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Limnos: The island of Hephaestus
The tasteful thyme honey and the fresh fish are also some of the great gifts of nature to the lucky island.
The history of Lemnos is lost in the mists of time. According to mythology, Hephaestus had his forge on the island and taught its first residents, the Sinties, the art of processing copper. The Island flourished during prehistoric times. In 512BC it was conquered by the Persians, but it regained its liberty after the end of the Persian Wars. Since then, it had been subjugated consecutively by the Romans, the Venetians and the Turks, until its definitive liberation in 1912 during the 1st Balkan War.
Capital of the island is Mýrina, a town beautiful for its traditional paved alleys, its old stone mansions, its promenade by the sea, and last but not least for its Byzantine Castle. The impressive castle that overlooks the town lies on a rocky and steep peninsula, on the hillside of which small deer roam free.
Touring around the island is as much an enviable experience as choosing only some of its beauties to write about is a nasty task. Still, a visit to Lemnos is not complete without having been to:
• The Petrified Forest near the town of Moudros, where one has the chance to see fossilised trunks, leaves, fruit and palm-tree roots aged 20-22 million years.
• The prehistoric settlement of Poliochni which is thought to be the oldest Neolithic city in Europe. Actually, a rectangular building with a double row of stepped seats that had been found on the site resembles a parliamentary architectural structure; that’s why it is presumed to be the oldest parliament discovered in the world!
• The archaeological site of Hephaestia, the prehistoric capital of the Pelasgians, whose glory days lasted well over 2000 years (1000BC to 1200AD). Admire the ruins of a complex of a city built and rebuilt in 10 layers, including palaces, baths, Christian churches, a Hellenistic-Roman theatre, a necropolis, and a sanctuary dedicated to the great goddess Lemnos.
• The two small lakes Alyki and Chortarolimni which constitute wetland habitats, refuge and breeding places for rare and endangered bird species.
• The ideal for skin conditions and urinary system problems thermal springs of Hephaestus, at only 4km from Mýrina.
• The waterfalls near the village of Káspakas, where the waters rush off a height of 15m to create an appealing natural site dotted with small plateaus and tiny ponds.
• The village of Kontiás, one of the biggest and most beautiful ones, which is built on a pine-clad hill and is decorated by traditional stone houses, deserted windmills, and the picturesque church off Ághios Dimitrios with the stone bell tower.
• The gorgeous sandy beaches of the islands, which range from peaceful, remote, romantic to busy and well-organised ones. Especially the water sports lovers will go crazy for the beaches of Thanos, Gomati (treat yourself with the pleasure of rolling on the sand dunes there) and Keros, with the last one being a well-known centre for aquatic pleasures and sports activities. Nevertheless, the repeaters of the island and the locals would answer Platý or Chavoúli should they be asked to choose a beach to appear on a postal card from Limnos.
Source: Visitgreece.gr
Tsipras: We Will Find A Solution Within EU Rules
Greece respects European Union rules and will find a solution to its economic problems within the framework of EU law, Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras said on Wednesday, adding there was no agreement yet, but talks were going in the right direction.
Tsipras and his Syriza party won an election in January on promises of negotiating a debt write-off, the reversal of some reforms and ending fiscal consolidation -- provoking a stand-off with its international creditors like the euro zone.
"I'm very optimistic that we will try to do our best in order to find a common, viable and mutually acceptable solution for our common future," Tsipras said on his first visit to Brussels and after talks with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Parliament President Martin Schulz.
"Our goal is to respect the people's sovereignty in Greece and the clear mandate of our people. At the same time we respect the rules of the European Union. We want to recorrect this framework, not to smash this framework and we believe that in this framework we could find a common viable solution," he said.
To read more, please visit thetoc.gr/eng
'Travel Trade Athens' Event Delivers 3000 Hosted Buyer Meetings
Travel Trade Athens, jointly organized by the City of Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) and the European Tour Operators Association (ETOA), is the signature annual trade event for the Greek capital which hosts selected international buyers focused on Athens and Greece.
