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The green light was given for the start of the tendering procedures and subsequent implementation of the construction of a bicycle and pedestrian lane linking the suburbs of Kallithea and Voula on the southern coast of Athens.

The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by Attica Regional Governor Giorgos Patoulis and the appointed adviser of the State Property Development Fund, Panagiotis Stamboulidis. The “Athenian Riviera Urban Walk” has secured funding as it is already included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0 with a budget of 24.7 million euros.

The network of pedestrian and cycle paths will cross seven municipalities (Kallithea, Palaio Faliro, Alimos, Elliniko, Argyroupoli, Glyfada, and Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni). The estimated total length is 13.5 km. The project is expected to be delivered at the end of 2025.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

On September 24 and 25, the Acropolis Museum will celebrate this year’s European Heritage Days (EHD) with a family program entitled “In the houses of the ancient Greeks… life without television and internet…”

The two-day event will offer children and their guardians the chance to explore the ancient neighborhood below the Museum, the famous Makrigiannis plot, where archaeologists have unearthed layers of the city that date back to Neolithic times.

Visitors will be able to discover the similarities and differences with today’s neighborhoods, engage with replicas of everyday objects from the ancient past, and discuss with the Museum’s archaeologists the materials that were used, and whether they were more environmentally friendly than our own.

Finally, participants will be able to create their own residential environments in the Museum’s gardens, inspired by the materials and traditional practices of the inhabitants of the ancient neighborhood.

Each program at the Acropolis Museum, which is free for children, will last for 60 minutes. Registrations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

First launched in 1999, European Heritage Days was developed as a joint initiative of the Council of Europe and the European Commission, bringing citizens together from all 50 signatory states of the European Cultural Convention under the motto “Europe: a common heritage.”

Over 70,000 events are organized each year, raising awareness of the value of shared European heritage and the need for its conservation for present and future generations.

This year’s shared theme celebrates sustainable heritage in the context of environmental change, Europe’s diverse cultural heritage, and the United Nation’s 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. Across Europe, events will focus on people and places, the continuity and knowledge from traditional practices, and how built and natural heritage can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Originally published on: greece-is.com

The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) presented a new cartoon spot that introduces Greece as a destination that can be enjoyed throughout the year.

Screened for the first time on Thursday during the 15th Animasyros International Animation Festival on the island of Syros, the spot, titled “Greece. More than the eye can see”, presents the country as an ever-evolving sustainable destination, accessible 365 days a year.

Created in collaboration with Animasyros Productions (Zedem Media), the cartoon aims to inform travelers of all ages, from all over the world, about the multitude of alternative and thematic tourism options Greece offers.

The one-minute “Greece. More than the eye can see” cartoon showcases a significant variety of Greek landscapes and tourism activities, available to any traveler, inspired by well-known and unknown locations around the country.

The cartoon has been released in two languages – English and German – and was created with 2D animation techniques.

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

The extension of Line 3 in Piraeus will be operational within the next few days, according to Giorgos Karagiannis, deputy minister of infrastructure and transport.

Speaking to ERT, he highlighted the substantial advantages that the metro lines 3 and 4 additions will provide to not only all Athens citizens but also to the environment. Karagiannis noted that with the operation of the metro in Piraeus, the country’s largest airport will be connected to the largest port in less than an hour. The trial runs for Metro Line 4 started last Tuesday.

“An additional 340,000 passengers will travel daily on this line alone, while 2,000 new trees will be planted in Athens, and, for the first time, architectural contests for square redevelopments will be launched in collaboration with the Municipality of Athens,” he said.

Karagiannis also announced the project for the extension of Line 2 to Ilion will be tendered by the end of 2022 and the extensions to Menidi and Zefiri will follow in the next phase.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

A measure aimed at reducing traffic in downtown Athens, by which cars with license plates ending in an odd number can enter the city center on odd days of the month and those with even numbers on even days, came back into effect on Monday, October 10.

The so-called “Athens ring” (daktylios), which was suspended over the summer, is in force from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.

The restrictions do not apply to low-emission vehicles. However, the owners of electric, natural gas, autogas, and hybrid vehicles, as well as and Euro 6 diesel cars that emit no more than 120g/km of carbon dioxide, must apply for a special exemption permit via a dedicated website (greek only).

Holders of exemptions from last year have up to 10 days to renew them, the Citizen Protection Ministry said.

Originally published on: keeptalkinggreece.com

The Ministry of Tourism and the Athens municipal authority have joined forces with Google in a new online initiative that shines the spotlight on lesser-known attractions in the Greek capital.

“Athens: The City is the Museum” is available at athens.withgoogle.com and presents users with a map indicating a series of walks and stops showcasing the city’s street art, music, food, and architecture, as well as enticing them to explore neighborhoods off the beaten path. The campaign also seeks to underscore Athens’ attractiveness as an all-year destination.

