The works of ancient Greek philosophers have shaped the foundations of Western philosophy, science, and ethics. Reading about their lives and ideas not only offers a glimpse into their genius but also provides timeless insights into human nature and society. Here’s a list of must-read books, both original works and modern commentaries, about the most famous Greek philosophers, translated into English.

• Key Work: The Republic
  Plato’s The Republic remains a cornerstone of political philosophy and ethics. This dialogue examines justice, governance, and the nature of the ideal state. Translations by Benjamin Jowett or newer ones like those by Allan Bloom are particularly respected.

• Additional Recommendations:
  • Plato: Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper, compiles all of Plato’s dialogues, including The Symposium and Phaedrus, which explore love, rhetoric, and the soul.

• Key Work: Nicomachean Ethics
  Aristotle’s exploration of the “good life” through virtue ethics is a profound guide to personal and moral development. Terence Irwin's translation is particularly well-regarded.

• Additional Recommendations:
  • Metaphysics: This work delves into the nature of being and reality, offering insight into Aristotle's philosophical system.
  • Politics: Essential reading for understanding governance, citizenship, and Aristotle’s vision of the ideal state.

• Key Work: Apology by Plato
  This dialogue portrays Socrates’ defense during his trial, embodying his commitment to truth and philosophy. It’s a gripping introduction to his ideas and personality.

• Other Sources:
  • Xenophon’s Memorabilia and Apology: These offer an alternative perspective on Socrates' teachings and trial.

• Key Work: The Art of Happiness (translated by George K. Strodach)
  A collection of Epicurus’ letters and teachings, focusing on his philosophy of simple pleasures, friendship, and avoiding unnecessary desires.

• Commentary:
  • Epicurus and His Philosophy by Norman W. DeWitt provides a detailed exploration of his thought and legacy.

• Key Work: Fragments (translated by Brooks Haxton)
  Heraclitus’ enigmatic aphorisms on change and the unity of opposites are a window into his revolutionary thinking.

• Companion Read:
  • Heraclitus: The Cosmic Fragments by G. S. Kirk offers detailed explanations and interpretations.

• Key Work: Diogenes: The Cynic Philosopher
  While Diogenes wrote little, anecdotes of his life are preserved in The Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers by Diogenes Laërtius (translated by C.D. Yonge).

• Modern Biography:
  • The Philosophy of Diogenes by Luis E. Navia offers a comprehensive analysis of his unconventional philosophy.

The United Arab Emirates is a popular destination for sightseers. To make your holiday a success, you must plan well. This includes booking with Renty UAE, where you can easily find a suitable car model. A personal vehicle is a must for an unforgettable holiday in the country. With its help, you can move with maximum comfort between different locations. At the same time, you can make an optimal route for yourself. You can also manage your time at your discretion.

Here's a list of some amazing outdoor destinations your rented car will take you to!

Jebel Jais

It is the highest mountain in the Emirates. It is a very popular holiday destination. Most people come here on weekends. There are huge canyons, eroded landscapes, and barren rocks. There are also a lot of wild animals. You can rent a car to visit this adventure zone. There is even a ziplane to enjoy panoramic views of the mountains. Remember that the Jebel Jais zipline is the longest in the world. You can fly a distance of 2.8 kilometres at speeds up to 150 km/h.

The location can be reached by car. After that, you will have to climb the mountain on foot. The trail goes from the village of Al Hamra and up through the terrain, where you will get incredible views. You can also drive until you get down to the bottom, where the hiking starts.

Liwa Desert

If you rent a vehicle and head south from Abu Dhabi, you'll arrive at the Rub Al Khali or 'Empty Quarter' location after 1.5 hours. There are over 255,000 square miles of wilderness here. Simply put, it is the largest sandy terrain in the world. You can explore the huge dunes and mesmerising views. To drive through the desert in an off-road vehicle is to explore the mesmerising beauty of the earth. It is located on the border of 4 countries: Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman, and UAE.

