XpatAthens

XpatAthens

Sunday, 31 March 2019 14:38

Open House Athens 2019

The 6th OPEN HOUSE Athens is back on 6 & 7 April 2019.

A two-day event of free architectural guided tours addressed to the general public; an event based on volunteerism, which aims at promoting the architecture of our city; an opportunity to walk the city, look up while walking in the streets, see the buildings from a different angle… It is our established appointment in Spring, when everyone can continue their tour from where they left off last year!

With 40 new entries, this year’s renewed programme includes, as always, public and private buildings, contemporary and historical, monuments, museums, theatres, schools, residences, professional spaces, in the city centre and the suburbs. 550 volunteers will guide us at the 95 buildings which are included in the programme.
All guided tours are free of charge and no booking is required.

In order to attend a tour, visitors should arrive at the buildings of their interest during the opening hours of each, and wait in the queue. The tours are conducted on a first come, first served basis. Visitors are advised to arrive in time, as no tours are being held after the closing time.

Learn more about OHA 2019 parallel events HERE



XpatAthens is proud to be a Media Sponsor of  Open House Athens 2019

Monday, 23 December 2019 07:00

ACS Athens S.T.E.A.M. Team Returns To Space

ACS Athens High School students conducted their second S.T.E.A.M. experiment, investigating how ouzo and pure organic grape molasses (petimezi) behave at an altitude of 100 km. More specifically, the students of ACS Athens (‘’spACS 2’’ team) investigated how these Greek traditional products behave under microgravity conditions.

The students’ scientific experiments were carried by Blue Origin’s New Shepard groundbreaking reusable rocket into space beyond 100 km altitude, also known as the Karman Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.

New Shepard was successfully launched on Wednesday, December 11, from Blue Origin's West Texas Facility and landed vertically 10 minutes later, with the entire space flight been broadcasted live. Earlier in 2019, ACS Athens students (“spACS 1’’ team) sent Greek honey into space with New Shepard again, becoming one of the few non-US K-12 schools to have participated in such a space mission. 

ACS Athens students had to meet strict safety, size, and mass criteria in order for their experimental apparatus, containing ouzo, petimezi, electronics, and their 3D-printed container (designed and prototyped by one of the students) to be approved for a space flight, familiarizing themselves with real-world S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) investigations. Jaeho Nam, ACS Athens student and member of the spACS 2 team said: "I was fortunate to be a part of the spACS 2 team, and I personally think this experience not only provided me the opportunity to attain essential skills for a career in engineering but to learn the true meaning and value of teamwork." 

The international team of ACS Athens, formed in 2018, consists of High School students, their educators - Dr. Antonios Karampelas, Dr. Ioannis Kerkines, Ms. Victoria Poulou, Mr. Spyros Arsenikos, and Dr. Liana Tsigaridi - and external collaborators (Mr. Panos Mazarakis, Mr. Ilias Botsios). As Dr. Karampelas, Principal Investigator, stated: "I am proud of my students who managed to complete such a challenging task and excited to have seen ouzo and petimezi flying into space for the first time in history." 

The container of the experiment will be returned to ACS Athens a few days after its successful landing so that the students can process and analyze the collected data. 

More information on the conclusions of the experiment will follow, as they become available. 


The video of the launch is available by Blue Origin
The ACS Athens team first presented the spACS experiment during the 2019 Athens Science Festival
To learn more about the experiment click here
To learn more about Blue Origin click here

Attracting major film producers to Greece has always been a goal that, until recently, remained only a dream. Although many film studios showed a keen interest in shooting in the Greek capital, they stumbled upon bureaucratic obstacles.

As a result, Athens wasn't able to take advantage of its incomparable traits, such as global recognition of its monuments, its building stock, and even its climate and host big productions. Thus, the city lost significant revenues as well as the opportunity to be promoted all around the world.

Today, through perseverance, planning, and consistency, and thanks to the decisive contribution of the Athens Film Office, Athens has dynamically entered the film industry, and there has been a flurry of interest from high-budget international audiovisual productions to film in the country.
 
