Greece is a world renowned travel destination known especially for summer holidays and more recently for its incredible winter locales. As a country so full of extraordinary landscapes and impressive historical sites, there are hundreds of landmarks spread across the mainland and the islands. Here are some suggestions for landmarks in Greece that combine both history and natural beauty and that are excellent for visiting any time of the year!

Arguably the most important landmark in Greece is the celebrated Parthenon Temple of the Athens Acropolis, symbol of the ancient Greek civilization. Situated on top of a rocky hill, overlooking the city of Athens, the Parthenon is a temple built in the 5th century BC and originally dedicated to the goddess Athena. Made of Pentelic marble, this is a unique example of ancient Greek architecture.

A natural wonder, the caldera of Santorini is one of the most famous Greek landmarks. The caldera is actually part of a submerged volcano, created by an explosion about 3500 years ago. The impressive red cliffs of the caldera are better admired from the white villages constructed along the cliffs, such as Fira, Oia & Imerovigli.

The ancient sanctuary of Delphi is one of the most famous ancient Greek landmarks. Set in marvelous green surroundings, Delphi was a religious and cultural centre of the ancient Greek world, with prominent constructions, such as the temple of Apollo, used as an oracle, the ancient theatre and the sanctuary of Athena Pronea. It is suggested to visit the site in spring, when nature is in full bloom.

Ancient Olympia, one of the most important archaeological sites in Greece, was built around the 6th century BC. This is actually the original site of the ancient Olympic Games, which started as athletic competitions in honour of the god Zeus. The ancient sanctuary of Olympia included many impressive buildings, including the Temple of Zeus, the Ancient Stadium, the Gymnasium and several others sites.

Enter the magic of the Medieval world by taking a stroll around the cobbled streets of the Old Town of Rhodes Island. This Medieval town, constructed as a stronghold by the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem during the Venetian occupation, is an UNESCO World Heritage site and a highly romantic destination.

The most important monuments, still excellently preserved, are the Palace of the Grand Master, the Old Hospital now turned into an Archaeological Museum and the Street of the Knights.

The Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus is surely among the most famous Greek landmarks. Located next to the ancient sanctuary of god Asklepius, this theatre was actually where the religious festivities and theatre performances to honor the god would take place. Today the theatre still works and hosts drama performances during the summer, attracting thousands of visitors and tourists.

A very important monastic community and a highly spiritual destination, the monasteries of Meteora are considered among the most famous Greek landmarks, attracting thousands of tourists and pilgrims every year. Built by monks on top of gigantic rock formations, these extraordinary monasteries date back to the 14th century and host many historical treasures. Six monasteries are still in use, situated above Kalambaka town in Thessaly.

To find out more great landmards, please visit: Greece Trip

Author and blogger, Marissa Tejada, from My Greece My Travels dishes on some of the best food experiences in Athens!

One of the advantages to expat living in Greece is appreciating its beautiful food culture where people value authentic recipes and simple, fresh, and natural ingredients. I think this is why Greek food, and Mediterranean food, is so popular. Not only is it healthy – it’s delightfully delicious.

If you love Greek food or you are willing to try more than just the Greek gyro, I have compiled this list of awesome Greek food experiences you can have here when you visit Greece. I also suggest eateries in the city I know best, where I live, Athens.

Magirefta is slow-cooked food just the way a Greek mom would cook it!

One of the top Greek restaurants in Athens is Mana’s Kouzina-Kouzina, known for the quality of the food and the value for money. The daytime menu specializes in these slow-cooked dishes, served cafeteria style. The variety of plates change seasonally and hail from all over Greece so you get a bit of a food tour of the country. More than moussaka – but that is always available — and it is the best I have had!

Mezedes are a selection of hot and cold dishes, similar to appetizers or the famous Spanish tapas. Traditionally, you’d order a few of these small plates and share them with your group of friends with some ouzo or traditional Greek spirit.

Kapetan Mixalis (Fidiou 6) in the center of Athens is a favorite for locals. In the suburbs, off-the-beaten-track Byraki Mezedopoleio (Nea Tripia 39-41) in Nea Filadelfia is a great destination for Cretan raki and wine, as well as delicious mezedes.

Awesome Greek food experiences must revolve around traditional drinks. Wine is one and Greek spirits are another. In Greece, Greek spirits are strong, tasteful and are meant to be sipped slowly as you enjoy some tasty meze (brings out the flavor of the food) and chat among friends.

You may have heard of ouzo or raki. These anise flavored liquors are served in small glass bottles and poured into oversized shot glasses. Other popular ones to try are rakomelo (honey infused raki), masticha (mastic flavored liquor) and citron (citrus infused liquor).

