Athens is one of the world's oldest cities, often called the cradle of Western civilization. Visitors will find monuments to ancient history on nearly every path they take. But with interesting neighborhoods, trendy shops and a variety of cafes and tavernas serving that famous Greek cuisine, Athens' attractions are not all rooted in the past.

As a seaside metropolis with a lively outdoor vibe and dozens of picturesque islands beckoning nearby, Athens is more often considered a summer tourist destination than a winter escape. But if you've got more than beaches on your mind, there's plenty of upside to a brief cool visit that avoids the crowds and heat of summer.

The city is easy to get around by bus or metro and most major attractions are within walking distance. Temperatures in January average 50 F (10 C). A few must-see attractions include the Acropolis, Plaka, and Sounion!

To read this article in full, please visit: Yahoo

Komboskini is a prayer tool that is used by Orthodox Christians dating back to the 5th and 6th century. Usually, they are handmade in monasteries, by wool (symbolising the flock of Christ) or silk and they are made up of complex knots, beads and a cross (either handmade or metallic). These prayer ropes are used by many religious Orthodox people when they pray.

 

You will find them in various sizes, but the bracelet style is the most common. The prayer ropes are blessed on the relics of specific Saints so people may wear more than one. The traditional colour is black but nowadays, coloured komboskinis have also become fashionable.

There are also long prayer ropes that have a tassel at the end of the cross. The tassel can also be said to represent the glory of the Heavenly Kingdom, which one can only enter through the Cross.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greece by a Greek

Photo Source: Greece by a Greek, hristospanagiablog

According to the 2018 Best Countries report released by US News & World Report, Greece was ranked as the 28th best country in the world! Greece was included as one of the best countries in the world because of its contribution to culture, science, the development of trade, investment, tourism, and its impact on international economies.

 

The report analyzed 80 countries based on a sample of 21,000 respondents and a range of criteria including economic influence, power to citizenship, quality of life, and perception on a global scale.

Overall, Greece was ranked 3rd for heritage, 5th for adventure, 15th for cultural influence, 24th movers (up-and-coming economy), 25th for citizenship, 29th for quality of life, 35th for entrepreneurship, 52nd for power and 55th in terms of being open for business.

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

The Archaeological Museum of Thebes in Viotia, Greece has recently been nominated for the European Museum of the Year award for 2018. The museum is one of 40 other nominees.

The annual ceremony will take place this year on May 9th through 12th at the POLIN Museum of the History of Polish Jews in Warsaw. The nominees this year will give an audiovisual presentation before the winner is announced. The presentation of the Thebes Museum will be supported by the "Society of the Friends of the Archaeological Museum of Thebes."

 

The European Museum of the Year Award was founded in 1977 under the auspices of the Council of Europe, in order to recognize excellence in the European museum sector. The judging process is rigorous and includes visits to up to 50 museums. 

The award has had significant influence over the years, highlighting and awarding museums with innovative approaches and influence in the national and international museum field.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek City Times

Serifos Sunset Race will be held this year with the co-organization of the South Aegean Region. The South Aegean Region supports all major sport events and actions that promote the values of sports, promote the region and encourage people and especially young people to participate.

The promotion of sports values is a key component of South Aegean Region policy, which makes every effort to ensure that the islands of the region will lead in major sport events and synergies that contribute in promoting a model based in the connection between sports and tourism, two of the most powerful components in the Aegean sea.

The South Aegean Region Authority has made it clear from the beginning that will support sports and this is reflected to a large extent in the targeted actions that were accomplished, and continue to take place, during 2018, with its participation in a number of sport actions within the Regional Unity of Cyclades. The Vice-Governor of Cyclades, George Leontaritis, mentioned: "The Region of South Aegean by participating for the second time in the organization of Serifos Sunset Race, supports the effort for equal access to sports.

For sixth consecutive year, this multifaceted event will be the top sport event in the island of Serifos, distinguished by its tremendous success, both in terms of participation, as well as the excellent organization of swimming and running competitions and the full satisfaction of the participants.

In a synergy with Serifos Municipality and the Tourism Committee of Serifos, we invest in culture and sports, supporting every effort to increase the sports values, to promote our islands and strengthen our touristic product.

The 6th Serifos Sunset Race will be held this year on the 22nd & 23rd of September 2018, with running races of 5, 10 and 20km, swimming races 750, 1.500 and 3.000m, and running and swimming races of shorter distances for kids.

Registrations for adults are made electronically via Ticketmaster.gr which is responsible for the pre- sales procedure of the tickets. Ticket purchases are also made in GERMANOS and COSMOTE stores.

