LIFE & CULTURE
XpatAthens
Thursday, 12 August 2021 07:00
Athens Unpacked Episode 8 - From Benefactors To Buskers
Athenians have always poured their pain into poetry, painting, and music. Thus, Greece’s well-documented economic woes fuelled a fertile decade of unprecedented cultural growth in its capital city.
Art moved out of buildings and into public spaces: from the grandest galleries and boxed-in museums; to pop-up exhibitions in disused shops, alternative culture hubs, and politically charged spray paint on neighborhood walls. In this bumper final episode, Sofka Zinovieff sets her sights on unpacking Athens’ wildly varied arts scene—and on untangling the fascinating marriage of big money and the arts. We’ll go in search of the boldest buskers and street murals, and hear how the great rivalry between two famous shipping tycoons transformed the city’s cultural landscape. (Clue: it involves an opera legend and former first lady).
Bestselling writer and former anthropologist, Sofka Zinovieff, embarks on a quest to uncover the true essence of her adopted home, in all its layers and mysteries. Discover how Athenians feel about their own architecture, how tragedy and trauma have flavored the city’s cuisine, why Athens has always been a “15-minute city”, and much, much more.
Produced by Pod.gr, for This is Athens, tune in each fortnight and get ready to capture the seductive soul of Athens!
This is Athens is the official guide to this captivating city of ancient energies and booming urban culture. Compiled by a team of specialist local writers, This is Athens brings you an authentic and intimate portrait of a living Athens beyond the guidebooks – along with daily curated listings of all the best events and great weekend inspiration all-year round. From must-know neighbourhoods and emerging art hubs to gourmet hotspots, cool shopping, and the buzziest bars, This is Athens will help you to get the most out of living in Athens!
Thank you This is Athens for your contribution as an XpatAthens Partner.
Published in
City Discovery
Tagged under
Wednesday, 11 August 2021 07:00
Athens Unpacked Episode 7 - Birth & Death The Athenian Way
“Almost anywhere you go in the capital, there’s a church nearby,” says Sofka Zinovieff in this seventh episode of Athens Unpacked that is literally a matter of life and death.
Get ready to visit the city’s finest and most famous graveyard - the final resting ground for a pantheon of modern Greek heroes; walk down the street of Eternal Repose; and address the oily business of baptism, Greek-style. You’ll also encounter the confectionary treat Athenians turn to remember their dead; learn about the must-have accessory newborn babies wear to ward off misfortune and find out why Greeks shout everyone else on their own birthdays.
Bestselling writer and former anthropologist, Sofka Zinovieff, embarks on a quest to uncover the true essence of her adopted home, in all its layers and mysteries. Discover how Athenians feel about their own architecture, how tragedy and trauma have flavored the city’s cuisine, why Athens has always been a “15-minute city”, and much, much more.
Produced by Pod.gr, for This is Athens, tune in each fortnight and get ready to capture the seductive soul of Athens!
This is Athens is the official guide to this captivating city of ancient energies and booming urban culture. Compiled by a team of specialist local writers, This is Athens brings you an authentic and intimate portrait of a living Athens beyond the guidebooks – along with daily curated listings of all the best events and great weekend inspiration all-year round. From must-know neighbourhoods and emerging art hubs to gourmet hotspots, cool shopping, and the buzziest bars, This is Athens will help you to get the most out of living in Athens!
Thank you This is Athens for your contribution as an XpatAthens Partner.
Published in
City Discovery
Tagged under
Friday, 13 August 2021 07:00
August Full Moon At The Acropolis Museum
As the August full moon rises over the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum welcomes locals and visitors to experience this annual event like never before.
On Saturday 21 August 2021, the Museum exhibition areas will remain open from 8 am to 8 pm with free entry to all visitors, on the occasion of the Museum’s participation in the “Greece 2021” initiative. The Museum's second-floor restaurant will be open until midnight so that visitors can take in spellbinding views of the full moon while enjoying a nice dinner.
On Sunday 22 August 2021, the Museum exhibition areas will remain open from 8 am to 10 pm. The second-floor restaurant will be open during the same hours while visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the gallery talk “Afternoons in the Acropolis Museum”, where they will be introduced to the fascinating stories hidden in the treasures of the Museum’s galleries.
For more information, please click HERE!
For more information, please click HERE!
Published in
Local News
Tagged under
Sunday, 08 August 2021 07:00
The Electric Car Of Syros Island
It may be that nowadays the electric car makes quite the impression and is funded by big industrial firms, but in Greece, it was already constructed for the first time 45 years ago!
