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XpatAthens

Thursday, 11 January 2018 09:35

12 Healthy Places To Eat In Athens

If your New Year's resolution is to start eating better, then look no further than these places Greece Is recommends for healthy eating. Whether you're a vegetarian, vegan, or you simply want to add more nutrition to your meals, these restaurants in Athens will have you covered.

Fontana Living Well

Jars filled with spices, herbs, superfruits, oats and seeds line the walls in this health store, which doubles as a juice bar.

Address: Ermou & 17 Aiolou
Hours: Mon-Sat 8:00-23:00, Sun 9:30-23:00

Holy Greens

Holy Greens, located in an office building in the northeastern suburb of Marousi, follows a Swedish concept of healthy but filling salads to give you energy throughout the day; perfect for a quick bite in between meetings.

Address: 3A Fragoklisias, Marousi
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-19.00, Sat 10:00-16:00

Froots

Juices you could live on as well as raw soups and smoothies made with homemade almond milk.

Address: 6 Athanasiou Diakou & Porinou
Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00

To read this article in full, please visit: Greece Is
Monday, 11 March 2019 00:20

Carnival Celebrations Across Greece

Sunday, the last day before Lent, according to the Christian Orthodox calendar, saw the conclusion of Carnival celebrations in Greece. Helped by the sunny weather, many thousands took part in the parades and other Carnival celebrations all around Greece.
 
The best-known Carnival in Greece takes place in Patras, the country’s 3rd largest city. This year the Patras Carvival attracted some 40,000 visitors and included a Chinese troupe, “Flying Dragons and Dancing Lions - Team of Cuigezhuang Township”.
 
The Patras Carnival is most likely the most flamboyant and crowded, while places such as Naoussa in northern Greece and the island of Corfu base their celebrations on old traditions and retain a more authentic character.


To read this article in full, please visit: ekathimerini
Photo: Facebook
Monday, 05 April 2021 19:31

Run Messinia 2021: Run For Freedom

Run For Freedom: 10 Marathons In 10 days!

The Greek rebellion against the Ottoman Empire, 200 years ago, marked the end of slavery, reclaiming the most valuable asset for Greeks, their freedom. Historical battles of the national liberation efforts took place in the Messinian land and decisive naval battles effectively sealed the end of the Revolution and led to the freedom of Greece, resulting in the national rebirth and the establishment of the modern Greek state.

Run Messinia is an ultramarathon race of a total distance of approximately 421 kilometers, a tribute to the important events and unforgettable battles of the heroes of 1821. On June 5-14, 2021, during the “Run for Freedom” edition, 10 athletes per route will attempt to run 10 marathons in total, in 10 consecutive days, crossing historical places and monuments of Messinia, Laconia and Arcadia, which are related to the Greek revolution.

Run Messinia is committed to never forgetting all those sacrificed during the Revolution of 1821 and promises to spread the stories of heroes who honored and defended the right of all people to live with dignity in a fair and peaceful world.

The 10 Historical Routes of Run for Freedom
The Messinian land constitutes a special and historic place for the Greek Revolution of 1821. For this reason, the event aims to highlight the history of all the areas associated with the Greek Revolution in Messinia both culturally and touristically.

