XpatAthens

Thursday, 19 February 2015 12:36

Foreigners Double Their Investments In Greek Properties

Foreigners doubled their investment in Greek property, mostly holiday homes, in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2013, Bank of Greece data show.

In the period from January to June 2014 a total of 117.4 million euros flowed into Greece to that end, compared with 60.3 million a year earlier, reflecting the clear improvement in the holiday home market, at least as far as foreign buyers are concerned, as they are cottoning on to the bargains currently available in Greece.

Holiday home prices in Greece have dropped more than 40 percent since the start of the crisis six years go.

Demand has soared to such an extent this year that it eclipsed the sum of all investment for the whole of 2012 (113 million euros) in the first six months. Foreign interest in the local market started to become evident last year when they invested 168 million euros – 48.5 percent more than in 2012. And this year’s growth would have been greater had the market not had the cloud of its unstable tax status hanging over it. Transactions were significantly reduced in the first five months of 2014 due to the unclear application of the capital gains tax on properties, forcing many investors to postpone their purchases.

To read more, please visit www.ekathimerini.com

By Nikos Roussanoglou

Published in Greece In The News

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Friday, 27 February 2015 16:05

New Novel “Sunsets in Oia”

A dazzling remote island, delectable food, soulful music, steamy romance and life-changing experiences – this sounds like the making of a remarkable vacation retreat. And it can all be enjoyed within the pages of Sunsets in Oia. Now, readers everywhere can escape their everyday lives and travel along with exciting characters as they explore a real-to-life location.

The debut novel by Canadian writer Sheila Busteed, “Sunsets in Oia” follows Selene Doherty, whose excitement from the successful tour with her band is cut short when she learns that her parents were killed in the Athens riots. After the funeral, she escapes to her bequeathed summer home on the island of Santorini to recover from the tragedy. She is haunted. The loss of her family leaves her with a feeling of disconnectedness that is unshakable.

But a chance reunion with a man from her past brings new romance – and hope. Drawing strength as he helps her get in touch with her roots, Selene begins the journey to redefine her life.

“Sunsets in Oia” offers a snapshot of a summer, blending vibrant characters, enduring culture, vivid scenery and impactful themes – plus a bit of erotica – that will leave readers cheering, “Opa!”

“Sunsets in Oia” is for sale through the FriesenPress Bookstore and will soon be available from other fine retailers, including Chapters Indigo, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Google, iTunes, Kindle, Kobo and Nook, among others.

Author Sheila Busteed, 28, is a freelance writer, teacher, journalist, photographer and designer who possesses a deep connection to music. Originally from Tecumseh, Ontario, Busteed is an avid traveler, and the creation of “Sunsets in Oia” took her back to the island of Santorini for a writing retreat. After nearly a decade in Canada’s capital, Busteed moved to South Korea to begin a new career as an English teacher. She spends much of her spare time writing, traveling and learning about her newly adopted home.

By Anastasios Papapostolou

Greek Reporter

Published in Books

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Friday, 13 November 2015 07:00

Coming In From The Cold: Homeless But Not Hopeless Gives Compassion A New Meaning.

Journalist and editor Lorraine Eyre runs the “Homeless but not Hopeless” charity. In a piece written for GreekTV, Lorraine reflects on the misguided attitudes about the homeless community in the country, the reasons many find themselves on the streets, and offers vignettes of individual stories.

“We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and not cared for is the greatest poverty.” (Mother Teresa)

Individuals and families who are sleeping rough on the streets of Athens without access to shelter, food, and laundry facilities have become outcasts of society. Sometimes referred to as “bag” people, they are almost socially invisible to those who consider them to be second-class citizens. The plight of the growing homeless community in the city continues to spiral out of control. The situation sadly remains unnoticed by those whose responsibility it is to help them.

Fortunately, however, there are kind and compassioante people living here in Greece and abroad who do care. Large numbers of dedicated volunteers and members of organizations are fiercely committed to providing help and offering their support. Those volunteers who have come face to face with the harsh realities out on the streets and have listened to the heart-wrenching stories, many from families with young children, have realized that everyone is important in this word and commands the same respect.