The electric car is hosted in the industrial museum of Syros. The car was built in 1973 in an old mill building close to the Neorion yard of Ermoupolis, the capital of Syros.
This electric car is the model Enfield 8000, an innovation at the time when the problem of air pollution had made its appearance in the big cities. At the same time, the concern related to oil stocks and dependence on them also grew big. It seemed that an electric car would solve many problems.
History of the electric car of Syros island
The car’s history began in the late 1960s. The company Enfield Automotive, based in the Isle of Wight of Great Britain and owned by the Greek John Goulandris (a member of a large shipowner family), won a competition for a contract with the Council of Electric Energy of England. Shortly before the start of the production of the car, Goulandris encountered technical problems with the Isle of Wight and so decided to move the factory to Syros. It was a risky decision, as the island of Syros had a long tradition in shipbuilding but no relation to the manufacturing of cars, let alone electric. However, it seems that the outcome vindicated Goulandris. The designer of the electric model was George Michael. The construction involved men from the yard, engineers, craftsmen from Syros, Piraeus, and many other places around Greece. It was a truly Greek affair.
To celebrate the history of the first electric car in Greece, a documentary was filmed, titled "A tale of two Isles", directed by Michael Stavropoulos (Director of the magazine for cars). One day Michael Stavropoulos went to Syros to try a modern electric car. On this occasion, he was introduced to the Greek story of the electric car, talked with people involved in the construction, and finally made a movie about the Enfield 8000.
To read this article in full and discover more about the Enfield 8000, please visit: omilo.co
The electric car is hosted in the industrial museum of Syros. The car was built in 1973 in an old mill building close to the Neorion yard of Ermoupolis, the capital of Syros.
This electric car is the model Enfield 8000, an innovation at the time when the problem of air pollution had made its appearance in the big cities. At the same time, the concern related to oil stocks and dependence on them also grew big. It seemed that an electric car would solve many problems.
History of the electric car of Syros island
The car’s history began in the late 1960s. The company Enfield Automotive, based in the Isle of Wight of Great Britain and owned by the Greek John Goulandris (a member of a large shipowner family), won a competition for a contract with the Council of Electric Energy of England. Shortly before the start of the production of the car, Goulandris encountered technical problems with the Isle of Wight and so decided to move the factory to Syros. It was a risky decision, as the island of Syros had a long tradition in shipbuilding but no relation to the manufacturing of cars, let alone electric. However, it seems that the outcome vindicated Goulandris. The designer of the electric model was George Michael. The construction involved men from the yard, engineers, craftsmen from Syros, Piraeus, and many other places around Greece. It was a truly Greek affair.
To celebrate the history of the first electric car in Greece, a documentary was filmed, titled "A tale of two Isles", directed by Michael Stavropoulos (Director of the magazine for cars). One day Michael Stavropoulos went to Syros to try a modern electric car. On this occasion, he was introduced to the Greek story of the electric car, talked with people involved in the construction, and finally made a movie about the Enfield 8000.
To read this article in full and discover more about the Enfield 8000, please visit: omilo.co
Omilo Greek Language and Culture inspires people from all over the world to learn Greek, while exploring Greece. They offer 1- and 2-week courses for adults that combine beautiful course locations, experienced teachers, and a balanced combination of Greek classes with cultural activities. All these make Omilo a place where people enjoy learning modern Greek and have fun.
Besides the courses, Omilo also creates online publications to help adults expand their language skills through Language Books and eBooks for different language levels.
Published in
Greek Philosophy & History
Tagged under
Thursday, 05 August 2021 07:00
Athens Included In Time Magazine’s World’s Greatest Places For 2021
Revealing Athens as one of the World’s Greatest Places 2021, Time Magazine has confirmed what most already know about the breathtaking city.
The heart of the powerful empire of Ancient Greece, Athens remains after centuries dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis, a hilltop citadel containing the remains of ancient buildings of great architectural and historical significance like the Parthenon temple.
Athens’ Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry, and more from Ancient Greece.
Widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, ancient Athens was a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, and the home of Plato’s Academy and Aristotle‘s Lyceum.
Athens’ Acropolis Museum, along with the National Archaeological Museum, preserves sculptures, vases, jewelry, and more from Ancient Greece.
Widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, ancient Athens was a centre for the arts, learning and philosophy, and the home of Plato’s Academy and Aristotle‘s Lyceum.