For more information visit Serifosrace.com

“Navarino Challenge”, which will be held for the 6^th consecutive year in Messinia and Costa Navarino in October 12-14, 2018, presented its activities and ambassadors for this year.

The award-winning sports tourism event continues to innovate in the global sports tourism market by creating new tourist audiences and contributing to the development of Greece as a prime Sports Tourism Destination. Sports tourism is no longer just a growing form of tourism but has triggered a new revolution in the sector globally, generating between 12 and 15 million annual arrivals per year; the average revenue from Sports Tourism in each country is estimated at 25% over all tourism, reaching in some cases 55%!

 

The press conference for the recently awarded “Top Tourism Event” in Greece, was held at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, with the presence of the Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports Mr. George Vassiliadis, the President of the Greek National Tourism Organization Mr. Charalampos Karimalis and the Greek-American ultramarathon, Dean Karnazes, who is participating for the 6^th consecutive year in the event as its ambassador in Greece and abroad.

Deputy Minister of Culture and Sports, Mr. George Vassiliadis, in his greeting remarked: “Navarino Challenge, following its successful course for the 6^th consecutive year in Messinia, has now become a tradition. For one more year many famous and renowned professional athletes are expected to participate in this major sports fest, but what I would like to highlight is the massive presence of amateur athletes and stress the importance of thriving events that promote this form of sport. At the same time, it is extremely encouraging that Navarino Challenge is a model event of sports tourism, an example that should be followed by others in a country like Greece that has all the prerequisites for economic growth by the flourishing of this kind of tourism”.

 

The President of the Greek National Tourism Organization, Mr. Charalampos Karimalis, said: “The Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Minister Mrs. Kountoura and the Greek National Tourism Organization support important initiatives that attract the global sporting interest. Navarino Challenge is such an initiative. Because it establishes our country as the most attractive and safe destination, offering authentic thematic tourism experiences, 365 days a year, and is proven to benefit both the national economy and local societies and economies”.

Consequently the ultramarathon Dean Karnazes highlighted: “When I travel the world, I am the ambassador of Greece and its greatness to the rest of the world. Everyone is absorbed in everyday activities and sometimes we do not see the magic we have here. But running in Messinia, the islands, anywhere in Greece makes you feel alive. There is something in the air, in the landscape, a special magic that you cannot find elsewhere on earth. My mission is to travel the world and encourage more people to come and experience this magic. Navarino Challenge is the way to do that. It is the 6^th event and I could not be more proud!”.

On behalf of the organization, TEMES Vice President & Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Stefanos Theodorides, said: “We are delighted to organize for the 6^th consecutive year Navarino Challenge, a great celebration of sports andan annual meeting for athletes and visitors from all over the world. Sports tourism is one of the fastest growing forms of tourism worldwide, and in Costa Navarino we have created the infrastructure for 12-month tourism with sports and events that attract new audiences”.

Active Media Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Akis Tsolis stated: “I am honored after 6 years and almost 8 years since the initial idea of ​​the event to see and live its evolution and change year after year. From the three running routes in Tripoli, Kalamata and Pylos to the nearly 25 sports activities today, with more than 12 Olympic sports in less than 48 hours. The Olympic ideal talks about the union of people, because sports unite. It unites professional with amateur athletes, Olympic athletes with champions, adults with children, who run side by side, people with special skills and abilities. At the same time it does not stop sending moral and educational messages through powerful personalities. Personalities who are legends in their field and don’t need any special recommendations. I would like to announce the addition for 2018 of Panagiotis Giannakis and Michalis Triantafyllidis who will be in our 6th anniversary and will promote the message of sports with the phrase #sportsunitepeople. At the same time, we continue to inform young people with the #eatwell #runwell #livewell as we called our own campaign against childhood obesity. A really big problem for the Greek province, Greece and the world in general. We continue to positively promote messages with the help of both our communication sponsors and our small and grand sponsors, as in the age of Pericles in ancient Athens. Sponsorship has been, since antiquity, a valuable social and cultural institution. An institution that supports sports tourism supports Greek tourism and the Greek economy”.

Afterwards, Professor Dr. Demosthenes Panagiotakos, Vice Rector at Harokopio University in Athens, and a member of the Scientific Committee on Health of the European Commission, said: “In a country where weather conditions and the environment challenge you to do sports, epidemiological research shows that 40% of the population is not exercised not even according to the minimum requirements for maintaining good health, while obesity and overweight reach 50%. In the children’s population, these rates are more worrying. Massive sporting actions for all are imperative and must be supported by all entities in order to treat and promote the health of the population”.