A nice and atmospheric bar-type place to sample Greek spirits is Bretto’s in Plaka, famous for their selection of spirits. It is the oldest distillery in the city.

If you have a sweet tooth, Greek desserts will be one of those awesome Greek food experiences you’ll have in Greece. The zaharoplasteio is a part of Greek life! It is a Greek dessert and sweet shop, and the word literally translates to sugar workshop.

Definitely go to Nancy’s Sweet Home in Psirri. This is the most famous dessert café in the heart of Athens, and rightfully so.

Another good option is Lukumades in St. Irene Square/Plateia Agia Irini in Monastiraki. They serve loukoumades, the traditional Greek fried doughnut balls topped with cinnamon and honey but you can also order them with all types of modern twists – stuffed with chocolate, with a scoop of rich ice cream or drizzled with delicious hazelnut syrup.

To read this article in full, please visit: My Greece My Travels

It's all greek to me - how well do you know your greek alphabet? This is a fun quiz to see how well you know the Greek alphabet. See if you can get 12 out of 12!

After country officials voted against Karl Lagerfeld’s request for a fashion show at a historic venue in Greece, he decided to bring Greece to Paris for Chanel Cruise’s 2018 collection. Lagerfeld and Cruise recreated the Parthenon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion all under the venue of Grand Palais. As the New York Times reported, ‘It took 50 craftspeople three weeks of construction and nine days of assembly to complete.’

‘The cash-strapped status of modern Greece makes, perhaps, for an odd allusion when a cruise collection is involved. Though the show was held in Paris, Chanel’s homeland, it wasn’t Chanel on the cheap; there was, of course, no reason for it to be.’

‘Later in May 2017, Louis Vuitton will present its collection in Kyoto, Christian Dior in Los Angeles, Gucci in Florence and Prada, for the first time, in Milan.’

‘Greece in the Grand Palais seems tame next to those locations. But Mr. Lagerfeld’s initial inspiration came from even closer to home: a first century B.C. statue of Venus in Gabrielle Chanel’s Rue Cambon apartment, above Chanel’s flagship boutique. That led him to think about ancient times, and the “modernity of antiquity,” words he chose as the title of the collection.’

‘Mr. Lagerfeld’s clothes were Greece, remixed, a sprint of Olympian proportions through Ionic iconography. There were amphora-shaped dresses of compressed pleats, draped chiffon pieces corseted with “cracked” marble and sandals with columns as heels.’

To read this article in full, please visit: New York Times

 

Click HERE to watch the fashion show!

Photo Source: Chanel

A total of 21.9 million passengers, up by 10.3 percent, compared to the same period in 2016 at 19.9 million, have gone through Greek airports in the first six months of the year, according to data released recently by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA).

The number of travelers going through Greek airports in June rose by 14.1 percent at 7.3 million – a 8.7 percent increase in domestic travelers and a 15.8 percent rise in international visitors.

In June, the largest passenger traffic was recorded at Athens, Heraklion, Rhodes, Thessaloniki and Corfu airports with 2.168.155, 1.080.803, 784,484, 649,589 and 471,668 passengers respectively.

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

Greek airline carrier Aegean was honored in the Condé Nast Traveler 2017 Readers’ Choice Awards as one of the 20 Best Airlines in the World!

The airline ranked 9th “for flying a modern fleet of narrow-body Airbus planes and its professional, friendly staff,” according to the Condé Nast Traveler.

In this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards survey, travelers voted on the world’s best airlines (outside the U.S.), with several Middle Eastern and Asian carriers getting top marks for their long-haul flights around the globe. The number one airline is Air New Zealand, followed by Qatar Airways in second place and Singapore Airlines in third place.

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

September is almost here, and most families are shifting from holiday mode into back-to-school mode. A variety of stressful parameters, like earlier bedtimes, demanding homework, and tighter schedules are about to impact children and parents alike.

 

Read on to find a few actionable tips on keeping back-to-school stress at bay.

 

Stress can be expressed in a variety of ways, but because it's often internalized, it can be hard to identify in children. Look for warning signals, such as difficulty in sleeping, head and stomach aches, and changes in behavior like irritability and temper tantrums.

 

Michele Kambolis, a Vancouver-based child and family therapist, recommends having your kids externalize their stress. Kambolis uses an activity called a "worry wall," where kids write down their worrisome thoughts on sticky notes and paste them up on a wall. This simple action aids children to gain perspective and compartmentalize their stressors.

 

 

To be able to recognize school-related anxiety in your child, you need to open your ears and pay close attention to their particular grievances. If your child is complaining about not wanting to go to school or having difficulty doing their work, try to figure out the cause of the problem.