Snoopy Island

There is a small rocky island in the emirate of Fujairah. To visit it, you can hire a vehicle and go to the northern coast, which is located in the Gulf of Oman. Snoopy Island was named after 3 sections of rocks. They are towering, thus forming an image of Snoopy with a nose, belly, and legs, sitting on top of his dog box. Apart from the image of the mountain, there are also many tourist attractions - you can go scuba diving, and professional divers often visit the place. There are also plenty of quiet spots to relax and enjoy the views.

Wadi Shawka

If you want to see some incredible scenery, we recommend contacting a car rental company for an off-road vehicle that will take you to a real oasis in the Emirates desert. Wadi Shawqa is an incredible place where there are many donkeys, camels, goats and a huge number of birds. The scenery here is incredible - lots of small mountains and rolling hills. It's rare to find such a thing in the UAE. Walking along the pebble paths, you can enjoy the scenery of palm trees, natural springs, and small ponds. You can even bring your bikes, as this location is ideal for active two-wheeled travelling.

Big red dunes

Another great holiday option is to find a car rental service in the UAE to go to a location near Al Badayer. The big red dunes are perfect for quad biking or sand skiing enthusiasts. Big Red is a huge dune that is close to the city. Apart from doing sports, you can also enjoy the scenic views here. You don't have to bring motorised equipment if you want extreme sports. Near the dunes are many motorbike hire services for travelling through the sandy terrain, buggies, and quad bikes.

Kite Beach

This is a great location for kitesurfing. There is also a beach cafe, regular kayak tours, and shaded seating areas close to the sea for tourists. If you are visiting with the whole family, this is an excellent holiday destination. Another huge plus is that it is a Pet-Friendly place, so you can bring your pet with you without any problems.

Kite Beach Centre also offers surfing and kitesurfing lessons. Classes are available for students of all levels. Scuba diving and other water activities are also available.

To summarise...

Car rental service is a great way to explore the beauty of the UAE. You can move freely between different locations that you choose on your own. You can choose a comfortable sedan or a large SUV, depending on your budget and requirements. The rental time frame is also decided by you - a day, a week, a month or more. It is best to plan your route. 

As we head into autumn, this dish is perfect for the season.

Tourlou tourlou, which literally means all mixed up, is really the most wonderfully delicious mix up of vegetables!  Perfect with fresh veggies and a few simple ingredients and you’re on your way to one of the best traditional vegetable meals in all of Greek cooking.

This dish also known as Briam from the Turkish version and is also very similar to the traditional French dish Ratatouille. Full of flavor and so satisfying, you can enjoy tourlou tourlou hot right from the oven or the next day at room temperature. Serve as a filling meal or as a tasty veggie side dish to just about anything and its a great take for lunch option too!

One of the great things about tourlou tourlou is it's amazingly flexible.  This dish can accommodate whatever is in season and can be made with a huge variety of vegetables such as okra, green beans, peas, green peppers, mushrooms - feel free to be creative!

To read more, including how to make Tourlou Tourlou, please visit: The Greek Vegan

Traditional Greek cuisine is based on the pure products from Greek Mother Nature to form a balanced nutritional model that can ensure a better quality of life and physical health.  Products with unique quality and unsurpassable nutritional values include; olive and extra virgin olive oil, dairy products, honey, ouzo, fish, juices, water, nuts, wines, mastic from Chios, crocus from Kozani and much more  These products have blended together and created a noble cuisine rich in nutritional ingredients, which can satisfy the high gusatory and nutritional needs of modern man.

Let's take a look at some of the highly regarded Greek products:

As the basis of every recipe found in traditional cuisine, olive oil plays a dominant role in Greek nutritional habits. Greek olive oil is known worldwide for its purity, exceptional taste and high nutritional value.  You will find it everywhere - in glass or plastic containers with the words "visrgin" and "extra virgin" printed on them.

You will find unique cheeses of exceptional quality in the market, and you should make the effort to try these cheeses, such as kaseri, graviera, kefalotiri, myzithraand metsovone. These cheeses vary according to their origin, taste and name. Some of these cheeses are found throughout the country, while others are locally produced for local consumption. The most famous is of course Greek feta cheese. This is a white semi-soft, heavily salted cheese which is the basic ingredient for the Greek or Horiatiko salad, but it is also used in many other recipes.