To read more, please visit: Greek TV

Published in People

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Wednesday, 20 January 2016 07:00

Greeks Who Have Left Their Mark On 2015

2015 was a tough year for Greece, but these Greeks managed to distinguish themselves and excel in their professional fields as well as inspire others to continue fighting for their ideals. Here we present to you the 10 Greeks that left their mark in 2015:

Paul Alivisatos

Paul Alivisatos is considered one of the fathers of nanoscience for his ground-breaking research in quantum dots and other artificial nanostructures. In 2015 he was chosen as the recipient of the National Medal of Science by President Obama, America's highest honor for lifetime achievement in fields of scientific research. The Greek-American is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and an award-winning chemist. He has been internationally recognized as an authority ont he fabrication of nanocrystals and their use in solar energy applications. Alivisatos, 56, holds appointments with the University of California Berkeley as the Samsung Distinguished Chair in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. He is also a scientific founder of two prominent nanotechnology companies; Nanosys and Quantum Dot Corp.

John Calamos

Although John Calamos is known as a financial guru and the CEO and Chairman of the Calamos Investments, the Greek-American from Chicago made sure to bring to the U.S. the largest ever Ancient Greek exhibition in 2015. Calamos became the biggest benefactor of the exhibit 'The Greeks: From Agamemnon to Alexander the Great" to the United States. The exhibit, presented at the Field Museum of Chicago in collaboration with the National Hellenic Museum, offers the chance to see up close more than 500 artifacts from Ancient Greece. Calamos is also the biggest donor and Chairman of the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago and countess other organisations that promote Hellenism.

Yannis Behrakis

The Greek photojournalist was praised for his coverage of two of the biggest stories of 2015, Europe's Refugee Crisis and the Financial Implosion in his home country. The Guardian named him its photographer of the year and his photos made it to the covers of some of the world's most important media outlets. Born in 1960, Behrakis studied photography at the Athens School of Arts and Technology and London's Middlesex University. He has covered various significant events such as the Libya Crisis in 1989, the funeral of the founder of Iran's Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini as well as the wars in Croatia, Bosnia and Kosova, Chechyna, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Afghanistan.

Angeliki Pappa

Angeliki Pappa is an eductator that has taught more than 800 students with special educational needs and trained about 1,500 teacher to use her own unique teaching methods. In 2015 she was included in the list of 50 nominees for hte Varkey Foundation's Global Teacher Award for her work on dyslexia for the prize on one million dollars, also widely known as the Nobel Prize of teaching. The top 50 candidates were selected from 8,000 entries and applications submitted from 148 countries around the world. The winner will be announced at the Global Education & Skills Forum, to be held in March 2016 in Dubai.

To read more, please visit: Greek Reporter

Published in People

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Monday, 24 October 2016 07:00

Lemnos - Home To Greece’s Unique Desert

Lemnos is a magical place. A small island in the northern Aegean, the place where the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa meet. Another reason why Lemnos is so special is that according to several people the island is the home of the only European desert.

People who have not visited the beautiful Greek island of Lemnos may think that it is a place of exile, a place resembling the moonscape, but that is only because they had not had a chance to explore the majestic island.

On the north side of Lemnos, in an area called Gomati, visitors have the chance to witness a unique and unexpected sight, a small desert. The 7 hectare area is located away from the sea full and it’s full of sand and dunes constantly changing shape, just like in the Sahara desert, depending on the direction of the wind.

The ever-changing terrain and landscape of the sand dunes accompanied by the deep-blue colors of the Aegean Sea make for an unforgettable sight.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

Published in Travel Greece

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Monday, 15 January 2018 07:00

How Skateboarding Is Helping Young Refugees In Athens

Since fleeing their home countries with their families, young refugees have been adapting to life in Athens and facing many challenges along the way. To help ease the transition and learn techniques to face these challenges, Free Movement Skateboarding was created to teach children and teens how to 'get back up' through skateboarding. NBC News reports on this Athens based charity and gives us a glimpse into the lives of young refugees learning how to ride.

"In a third-floor apartment in Athens’ graffiti-covered Exarchia neighborhood, the British trio behind the charity recently prepared for another long and loud afternoon."

"One of them, Ruby Mateja, 26, gathered roughly a dozen banged-up donated boards and replaced the metal trucks one by one. She then fastened the polyurethane wheels, scratched and blackened from carrying enthusiastic young boys and girls."

To read this article in full, please visit: NBC News

Published in Greece In The News

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Monday, 16 April 2018 07:00

TripAdvisor Names AEGEAN Best Regional Airline In Europe For 2018

TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards recently named AEGEAN Airlines the Best Regional Airline in Europe for 2018!

Last year was the first year TripAdvisor included an airline category for the Traveler's Choice Awards. AEGEAN was also listed as one of the best for the 2017 Traveler's Choice Awards. To continue the success this year, they honored 69 airlines that provide exceptional value and service across the world. Singapore Airlines was named number one in the world.

