Athens International Airport ended 2016 on a high note with a record 20.2 million passengers. Passenger numbers rose by a total of 10.7 percent (1.9 million) from the last year.

In December 2016 alone, the airport’s passengers reached 1.35 million, noting a 14.3 percent increase compared to prior-year levels. Domestic travellers rose by 8.3 percent, while international passengers grew strong at 18 percent. Moreover, Greek travellers increased by 19 percent and foreign visitors also presented growth at a 7 percent level.

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

Messinia will be in a “festive” mood for a 5th consecutive year, as it hosts the ultimately successful sports tourism event “Navarino Challenge”; which is now considered an annual establishment of Greece.

Hundreds of professional and amateur athletes are expected for one more year to visit Messinia and Costa Navarino, on October 13-15, 2017, in order to take part in the event’s numerous activities. Several sports will also be included in this year’s schedule such as running, TaeKwonDo and boccia while many more activities are expected to be announced.

“Navarino Challenge” has been awarded with a Grand Ermis in the Production category of Ermis Awards and distinguished for its best production among the sports events organized in Greece. Further to its successful course in the last four years, setting a record at booking level in The Westin Resort Costa Navarino in the month of September; the event is now organized in October in order to support even stronger, the goal of the tourist season extension not only for the hotels of this region but also for Messinia as a whole.

On the occasion of this big sports “appointment” recognized athletes will be present in “Navarino Challenge”, initially teaching ethics and then the “secrets” of their sports to people of all ages. The Greek American ultramarathon Konstantinos (Dean) Karnazes and ambassador of the event over the years highlighted, “Navarino Challenge is a truly world class event that offers something for everyone, not only runners. This is our 5th Anniversary and the Navarino Challenge showcases the very best Greece has to offer. I am incredibly honored to be part of this enduring legacy. I’ve traveled all across the world running and racing and am the proud ambassador of the 5th Annual Navarino Challenge this October!”

Grigoris Polychronidis, holder now of four Paralympic medals in boccia stated on the occasion of his participation in the event, “Sports create strong characters, everyone deserves to participate and it also offers entertainment! I am happy that my sport, boccia is loved by children and that we have the opportunity for a 3rd year in Navarino Challenge to play and have fun with children and adults.”

At the same time, the twice silver Olympic medalist in TaeKwonDo, Alexandros Nikolaidis added, “I am proud to be a member of “Navarino Challenge” family for a 5th consecutive year. The event becomes enormous every year and the goal always remains the same; to introduce to as many people as we can sports, the right nutrition and good life. We educate youth through sports, without any kind of discrimination, maintaining the principles of the Olympic spirit and ideals, which require mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, brotherhood and fair play. Costa Navarino will be for another year, the center of interest for athletes and amateurs who love TaeKwonDo. Together, young and old will learn the secrets of this unique sport in one of the most enchanting destinations in Greece.”

“Navarino Challenge” will take place for another year with the support of Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino as well as the Municipalities of Pylos-Nestor and Trifilia.

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Photo Credit: Elias Lefas

“Santorini Experience” continues its preparations in anticipation of the races that will be held between October 5th and 7th , in the enchanting island of the Cyclades. At the same time, the successful event continues to be distinguished, as another  prize was added to its collection. “Santorini Experience” won the gold award at the Sports Marketing Awards 2018, in the “Integrated Marketing Campaign” category in the “Sports Organizations” section.

Regarding the social events of the island related to “Santorini Experience”, the Municipal  Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) will organize an open concert for the public in the surrounding area of ​​the Indoor Hall DAPPOS on Saturday afternoon, on October 6 th , with the music band C:Real; a concert that will be offered for free to all the participants of “Santorini Experience”.

Regarding the racing part of the event, on Saturday October 6th , the schedule includes 3 different trail running routes especially for fans of running, which have as background the unique images of the volcano overlooking the Caldera as well as the stunning settlements at Imerovigli, Firostefani and Oia. In particular, the 5 km “Aristides Alafouzos” route, is  ideal for running and dynamic walking, the 10 km route is designed for the experienced runners and the 15 km route for those who love power, stamina, technique 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, who stressed: “It is a great pleasure for us, to be on the beautiful island of Santorini, for the fourth consecutive year, to live another breathtaking experience with 3 splendid routes on the Caldera, having as a backdrop the island’s world-famous volcano. Three quite demanding routes, with a 135m. minimum altitude and a 334m. maximum altitude. On a dirt path with recessed stones, with paved and asphalt road in some points, making it even more difficult for the runners. Our goal this year is to see as many runners as possible from many places around the world, since last year we had the impressive number of participants from more than 40 countries. Santorini Experience has been established in the runners’ consciousness and we wish everyone who chooses this event to be completely satisfied”.

