Taking your kids to a restaurant is already a challenge, especially if they’re picky eaters. Finding something they’ll like is always a daunting task, but certainly not impossible!

With these suggestions, you and your children can both enjoy the best dishes Greece has to offer. Read on for some tips about what to order the next time you’re at a Greek restaurant.

Let’s start with the basics. A good option is souvlaki, which is roasted chicken or pork on a skewer, usually with some roasted bell peppers thrown in as well. Souvlaki will appeal to the pickiest eater.

You could also try biftekia (burgers on the grill), which often come with french fries or potatoes baked in olive oil and lots of garlic.

Pair it with a Greek salad (also known as horiatiki salata), which tends to be popular with kids (as far as salads go). A Greek salad will have cucumbers, tomatoes, and green bell peppers chopped up with a piece of feta on top, and lots of olive oil for dunking bread.

You could also order a pita gyro, which is pork or chicken meat wrapped in a pita with tomatoes, onions, potatoes and tzatziki. We’ve never met a youngster who didn’t love it.

Eat Your Vegetables

The great thing about Greek food is that it’s packed full of vegetables. You can eat a totally vegetarian (or even vegan) meal at almost any restaurant without missing out on any flavor. And there are tons of options for getting veggies into your kids diet. Ask about what’s in season, and you can’t go wrong.

If your children aren’t wild about vegetables, then try a dish with “secret” veggies. Kolokythokeftedes (fried zucchini balls) are full of nutritious zucchini, but they don’t taste a thing like “rabbit food.” You could also try fried zucchini with tzatziki, which is a yogurt sauce packed with garlic and cucumber. It’s a fabulous combination.

Savory turnovers are a time-tested trick for getting Greek kids to eat their veggies. Try spanakopita (spinach “pie” or turnover), kolokythopita (zucchini “pie” – it’s a popular vegetable), or hortopita (wild greens “pie”).

Try Traditional Mezedes

As you can see, there’s a lot of good food in Greece. Every town and every island has its own specialty. Fruits and vegetables are at their peak when they’re in season, so you’ll get a fabulous variety the whole year round. Mezedes, or small plates, are a great way to experiment with new flavors. Order a little bit of everything. Among the best places to go for mezedes are ouzeri (ouzo shops) and tsipouradika (tsipouro is a kind of strong Greek liquor).

To read this article in full, visit Kids Love Greece

395 Greek beaches and 9 marinas won the international quality Blue Flag award this year, putting Greece in third place worldwide among 50 countries, according to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF).

The announcement was made during an EEPF press conference in Katerini. EEPF is the national operator of the International Blue Flags program in Greece, in cooperation with the Pieria Hoteliers Association.

According to EEPF, the Blue Flag is the most recognizable and popular international symbol of quality in the world. Since 1987 the award has been given to beaches and marinas that meet the strict award criteria. The beaches not only need to have excellent quality bathing waters. They also need to meet 32 criteria, which refer to cleanliness, organization, information, swimmer and visitor safety, protection of the natural wealth of the beach and coastal area, as well as environmental awareness.

The founder and international coordinator of the program is the Denmark-based Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), with 63 member-countries from all continents. In Greece, FEE is represented by EEPF, the oldest environmental organization in the country, founded in 1951, which organizes active environmental interventions, actions and nature conservation projects.

To read more and see a list of Blue Flag beaches, please visit Greek Reporter.

Find the best kid-friendly islands close to Athens, the best family beaches in the city, and get all the summer tips for visiting Athens with the kids.

 

 

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Thousands of spectators gathered near the Tanagra air base, north of Athens, to watch spectacular aerobatic displays during the 6th Athens Flying Week aviation event.

Top aviation teams from around the world demonstrated their flight skills, leaving crowds opened mouthed with awe.

One of the highlights of the show, was Britain’s famous Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows.

Watch the video below!


Video uploaded by: geophoto93

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

 

“Is Athens the New Berlin? No, it is Athens. But, something is happening.” As Athens continues on a creative regeneration, the city has been compared and called the “New Berlin,” but some disagree on the city’s new label. As Neos Kosmos reports, “Artists, collectives, new bars, farm-to-table restaurants, startups, and alternative music venues are amassing in Athens. Abandoned buildings, the scars from what Greeks simply call ‘the Crisis’ are turning to cultural spaces and startups. Political statements are now blazoning street art. Artists from Mexico, Bali, New York and Western Europe are making Athens a new base.”