 

At her greeting Bwin Greece Head of Marketing, Zoe Marvofora, said: “We were excited from the very first moment to be the Grand Sponsor of Navarino Challenge 2018 and to actively support this unique effort, which is assisting the fight against childhood obesity through exercise and the Mediterranean diet, while encouraging the participation of citizens in sports activities. We are proud of both the sponsorship we offer and the outstanding sporting performance that the Bwin team is aiming for”.

 

Qatar Airways Country Manager Greece & Cyprus, Theresa Cissell highlighted: “Qatar Airways proudly supports a range of international and local initiatives dedicated to enriching the global community that it serves, and for the fourth consecutive year we are proud to be sponsoring Navarino Challenge as the Official Airline partner. Qatar Airways sponsorship strategy is aligned with Qatar Vision 2030 and is based on three core pillars “Sports, Culture and Education” as a means to bring people together, something at the core of our own brand message – Going Places Together. And it seems to be organically embedded with Navarino Challenge, which brings families together through sports”.

Navarino Challenge will cooperare for the first time with HSBC, one of the world’s largest banking and financial services organizations serving more than 38 million customers worldwide. As an official banking partner, HSBC will support this year's event and will be the exclusive sponsor of the bike activity (Bike ride at Voidokilia by HSBC).

 

The organization innovates with a new collaboration and presents its new technical t-shirt!

LUANVI, distinguished at the running events, providing technical shirts and high quality sports equipment for more than 40 major events a year (including, for example, the exclusive partnership with the Marathon of Valencia), will cooperate for the first time in Greece with a sports tourism event. In particular, as an official sports supplier of “Navarino Challenge”, LUANVI will offer the special technical t-shirt of the event to all participants. LUANVI, a leading force in the field of sports apparel and accessories in Spain, has many successful collaborations including Spanish National Paralympic Team and the Spanish Tennis Federation.

Present atthe press event were among others, the Olympic and World Champion at 400m. with hurdles Periklis Iakovakis, former international volleyball player who holds the record of participations in the Greek National Team Michalis Triantafyllidis, pilates instructor, Mandy Persaki, personal trainer Dimitris Moros and boxing instructor Christos Gatsis.

Bwin is the Grand Sponsor of the event. Qatar Airways is the official airline partner of the event. Samsung is the official technology partner. Official sponsors of the event are for another year the Natural Mineral Water “Vikos” and Ford Motor Hellas. Luanvi is the official sports supplier of the event for the first time.

Official supporters are Municipality of Pylos-Nestor, Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport, Avance and the Hippophae of Meteora Hippocrates Farm.  Athens Medical Group is the Medical Partner of the event for the first time.

 

More information about the accommodation packages at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino may be found HERE!

Navarino Challenge is co-organized by Costa Navarino, The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and Active Media Group with the support of the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor and Trifilia. Navarino Challenge will take place under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization, with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation.

Grand Sponsor: Bwin

Official Airline Partner: Qatar Airways

Official Technology Partner: Samsung

Official Sponsors: Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Ford Motor Hellas

Official Banking Partner: HSBC

Official Sports Supplier: Luanvi

Official Supporters: Municipality of Pylos-Nestor, Poseidonia, BIC®, BIC® Sport, Avance Rent A Car, Hippocrates Farm

Medical Partner: Athens Medical Group

Partners: Navarino Outdoors, Swim Academy, Surf Salad, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, FitnessArt, Vizantinos target sport club, Red Swim Academy, Fysiotek Sports Lab

Strategic Partner: National Geographic

Assisted by: Lifeguard Patrol, Navarino Racquet Academy, Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Explore Messinia, Navarino Golf Academy, Target Security, The Diner, Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation, Athens Easy Transfers, Anazoe Spa, Kayak, Collective Resort, Department of Sports Organization & Management from University of Peloponnese, Karalis City Hotel & Spa, Karalis Beach Hotel, Kessaris, Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS), IAAF Kids Athletics

Hashtags: #navarinochallenge #costanavarino #sportsunitepeople #eatwell #runwell #livewell

Photo credit: Mike Tsolis

Hills dotted with ancient ruins, sun-soaked brunches – and a front row seat to the Parthenon. Local resident Alex King explains why Thissio is hard to beat.

Every neighbourhood in Athens lucky enough to have a view of the Acropolis thinks that theirs is the best in the city. But you really can’t beat Thissio to appreciate the majesty of the Parthenon. My favourite thing about living here is walking up the footpath behind the Church of St. Marina and past the National Observatory of Athens up to Pnyx Hill (just the birthplace of democracy, you know…), where you’re greeted with a spectacular perspective on the entire ancient city.

