XpatAthens
Wednesday, 29 May 2024 07:00
5 Organized Beaches In Athens To Visit This Summer
With summer being closer than ever, these organized beaches just outside central Athens are the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing swim with the convenience of beach chairs, snacks and beverages, and on-beach wait service.
Vouliagmeni Lake
@lake_vouliagmeni_athens
Vouliagmeni Lake
@lake_vouliagmeni_athens
In the heart of the Athenian Riviera, you will find the hidden treasure of Attica’s nature. Situated on an idyllic landscape, this rare geological phenomenon is waiting to be discovered. The lake’s brackish waters which are continuously replenished both by the sea and the underground thermal springs offer a natural and unique thermal spa experience.
Yabanaki
@yabanaki_beachbar
One of the most popular organized beaches. YaBaNaKi's long sandy beach, shallow waters, extensive water sports, and toy facilities along with plenty of dining options make it an irresistible beach fun approach. If you decide to visit Yabanaki you will find a variety of food including pizza, pasta, a full list of "Goody's Burger House", fish and seafood, ice creams, coffees, and refreshments.
Grand Beach Lagonisi
@grandbeachlagonissi
The "Grand Beach" of "Grand Resort Lagonissi" is considered - and is - one of the best-organized beach complexes in Attica. Beach services include cinema, volleyball courts, tennis, umbrellas and sun loungers, water sports, a practice room, a café, and a very good restaurant with a full menu for all tastes and the whole family
Bolivar Beach Bar
@bolivarbeachbar
It is a happening spot with a young vibe during the day and turns into a nightclub in the evening with major events. The tropical design and seclusion from the busy beach road, really make you forget how close you are to the center of Athens - just 10km away.
Astir Beach
@astirbeachgr
It may be the most expensive beach in Athens, but like with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Excellent customer service, great sun beds, and a pristine beach that is always clean and well maintained.
@yabanaki_beachbar
One of the most popular organized beaches. YaBaNaKi's long sandy beach, shallow waters, extensive water sports, and toy facilities along with plenty of dining options make it an irresistible beach fun approach. If you decide to visit Yabanaki you will find a variety of food including pizza, pasta, a full list of "Goody's Burger House", fish and seafood, ice creams, coffees, and refreshments.
Grand Beach Lagonisi
@grandbeachlagonissi
The "Grand Beach" of "Grand Resort Lagonissi" is considered - and is - one of the best-organized beach complexes in Attica. Beach services include cinema, volleyball courts, tennis, umbrellas and sun loungers, water sports, a practice room, a café, and a very good restaurant with a full menu for all tastes and the whole family
Bolivar Beach Bar
@bolivarbeachbar
It is a happening spot with a young vibe during the day and turns into a nightclub in the evening with major events. The tropical design and seclusion from the busy beach road, really make you forget how close you are to the center of Athens - just 10km away.
Astir Beach
@astirbeachgr
It may be the most expensive beach in Athens, but like with most things in life, you get what you pay for. Excellent customer service, great sun beds, and a pristine beach that is always clean and well maintained.
Published in
City Discovery
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Tuesday, 04 September 2018 07:00
Eleni's Greek Phrase Book - A Beginner’s Guide To Greek Culture & The Greek Language
Do you want to learn how to speak Greek? This book will help you to understand and express the basics quickly and successfully. Designed and written for electronic devices, Eleni’s GREEK PHRASE BOOK is the perfect easy-to-use resource for anyone working in or traveling to Greece.
If you are interested in a print copy, please get in touch with Eleni directly through her website here: www.lenacke.com
The Most Convenient Addition To Your Device When
Traveling, Doing Business, Or Living In Greece.
This book has over 1,000 practical and everyday Greek words and phrases and is:
1. Easy to read and understand.
2. All of the transliterations are in English text--NO phonetic symbols!
For example: pasta [pásta]
3. All words and phrases are also listed in Greek.
For example: pasta [pásta] πάστα
Eleni's GREEK PHRASE BOOK features:
- Over 60 Topics Arranged by Theme
- A Detailed Pronunciation Guide and Transliteration System
- An introduction to the Greek Alphabet
- A Word List with Over 600 English-To-Greek Translations
- Links to Useful Webpages
- Information about Greek Culture
- An Ingredient List for Popular Greek Foods and Desserts
- A History of the Greek Language
- Tips on Eating Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Free in Greece
- A List of Public Holidays and Year-Round Festivals and Events
- LEARN GREEK Activities
- What to do in Case of an Emergency
- A Month-to-Month Guide on Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables
- Information about LGBTQ and Greece
- A Basic Grammar Section
Do You Already Know A Little Greek & Want To Learn More?