“The demand for Athens can be maintained as long as the basic conditions for the proper functioning of the city — stability and safety — are maintained for our guests.”
Mayor Kaminis said that the municipality plans to approach new markets and customer groups and build on last year’s impressive tourism
growth in the city through an “even more dynamic and targeted” participation in international tourism events.
Furthermore, he said the municipality will continue to hold fam trips to introduce Athens to foreign tourism professionals and mass media representatives, further improve the image and hospitality services of the Greek capital and upgrade the city’s online presence.
This year’s trade event hosted a total of 88 buyers from 27 countries and active in markets such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) and LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender).
The hosted buyers came from Egypt, Argentina, Australia, Bulgaria, Brazil, France, Germany, Denmark, Switzerland, the United States, India, Israel, Italy, China (Hong Kong), Cyprus, Lebanon, Malaysia, Great Britain, Norway, Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Sweden, Turkey and Finland.
In terms of suppliers, 190 Greek tourism professionals were from Athens (70 percent) and other parts of Greece attended the event. According to the organizers, the 3,000 meetings held this year are expected to lead to numerous agreements and partnerships between foreign buyers and Greek tourism businesses. Over 3,500 individual business meetings were recorded between hosted buyers and Greek suppliers during the two previous Travel Trade Athens events.
Standard Athens Transport Ticket To Rise To €1.40 On January 1
To read about Jack's experience of the E-Ticket for Athens, click here.
Greek Komboloi - Lord Of The Beads
To read this article in full, please visit: Greece Is
Image credit: Dimitris Vlaikos
April 11 - It's All About Easter
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Athens’ EMST To Be Fully Operational In 2018
Ancient Theater Comes Alive In 3 Prominent Athenian Locations
Starting on Friday, July 5, visitors to Athens will have the chance to experience ancient Greek theater at the Acropolis Museum, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, and the Ancient Agora. Named 'The Stones Speak' (Oi Petres Miloun), the program features a series of theater performances that aim to showcase Greek cultural heritage and blend Greek culture into tourism.
From July to October, a group of young actors will present world-class texts by Homer, Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides, Sophocles, and Aristophanes, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 11:00 to 13:00. The performances will be carried out in French, English, and Greek.
The first performance will take place on July 5 at the Byzantine and Christian Museum. In September the performances will be held at the Ancient Agora and at the Acropolis Museum in October.
Admission to all events is free of charge.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages
How to Feel Like You’re In Athens In 5 Easy Steps
Affected by lengthy lockdowns, most of us would rather be somewhere else right now! However, until traveling for pleasure becomes a possibility again, thisisathens.org has made a list of activities that will infuse your home with Athenian character.
2. Whip Up A Freddo
- Put a medium-sized empty metal container such as a bar shaker in the freezer, preferably metal.
- Run 2 short espresso doses into a cup, add sugar as desired, and set aside.
- Pour milk into the cold metal container till it's half full. Add a couple of ice cubes if the milk or the container isn't cold enough.
- Use a small handheld mixer to beat the milk and if you don't have a mixer, use a makeshift shaker and shake till your arm hurts and set aside.
3. Cook A Greek Dish
4. Soak Up Athens Street Art
Get acquainted with the most passionate mavericks putting their mark on the city with thisisathens.org's Athens Street Art slideshow. And if you are more of a classicist, take a tour of Robert McCabe's beautiful vintage photography collection of Athens in the fifties, set against some pretty mighty ancient monuments.
5. Watch A Greek Cinema Classic
If you want to travel away to happier times mentally, embark on a celluloid journey with Greek national superstar Melina Mercouri across a swinging sixties Athens in Never on Sunday. In this all-time classic feel-good movie, a free-spirited prostitute named Ilya meets an American tourist named Homer. This award-winning movie placed both the port of Piraeus and Melina Mercouri on the world map, and it's also said to have inspired the then First Lady Jackie Kennedy to travel to Athens–as it will you!
For even more ways to feel like you're in Greece, please visit: thisisathens.org
Ancient Head Sculpture Unearthed In Central Athens
To read this article in full, please visit: amna.gr