While most views of Athens reveal a sun-bleached concrete jungle, from this tree-lined summit you see how the historical centre is really a green island. After a long day exploring the city, venturing up at sunset is a great way to unwind. If you ever grow tired of staring down on the Propylaea, the main entrance to the Acropolis, and the temple of Athena Nike, you can always turn around and look out towards the sea, Piraeus harbour, the ships coming to and fro, and the islands that dot the horizon.

The Underdog

This is one of the best brunch spots in Athens. It has the wide range of painstakingly-sourced coffee options you would expect from the best third wave coffee shops, from single origin blends to ethically-sourced brews. In a beautiful restored neoclassical building, it’s the perfect start to a day exploring the neighbourhood on foot. Pedestrianised Iraklidon Street leads to the city’s ancient fortifications and is lined with restaurants, bars and greenery.

Address: 8 Iraklidon, Thissio, 118 51
Telephone: 213 0365393

Mikra Asia

A personal favourite, this cute little taverna serves meze (small sharing plates) inspired by Greek cuisine from Asia Minor (Mikra Asia in Greek). Occupying a tranquil spot on pedestrianised Iraklidon Street, this laid back and great value eatery really is a community hub. Highlights include the roasted peppers and flogeres, pastry cigars filled with cheese and covered in honey.

Address: 23 Iraklidon, Thissio, 118 51
Telephone: 211 1847609

To Steki Tou Ilia

One of Thissio’s best kept secrets is the pedestrianised Thessalonikis Street, which begins at Agios Athanasios church. With stellar meat dishes, To Steki tou Ilia appeals to committed carnivores—and is famous for its lamb chops by the kilo. Tables are set in the church yard and stretch along the pavement in summer. Cafe Loux just along the street is great if you’re just looking for drinks or a nightcap to wash down all your overindulgences.

Address: 5 Eptachalkou, Thissio, 118 51
Telephone: 210 3458052

Gevomai Kai Magevomai

This charming family-run taverna is another pillar of the neighbourhood—the place where locals celebrate anything from birthdays to christenings. The ever-changing menu is personally sourced by the family and the spirits are always free flowing. It’s also one of the few good indoor options in Thissio; so if it’s a rare rainy day or you need to escape the heat for some air-conditioned cool, this is a solid choice.

Address: 11 Nileos, Thissio, 118 51
Telephone: 210 3452802

Skales Kafeneio

The heart of Thissio is the little square where Nileos, Iraklidon, Akamantos and Apostolou Pavlou Streets come together. You’ll find tourists and Athenians rubbing shoulders long into the night at the restaurants and kafeneia (cafés) that surround the square. Slightly hidden down some steps, this is a typical local kafeneio that serves up great coffee and spirits, with tasty snacks—like tirokafteri (spicy cheese dip), fava or dakos. Just be careful about making plans afterwards, because sitting down for a quick drink here often turns into hours of boozy discussion with friends and locals.

Address: 2 Akamantos,Thissio, 118 513
Telephone: 210 3465647

 

Located in Athens, Alexandria Institute organizes Modern and Ancient Greek language and culture courses. Our seminars are held in Athens, Chios, Paros and in various other places in Greece as well as Greek online courses. We also offer teacher training courses, and we organize lectures and cultural walks. If you live in Athens and you want to communicate with locals in daily life situations, the courses we offer are ideal for you.

If you want to learn more about life in Athens and in Greece in general, understand Greek culture and the locals, the way they think, their lifestyle, traditions, and customs, then join our Greek language courses! Choose what works best for you and your needs:

Focusing specifically on the students’ special needs, preferences and interests, our courses can be arranged in a way that meets those requirements. In addition to teaching the language, we offer cultural activities. The courses are part of a wide range of training and cultural activities aimed at presenting you with a complete educational and cultural experience in Athens.

If you already speak some Greek, find out your level though our placement tests and sign up for the most suitable course for you!

Whether you have limited free time (one or two weeks) or you can make more, Alexandria Institute can come up with the schedule that is suitable to your needs and capabilities.

Our purpose is to help you learn Greek and be able to communicate from the very beginning!

Do you live in Athens and you are facing everyday challenges?

At Alexandria Institute, we can provide you not only Greek courses, but also, we help you overcome challenges in communication of the everyday life of the city.

Our goal is to make our way through learning Greek in a modern, creative, and fun way! We are using contemporary tools, equipment, and educational material to help you learn the language though an exclusive and entertaining educational experience.