This book will expand your knowledge in different situations, including:
This book will expand your knowledge in different situations, including:
Describing People ׀ Driving ׀ Emergencies ׀ Feelings ׀ Entertainment ׀ Food and Drink ׀ General Conversation ׀ Getting Around ׀ Seeing the Sights ׀ Shopping ׀ Festivals and Events ׀ Public Holidays ׀ Sports and Hobbies ׀ Meeting People ׀ Telling the Time ׀ Vegetarian-Vegan-Gluten Free ׀ Weather
Note, American spelling and vocabulary is used throughout, however, some common British words have also been included for our UK and other international readers.
Click HERE To Purchase Eleni's GREEK PHRASE BOOK!
About the Author
Eleni Maria Georgiou is a professional copy editor, proofreader, and writer who lives in Athens, Greece.
She majored in English Literature at the University of Toronto and has minors in Modern Greek and Classical Civilizations. For over a decade, Eleni has partnered with different publishing houses, including Sage Publications, Verso Books, and New Editions. Eleni co-managed XpatAthens for four years together with her bestie, Elena.
Eleni has 2 sweet kids + 1 loving husband, is a founding member of an English-language book club, and is passionate about nutrition… and chocolate-flavored protein bars.
Eleni is bilingual in English and Greek and Eleni’s Greek Phrase Book is her first book.
For more information, please visit: Eleni's official website
About the Author
Eleni Maria Georgiou is a professional copy editor, proofreader, and writer who lives in Athens, Greece.
She majored in English Literature at the University of Toronto and has minors in Modern Greek and Classical Civilizations. For over a decade, Eleni has partnered with different publishing houses, including Sage Publications, Verso Books, and New Editions. Eleni co-managed XpatAthens for four years together with her bestie, Elena.
Eleni has 2 sweet kids + 1 loving husband, is a founding member of an English-language book club, and is passionate about nutrition… and chocolate-flavored protein bars.
Eleni is bilingual in English and Greek and Eleni’s Greek Phrase Book is her first book.
For more information, please visit: Eleni's official website
Published in
Books
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Thursday, 06 September 2018 07:00
Tilos Island Leads The Way In Creating Renewable Energy
The island of Tilos in Greece is going green by implementing an environmentally-friendly network of wind and solar power that will charge batteries, creating an energy-storage system. Tilos will test this new system in the next few months.
While Tilos only has 400 people living there year-round, during the summer months the population rises to 4,000, putting a strain on the islands energy resources.
The project has a total cost of 13.7 million euros (11 million euros being supplied by the EU), and if it is successful, this could be used and replicated on all the islands, encouraging the use of renewable energy.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter
Published in
Local Environment
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Tuesday, 07 May 2019 07:00
Trireme Olympias-Sailing To History
Set up in 1982 by the historian and academic, John Morrison, naval architect, John Coates, and writer Frank Welsh, the Trireme Trust was created to investigate a centuries-old controversy about the nature of the trireme, the most significant warship of the ancient Mediterranean world. Their collaboration resulted in the building and launch in 1987 by the Hellenic Navy of a full-scale reconstruction, the Olympias, powered by 170 oars arranged over three levels.
A series of six sea-trials between 1987 and 1994 demonstrated that the ship could be rowed efficiently and fast, despite the universal academic opinion that a three-level arrangement of oars was wholly impracticable. In 2004, Olympias was used to carry the Olympic flame across Piraeus harbour shortly before the opening of the Athens Olympic Games.
In September 2004 the Naval Supreme Council decided to designate the trireme as an exhibit in a specially designed space of the Naval Tradition Park. It was also agreed that the trireme should be assigned to the command of the Battleship Averof at the Hellenic Maritime Heritage Park.