Athens starts at 9am and ends at 4am. The city has its own distorted symphony made of diverse music from limitless bars and cafes, car horns, vendors’ shouts, people talking, dogs barking, scouters and motorbikes.

Psyri, previously a poor inner city neighborhood is now a hipster hub. The hole-in-the-wall bar, Cantina Social, renowned for alternative music and heaving late night parties is burrowed in a secret courtyard. Embros an abandoned warehouse is a performance space run by a collective presenting theatre, performance, dance and alternative music.

To read this article in full, please visit: Neos Kosmos

The 1st Kimolos Trail running race was successfully organised, for the first time, on Sunday 3 June 2018. Besides the running routes, the Kimolos Trail event had an educational seminar and a movie night event.

The first race of theCycladesTrailCup 2018 was held in Kimolos island on 3rd June. The 1 st trail running race: Kimolos Trail had two routes, 21 and 9 kilometers long. The starting and finish line was the Chorio village and the 21km had a unique solidarity for runners. Besides the already difficult rocky terrain, the strong Aegean sun made the race even more hard for the participants.

Athletes form all around the world and many Greek islands had filled the registration form pretty early on. The total number of registrations reached the number 95, which is a lot for a small island of the South West Aegean Sea. Athletes from islands like Andros, Sifnos, Milos and Syros came to run alongside visitors from Italy, Ukraine, France, Canada and the Republic of Congo! On Sunday 3 June, 62 athletes started the race but only 50 reached the finish line on time!

The Ukraine-Russian athlete,RamanBurakov, was the big winner of the 21km trail race, by reaching the finish line at 2 hours and 38 minutes and winning for the first time a Cyclades Trail Cup race. Last year, in 2017, he sucesfully finished 5 out of 6 races of the series and was awarded 2nd place in the Cup.

The second place of Kimolos Trail was awarded toPanagiotis Kapsanisrepresenting myathlete and N.A.O. Kithiron and the time of 2 hours and 47 minutes. In the third place of the 21km race, came Evangelos Zigouris with the time of 2 hours and 53 minutes. In the women category,Maria Bisketzi from Syros island won the 21km race with the time of 5 hours and 20 minutes.Korina Stiakaki finished in second place with 5 hours and 30 minutes.

In the 9 km trail race, the first athlete at the finish line was MauroVespegiani from Italy with the time of 47 minutes. In second place,John Mallis from Milos island, representing Milos Runners and the time of 49 minutes. In third place of the 9km race, Valentinos Konstantis, representing Starttech Ventures, finished the race with the time of 53 minutes and 47 seconds.

In the women category of the 9 km trail race, in first place came the Italian-Greek,Valentina Makri with the time of 55 minutes. In second place cameAnastasia Mathioudaki with the time of 1 hour and 7 minutes and in third place,Stefania Malli and Matilda Patso finished together with the time of 1 hour and 8 minutes.

In a special category, the organizers awarded the 1st man and woman, local to Kimolos island. The first woman wasMaria Logotheti and the first manTheodoros Kotsonis with the time of 1 hour and 27 minutes and 1 hour and 7 minutes accordingly.

Every race and course offers score points for Cyclades Trail Cup, determined by the new CTC_PointSystem. The athlete that earns the highest amount of points by the end of the year will be the winner of Cyclades Trail Cup 2018.

TheKimolos Trail 21km awarded you83 points and theKimolos Trail 9km awarded you33 points. Considering thought that the sun was really hot that day, a 5% points will be awarded to each participant. This means that

every athlete of the 21km race will get 83 + 4 = 87 points and every athlete of the 9km33 + 2 = 35 points.

Various islands in Greece have started research in order to discover new ways to operate a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly mobility and transportation system. With populations growing substantially during the summer months because of the influx of tourists, such systems are needed now more than ever.

The Sustainable Island Mobility Plan (SIMP) was created in order to offer easy, economic and flexible solutions to the mobility issue of the Greek islands by using methods such as the limiting of the use of cars, the promotion of carpooling, the introduction of electric vehicles, the reduction of speed limits and the improvement of existing parking spaces as well as the creation of new ones.

The first SIMP will be designed for the islands of Sifnos, Kea, Small Cyclades, and Naxos.

Article Source: Greek Reporter

Leek and feta pie is one of the most delicious pies in Greek cuisine. It is easy, flavoful and packed with leeks, herbs, and delicious feta cheese. Master spreading the phyllo pastry and you're good to go for this and other delicious pies!