- Run for Freedom will start its 1st route from Areopoli of the East Mani Municipality, pass through Stoupa of the West Mani Municipality and end in Kardamyli.
- The 2nd route, starting from Kardamyli, will pass through Verga of the Kalamata Municipality and end in the city of Kalamata.
- In the 3rd route, the athletes starting from Kalamata will cross Nedousa and finish in Alagonia.
- During the 4 th route of Run Messinia, the runners starting from Alagonia will pass through Dyrachio and Neochori of the Megalopoli Municipality and complete their effort in Poliani of the Kalamata Municipality.
- From Poliani, during the 5th route, participants will cross Skala and end up in Paloukorahi of the Oichalia Municipality.
- The 6th route will highlight historical places of the Oichalia Municipality, as the athletes starting from Paloukorahi will cross Katsarou, Solaki, Meropi, Loutro, Diavolitsi, Ano Psari, Dorio and end up at the statue of Kolokotronis in Ramovouni.
- In the 7th route starting from Ramovouni, the runners will pass through Zerbisia of the Messini Municipality, Kalogeresi, Saint Nikitas Sellas and Tripyla of the Trifylia Municipality, in order to reach Maniaki of the Pylos-Nestor Municipality.
- In the 8th route the participants will start from Maniaki, pass through Agios Andreas of the Messini Municipality and Kato Minagia and finish in Koroni.
- The 9th route will move exclusively within the Pylos-Nestor Municipality from Koroni, to Methoni and then to 2 Pylos.
- The 10th and final route of Run for Freedom starting from Pylos, will provide runners with the opportunity of passing through Neokastro, observing Sphacteria and Paleokastro, while crossing Kremmidia and Schinolakka.

Safety First
The event is planned and will be implemented based on the strict health and safety protocol and the approval of the Health Scientific Committee of the General Secretariat of Sports, with respect to the Covid-19 pandemic conditions. In order to avoid any excess interactions and overcrowding, up to 10 runners will compete in each route, while a Covid-19 test being mandatory for all. In case the epidemiological data improve, an increase in the number of participating runners will be considered. In case of a deteriorating health environment, the event will be transferred to the end of June.

The valuable support of the Municipalities
The partnered Municipalities supporting Run Messinia and contributing to the event’s smooth implementation are the following, in Greek alphabetical order: East Mani Municipality, West Mani Municipality, Kalamata Municipality, Megalopoli Municipality, Messini Municipality, Oichalia Municipality, Pylos-Nestor Municipality, Trifylia Municipality.

Run Messinia will leave a legacy for the future of the place, as it has already started highlighting and promoting through its social media, the historical places, the battles and all the monuments, which are located in the three regions and through which runners will pass.

The event will be held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization. The difficult task of the event’s planning and implementation has been 3 undertaken by the award-winning ActiveMedia Group through its Sports Production department.

More information on the schedule, routes, and details of Run Messinia will be announced in the upcoming weeks.

XpatAthens is proud to be a Media Sponsor of Run Messinia 2021

Greece's vital summer tourism season has officially begun. With the country expecting high numbers of visitors this year, the decision to lift COVID-19 restrictions throughout the summer tourism period was made and authorities will consider reinstating them in September.



Click here to learn more about how to protect yourself, symptoms, and where to seek medical treatment. 
Click here to read about how to get vaccinated for COVID-19 in Greece.


New Measures
  • As of May 1, 2022, the public will no longer need to present coronavirus vaccination or illness certificates to enter indoor or open spaces such as restaurants.
  • Students will no longer be required to regularly present negative self-tests starting May 1, 2022.
  • Unvaccinated employees will have to present 1 negative Rapid Antigen Test per week to access their workspace as of May 1, 2022
  • From May 1 until August 31, 2022, all venues will be able to operate at full capacity (100 percent).
  • Wearing masks indoors will no longer be mandatory as of June 1, 2022 with some exceptions that will be announced shortly
Important Notice from XpatAthens
 
It is important to remind our readers that XpatAthens is not in any way a media source. While we do our best to keep our readers informed, we advise you to consult Greek media outlets such as ekathimerini.comamna.grnaftemporiki.gr, and protothema.gr and/or international news sites for up-to-the-hour updates on the coronavirus. Be wise and stay safe.

Article sources used above: gtp.gr and naftemporiki.gr. 
Thursday, 03 February 2022 13:29

The World Class Wines Of Attica

Attica, the peninsula surrounded by the Aegean Sea where Athens stands, is a region of many surprises. Look around if you’re landing at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and you’ll notice some of the 29,000 acres of vineyards, where 32 wineries produce world-class labels.