Hellenic Maritime Heritage Park
Flisvos 175 10, Paleo Faliro
Telephone: 210 9888211
Operating Hours
Tuesday to Friday: 09:00 - 14:00
Weekends: 10:00 - 17:00
Article Sources: Hellenic Navy & The Trireme Trust
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Videos
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Monday, 24 February 2020 07:00
Omonia Is Back! The Revamped Square To Be Revealed At The End Of The Week
The much anticipated revamped Omonia Square will be revealed to the Athenians at the end of the week, Mayor Kostas Bakoyannis stated on social media last Thursday.
"Very happy that Omonia square has entered the final stretch and will be delivered to the Athenians," he said.
For years Omonia Square has been one of Athens' most central meeting points and has undergone many transformations. The plans include reinstalling a fountain removed from the square in the early 1990s while a few luxury hotels are opening this year around the square, on Pireos and Stadiou streets.
A video from the testing of the new fountain at Omonia Square.
Published in
Local News
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Tuesday, 16 March 2021 13:48
Athens Awarded At The CDP Europe Awards For Its Environmental Policies
The Municipality of Athens continues its dynamic presence in major European social "forums", presenting proposals that aim to ensure a sustainable future for European cities. The Mayor of Athens, Kostas Bakoyannis spoke to Euronews alongside the Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, the Mayor of Turku Minna Arve, the European Commissioner, Mairead McGuinness, the Vice President of the European Investment Bank Ambroise Fayolle on the occasion of the award received by the Municipality of Athens at the CDP Europe Awards 2021 for all its actions aimed at the green recovery that set the coordinates for environmental policies of other cities.
Speaking about environmentally friendly solutions, that will free up public space and adopt a new model of sustainable mobility, Mr. Bakoyannis said: "At the end of the day we should be very clear about our strategic goals if we are to go backward or move forward ".
Talking about the day after this unprecedented health crisis, the Mayor of Athens said that history has taught that past pandemics were catalytic for the transformation of urban centers, adding that "this crisis is an opportunity to transform our cities bring them into the new century, to a different era with different challenges."
Mr. Bakoyannis then pointed out the need to find local solutions that will promote the reacquisition or releasing of quality public spaces and adopt a new model of sustainable mobility, which will not only concern cars but also accessibility, public transport, and alternative means of transportation. "We have to make sure, and this is very important for us in Europe, that we are really changing without losing our souls. "We do not want to turn our cities into theme parks, you know, we want to keep our DNA alive."
CDP is a non-profit organization that annually evaluates the actions of cities around the world and recognizes those that stand out. In 2020, for the second year in a row, Athens ranked high and was included in the A-list Cities, along with 87 cities around the world, for their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The CDP Europe Awards 2021 were attended by heads of large corporations, distinguished for their activities, such as LafargeHolcim, Lenzing, Handelsbanken Fonder, Ørsted, Eni, Norges Bank Investment Management, and others.
XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing with us news and inspiring stories about how Athens is constantly becoming a cleaner, friendlier, and more welcoming city to live in.
Speaking about environmentally friendly solutions, that will free up public space and adopt a new model of sustainable mobility, Mr. Bakoyannis said: "At the end of the day we should be very clear about our strategic goals if we are to go backward or move forward ".
Talking about the day after this unprecedented health crisis, the Mayor of Athens said that history has taught that past pandemics were catalytic for the transformation of urban centers, adding that "this crisis is an opportunity to transform our cities bring them into the new century, to a different era with different challenges."
Mr. Bakoyannis then pointed out the need to find local solutions that will promote the reacquisition or releasing of quality public spaces and adopt a new model of sustainable mobility, which will not only concern cars but also accessibility, public transport, and alternative means of transportation. "We have to make sure, and this is very important for us in Europe, that we are really changing without losing our souls. "We do not want to turn our cities into theme parks, you know, we want to keep our DNA alive."
CDP is a non-profit organization that annually evaluates the actions of cities around the world and recognizes those that stand out. In 2020, for the second year in a row, Athens ranked high and was included in the A-list Cities, along with 87 cities around the world, for their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The CDP Europe Awards 2021 were attended by heads of large corporations, distinguished for their activities, such as LafargeHolcim, Lenzing, Handelsbanken Fonder, Ørsted, Eni, Norges Bank Investment Management, and others.
XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing with us news and inspiring stories about how Athens is constantly becoming a cleaner, friendlier, and more welcoming city to live in.
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Wednesday, 15 December 2021 16:34
The Ark Οf Τhe World
The «Ark of the World» is a Charitable Nonprofit Organisation providing special care and protection to mothers and children.
It is first and foremost intended and addressed to young unprotected children, most of whom come from single-parent families, and to many children without parents, who experience difficult circumstances, neglect, abandonment, lack of medical care and uncertain future.
The Ark fully covers and takes care of unprotected children.. In collaboration with Prosecutors for Children, protection agencies and services for children’s rights, it undertakes to raise children in its four (at present) accommodation homes. They are children (infanthood to adulthood) who have been subjected to abuse, neglect and very bad living conditions. Children live in large homes with instructors and care givers for their everyday life, like a large family, without any reminders of institutional care.
A primary concern of the Ark is not to separate the family when there is parent interest in and capable of taking care of the child. Single-parent families with serious financial and social problems calling on our services can find support for their very basic needs, such as food, clothes, medical care and everything they need to live with dignity. At the same time, families receive counseling services, take part in parents’ groups led by family relations specialists and receive information on training programmes in order to be empowered to take responsibility of their children.
A primary concern of the Ark is not to separate the family when there is parent interest in and capable of taking care of the child. Single-parent families with serious financial and social problems calling on our services can find support for their very basic needs, such as food, clothes, medical care and everything they need to live with dignity. At the same time, families receive counseling services, take part in parents’ groups led by family relations specialists and receive information on training programmes in order to be empowered to take responsibility of their children.
The Ark of the World was established in 1998 in Athens by 26-year-old Father Antonios Papanikolaou, who was armed with love for children, a selfless need to give and the desire to create a nest of affection and care for children, young people and parents in need, living in the crevices of society, in “another” Athens at the region of Akadimia Platonos.
Published in
Charities & Groups
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Tuesday, 31 May 2022 07:00
Homer’s Odyssey Named World’s Greatest Tale Ever Told
BBC Culture asked writing experts around the globe to pick stories that have endured across generations and continents and changed society. It comes as no surprise that Homer’s Odyssey topped their poll of 100 Stories that has shaped the world.
"If any story can be considered the greatest tale ever told, Homer’s Odyssey has a better claim than most. Twenty-four books long, it runs to more than 12,000 lines of hexameter verse (the poetic form used in Greek epic and Latin epic after it) and follows the adventures of the wily, complicated Greek hero, Odysseus, in the aftermath of the Trojan War. The Odyssey has been valued as a cultural highpoint for millennia: in the 5th Century BCE, the Athenian playwright Aeschylus referred to his tragedies as “slices from the banquet of Homer.
Writers from Dante to James Joyce to Margaret Atwood have taken inspiration from this original quest story. But Odysseus’ quest itself is an almost mundane affair, amid the gods and monsters which populate the poem. Because it is not about sailing off to find something wondrous and new (a golden fleece, for example, or an undiscovered land). It’s about a man trying to get home at the end of a 10-year war.”
BBC Culture polled experts around the world to nominate up to five fictional stories they felt had shaped mindsets or influenced history. They received responses from authors, academics, journalists, critics, and translators from 35 countries, who looked at novels, poems, folk tales, and dramas in 33 different languages. Homer’s Odyssey topped the list, followed by Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
"If any story can be considered the greatest tale ever told, Homer’s Odyssey has a better claim than most. Twenty-four books long, it runs to more than 12,000 lines of hexameter verse (the poetic form used in Greek epic and Latin epic after it) and follows the adventures of the wily, complicated Greek hero, Odysseus, in the aftermath of the Trojan War. The Odyssey has been valued as a cultural highpoint for millennia: in the 5th Century BCE, the Athenian playwright Aeschylus referred to his tragedies as “slices from the banquet of Homer.
Writers from Dante to James Joyce to Margaret Atwood have taken inspiration from this original quest story. But Odysseus’ quest itself is an almost mundane affair, amid the gods and monsters which populate the poem. Because it is not about sailing off to find something wondrous and new (a golden fleece, for example, or an undiscovered land). It’s about a man trying to get home at the end of a 10-year war.”