Click HERE to find out further information on the routes:

“Santorini Experience” has joined the World’s Marathons world running community (which counts more than 4,146 races all over the world). As far as the open water swimming race is concerned, we must highlight that any event involving an open water swimming race should take place only by having the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation, in accordance with FINA’s safety rules; as is always the case with “Santorini Experience”.

Registrations for “Santorini Experience” continue and will close on August 31 st, 2018.

Register now HERE!

VitaNTravel, as the official travel agent of the event, will take care and assist all athletes and escorts with information about the ferry routes, ferry tickets, car rentals and accommodation in the island while a special accommodation package has been prepared for the period October 5-7, 2018. You may book this special package for a two- night stay that includes your hotel accommodation, ferry tickets with Blue Star Ferries, in economy class for the itineraries: Piraeus - Santorini (5/10), departure: 07.25 am, arrival: 14.55 pm and from Santorini - Piraeus (7/10), departure: 15.30 pm, arrival: 23.25 pm as well as extra transfers from the hotel to the event venues.

The privileged package starts from 130€/person. For more information click HERE or call +30 2103249070.

Click HERE to find all available offers related to the event!

Samsung is the official technology partner of the event for a 2 nd consecutive year. Ryanair is the official airline partner. Official sponsors are for one more year, Ford Motor Hellas, Blue Star Ferries, Alafouzos Sport and Athina Luxury Suites. “Santorini Experience” is a co-organization of Municipality of Santorini, Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) and Active Media Group. The event is held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization. 

Official Airline Partner: Ryanair

Official Sponsors: Ford Motor Hellas, Blue Star Ferries, Alafouzos Sport, Athina Luxury Suites

Official Technology Partner: Samsung

Official Supporters: Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Avance Rent A Car, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, Boatmen Union Santorini

Official Transport Partner: DNA Travel

Strategic Partner: National Geographic

Assisted by: Lifeguard Patrol, Assyrtico Wine Restaurant Café, Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation, Voluntary Lifeguards of Santorini, Mediterranean Dive Club, Santorini Nautical Club

Hospitality Sponsors: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, Canaves Oia, West East Suites, Desiterra Luxury Suites & Villas, 270 Oia’s View, Central Fira Hotel, Fanouris Condo, Monolithia, Casa Iphigenia, Sienna Resort

Official travel agent: VitaNTravel

Official Hashtag: #SantoriniExperience

(Photo credit: Swimming photo @ Santorini Experience by Elias Lefas )

Good news for the Greek academic community as the National Technical University of Athens (Metsovio Polytechnic) is listed as one of the top universities worldwide, according to the Shanghai Rankings 2019.

A city without stories is like a theatre without a stage. In Athens, stories are everywhere: whispered in ancient streets and mythical corners; imprinted on historic hilltops where the great philosophers held court; shared boisterously in the doorways and squares of this ever-changing modern metropolis. Welcome to our new 6-part podcast series where we invite stellar guests—who know and love Athens—to tell us their own tales of the city and what Athens means to them. Produced by the Greek Podcast Project, for This is Athens, tune-in each fortnight as we capture the authentic essence of Athens today; a city that is so much more than the Acropolis.

Follow British actor and author Stephen Fry through the winding lanes and sacred temples of Athens as he awakens his three favourite myths about the Greek capital, as part of our 6-episode podcast series, “We’ll Always Have Athens”.

Stephen Fry

It’s fair to say Stephen Fry is a man of many talents. After dazzling guests at a dinner party while retelling Greek myths, the British actor, comedian and author discovered his talent for bringing these ancient tales to life. He knows his Theseus from his Prometheus, his Medea from his Medusa, and has a knack for making us feel that the myths are still alive and kicking in the city’s old temples, winding streets and hills. He’s even written a book on the subject, suitably titled “Mythos”. Fry joins us from lockdown in his home in Norfolk, UK, to share his three favourite myths about Athens.

We're happy to announce a new Media Sponsorship collaboration with the "Authentic Marathon Swim". We thank them for their trust and amicable support!

The Authentic Marathon Swim returns, after its historical revival, for the 2nd consecutive year, on July 2-4, 2021, at Artemision. Amateur and professional swimmers from Greece and abroad will have the opportunity to enjoy the great sports event, at Pefki, Evia of the Municipality of Istiaia – Edipsos, with absolute safety.