The Traveler's Choice Awards for airlines recognize carriers who exceed passenger expectations and receive great reviews from travelers. The winners of the 2018 Traveler’s Choice Awards for Airlines were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travelers worldwide on TripAdvisor Flights from February 2017 to February 2018.

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

Please click HERE to view TripAdvisor's Top 10 Airlines in the World for 2018.

Published in Local News

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Tuesday, 03 July 2018 09:12

Bacteria Strain Could Help Make Feta Cheese A 'Functional Food'

According to a research team at the Institute of Technology of Agricultural Products, Hellenic Agricultural Organization DEMETER in Athens, Greek feta cheese could turn probiotic. This would help meet the demand for food to be 'functional' and healthy.

The researchers began with the bacterial strain Lactobacillus planetarum T571 to produce probiotic feta. The results were of a high quality cheese, with characteristics very similar to traditional feta.

The scientists stated to the Dairy Reporter, "In today's global food industry, the probiotic market is encountering an unprecedented growth to conform with the consumer demand for new products with health benefits. Considering the global demand, L. planetarum strain is a promising adjunct candidate to develop functional feta."

To read this article in full, please visit: The Dairy Reporter

Published in Greek Food & Diet

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Tuesday, 25 September 2018 07:00

Wanderlust Greece - The Love-List Of Crete

After spending 15 days on the island of Crete, Discover Greece recently released their 4th season of Wanderlust Greece, promoting the island's extraordinary beauty. The aim of their campaign is to increase the average spending of tourists, as well as to encourage longer stays to see more of Crete. After watching this video, it wouldn't be hard to do just that.

The video below showcases Crete's greatest assets, including its mountains, ancient Minoan culture, and of course, the beaches. Check out the amazing video below.

Article source: Greek Reporter

Published in Videos

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Sunday, 09 December 2018 23:38

International Distinction For Santorini Experience

Santorini returns dynamically to the sports action for the 5th edition of “Santorini Experience” that will attract the worldwide interest of professional and amateur athletes of running and open water swimming on October 4-6, 2019.

Santorini’s sports tourism event, “Santorini Experience”, which every year exceeds the country’s borders, recently received recognition from the international institution Travel & Hospitality Awards. In particular, the co-organization of the Municipality of Santorini, the Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) and Active Media Group were honored for “Santorini Experience” as the Unique Tour Company of the Year 2019.

You may watch the video teaser and get a taste of the energy and adrenaline to be offered by Santorini Experience 2019 HERE.

Runners will have the opportunity to enjoy the three established routes on the Caldera, overlooking the enchanting images of the volcano and the background scenery of Imerovigli, Firostefani and Oia. Specifically, the 5km “Aristides Alafouzos” route concerns the running and dynamic walking, the 10km is addressed to the most experienced in distances and the 15km route to those who love strength, endurance and adrenaline.

All routes start from the desalination plant in Oia, including parts of trail track, and finish in Oia. The running routes are designed by the former marathon runner, Greek classic route record holder, running trainer and director of All About Running, Nikos Polias.

Open water swimming will have an honorable position in this year’s schedule as well. Specifically, the participants will have the opportunity to swim from the volcano to the old port of Fira, having the imposing view of the island in front of them, in the 1.5 miles (2.4 km) race. Organization will provide amateur athletes with a high-quality safety lifeguard buoy, giving them extra motive to choose “Santorini Experience”.

Swimming route will take place with the upmost safety in the enchanting sea of Santorini (average water temperature of 20-22 degrees Celsius), under the technical direction of federal coach with Olympic and World Championship distinctions, Nikos Gemelos, who has designed this unique route.

Once again, specialized lifeguards will contribute in safety measures, providing staff as well as lifeboats. Distinguished age categories will be formed depending on the final participation entries, while a separate classification for those wearing wetsuits will be added.

Published in Local News

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LOGIN

Foreigners Double Their Investments In Greek Properties

New Novel “Sunsets in Oia”

Coming In From The Cold: Homeless But Not Hopeless Gives Compassion A New Meaning.

Greeks Who Have Left Their Mark On 2015

Lemnos - Home To Greece’s Unique Desert

How Skateboarding Is Helping Young Refugees In Athens

TripAdvisor Names AEGEAN Best Regional Airline In Europe For 2018

Bacteria Strain Could Help Make Feta Cheese A 'Functional Food'

Wanderlust Greece - The Love-List Of Crete

International Distinction For Santorini Experience

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