BBC Culture polled experts around the world to nominate up to five fictional stories they felt had shaped mindsets or influenced history. They received responses from authors, academics, journalists, critics, and translators from 35 countries, who looked at novels, poems, folk tales, and dramas in 33 different languages. Homer’s Odyssey topped the list, followed by Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
For the full list of 100 stories that shaped the world, please visit: bbc.com
Published in
Greek Language & Culture
Tagged under
Tuesday, 16 July 2024 07:00
Atokos - Greece's Pig Island
The swimming pigs of Greece have become an internet sensation with dozens of videos posted on TikTok and other social media.
Bathers on the little island of Atokos in the Ionian Sea, next to Ithaca, are for the experience of a lifetime as they swim next to feral pigs who seem to enjoy the human presence.
Their natural buoyancy and paddling instincts help them move around in the water. It is a mystery how the pigs ended up on the uninhabited 4.5 square kilometers island that belongs administratively to Ithaca. It is also part of the Natura 2000 network because of its rich and rare marine life.
The island is privately owned by the shipping magnate Panayiotis Tsakos. It is uninhabited except for a few goats that roam freely around the island. These animals appear to be tended by a shepherd who visits and tends to the flock every fourth day as part of an agreement with the current owner.
Swimming pigs are the ultimate attraction on Atokos, Greece
In recent years, a herd of black pigs has appeared on the beach of the island and it has become the ultimate attraction.
In recent years, a herd of black pigs has appeared on the beach of the island and it has become the ultimate attraction.
Imagine gliding through clear water. Beside you, a pig paddles along, its pink body surprisingly streamlined. Their curly tails might bob above the water with each powerful kick of their trotters.
You might hear the contented snorts and snuffles of the pig enjoying the cool water. If there are other pigs around, there could be playful squeals or the rhythmic chomping of their snouts rooting around the seabed.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
Published in
Travel Greece
Tagged under
Thursday, 05 February 2015 14:02
My Week in Athens… Jan 24
Hey Guys. Love getting your newsletters, they’re always interesting and informative. I don’t usually write in to newspapers or magazines, but I thought I’d send a short email about a recent experience with the medical system in Greece.
I’ve been living in Greece for about 5 years. I’ve had my ups and downs with the ‘system’ and know that it’s not up to par with a lot of other places in the world. Even though I now know what to expect, there are still some things that make my hair stand up. So here’s my story…
I’m a first time mom and my son is just about 8 months old. I gave birth at a public hospital (yes, it was just fine) and have since been taking advantage of my IKA insurance (pension & health insurance for private sector employees). You may remember some weeks back that pharmacies were not accepting prescriptions from IKA insurance holders. What does this mean? Well…
When I went to my doctor’s office to get a prescription for my son’s upcoming vaccine shot, I was told that it cannot be issued because pharmacies will not accept it. If this was something my brain couldn’t compute, then what she said next nearly nocked me off my chair: ‘Unless of course you ‘know someone’ with a pharmacy who will give you the vaccine shot without paying and then take them the prescription at a later date.’ Did I hear correctly, did my doctor just tell me that I need a ‘meson’ (an inside source) to get my son’s vaccine shot? Was she for real? Ah, but yes, she was very serious.
Because I didn’t ‘know someone’ with a pharmacy, I paid for the vaccine shot at my local pharmacy in hopes that once this disagreement between IKA and pharmacists was over, I could claim my 70 Euro!
Should I tell you about my experience when I tried to claim 70 Euro from IKA? Let me put it this way…3 floors (up and down the stairs because the elevator wasn’t working), 4 booths with very ‘happy to greet me’ employees, and some 5 different pieces of paper. Needless to say, I did eventually get my claim made.
Ah, and despite all these wonderful (and eventful) stories I still continue to want to be here. Go figure! There’s just something about this crazy place that makes it stick!
Cheers from First Time Mommy in Athens.
In this weekly space, keep up with ‘Jack’ as he navigates daily life in Athens… Anecdotes, stories, hits & misses, the good, the bad and, well, the rest…
Published in
My Week In Athens
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