Greece is not only the birthplace of Dionysus (God of Wine), but also the birthplace of wine making.  This wine came from the islands of Chios and Thassos and was famous throughout the Ancient world.  Historical and social reasons, as well as various natural disasters, were the main reasons why the art of wine making was neglected from the middle of the 19th century up tot he beginning of the 60's.  Greek winds are produced from a variety of grapes, many of which are unknown to Western wine lovers.

To read more, please visit: Visit Greece

For mountain sports enthusiasts, Greece is the ideal setting for your athletic adventures.  Ski centres with pistes of high standads and hospitable facilites, rock climbing in majestic landscapes that will take you all the way to the heavens, dirt roads and mountain forests perfect for mountain biking.  What are the most popular destinations in Greece for mountain sports?

1. Parnassos: The largest and best-equipped ski resort in Greece, near cosmopolitan Arahova and Livadi, at an altitude of 1,600-2,300m. It boasts 19 trails totalling 36km, while the Vakhos and Iniochos pistes are certified by the International Ski Federation (FIS), for the organisation of meets and competitions. In addition, there are seven more snow trails and 8 connecting paths that lead to the black pistes.

2. 3-5 Pigadia: 3-5 Pigadia can be found on the eastern side of Mt Vermio, at an altitude of 1,430-2,005m and surrounded by green forest. It’s famous for its piste named Filippos, the best black run (of extreme difficulty) in Greece, while Aristotelis, at 2,000m long, is certified by the International Ski Federation (FIS) for the Pan-European and World Championships. It also has a separate snowboard park, for snowboarding and freeriding.

3. Karpenisi: One of the largest and most impressive ski centres in Greece can be found at the Velouhi plateau in Karpenissi. Spread over 5,500 sq m, at an altitude of 1,850-2,000m, it boasts 18 slopes. Of these, there is one black slope for experienced skiers and snowboarders.

4. Vasilitsa: The ski resort at Vasilitsa is one of the most famous and popular in Greece, and is located in the heart of the Pindos Mountains, in a majestic landscape (2,150m). It has 18 pistes which total 24km in length, as well as a snowboard park.

1. Meteora: Climbing the Meteora pillars is a truly singular experience. These are long ascents without surplus safeties using natural holds which are good for relative beginners. You’ll be thrilled to discover the ruins of abandoned monasteries and hermits’ shelters in protected niches.

2. Sykia, Ghiona: An impressively sheer slope rises above the village of Sykia, posing its challenge. The object of many a climber’s desire is the vertical rock face from 1,000-2,500m, the Slab of Sykia, which is an excellent test of their skills.

1. Mytikas, Mt Olympus: The classic ascent to the top of Mt Olympus starts from the Prionia refuge at 1,100m. This is the highest spot that you can drive to and if you’re hiking on the E4, you’ll also pass through here from Litochoro and the Epineas Gorge, before continuing up the mountain.

2. Vikos Gorge: One of Europe’s deepest and longest gorges, this is a must for nature lovers. The descent from Monodendri and the ascent to Vikos is steep, but the walk above the Aoos River in the heart of the Vikos-Aoos National Park is fairly even and not too demanding. The six-hour trek is mostly shaded. Ravishing flowers cover the slopes until late spring, and you can even take a dip in icy waters if you’re truly brave.

1. Varybobi: On the outskirts of Athens is a mountain bike paradise. Above the former royal estate at an altitude of 320-850m is a perfect pine forest for your thrills and, hopefully, a few, spills. 

2. Asopos canal: A canal brings water from the Mornos River to the Asopos River valley. The canal is open and the road by it lays out an attractive and easy bike route.

To read this article in full, please visit: Discover Greece

As first official airline partner of the documenta 14 art show, Aegean Airlines has added two direct flights per week between Athens and Kassel, Germany.

“AEGEAN will link the two destinations by including Kassel in its international network, thus making a significant contribution to putting Athens on the map of the international cultural scene,” the airline said in an announcement.

As the official airline partner of documenta 14 and through its new flights, AEGEAN is expected to fly some 1,500 international media representatives to attend the exhibition opening in Athens and more than 8,500 visitors to the Greek capital throughout the duration of the exhibition.