This is the case with Disney+’s biopic of the teenage years of Greek NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sepolia, Antetokounmpo's neighborhood, will be featured in the film, and recently, the Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, visited the Triton Stadium which has been turned into a film set. 

"Greek Freak" commenced shooting in May and is one of the biggest productions that have been shot in Greece so far. The production employs 200 Greek crew members and hundreds of supporting actors with the total cost exceeding 20 million euros.

This is just the first of a series of high-budget productions that will be shot in Athens. Other productions include the second season of "Tehran", David Cronenberg's new film, and two episodes of the "Jack Ryan" television series.

About The Athens Film Office 
The Athens Film Office was founded in March 2020 by the Municipality of Athens, under the "umbrella" of the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (EATA) with the aim of transforming Athens into a “Film Friendly City”. During its first year of operation, it has assisted in the shooting of more than 40 international and Greek audiovisual productions in the Greek capital.

XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing news and inspiring stories about how Athens aspires to be a clean, friendly, and welcoming city to live in.
Thursday, 21 October 2021 07:00

Dactylios System To Return On Monday

There will be no tolls in the center of Athens, government spokesman Yiannis Oikonomou clarified, adding that there will be no measures beyond the usual restrictions on vehicles entering the city center downtown Athens that will take effect as of this coming Monday, October 25, 2021.

The restrictions are enforced every year and are designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city center. According to the Daktylios system, vehicles with license plates ending in even numbers can only enter the downtown area on even days of the month, while those ending in odd numbers can only do so on odd days.

Vehicles excluded from the measures are electric, hybrid, gas, or LPG cars, as well as Euro 6 cars that emit pollutants below 120 gr CO2 and drivers who have special permits.
Wednesday, 30 March 2022 13:31

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

A public space, where everyone has free access and can participate in a multitude of cultural, educational, athletic, environmental and recreational activities and events. It includes the Greek National Opera, the National Library of Greece as well as the Stavros Niarchos Park, one of the largest green areas in Athens, covering 21 hectares.

The SNFCC was created thanks to an exclusive grant by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which delivered it to the Greek State upon completion. SNFCC Single Member S.A. is a public-benefit nonprofit organization responsible for the operation, maintenance and management of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and the Stavros Niarchos Park while developing and organizing its own series of cultural, educational, environmental and sports activities. It is supervised by the Greek Ministry of Finance.

Redefinig Public Space
The SNFCC and the Stavros Niarchos Park design and construction have significantly contributed to the revitalization of Athens’ Kallithea neighborhood and the Faliro Delta waterfront area after years of neglect.

The high-quality events and activities organized, realized and hosted at the SNFCC, as well as the staff and collaborators’ professionalism, have made the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center a reference point in the greater Athens area, redefining the concept of public space.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is a public space open to all, without any barriers.

Architectural Landmark
Designed by the architectural firm Renzo Piano Building Workshop, the SNFCC is a donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF). In February 2017, upon the completion of its construction, the SNF delivered the SNFCC to the Greek State and society. SNFCC has earned significant architectural distinctions, including the 2018 Award for International Excellence of the Royal Institute of British Architects – RIBA.

Sustainability Hub
Sustainability has been an integral component and a priority of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center since its original inception. This sustainability mandate is reflected upon every aspect of the SNFCC, emerging as a new paradigm in terms of construction, operation, and maintenance of public places and infrastructures. 

Committed to being open to all, the SNFCC has been designed to be fully accessible to persons with disabilities. In addition, many educational programs are been organized to encourage collaboration among children with and without disabilities.

People aged over 65 with minor mobility impairments comprise another group for which the SNFCC has designed programs.

Learn more about the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center at SNFCC.org

The top golf tournament for the maritime community, Greek Maritime Golf Event, returns for its 10th anniversary, renewing its annual meeting with the Greek and global maritime industry, on September 5-8, 2024, at Costa Navarino, in Messinia.