We love sharing events and letting our community know what's on in Athens and around Greece! Whether it’s art, music, sports, food & drink, or community events, our aim is to encourage people to embrace and experience all that Athens has to offer! We keep our readers up-to-date with what’s on, and what’s coming up in our great city.

Part of the work that we do at XpatAthens is to collaborate with many different venues, digital platforms and event planners/hosts as Media Sponsors - you're welcome to learn more and see our sponsorships here.

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If you'd like to learn more about sharing your event on XpatAthens,
please contact us here to tell us more about your upcoming event.

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More than one in four hotels in Greece have embraced the “Greek Breakfast,” an initiative connecting the tourism industry to the hospitality sector.

The Hellenic Chamber of Hotels (HCH) describes the new program’s purpose in the following way: “to help connect the gastronomical wealth of the country with the Greek hotel guest experience.

“Greek Breakfast” promotes the regional culinary heritage of Greece in a program formulated to highlight local specialties and products. It is an innovative and highly-structured program requiring strict adherence to well-defined specifications by participating hotels to ensure quality and authenticity,” writes the HCH.

Speaking to Greece Is, the HCH explained that participating hotels are required to serve specific ingredients or dishes that originate exclusively from – and thus represent – the region where a hotel is located. These ingredients/recipes are listed for every region of Greece by the HCH and their inclusion in the breakfast menu must be strictly adhered to, while there are also optional dishes/ingredients that can be added to a breakfast menu.

Apart from regional products and recipes, hotels around the country that are participating in the program must all include inherently Greek products in their menu, such as rusks, olive oil, olives, yogurt, honey, and fresh, locally-grown fruit as the basis of the “Greek Breakfast.”

To read this article in full, please visit: greece-is.com

The Municipality of Athens has recently opened two new dog parks at the Gendarmerie School Park near Mesogeion Avenue and on the Lambrakis Hill in Neos Kosmos.

With this new addition, a network of five dog parks, located in densely populated Athenian neighborhoods, has been created in the Greek capital, offering dogs a safe environment where they can exercise and socialize.

“Dog parks aren’t just an innovative idea that we had as a municipal authority,” said Athens Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis, adding that “they are a practical solution to an essential need that all of us, who share our lives with dogs, have”.

The dog park located at the Gendarmerie School Park stretches over an area of five decares.

The area was appropriately fenced and divided into two zones: one for small and one for medium and large-size dogs.

Both zones are equipped with agility tunnels, runways with ramps and jump hurdles along other amenities like a constant drinking water supply, shaded areas, waste bins and seats for dog walkers.

During the night, the park has an enhanced artificial lighting plan, adhering to the best safety and operation standards.

The Lambraki Hill park in Neos Kosmos has a similar setting to the Gendarmerie park and stretches over an area of 1.5 decares.

The two new municipal dog parks, as well as the ones at the Larissa (or Larissis) Railway Station, Probonas and Neos Kosmos, run under a unified identity inspired by Odysseus’ dog, Argos.

Originally published on: news.gtp.gr

The British newspaper "The Sun" recently paid homage to a city in Greece that, despite its charms, often flies under the radar. Contrary to popular belief, this city isn't as unknown as they might think. It's quite the opposite.

The article starts by critiquing the bustling tourist scene of the Greek islands, noting how the overcrowding during peak seasons detracts from the overall experience. However, it then sheds light on lesser-known Greek destinations that offer a tranquil escape from the crowds.

Enter Parga, a gem of a town celebrated for its serene beaches, idyllic ambiance, and absence of tourist masses. Described as "photographically perfect" by Lonely Planet, Parga exudes a unique charm that sets it apart from the mainstream tourist hubs. Conveniently accessible from two airports, it presents itself as an appealing option for travelers seeking a more authentic Greek experience.

The tribute highlights Parga's accolades, including its recognition by Salon Prive as a top alternative travel destination. Despite not being a traditional Greek island, Parga encapsulates the essence of island life, as attested by the travel agency Greeka.

The article paints a vivid picture of Parga's allure, focusing on its crown jewel, the 11th-century Venetian castle perched atop a hill overlooking the city. From its vantage point, visitors are treated to breathtaking vistas, while below, colorful houses cascade down the hillside, framing the charming harbor. Moreover, Parga boasts a plethora of pristine beaches, with Lychnos, Valtos, and Alonaki Fanariou standing out as local favorites. Notably, Alonaki Fanariou Beach earned TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award last year, underscoring its popularity among visitors.

In essence, Parga stands as a testament to Greece's diverse and captivating landscape, offering a blend of historical intrigue, natural beauty, and laid-back charm that is truly unparalleled.

Originally published in Greek on: intronews.gr
Transladed by: Codico Lab