1. Bread, pitta bread, rusks, salted crackers
2. Salt, vinegar, lemon, and refrigerated bouillon
3. Salted & smoked fish and fish roe.
4. Biscuits, cookies, chocolate, spoon sweets, peanut butter, chocolate spreads, ice cream, and others.
5. Sweeteners
6. Cold deserts such as puddings, rice puddings, jellos and others.
7. Cereals (excluding oats)
8. Fresh and frozen dough & fyllo products
9. Coffee and teas
10. Jams and preserves
11. Tomato sauces and puree
12. Condiments
13. Fruits and vegetables
14. Dried fruits and nuts
15. Margarine and vegetable oils
16. Juice
17. Ready-made packaged meals
18. Frozen potatoes

Furthermore, VAT will be reduced to 6% from 13% on electricity and gas bills. Restaurant and cafeteria meals are also subject to VAT reduction from 24% to 13%, excluding drinks.

I was very lucky this Saturday 5th October!   I had the pleasure of being hosted by Coco-Mat in Kifissia, a rather swanky Northern suburb in Athens.  Coco-Mat was established in 1989 here in Greece…if you’ve not heard of them, they’re Award-Winning makers of quality mattresses, pillows sleep products, towels & furniture.

They have stores around Greece and various places in Europe, the Middle East, the U.S.A. and Asia including France, Spain, The Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, New York, China & South Korea.

The Coco-Mat concept of wellbeing for all by creating a truly restful night’s sleep has migrated into the company opening a series of Hotels and Resorts around Europe.   And I spent the night in their Nafsika Hotel, Kifissia, Athens.  Only opened for a year and a half, what awaited me?  How was the experience?  What’s all this fuss about pillows and beds?

Coco-Mat have a simple philosophy: to make your stay feel as if you’re at home. And I have to say, they’ve created an ambiance that certainly reflects this.  From the moment you step through the front door, the open plan ‘reception’ / relaxation area / restaurant plays its role.   Cleverly there is a lot of light, open space and an open kitchen.  The ability to see through the glass into the kitchen area goes one step further into ensuring a homely atmosphere.    They go further by providing you with their top quality mattresses and pillows. And believe me, I slept like a baby.

Sleep is vital to wellbeing

I usually sleep very well, but didn’t realise how much better I could sleep until I slept on a Coco-Mat bed and pillows.  After a delicious dinner of spinach risotto, I had a lovely long, hot shower in the monsoon style bathroom, then crawled into bed for some cable TV (another little luxury for me).  An hour later I was fast asleep, head nestled into the goose down pillow, body firmly moulded into the gorgeous mattress.  

I awoke rejuvenated (not quite jumping out of bed)—and ready for breakfast.

Muesli, fresh orange juice and a buffet selection of cheeses, home-made bread, halva and cheese pies awaited me. I could have had fresh coffee and a range of teas too.

Other hotels

I would jump at the chance to stay in another Coco-Mat Hotel.  In Greece they offer locations in Athens, Serifos, Halkidiki, Karpenisi, Korinthia, Karitsa Larisas, Alonissos, Milos and Karpenisi as well as a the sailing boat ANEMOLIA which provides exceptional cruising holidays in the Sporades and North Aegean Islands (yes please!).  COCO-MAT Hotel Nafsika in Kifissia, Athens (where I stayed) is perfect for business and pleasure alike.   If I’d wanted to explore Kifissia more closely, I could have done so by borrowing one of their bicycles (unfortunately I don’t trust myself not to fall off into the path of an approaching car, otherwise I would have done).

Rates at the Hotel Nafsika in Kifissia, Athens start at 115 Euros per room per night for a Double, rising to 150 Euros per night for the Suite.   Whether you’re coming to Athens (or Greece) for business or pleasure, I’d highly recommend Coco-Mat Hotels for their ambience, healthy food and, of course, a guaranteed peaceful night’s sleep.

By Bex

http://www.leavingcairo.com/2013/10/a-night-at-coco-mat-hotel-nafsika-in.html

Until next week,

Jack

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…

We gorged so happily on these mezedes that we couldn’t summon much enthusiasm for our entrees, which warranted at least a bit of it. A simply grilled red snapper had tender flesh; baked chicken fulfilled its prosaic obligations.

Come dessert Vlassis looked beyond the national borders, serving us a panna cotta reminiscent of Italy and a cheesecake evocative of nowhere and everywhere. I could excuse the digression. It was the last act of our final meal, and we’d had our contented fill of Greece.

Vlassis, Maiandrou 15, Athens; (30-210) 7256335. Dinner for two, with wine, is 85 euros.


nytimes.com

Do you have a recommendation or recipe to share? Send it to us at ideas@xpatathens.com!

The initiative was launched 18 months ago with the selection of the first 32 cities to participate. Today the second group of 35 cities around the world to join the network were announced, with the candidacies of Thessaloniki and Athens both proving successful. In total 331 cities had applied to join the programme.  

To read more, please visit thetoc.gr/eng

A land of incredible natural beauty, fascinating history, and colorful folklore, Greece arguably has something for everyone. From quaint coastal towns to alpine mountain villages and multicultural Macedonian cities, this is a selection of the must-visit, off-the-beaten-path destinations where you will discover a different side of this remarkable country.

1. Nafplio

Few cities reflect Greece’s rich and diverse history as well as Nafplio, one of the country’s most elegant and romantic destinations. Located in the heart of the historic Argolis region on the Peloponnese peninsula, Nafplio has deep cultural roots in Ancient Greece and the Venetian period of the 15th and 17th centuries. It flourished as modern Greece’s first capital in the early 1800s. The city boasts gorgeous neoclassical mansions, beautiful Venetian architecture and scenic alleys. Its landscape is composed by two Venetian castles, Palamidi and Acronafplia, built on two successive hills. Not to be missed, the small fortress of Bourtzi in the Argolic gulf, a short ferry ride from the city, offers unique views over Nafplio and an ideal setting for romantic getaways.

2. Parga