Speaking at the initiative’s launch, Tourism Minister Vassilis Kikilias explained that it stems from an effort that began in April 2000 to promote the notion of sustainable tourism. Describing it as a “travel experience,” Kikilias said the app “opens up Athens to visitors who want to experience the city’s pulse.”

“Athens is not just its impressive antiquities and wonderful museums. The entire city is a unique, vibrant, open, interactive, huge museum that gives visitors hundreds of ‘stages,’ ‘exhibits’ and experiences, all year round,” said Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis.

“Visitors to the city, but also its residents, will be able to discover a different part of Athens every day, thanks to technology,” added Peggy Antonakou, Google’s general manager for Southeast Europe.

Steve Vranakis, the executive director of Google Creative Lab for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, described “Athens. The city is the museum” as a means of seeing the Greek capital from a different perspective, through the “image of a modern and constantly evolving city.”

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

Prestigious American universities will start their operations in Greece in 2023, AMNA reported.

The Columbia International Education Center in Athens (of New York's Columbia University) will start its operation in September 2023. Meanwhile, the postgraduate student exchange program between the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens (EKPA) and Yale University will most likely launch within the current academic year, it was reported afresh a few days ago.

Concerning the latter, Greek students who will participate in the joint program will be exempted from paying tuition fees. As part of this new partnership, EKPA postgraduate and doctoral students will be able to take one-semester or one-year courses at Yale's science, medical and environmental schools, which will count toward their degree.

These announcements were highlighted anew following the 'Pharos Summit 2022', which was held recently at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, and which was addressed by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Originally published on: greekcitytimes.com

Archaeologists in Greece discovered in western Peloponnese the remains of a temple-shaped building that could be a lost sanctuary of the ancient god Poseidon, the Culture Ministry said.

The excavations completed at the end of September revealed part of the foundation of a large building, 9.40 meters wide, the walls of which are 0.80 meters wide. A dense layer of tiles was found inside. Based on the indications of the geophysical survey and the excavation data, the building was at least 28 meters in length, it had two inner rooms, as well as a “pronaos” and a back building or inner sanctum.

Archaeologists believe the elongated temple-shaped building probably belonged to the sanctuary of Poseidon and may even be the temple itself.

The site of Kleidi, where the ancient building was found, had been suggested by earlier researchers as a possible location of the famous ancient sanctuary, as it is situated in the foothills of the ancient acropolis of Samiko, with a command of the area north of the Lake Kaiafa, on the west coast of the Peloponnese.

According to information provided by Greek geographer, philosopher, and historian Strabo in his Geography, Book 8, the sanctuary of Poseidon was an important cult center of the Amphictyonic league (an association of neighboring city-states in ancient Greece to defend a common religious center) of the cities of Triphylia and was situated near the sea, under the acropolis of Samiko.

Combined with the Laconian style of tiling, the discovery of part of the marble water basin (perrirhanterion) leads archaeologists to tentatively date the building to the Archaic period.

The discovery, which is the result of this year’s first excavation season of the five-year research program (2022-2026), is aiming to investigate the topography of the area and identify the sanctuary of Poseidon and the port of Samiko. It is a collaboration between the Ephorate of Antiquities of Ilia headed by Dr. Erofili Kollia and the Austrian Archaeological Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, headed by Dr. Birgitta Eder.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

Main Image: Greek Culture Ministry

Interested in your Greek roots and family history? Greek Ancestry is the first digital platform created to primarily meet the specific needs of people of Greek descent.

Founded in January 2020 by historian Gregory Kontos, an expert in Greek migration history, Greek Ancestry offers high-quality research tools as well as archive material in English.

“People of Greek descent in third or fourth generation in USA, Canada, Australia, often do not speak Greek,” Kontos told state broadcaster ERT.

The platform offers tips for the correct search of the Greek roots as well as lovely stories in the category “Yiayia & Me.”

According to Greek Ancestry founders:

Interest in genealogy and family history is growing internationally. Despite the immense interest, prior to 2020 access to online records and resources from Greece was non-existent. Greek Ancestry is the first digital platform created to meet the specific research needs of people of Greek descent and those interested in Greek archival records. Through our searchable databases, users are able to access an immense number and a remarkable variety of records from all over Greece and the Greek Diaspora. At the same time, our educational initiatives provide the background necessary for high-quality research.

Greek Ancestry’s databases are the product of the systematic work of an entire team of indexers in Greece and abroad. However last but not least, the invaluable help and support of good friends, like Carol Kostakos Petranek, a pioneer of Greek genealogy, is undoubtedly a key element behind Greek Ancestry. It is our to continue our records preservation and digitization initiatives, expand our online records collections, and assist people with their research needs.

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