In modern times, Athens is a large cosmopolitan metropolis and central to economic, financial, industrial, maritime, political, and cultural life in Greece.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Friday, 17 March 2023 07:00
Best Greek Superfoods
Superfoods are becoming extremely popular and, thankfully, Greek cuisine is full of them. Packed with high levels of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals the following foods provide countless benefits that will help you live a longer, healthier, and happier life!
1. Extra virgin olive oil 
Source: Getty Images
Olive oil, or "Liquid Gold" as Homer used to call it, has been part of Greece’s history for more than 2,000 years. It is an irreplaceable nutritional component of the Greek diet and also part and parcel of Greek culture and religion. Extra virgin olive oil has extremely powerful antioxidant properties, it can increase HDL or "good" cholesterol, and is said to prevent a number of illnesses, including heart attacks, strokes, and even breast and rectal cancer.
2. Tahini
Source: etorres69
Tahini is a paste made from toasted, ground sesame seeds with a light, nutty flavor. A spoonful of tahini, especially wholemeal, is the perfect natural nutritional supplement. Tahini is full of healthy fats, 50% of which come from monounsaturated fatty acids with anti-inflammatory properties. It's also a great source of phosphorus and manganese, making the ideal treat for bone health, s well as vitamins B1 and B6, highly important for energy production.
3. Mastic 
Source: Wikipedia
The Greek island of Chios is the exclusive home to the famous mastic, a kind of aromatic resin, widely praised all around the world for its distinct taste and therapeutic properties. Its antioxidant extract is said to prevent the development of atherosclerosis and various heart diseases. Being high in polyphenols, mastic can reduce blood glucose and cholesterol levels, while also providing plaque-fighting ingredients.
4. Honey 
Source: Rapeepong Puttakumwong/Getty Images
In addition to its delightful taste and rich texture, Greek honey has great antibacterial qualities, and, according to some researchers, it can prevent cancer. Its more than 180 nutrients include good carbohydrates, antioxidants, B vitamins, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and zinc. For centuries, it has been used as a treatment for sore throat, cough, minor burns, cuts, and other infections.
5. Saffron
Source: robynmac/Fotolia
Originating in Kozani, Greek saffron belongs to the highest quality of saffron in the world. Also called the "Gold of Greek Earth", it has been one of the most popular spices since antiquity, not only for its flavor and impressive purple color but also for its great pharmaceutical and aphrodisiac properties. Among others, it is said to relieve kidney pains, facilitate digestion, limit whooping cough, and cure pimples. Every autumn, the residents of Kozani remove by hand the precious spots of the beautiful flower, thus making it extremely valuable!
Published in
Greek Food & Diet
Tagged under
Tuesday, 03 August 2021 07:00
Tzoumerka Cave: An Impressive Natural Wonder In Greece
The cave in Tzoumerka, in the Greek region of Epirus, one of the most impressive and most visited natural wonders of Greece is an ideal destination all year round.
Tzoumerka is a mountain range found in northwestern Greece. These limestone peaks rise east of the Axeloos River and are surrounded by the main column of the Pindus Range.
Many of the areas are part of Natura 2000, a network of protected areas, as many species of flora and fauna, some of them endangered, are native to various areas of Tzoumerka.
The Anemotrypa cave is located three kilometers from Pramanta, west of Stroggoula, and at an altitude of 900 meters (2,953 feet).
The uniquely sculpted, colored stalagmites and the three lakes in shades of gray, brass, and white that have been formed over the years, create a unique, dreamy landscape.
Inside the cave, there is a pond that is completely blue because of the quartz crystals at the bottom.
The cave has three levels. The highest, and oldest, has collapsed in the past and only parts of it are preserved. The middle level is where visitors walk and the third and lower level is the underground riverbed, which is seen at the end of the visitors’ trail, just before it creates a two-meter waterfall.
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
Published in
Travel Greece
Tagged under
Tuesday, 03 August 2021 07:00
Greece 3rd Most Searched Destination For Post-Covid-19 Travel
Greece is among the world’s most searched-for destinations for post-Covid-19 travel, ranking third on the list provided by ESTA, a US electronic system for travel authorization.
Esta-america.com has analyzed Google search volume data to reveal the global searches for destinations around the world and the countries that people are most looking forward to visiting when the travel gates finally open fully.
Greece is in third place with 108,780 searches per month. The Maldives, with 130,970 average monthly searches, are first place while India takes the second spot with 130,750 monthly average searches.
Out of the top 10 most-searched-for countries, Asia is the continent that features the most, with four (five including Turkey) countries within it taking the top spots.