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

Photo Credit: Greek Travel Pages

Like every major city, Athens faces some problems too. Thankfully, there are people willing to change things for the best! For example, learn all about this team of volunteers which runs a mobile laundry van helping thousands of homeless people across the city, or the first football team consisting of migrant and refugee women!

The Acropolis Museum invites you to a festive season full of activities during December 2019. Creative mobile workshops for children, gallery talks for adults, Christmas music from the Jazz Octet, famous musical songs from the S.T.A.B. saxophone quartet and special gifts at the Acropolis Museum Shops, will offer visitors moments to joy and celebration.

What kind of festivals did the ancient Athenians have and for which were the children looking forward to participate? Let’s discover them at the Acropolis Museum and bring to life the emotions that these feasts were giving birth to children and adults. We will create festive sets and happy compositions that will uniquely adorn the Museum.

Days & hours: Saturday 21/12, Sunday 22/12, Saturday 28/12 & Sunday 29/12, 11 a.m., 1 p.m. & 5 p.m. in Greek only.
Duration: 90 mins
Ages: 6-11 years old

Participacion: Participation for children is free. A general admission fee (5€) is required for
parents/escorts

Reservations: For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served (25 children per workshop)

The workshops are held by the Department of Educational Programs – Acropolis Museum and the Department of Information & Education – Acropolis Restoration Service (YSMA).

Gallery talks “The lost statue of Athena Parthenos”

The Acropolis Museum brings to life, digitally, the statue of Athena Parthenos. Made of gold and ivory, this masterpiece was designed by Phidias for the Parthenon. The Museum invites you on a walk of knowledge about its construction materials and techniques, its myths and allegories, its radiance and its adventures.

Days & hours: Saturday 7/12, Saturday 14/12, Saturday 21/12 & Saturday 28/12, at 11 a.m. in English and at 1 p.m. in Greek
Duration: 50 mins
Participation: The gallery talk is free of charge. Only the permanent exhibition ticket is required (5€).

Limited to 30 visitors per session.

For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served.

Gallery talks at the exhibition “Chisel and memory. The contribution of marble craftsmanship to the restoration of the Acropolis monuments”

Visitors will have the opportunity to attend presentations of an exceptional exhibition of photographs of the marble craftsmen of the Acropolis at work.

The temporary exhibition was organized by the Committee for the Conservation of the Acropolis Monuments and the Acropolis Restoration Service (YSMA).

Days & hours: Saturday 14/12, Saturday 21/12 & Saturday 28/12, at 12 noon
Duration: 40 mins
Participation: The gallery talk is free of charge. Limited to 25 visitors per session.

For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served.

Music and carols at the Acropolis Museum

On Sunday 22 December, at 12 noon, the Acropolis Museum will host the Jazz Octet of the Athens Military Guard for a music concert at the Museum ground floor, including jazz and Christmas world renowned melodies.

On Monday 23 December, at 12 noon, the Vrakoforoi Cretan Dance Group will sing traditional Christmas carols at the Museum ground floor.

On Sunday 29 December, at 12 noon, the Acropolis Museum will host the well-known S.T.A.B. saxophone quartet for a New Year’s music concert at the Museum ground floor, including renowned musical songs.

On Tuesday 31 December, at 12 noon, the Association of Asia Minor “Nees Kydonies” will sing traditional New Year’s carols at the Museum ground floor.

The Acropolis Museum Charm for 2020

According to myth the tortoise won the race over the hare, the former with his patience and dedication winning over the flippant self confidence of the hare. The ancients considered that the benevolent tortoise protected them from the evil eye and that its blood was an antidote to poison. A tortoise lead weight featuring a tortoise in relief of the 3rd to 1st century BC inspired the Museum’s charm of 2020. You can see the original exhibit in showcase 2 (no.11) of the Gallery of the Slopes at the Acropolis Museum.

Festive meals and Christmas mood at the restaurant

During the festive season, the Museum restaurant will serve traditional festive meals and sweets. Christmas jazz nights are also taking place every Friday night by famous jazz music ensembles. For reservations please contact the restaurant during Museum opening hours on +30 210 9000915.