Top golf event in Greece

Greek Maritime Golf Event celebrates its 10 years in the best way possible, as it was once again distinguished at the Sports Marketing Awards 2024, as the best golf event in Greece. Specifically, the tournament received a total of 4 awards, 1 Gold award in the “Corporate Sports Event” category, 1 Silver in the “Individual Sports and Golf” category, as well as 1 Silver and 1 Bronze for its successful sponsorship collaborations with Miele Hellas at the golf courses of Costa Navarino and Glyfada.

The renowned Greek PGA golfer and organizer of the tournament with Birdie Events, Mr. Thanos Karantzias, stated: “We are especially pleased that the maritime tournament we organize has managed over these years to develop and establish itself as one of the most important golf events in Greece. I want to express a big thank you to our sponsors and partners who have always been with us, in our effort to promote the sport of golf. We renew our appointment for September 5-8 and invite everyone at Costa Navarino to celebrate together the 10 th anniversary event which will be full of activities and surprises”.

Competition at Navarino Hills

Greek Maritime Golf Event will once again bring together more than 80 top executives from the maritime industry who will form teams of four. Golfers will have the opportunity to compete at the Costa Navarino golf courses, in a destination ranked in the Top 10 of the “Top 100 World Resorts” list and awarded as the “World’s Best Golf Venue” at the World Golf Awards 2023. The rounds will take place on the two signature 18-hole courses, designed by two-time Masters champion and Ryder Cup legend, José María Olazábal, at Navarino Hills, in an idyllic landscape with centuries-old olive trees and stunning views of the Ionian Sea, the historic Navarino Bay, and the picturesque port of Pylos.


Watch the event’s teaser video HERE!


The golf rounds

Participants will compete on a team level on Friday, September 6, in a shotgun scramble competition at the International Olympic Academy Golf Course. Similarly, on Saturday, September 7, they will take part in a shotgun scramble competition at The Hills Course.

Awards for the top teams & players

Teams will claim the top three positions in the overall standings, while there will also be special awards for players who achieve the best performances in the “Longest Drive” and “Closest to the Pin” categories.

Significant companies embrace the event

Greek Maritime Golf Event is attended by some of the most significant maritime companies from Greece and Cyprus, and many other important Greek companies that support the event.
IRI/The Marshall Islands Registry is the event’s Platinum Sponsor.
Mainline Shipping Company and Marine Logistics are the event’s Gold Sponsors.
Arrow Hellas, DNV, and Marine Tours are the event’s Silver Sponsors.
Teddy’s Speakeasy is the Official Sponsor.
Poseidonia Restaurant is the Official Supporter.
Under Armour is the Official Clothing Partner.
Messinian Nest, Mind the Ad, Karalis Beach Hotel, Skinos, La Cucina Italiana, Athi Rodi, and Daily Deli are the event’s Partners.
Messinian Nest, PHEE, and Kois Accommodation are the Auction Partners.
Boo Productions is the Audio Visual Partner.

Greek Maritime Golf Event
, organized by Birdie Events, is an initiative of the recognized Greek PGA golfer, Thanos Karantzias. The sports marketing agency of the year, ActiveMedia Group is responsible for the event’s Golf Production. The tournament is exclusively addressed to distinguished members of the Greek maritime industry.

More information about this year’s event schedule and the unique moments that golfers will experience throughout the tournament will be announced in the coming weeks.

#greekmaritimegolfevent #costavarino
Monday, 09 February 2015 10:49

Chris' Animal Hotel

Chris’s Animal Hotel is situated in the countryside of Kalivia Attiki, ideally positioned only 10 minutes from Athens Airport. The proprietor is Christine Graves (Dip.Dog.Psy Dip.Dogtraining.St Dip.Vetnurse), an animal lover who is a British citizen with many years experience working with animals. All animals are cared for in the most professional and friendly manner; to help reduce the amount of stress an animal may feel in a boarding situation.

I also accept long term boarding for pets that will travel to the UK or Abroad; I can also arrange the relevant vaccinations, blood test etc. needed by the pet travel scheme.

NEW! International Pet Relocation Service - Visit the Relocation page on our site for details.