Is it a teacher issue? A bully? Are they over-scheduled? You will probably be able to address most of these problems either at home or by contacting school administrators.

 

 

Children need much more sleep than most people realize. Children in kindergarten up to third grade may require up to 12 hours of sleep per night, and high schoolers need a solid 8 to 10 hours. Address factors that may result in sleep loss, such as demanding schedules, anxiety, or using technology and social media platforms late at night.

 

 

'PDF' stands for (unstructured) playtime, downtime, and family time. While technology can occasionally be a part of PDF, the idea is that these are moments when the family is not plugged in. It's these face-to-face moments that will help kids decompress and reconnect with themselves, their family, and friends.

To read this article in full, please visit: Real Simple

In a period when Greece and many other countries in the world are in great distress, a Facebook group comes to offer a helping hand. Owners of empty Airbnb apartments around the country have been called to the rescue as there is a growing need for free housing.

Many members of the group willingly provide free housing to relocated medical staff and patients who need to self-isolate away from their families. If you own a vacant flat or house anywhere in Greece that you wish to offer for free during the coronavirus pandemic, please visit the "I offer my AIRBNB home for FREE during Covid-19 Crisis" Facebook group.

At the same time, the "Sino-Hellenic Investors' Confederation" is also calling apartment owners in Greece to contribute their vacant houses to front-line medical staff for free, during this challenging time. Offering accommodation to medics will allow them to rest near the hospitals, at the end of their shift. More importantly, this will significantly reduce the risk of infecting their family members. The "Sino-Hellenic Investors' Confederation" has already sourced 5 houses that have been granted to 5 medical staff members. However, there is still a need for at least 150 residences.

Please contribute to the cause by sharing this article. Let's protect the health of Covid-19 patients and their families; let's show our appreciation to doctors and medical staff by allowing them to rest safely without risking the health of their own families.

Stay home, stay safe, stay united!

This content has been sourced and prepared by Codico Lab.

Maritime, golf, passion, energy, ideal weather conditions, and absolute safety…

Glyfada Maritime Golf Event was the first golf tournament held in 2020, to take the new health conditions prevailing in our country into consideration. Top executives of the Greek and global shipping industry competed in the beautiful and historic Golf Course of Glyfada, on Saturday, October 10, 2020.

The event was held following the strict specifications set by the General Secretariat of Sports and the Hellenic Golf Federation. Always having the safety and health of all participants and staff as a top priority, Glyfada Maritime Golf Event executed an even stricter health protocol that was established by Active Media Group’s experienced staff certified by the World Health Organization, based on the guidelines of the special scientists-collaborators of the General Secretariat of Sports as well as the epidemiological data, the suggestions and the approval of the General Secretariat of Sports’ Health Committee. Specifically, among the safety measures that were implemented were: the mandatory use of a mask by the staff and the encouragement of its use by everyone, with its free provision by the organization, although several golfers entered the course already wearing a mask showing a high sense of individual responsibility, the temperature measurements of all by the team of Target Security, the maintenance of a list of people entering and exiting the golf facility, the service of participants with a Samsung tablet and use of gloves where necessary with the mandatory cleaning after each use, the disinfection of the event’s equipment, the maintenance of predicted distances throughout the tournament and the conservation of the predicted limit of people entering to the sports facility.

In the context of the 1st Glyfada Maritime Golf Event, the recognized PGA Golfer and tournament organizer, Thanos Karantzias stated: “I am delighted that the 1 st Glyfada Maritime Golf Event was held with absolute safety and based on the strict measures we had set, receiving the best reviews from the Greek and international maritime industry, offering moments of well-being and highlighting and promoting the sport we all love, golf. I would like to thank all the sponsors, supporters, and those who worked and stood by us from the very first moment. We are renewing our appointment with everyone for 2021”.

The 1st Glyfada Maritime Golf Event received the greeting of the Deputy Minister of Culture & Sports, Mr. Lefteris Avgenakis, who among other things highlighted: “In a very critical period, when sport on a world basis is tempted by the crisis of the pandemic, it is encouraging that sport and newly-founded indeed events are realized, such as the Glyfada Maritime Golf Event, which is addressed to the marine community. The holding of this event constitutes a unique chance for the highlighting of a special sport, which in recent years sees particular development and gradually wins the hearts of more and more Greek people”.

The Golf Action

The first tournament attracted the interest of the Greek and world shipping industry as its senior executives formed teams of four taking part in a shotgun scramble tournament, in a completely safe and ideal environment. A green space, set in a landscape of low hills, large trees, and low Mediterranean vegetation. The golfers competed at a team level, at the international standards 18-hole, par 72, Golf Course of Glyfada.