Hotspots such as Thailand, the Maldives, and India are clearly grabbing the attention of aspirational wanderers with their golden beaches, scorching weather, and bustling cultures.
There are some well-known holiday destinations that travelers aren’t as excited to visit again post-Covid, such as Morocco with just 14,840 average monthly searches, the United Arab Emirates with 13,700 searches, and popular travel hotspot Laos with just 2,890 searches.
There are some well-known holiday destinations that travelers aren’t as excited to visit again post-Covid, such as Morocco with just 14,840 average monthly searches, the United Arab Emirates with 13,700 searches, and popular travel hotspot Laos with just 2,890 searches.
The survey also reveals that travel aspirations have changed over the past year. In August 2020, Italy was the country that travelers wanted to visit the most. It has now dropped down to the 13th spot. Following this, Mexico and Thailand have both been bumped down the list this year, too.
To read this article in full, please visit: news.gtp.gr
Published in
Greece In The News
Tagged under
Monday, 16 August 2021 00:59
Athens Street Food Festival 2021
Athens Street Food Festival is back! The festival, which became a gastronomic institution and a reference point for Athens, starts heating the ovens again!
On the 10-11-12, 17-18-19, and 24-25-26 of September, the Amaxostasio of OSY venue at Gazi will be filled with smells of the most delicious recipes of “street food” from around the world and with thousands of foodies who want to try them!
With over 400,000 visitors in four years, ASFF is the largest food festival in the country and a top cultural event for the whole of Athens.
For its 2021 edition, ASFF raises the bar, even more, presenting original ideas, “unknown” cuisines of the world, and many exclusives.
ASFF 2021 will be held in compliance with all the necessary conditions required by the conditions due to the pandemic
More information will be announced soon!
On the 10-11-12, 17-18-19, and 24-25-26 of September, the Amaxostasio of OSY venue at Gazi will be filled with smells of the most delicious recipes of “street food” from around the world and with thousands of foodies who want to try them!
With over 400,000 visitors in four years, ASFF is the largest food festival in the country and a top cultural event for the whole of Athens.
For its 2021 edition, ASFF raises the bar, even more, presenting original ideas, “unknown” cuisines of the world, and many exclusives.
ASFF 2021 will be held in compliance with all the necessary conditions required by the conditions due to the pandemic
More information will be announced soon!
The event has been postponed
Published in
Food & Drink
Tagged under
Monday, 26 July 2021 07:00
Kyniska Of Sparta - The First Female Olympian
Kyniska (or Cyniska), a Spartan princess, was the daughter of King Archidamus II and sister to King Agesilaus. She owned a sizable estate where she bred, raised, and trained horses, and in 396 BC, when she was probably between 40 and 50 years old, she became the first woman to participate in the Olympic Games.
Unlike Athens and the other Greek city-states where girls were hidden from the public and learned only domestic skills, Sparta held races and trials of strength for girls as well as boys.
Kyniska’s childhood would have been full of athletic training: running, jumping, throwing the discus, and javelin, perhaps even wrestling. She had wealth and status but her ambition made her a legend and drove her to compete in the four-horse chariot race, or tethrippon, at the Olympics in 396 and 392 BC. She won both times.
This feat was especially impressive because women could not even step foot on the sacred grounds of the Olympic Sanctuary during the festival. Married women were forbidden on penalty of death from even attending as spectators, so, in order to compete Kyniska cleverly exploited loopholes.
In sports like wrestling or javelin, the victors competed individually on the field. In the chariot race, the winners were the horse owners, not the drivers – who were almost always slaves. Much like with the modern Kentucky Derby or Melbourne Cup, the victors are the horse and its owner, not the rider. Kyniska didn’t have to drive the chariot to win. In fact, chariot team owners did not even have to be physically present at Olympia during the games. Kyniska could enter her chariot team in the race without ever setting foot on the forbidden sacred grounds.
But Kyniska’s role was not secret. News of an Olympic victory was carried by fleet messengers to the victor’s home city, where preparations to celebrate their return were begun at once. News that a woman had won an Olympic contest would have spread quickly.
Many ancient Greek women won Olympic victories after Kyniska, but none were as famous as she was. She erected at least two life-size bronze statues of herself at Olympia. The inscription on a remaining fragment of her marble statue base reads: “Kings of Sparta were my fathers and brothers. I, Kyniska, victorious at the chariot race with her swift-footed horses, erected this statue. I claim that I am the only woman in all Greece who won this crown.”
To read this article in full, please visit: greekreporter.com
Published in
Greek Philosophy & History
Tagged under