As recently announced by the European Commission, one of the Peloponnese’s most fascinating and well-developed attractions, the archaeological site of Ancient Nemea, is among the twelve new sites to join the European Union’s Heritage Label list, taking into consideration its significant role in shaping the history and culture of Europe, as well as the building of the European Union.

The symbolic European value of Ancient Nemea

The archaeological site of Nemea becomes, thus, the second attraction in Greece after the “Heart of Ancient Athens” - namely, the Acropolis and its surrounding archaeological sites - to be awarded the prestigious Label. 

According to the award rationale, the site of Ancient Nemea is a complex of well-preserved and exhibited archaeological remains that are emblematic on account of the organization of the Nemean Games in antiquity. It includes the sporting roots of Europe and the ideals of classical sports as an element for the comprehensive education of young people. The Stadium is a characteristic example of this type of construction in its original form. Moreover, the modern revival of the Games reflects fundamental European values such as equality, social inclusion, and peaceful coexistence.

The archaeological site and the revival of the Nemean Games

Located about 25 km southwest of the city of Corinth and about 115 km from the city of Athens, Nemea is a place full of secrets worth exploring and a delightful one-day excursion for Athenians and tourists alike. Famous for its viniculture tradition which goes back to Homer who called the area Ampelóessa (meaning "full of vines”), as well as for the legend of Hercules’ lion labor which is often encountered in ancient Greek art and literature, Nemea boasts an ancient history that is depicted in its many monuments.

Among them lies a true archaeological gem: the 2,300-year-old Temple of Zeus. The temple is standing next to the ancient stadium -notable for its well-preserved vaulted entrance tunnel, dated to about 320 BC - and the on-site museum was constructed as part of the University of California's excavations. Interestingly, Nemea’s temple sits on top of an earlier version from the 6th century, B.C. – however, not much of that early temple is visible today because it was destroyed by fire and then built over later on. The partially reconstructed site now provides the visitor with a clearer sense of the magnitude and magnificence of the original Greek temple. Most importantly, the site is better preserved for generations to come.

To read this article in full, please visit: greeknewsagenda.gr

Main image: @alice_barbisan

One of the most prestigious international beach volleyball competitions in the world, Nations Cup, is coming for the first time to TUI Magic Life Candia Maris of Metaxa Hospitality Group, in Crete, on May 16-18, 2025.

The top sporting event is held under the auspices of the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV) and the corresponding Hellenic Volleyball Federation with the co-organization of the Region of Crete, the Municipality of Malevizi, and Metaxa Hospitality Group, in order to promote Crete as a global sporting and tourist destination.

Nations Cup particularly promotes team spirit, as athletes do not compete as individual pairs, as is usually the case in traditional tournaments, but represent their national teams. Each country participates with two pairs, which compete in an innovative system of competition where collective effort and strategy determine the winner.

This year, athletes from six countries will participate in the top sporting event that promotes the development of the sport. In the men's category, the national teams of the Netherlands, Hungary, Luxembourg, and Greece will compete, while in the women's category, the teams of Poland, Estonia, and Greece will be represented. The event enhances competitiveness at a global level and showcases the talent of athletes who transcend borders, bringing the public closer to powerful sporting moments.

The 5-star hotel of the Metaxa Hospitality Group, TUI Magic Life Candia Maris, which will host the Nations Cup next month, has state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure of international standards, while it is located in an excellent seaside location in the area of Amoudara, just 5 kilometres from the centre of Heraklion.

By co-organizing and hosting the Nations Cup, Metaxa Hospitality Group, which this year completes 50 years of uninterrupted operation, confirms its commitment to promoting major sporting events of international importance and contributes to the promotion of Crete as a high-level destination for athletes and visitors from all over the world.

It is indicative that the leading Greek hotel group has undertaken this year the organization of two more major world volleyball tournaments that will be held for the first time in Crete. This is an international event that promises to bring world-renowned athletes to Greece and the Marathon, which will be one of the most exciting events of the year. Both tournaments will be hosted in November 2025 at Metaxa Hospitality Group's TUI Magic Life Candia Maris, offering excellent opportunities for sport and tourism in one of the most beautiful coastal areas of Northern Crete. 

The Nations Cup in Crete is expected to have significant benefits for both the local community and the country as a whole. 