Non-participants in the tournament had the opportunity to attend golf lessons and take part in the golf clinic under the guidance of professional golfers.

The tournament concluded with the awarding of prizes to the teams that took the top three places in the overall standings of the tournament and the special awards given to the players who achieved the best scores in the “Longest Drive” and “Closest to the Pin” special categories. Specifically, the team of Sorotos, Chrousalas, Emmanuel, and Morris finished 1 st with 104 points, the team of Papadopoulos, Robbs, Kyvernitis, and Ventouris was 2 and with 103 points while the team of Robbs, Coustas, Daskalakis, and Kechagias received the 3 rd place with 96 points. The Closest to the pin award was given to Charalampos Ventouris whereas the Longest Drive award was won by Stergios Kavalekas.

The schedule of the event was enriched with special gifts from sponsors and surprises for participants. In particular, the winners of the special categories and the first three teams were offered prizes by Samsung, Porsche Center Glyfada, Christhellas-Christofle, Messinian Spa, and Ergon. In addition, a lucky winner won a test-drive and of course the experience of the Porsche Panamera Turbo S e-Hybrid Sport Turismo for an entire weekend, after a draw. During the event, participants tested the full range of Porsche cars that were available in the Glyfada Golf course parking space, while also having the opportunity to discover the new all-electric Taycan inside the golf course.

Jotun Hellas is the event’s Platinum Sponsor.

Samsung and The Marshall Islands Registry IRI are the tournament’s Silver Sponsors.

Porsche Center Glyfada is the Official Car Partner.

Marine Tours is the Official Travel Partner.

Tototheo Maritime and Handy Chart are the event’s Supporters.

Avance is the Official Rental Partner.

Boo Productions is the Audio Visual Partner.

Target Security is the Security Partner.

Messinian Spa is the Official Beauty Partner.

Hygeia is the Medical Partner.

Costa Navarino, Athina Luxury Suites, Christhellas–Christofle, Domotel Kastri, Ergon, Kokotos Estate, Athi Rodi, Kayak, Stella Artois, Cortese Caffe, Zafeiris Liquor Store, and Automotive Solutions are the event’s Partners.

Active Media Group is responsible for the tournament’s Sports Production.

Photo Credit: Boo Productions

All proceeds from entry fees were allocated for the improvement of the facilities of Glyfada Golf course. The tournament was organized by Active Media Group, an initiative of Birdie Events and the recognized Greek PGA golfer, Mr. Thanos Karantzias. The event was exclusively addressed to distinguished executives of the Greek shipping community.

Hashtag: #glyfadamaritimegolfevent

Lipsi, a tiny Greek island in the Dodecanese archipelago, ranks as one of the top 10 alternative travel destinations in the world for 2022, according to Girovagate.com, one of Italy’s largest travel blogs. It. also noted Aspronissi, which has one of the most beautiful beaches in all of Greece, as one of its recommendations for tourists to visit when on Lipsi.-

 

 

What you need to know about Lipsi

There is no direct daily ferry or air connection to the island via mainland Greece, so the options to get there would include a ferry trip from other Dodecanese islands. The Greek islands providing connections to this island paradise are Leros. Patmos, Rhodes, Kalymnos, and Kos.

Lipsi is not just one island, but actually a cluster of islets located in southeastern Aegean. The collective name comes from the largest island of all, Lipsi, which is formed by landmasses joined by a narrow isthmus. Low hills and valleys, as well as a rocky coastline and several bays, are part of the landscape of Lipsi.

Cars and roads are not common on the island; therefore most of the action takes place along the pedestrian seafront promenade. A small fishing port and several must-visit tavernas can also be found, as well. In the town, Chorio, one can taste the famous island octopus dishes in one of the many ouzeries or fish restaurants there. At night, these venues turn into meeting places where people can to go for a drink and live music.

Being a small island, it is quite easy to move around by bike or even by foot on Lipsi. Despite its size, however, there are many churches and monasteries on the island. Locals even say that it’s possible that every family on Lipsi could have a chapel of their very own.

Sights on the Greek island of Lipsi

Koimisis tis Theokou, an austere Byzantine church dating back to the 7th or 8th century AD, is home to an icon of the Virgin Mary holding a crucified Jesus. The church is on the bay that dominates the port, surrounded by a lush landscape with natural springs.

The Archaeological Collection of Lipsi, in the main village, showcases clay artifacts and ancient inscriptions from the Classical, Hellenistic and Christian periods.

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