Wednesday, 18 February 2015 13:09

Portaria: A Beautiful Traditional Pelion Village

Portaria in Pelion (Pilio) is one of the most beautiful, interesting and unique traditional villages in this entire region of Central Greece. With its stunning natural beauty, fresh spring waters, impressive traditional mansions and winding cobble-stoned paths, Portaria is surely one of the few places where you can find tranquility and beauty right in the heart of Greece.

The geographic location of Portaria is perfect for holidays all year round. Located only 13km from the city of Volos, and at an altitude of 650m, right on Mount Pelion, Portaria is an ideal starting point from which to explore all of this wonderful mountain area of Greece.

Pelion has many beautiful beaches and sea waters, which are ideal during the hot summer months. And during the winter season, the Ski Center of Agriolefkes, just a short distance from Portaria, is a very popular destination for visitors.

Portaria is a village that you really have to visit to appreciate. We are sure that once you have visited Portaria, we will have captured your heart and imagination, and that you will return here time and time again in the future.

Festivals in Portaria

During the summer months in Portaria, there are several cultural activites that take place, which everyone is welcome to attend and enjoy.

In July, the "International Dance Festival for Children" takes place, and in August the "International Dance Festival" begins.

These events are a wonderful opportunity to come and enjoy music and dance from all over the world, and join in the celebrations that take place suring these festivals.

During the last week of August, there is the revival of a traditional Pelion-style wedding that takes place.

In Autumn, there is the "Ascent of Portaria", which is organised by the car club of Volos.

Festivals aside, there is one stop which you should make, and that is to the "Komboloi Museum of Portaria", where you can come and see the many kombolois on display as well as purchase a set for yourself.


To read more, please see visitportaria.com

Friday, 20 February 2015 14:57

Amygdalota: Greek Almond Cookies

My favorite cookies are Amygdalota: delicate Greek almond cookies that are slightly crisp on the outside and chewy and sweet on the inside. Topped with sliced almonds they are the perfect treat to enjoy with coffee or tea and I personally can’t get enough of them. The other day I had a real hankering for Amygdalota and decided to try my hand at these cookies for the first time.

I think I did well for my first time making Amygdalota and not going by a substantiated recipe per se. Next time I will indulge a little more and add a couple more egg whites to get the cookies to thicken up a little more yet still retain their light texture inside.

** Note: I piped the cookies onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet to better shape them. If you don’t have piping tips or bags, don’t fret: just fill a plastic sandwich/food storage bag with the “dough,” cut one corner and pipe your cookies onto the parchment-lined baking sheet.

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 can (227 grams) almond paste
1 1/2 cups (about 175 gr.) powdered sugar
3 egg whites
1/2 cup (100 gr.) ground almonds
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Method

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well. Now, I found the almond paste to be too stiff and I couldn’t get it to mix well with all the other ingredients just by using a wooden spoon and stirring by hand, so I emptied the “dough” into the bowl of my food processor (which was out to chop the almonds) and pulsed it until it was well combined.

Fill a piping bag with the dough and pipe rounds of “dough” onto the baking sheets (or use a cookie scoop/spoon to do so). Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until golden around the edges; cookies will still be soft when you remove them from the oven but will harden as they cool. Let the cookies cool completely on a wire rack then store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks … if they last that long!

To read more, please visit kalisasorexi.com

The top three spots on the list of the 30 most popular islands in the Mediterranean are occupied by the Greek islands of Ios, Hydra and Folegandros. The list was published after a survey on the search history and hotel price comparison of travel website Trivago.

The research was conducted based on searches made between April 1 and September 30, 2014, for trips made during that period. In order to conduct the survey, Trivago used information from the travelers’ reviews in 51 different platforms. The final results included islands with at least 50 hotels and 50 reviews per hotel.

In total, thirteen Greek islands were included on the list of the thirty most popular islands in the Mediterranean. As mentioned above, Ios, Hydra and Folegandros occupied the top three places, while the Greek island of Santorini ranked in 5th place, Mykonos in 6th, Naxos in 7th and Paros in 8th place. Furthermore, Spetses, Crete, Zakynthos, Kos, Rhodes and Corfu also made it on the list, in 14th, 16th, 20th, 23rd, 27th and 29th place respectively.

by Ioanna Zikakou
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