Location of the School: 5 minutes walking distance from the metro station NEA IONIA.

Cultural heritage does not end at monuments and collections of objects. It also includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe or the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts.

UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, has been pivotal in changing and expanding the term ‘cultural heritage’: in it’s 2003 General Conference, the organization adopted the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Since then, 180 States have become party to this text, which is now considered a key instrument – not only for the safeguarding of heritage in all its diversity, but also for peace. According to the 2003 Convention, ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ means the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge, skills – as well as the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated therewith – that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. This ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’ , is according to UNESCO manifested in the following domains: (a) oral traditions and expressions, including language; (b) performing arts; (c) social practices, rituals and festive events; (d) knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe;(e) traditional craftsmanship.

While fragile, intangible cultural heritage is an important factor in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. An understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue, and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life. As UNESCO notes, the importance of intangible cultural heritage is not the cultural manifestation itself but rather the wealth of knowledge and skills that is transmitted through it from one generation to the next. Intangible cultural heritage is: traditional, contemporary and living at the same time, inclusive, representative and community-based.

Greece, which has been a party to the Convention since 2007, has 10 inscriptions on UNESCO's representative list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity, half of which are related to music, dance and folk festivals. The list includes collective practices transmitted from older to younger generations in an informal way that reinforces the cultural identity of the community and contributes to facilitating social integration. These collective practices often offer the opportunity to make the collective memory last, through song, dance and the telling of old tales and stories. The most recent inscription from Greece was made in 2022 and it relates August 15th (Dekapentavgoustos) festivities in two Highland Communities of Northern Greece: Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) in Vlasti village in Western Macedonia and the Festival of Syrráko, a small stone village perched in Epirus.

Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) in Vlasti and Syrrako Festival (2022)

The Tranos Choros (Grand Dance) and Syrrako festival are celebrated in Greece to commemorate the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Historically, these Orthodox festivities originating in Vlasti and Syrrako marked the annual reunion of pastoral communities before the sheep or cattle farmers moved to their winter pastures. Although the population of most highland communities has greatly diminished, today the festivals are associated with the reunion of the communities whose inhabitants have migrated to cities. The main feature of both festivals are the ritualistic dances.

For the Tranos Choros in Vlasti, dancers of all ages form a large open circle, holding hands and dancing to a slow and imposing rhythm while singing a cappella. In the Syrrako Festival, a band and singers accompany the dance. In the communities, youth learn the customs by watching the participants and preparations from an early age. Today, cultural organizations also play a key role in transmitting the dances and cultural context. The festivities are viewed as a celebration of both villages’ identities, providing an opportunity for younger generations to connect with their cultural heritage.

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

Language is a window into the culture and soul of a nation, and Greek, with its ancient roots and rich heritage, is no exception. Within the Greek lexicon lie words that defy easy translation, encapsulating nuanced concepts and emotions that resonate deeply within the Greek psyche.

Join us as we explore 5 untranslatable Greek words, each offering a glimpse into the unique spirit of Greece.

1. Philotimo

At the heart of Greek culture lies the concept of philotimo, a word that embodies a complex blend of virtues, including honor, integrity, and a sense of duty towards others. It encompasses a deep-seated respect for oneself and others, as well as a commitment to living with honor and dignity. Philotimo is not easily defined in English, as it encompasses a unique set of values that are deeply ingrained in the Greek way of life.

2. Meraki

Meraki is a word that speaks to the soul of creativity and passion. It conveys the essence of putting one's heart and soul into everything one does, whether it be a work of art, a meal prepared with love, or a heartfelt conversation. It is the spark that ignites the creative process and infuses life with meaning and purpose.

Similar to philotimo but distinct in its own right, arete embodies the concepts of excellence and virtue. It is the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of life, from personal conduct to professional endeavors. Arete is a driving force that inspires individuals to strive for greatness and to fulfill their potential.

Kefi is a word that captures the joy of living in the moment and embracing the simple pleasures of life. It is the feeling of euphoria and exhilaration that arises from music, dance, and communal celebration. Kefi is a reminder to savor life's fleeting moments and find joy in the present.

Eudaimonia encapsulates the concept of human flourishing and fulfillment. It goes beyond mere happiness and encompasses a deeper sense of well-being and contentment derived from living a virtuous and meaningful life. Eudaimonia emphasizes the pursuit of excellence, personal growth, and the cultivation of moral and intellectual virtues. It is a state of flourishing where individuals experience a profound sense of purpose, satisfaction, and harmony with themselves and the world around them.