Greece’s beaches are among the world’s cleanest with the region of Halkidiki and the island of Rhodes in the lead this year, according to the 2022 Blue Flag quality award list for beaches, marinas, and sustainable tourism boats, released by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF).

Greece ranked second after Spain among 48 countries with 581 of its beaches, 15 marinas, and six recreational boats getting the Blue Flag label, one of the world’s most recognized voluntary eco-labels, awarded to beaches, marinas, and sustainable boating tourism operators.

At the top of the list with the cleanest beaches is the Halkidiki region with 87 Blue Flags, followed by Rhodes (55), and Crete: Lassithi (41), Chania (36), Heraklion (31), and Rethymno (20).

Other top 10 Blue Flag beaches in Greece are in Attica (18), Kefalonia (17), and Lesvos (17).

“We are blessed as a country. Our destinations are highly sought after by people from across the globe,” Deputy Tourism Minister Sofia Zacharaki commented on the news. Zacharaki went on to refer also to the quality of services and human resources in Greece while announcing that 140 million euros in RRF funds will be going into the construction of marinas and beach accessibility.

Last year, Greece ranked second again globally with 530 beaches among 49 countries for its Blue Flag beaches.

About the Blue Flag

The Blue Flag voluntary eco-label program is operated under the auspices of the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark. In Greece, the program’s coordinator is the EEPF.

In order to qualify for the Blue Flag, a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety, and accessibility criteria must be met and maintained.

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

Translated by: CodicoLab

The National Garden, a green oasis in the heart of the city, one of the most beautiful landmarks of Athens, regains its lost glory. As part of a strategic plan, which includes the complete refurbishment of the historic garden, the Municipality of Athens delivers the first complete section on the northern side of the garden, between the Amalia and the Vasilissis Sofias Avenues.

From now on, residents and visitors of the city can wander the upgraded areas of the garden, sit on the benches, read a book under the trees, exercise, and play with their kids.

With respect to the area’s historical importance, which dates 186 years back, the Municipality proceeded with the reconstruction of the garden’s paths, the replacement of the old water supply system with a new advanced one, and the upgrade of the lighting system network. The garden’s distinctive lampposts were preserved and replaced where necessary. The benches were also upgraded but maintain their historic character and are totally aligned with the natural environment.

In the coming weeks, modern lights, as well as a signage system, will be installed.

Regarding the garden's flora, a team of experts was invited to take care of the rare trees, some of which are over 170 years old.

At the same time, emphasis was placed on the addition of new trees and plants that will enhance the biodiversity of the National Garden and help Athens become a green city. A total of 11,155 trees, shrubs, perennial herbaceous, seasonal, and climbing plants were planted.

Works are carried out in phases, so the garden remains open to the public.

The project also includes the restoration of historic buildings, the maintenance of historic marble and stone elements, the reconstruction of the playground and the pedestrian walkways, the fence’s restoration, the repair of the garden’s wooden bridge, and the construction of a new metal fence in the zoo.

A minuscule gem of an island, Trizonia is the largest island and the only inhabited one in the Corinthian Gulf. It belongs to the prefecture of Fokida, and, along with the islets of Prasoudi, Planemi, and Agios Ioannis comprises a small group of islands. Rumor has it that when Aristotle Onassis was looking to buy an island of his own, he was constantly visiting Trizonia, looking for a way to acquire them.

This unspoiled getaway is an ideal destination for vacationers who seek scenic beauty combined with a peaceful serenity. On Trizonia, it’s unlikely that you will come across any cars, as they are not allowed there, and there are barely any roads for them to drive on. So, if you’re traveling with kids, this small island provides the perfect opportunity for them to run free, play endlessly, discover the world around them, and get back in touch with nature!

Trizonia is a verdant island with lush vegetation, including olive trees, almond trees, vines, prickly pears, eucalypti, and many more. Visitors can wander the picturesque port, admire the natural marina where boats and yachts dock, visit one of the seaside taverns and cafes or go for a swim on one of the island’s three beaches: Pounda, Aspra Halikia, and Kapsales. Located 2km from the port, Pounda is the largest and most beautiful beach, with fine red sand and emerald waters; a definite must-see!

How To Get There

The best thing about Trizonia is that you don’t have to travel for hours on end to get there. It’s only a 5 -minute boat ride off the coast of the fishing village of Chania, on the north side of the Gulf. And, for the best part? The boat ticket costs just 1 euro per person!

To get to Chania from Athens, travelers must follow the route Athens-Thiva-Aliartos-Livadia-Delfoi-Itea-Galaxidi-Eratini-Chania, which is 276km.



Main image: @m_tsili

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

As part of the effort to attract foreign students, hence providing higher education institutes with a more extroverted outlook, a growing number of Greek medical schools are introducing or planning to introduce English-language undergraduate programs.

