekids@gmail. Also see:  https://www.facebook.com/ebmmc/posts/10156049897995541:0. New drop off collection box set up thanks to our volunteers and Women's Care Medical Group Practice: Sorou 3-5 Marousi - Map: http://bit.ly/1WvUv8q

D) From the Greek Forum for Refugees ~ items needed and collection addresses:

Items Needed:

Long lasting food:
Rusks, biscuits, water, evaporated milk, juice, oil, meat, pasta, rice, pulses, evaporated milk, juice, tomatoes, canned, sugar, etc

Clothes: mostly for men and children.

Baby products: baby milk, bottles, creams, wipes, diapers, hats-Sport Shoes
Sheets / Towels

Toiletries: toilet paper, sanitary napkins, toothpaste, toothbrushes

Medical supplies: gauze, bandages, normal sera, antihistaminic ointments, antiseptic, adhesive dressings for wounds, cooling spray for wounds.

Locations and hours you can send your offers and contact numbers:

1. Greek Forum of Refugees
Contact info: 2130282976, 6948408928
You can send or bring the your offers directly to our office Gravias 9-13 Athens ZIP: 10678 from 11-5 pm

2. Solidarity4all. Contact Info: 2103801921. You can send or bring any of your offers that are included in the list above, EXCEPT from clothing, to our offices 74 College, Athens, from 10 to 5 pm

3. KYADA. Contact Info: 2105246516. You can send or bring your offers directly to our office Sofokleous & Pireos 35, Athens from 9-3 pm

E) The Charitable Arm of the Orthodox Church called Apostoli, has organised two "Banks" for the collection of Pharamaceuticals and Toiletries. From there they will be distributed to the areas of most need and where they are already in action.

Pharmaceuticals and medicines should be brought to: 
Social Pharmacy of Apostoli-Municipality of Kallithea 
Andromachis 100 (Ανδρομάχης 100)
 Kallithea. Contact Persons: 
Mrs. Ioanna Kolotourou & Mrs. Antigoni Tsortou
Tel. 210-9532712

Items required include: Medicines for diabetes (for example Glucophage tablets) or Medicines for stomach (for example Losec or penrazol type)
plus items you would take for travelling - eg Paracetemol, Imodium, Cetavlon, Iodine, maybe cough sweets - Soothers (or the Greek equivalent), medicines for children, plasters etc.

Toiletries should be taken to:
 Apostoli HQ. 
8, Hera str. & 37, Despos Sechou str.
GR-11743 Athens (Neos Cosmos) 
Nearest metro Sygrou-Fix.
 Contact Person:
Dr. Vasileios Meichanetsidis, JCD

Items needed include: Toothbrushes and Toothpaste, Shampoo, Soap, Wipes for Adults and Children, Handwash, Shower Gel, Disposable Nappies, Feminine Hygiene products, etc.

Groups & Organizations:

Note, many of these groups are in Greek, but you may contact them in English in order to get involved.

Amurtel Hellas
This group works in the camps with pregnant and birthing women as well as mothers and infants.
Contact email: amurtel.gr@amurtel.org

Greek Forum of Refugees
http://www.refugees.gr/en/
https://www.facebook.com/Greekforumofrefugees

Refugee Air - Let Them Fly
http://refugeeair.org/

Αλληλεγγύη στους πρόσφυγες - Solidarity with Refugees in Greece

https://www.facebook.com/pediontouareos?fref=ts

Helping Hands Greece
http://www.helpinghands.gr/index.php/en.html
https://www.facebook.com/Helping-Hands-Athens-Refugee-Ministry-126394204211/timeline/?ref=hl

Helping hands of Rhodes/Χέρια Βοηθείας της Ρόδου
https://www.facebook.com/helpinghandsofrhodes?fref=ts

Help for refugees in Molyvos (Lesvos)
https://www.facebook.com/HelpForRefugeesInMolyvos?fref=nf

RefugeesWelcome GR —Ανακοινώσεις
https://www.facebook.com/RefugeesWelcomeGR

Praksis
https://www.facebook.com/ngopraksis?fref=ts

Baby Feat
https://www.facebook.com/babyfeat?fref=ts

UN Refugee Agency
http://www.unhcr.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/home

The Salvation Army In Greece
http://www.salvationarmy.gr/

Medecins Sans Frontieres ~ Doctors Without Borders
http://www.msf.gr/node/3053

International Federation of Red Cross ~ Hellenic Red Cross
https://www.ifrc.org/en/what-we-do/where-we-work/europe/hellenic-red-cross/

CrowdFunding & Donation Websites:

Rain Ponchos For Refugees
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/rain-ponchos-for-refugees#/

YouCaring ~ Aid to Children of Syria
https://www.youcaring.com/victims-of-war-428474#.Ve0o4O2VevJ.facebook

UN Refugee Agency ~ Syria Crisis
http://donate.unhcr.org/international/syria

Crowrise ~ Fundraiser for Julien Marios
https://www.crowdrise.com/1525

If you would like to add an initiative to this article or send us an update, please send a detailed email to ideas@xpatathens.com.

As we head into autumn, out come the warming traditional Greek recipies.  Check out this one for stuffed peppers, a very popular Greek recipie. 

• 6 green or red peppers
• 1 1/2 cup olive oil
• 250 gr minced meat
• 6 heaped tablespoonfuls of rice
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 grated eggplant
• 1 grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped or grated
• Allspice at the tip of the spoon
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper
• 3-4 potatoes

Use peppers that are neither too small nor too large. They should be similar in size, so they will cook at the same time. Wash and dry them. With a sharp knife cut off the top. Scoop out the seeds. Do not throw away the top, because you will need it to cover the filling.

Put ½ of the olive oil in a pan and sauté the minced meat with the onions, grated eggplant and zucchini, stirring and breaking up the lumps of meat.

When they have browned lightly, add the rice and let it sauté for 4 minutes. Add the wine and let it simmer until it evaporates. Then add about ¾ of the pulp of the tomatoes, a glass of water, the parsley, salt and pepper and let the mixture simmer gently for about 10 – 15 minutes.

Make sure that the mixture is not too dry at the end of the cooking time. There must be about 2 cups of liquid, so that the stuffing in the peppers will have enough liquid to cook nicely. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings.

To read more, please visit: Cooking In Plain Greek
Also see the alternative recipe with soya mince.

Who was Eleftherios Venizelos? Born in Crete in 1864, he is arguably the grandfather of Modern Greece.  A hugely influental figure, he is responsible for the modernization and expansion of the country.  At the time, he was both loved and loathed.  He followed a pro-allied foreign policy during the First World War, which conflicted with that of the pro-German king who wished the country to remain neutral.

So where is the museum? The Greek authorities have tried their hardest to hide and not draw attention to it in any shape or form!  The museum is cunningly disguised behind a building covered in a profusion of colourful flowers and ivy in a bulding in Eleutherias Park by Megaron Concert Hall, with just a small sign outside to announce its presence.

The museum contains books, photographs and other personal items of this great Greek figure, but no translations into English.

To read more, please visit: Dave's Travel Pages