The arrival of athletes, coaches, and fans from all over the world will boost tourism, extending the duration of the tourist season on the island. At the same time, the tournament will create increased demand in sectors such as hospitality, catering, and transportation, providing a boost to local entrepreneurship.

On a national level, hosting such an important event will highlight Greece as a center of international sports tourism, enhancing the country's image as a destination of high standards and encouraging the organization of more international sports events in the future.

The Regional Governor of Crete, Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis said: “It is with great pleasure that the Region of Crete supports the organization of the European Beach Volley Nations Cup 2025, a great sporting event that enriches the calendar of international events that have been hosted on our island in recent years. We warmly congratulate Metaxa Hospitality Group for undertaking this important event and the Hellenic Volleyball Federation for their cooperation in the preparation of the tournament. The Beach Volley Nations Cup promotes Crete as a top sports tourism destination and enhances the international image of our island”.

The Mayor of Malevizi, Mr. Menelaos Bokeas said: “It is with great pleasure and honor that we participate as co-organizers of the "Beach Volleyball Nations Cup", which will be held on May 16-18, 2025, at the facilities of the hotel "TUI Magic Life Candia Maris" in Amoudara Gazi, Municipality of Malevizi. We support such innovative, visionary initiatives that enhance the tourism product of our region and make it a destination for the global sports community. Many congratulations are due to the organization of "Metaxa Hospitality Group" and its people for this truly great initiative. This first international volleyball tournament organized in our region is a forerunner for the brilliant events that will follow, and to which we will lend our support. The prospects are very encouraging, not only for our region but also for the whole of Crete. Sport unites. It expresses and creates communities of people inspired by higher ideals and values. And when experiential tourism, and especially sports tourism, brings together people from different countries and cultures, and all this effort is passed on to the everyday life of our country and its people, something great is born, something beautiful and unique comes to be established and developed. With this event, with all the synergies it requires, with all the interactions it causes, with all the creativity it generates, we all make our mark as participants and sign the future. Success is more than certain”.

The President of the Hellenic Volleyball Federation, Mr. George Karampetsos stressed: “In the first post-Olympic season after the Olympic Games in Paris, Greece is once again entering the beach volleyball scene with dozens of domestic and international high-level competitions in accordance with the high standards of the world federation. The 2025 calendar starts from Heraklion, Crete, which in recent years has played a leading role in the top sand events. The Nations Cup, which is the first event for our national teams that will enter the qualification process for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, is the ideal start for the events we have planned as a Federation for the 2025 season. As always, the Region of Crete is a valuable ally, and I would like to thank the Regional Governor of Crete, Mr. Stavros Arnaoutakis for his valuable contribution, Metaxa Hospitality Group for its support, and all the supporters and stakeholders involved in this event. I wish to extend my best wishes for organizational growth and competitive excellence, especially to the national teams, and I am sure that they will manage to excel, representing our country in the international beach volleyball scene".

The CEO of Metaxa Hospitality Group, Mr. Andreas Metaxas stated: “In a landmark year, as Metaxa Hospitality Group completes half a century of existence in 2025, we are particularly proud to co-organize such an important sporting event, the Nations Cup, which is coming back to Crete this year. By hosting three international tournaments on the island in less than six months, Crete is emerging as a top sports tourism destination, attracting athletes and spectators from all over the world. The holding of these events confirms our commitment to the development of sport and the strengthening of the local society and economy, placing Crete at the heart of the international sporting map”.

The return of a beach volleyball world championship to Greece would not have been possible without the contribution of Technical Director Vangelis Polimeropoulos through the Best Sports Marketing and Events company in Greece, ActiveMedia Group.

Metaxa Hospitality Group is a leading Greek group of authentic hospitality services that celebrates 50 years of uninterrupted operation this year.  Recognized as the "Best Hospitality Group in Greece" by the World Travel Awards 2021 - 2024, it operates luxury resorts and 5-star hotels with more than 1,100 beds in Crete (Creta Maris Resort, TUI Magic Life Candia Maris) and Santorini (Santo Collection Resorts & Villas). It was founded in Crete in 1975 by the late Nikolaos Metaxas. His legacy is carried on by his family, led by Mr. Andreas Metaxas, who has guided the Group into a new era of dynamic growth. The Group, recognized with dozens of international awards and certifications, operates according to the principles of Sustainable Development, where employees, the local community and visitors are at the heart of its activities. https://www.metaxahospitality.gr