More specifically, the medical schools of the universities of Patras, Thessaly, and Crete are planning to establish an English-language medicine program.

To further this aim, Education Minister Niki Kerameus is joining the entourage of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ trip to the US next week, where she will meet with representatives of American universities to discuss new partnerships with Greek institutions and the expansion of existing ones.

Thessaloniki’s Aristotle University has already launched such programs, while that of the University of Athens will start next October, in the 2022-23 academic year.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

The popular online art workshops for children and adults, organized by the Museum of Greek Children’s Art, continue in May.

Once again, young, aspiring artists will travel through art to imaginary worlds of vibrant blue waves and colourful flowers, be inspired by favourite artists and create their own unique works of art.

See the May programme in detail:

- 14 May: Paul Siniak and pointillism / Online art workshop.

- 21 May: A ship on the seas by Panagiotis Tetsis / Online art workshop / Online art workshop.

- 28 May: Let’s go fishing with George Kypri / Online art workshop

Workshop times: during the mentioned dates, fixed time 17:30-19:00

The classes will be held via the zoom platform.

- 18 May: “The power of Museums. With the power of art we dream and design a better future!” – Join the celebration of International Museum Day 2022 / Online art workshop with free participation.

- 29 May: “Making Pablo Picasso’s Guitar” Independent art workshop in the Museum’s workshop.

The National Historical Museum is pleased to invite guests to a surprise concert event by the Athens Municipal Band at Kolokotroni Square, Saturday, May 14, 2022, at 17:30.

Founded in 1885, the Athens Municipal Band performed at the first modern Olympic Games, hosted by Athens in 1896. The ensemble, comprised of 92 distinguished musicians, has worked with world-renowned soloists, including Sokratis Anthis, Spyros Mourikis, Nikolaos Xanthoulis, Gregory Jones and Chen Rui.

Over a period of more than 120 years, the Athens Municipal Band has provided significant cultural and educational output, driven by the aim of constantly improving its high standards, remaining at the fore of all the country’s cultural endeavours, and being regarded as one of Europe’s finest musical ensembles.

The National Historical Museum’s commemorative exhibitions “Revolution 21 Reframed” and “1821 – The Battle of the Square” will be open to the public until 20:00.

The event follows all required guidelines of the public health authority to prevent the spread of COVID 19.

21 all -female artists from Europe & all over the world in the central line-up of the 21st Athens Jazz!

After its special hybrid edition that counts 14 acclaimed bands from 10 countries, 5 live shows & 9 pre-recorded sessions, 3,000 tickets and 20,000 live streaming views, ATJF returns from May 23rd to May 29th 2022 louder and jazzier than ever! 

Since 2001, the Athens Jazz Festival  has been inviting us at the end of spring, just before summer, to a music trip, marking thus the start of the concert season in Athens. The city's longest-running music event, with free admission, has been hosting a variety of international, acclaimed jazz trends, bands and groups from all over the globe, attracting more than 6,000 visitors daily.

Thus, Technopolis has become the setting for a seven-day exciting cultural feast. The Athenians and visitors to the city are invited to participate in an exciting celebration, with jazz music at its core. The Athens Jazz opens its doors to welcome the public from morning till evening, allowing young and old to enjoy a rich - international standards - music program, with live shows and more at Gazi and throughout the city. 

To date, the Athens Jazz has hosted more than 265 international and local bands and 2,900 musicians from 28 countries.

 

Do you want to take your career to a new level and uncover your leadership potential? Then join us for the Access MBA Balkans and Central Europe online event on 28 May.

Access MBA educates, matches, and connects prospective MBA applicants with accredited and top-ranked business schools from around the globe. On 28 May you will have the ideal opportunity to learn more about the world’s most recognised business degrees. Speak with admissions directors of leading international institutions from Germany, UK, US, and more.

3 ways Access MBA helps you on your professional journey:

1. One-to-one meetings, GMAT workshops, and more

Benefit from the many engaging formats – interactive workshops on test preparation, school presentations, and panel discussions with alumni. You can enjoy online one-to-one meetings with some of the top-ranked business schools from around the world. Plan your questions now so you can get all the details about the best MBA programmes.

2. Personalised experience

Choosing an MBA or Executive MBA is a different experience for everyone. At the online event you will have a personal MBA consultant to guide you to the programmes that best fit your background and expectations. Then, talk one-to-one with representatives from the schools that match your preferences. 

3. Scholarship of 1,000 euros for your business studies

At the end of each season, Access MBA awards one prospective student a scholarship of EUR 1,000 to help them finance their business studies. For a chance to win the prize, sign up now for free and make the most of the event. Take an active part in discussions with some of the participating business schools and you might be the next winner.

Choose the MBA way and join online on 28 May! Register for free HERE!