Fascinatingly enough, the culture of winemaking in Greece has existed in the region for around three and a half thousand years and in mythology, the God Dionysus traveled across Attica offering wine. Wine has always been an important gastronomic and cultural staple of the Greek diet and lifestyle, as proven by archaeological finds of amphorae and kylixes (cups) that wine was transported and consumed in.

The dry, warm climate and abundant sunshine in Attica through most of the year certainly help – both in the production of wine and in providing the perfect opportunity to visit wineries to taste and shop local varieties in 30 to 60 minutes of travel from the centre of town. Attica also produces honey, pistachio nuts, and prized black figs in season.

The areas of Kapandriti, Koropi, Pikermi, Spata, Pallini, and Stamata are where you’ll find the wineries of Attica, where the famous Savvatiano and Roditis, as well as Retsina, made from Savvatiano wine with added pine resins. “Savatiano is like drinking the Greek summer,” said global wine expert Tara Thomas to Wine & Spirit magazine, “fruity, complete in taste, easy to drink, with the scents of citrus and green apple popping out of the glass; a world-class grape.”

More modern varieties include Malagouzia, Assyrtiko, Fileri, Cabernet Sauvignon, Agiorgitiko, Athiri, Vilana, Merlot, Robola, White Muscat, Muscat of Hamburg and Muscat of Alexandria. GCT spoke with leading oenologist Nico Manessis to get some top tips on the most highly recommended Attica wineries to visit. Manessis is a leading expert on the wines of his native Greece. He authored the pioneering ‘The Greek Wine Guide’ and the’ Illustrated Greek Wine book. His travels on the wine routes continue chronicling developments which are published in his excellent and informative website Greek Wine World.

To read this article in full, please visit: greekcitytimes.com
A unique event with a piano player floating in the air over the Tempi Valley to promote the natural heritage in the area of Central Greece.

Sunday afternoon, hikers and other visitors were stunned, when a woman appeared in the air with her piano that was floating in the air with the help of big balloons, creating an unreal scenery.

This unique event and promotion video was an idea of director Paschalis Mantis and the pianist of the Acropolis museum Elena Xydia who followed a call by the mayor of Tempi Municipality, Giorgos Manolis, in order to create a special video promoting the natural heritage of the area.

A volunteer team worked for some time planning the venture, which is unique as no one has attempted it before in a natural landscape, at such a great height.

With impeccable technical planning by Vassilis Badavis, all safety measures were foreseen, in this venture which was completely safe both in the preparation phase and in the final implementation phase.

It should be noted that the help offered by the Larissa Fire Brigade, the Police, and the Larissa Chamber of Commerce was very important and essential, the organizers said.

Originally published on: keeptalkinggreece.com


Thursday, 03 October 2024 12:51

Greek Property Consulting

XpatAthens provides effective and efficient personalized services that are designed to save you time and money. Whether you’re a foreigner living in Greece or living outside the country, we can assist you at every step of the way. 

Offering a boutique-style service, our trustworthy team - including certified architects - engineers, interior designers, civil engineers, property lawyers, local accountants, hand-picked construction teams, and property managers - know the intricacies of buying, owning, building and selling property in Greece. They’re all about getting the job done exceedingly well so that your experience is worry free!

Get in touch with our team of experienced professionals who work with you one-on-one to provide a completely tailored service that meets your individual property needs. 

Our team of experts can help you with:

Property Management Services in Greece - We help Greek property owners to lease their property with the best terms. We specialize in comprehensive property management for owners, ensuring maximum rental returns and hassle-free experiences. Our services include financial management, digital marketing channels optimization, as well as thorough supervision and maintenance of your property.

Greek Property Pre-Purchase Support - We will Inspect your property before purchase to ensure it meets all legal compliance; we provide legal and notarial representation for property transfers, and property insurance all with English speaking associates experienced in working with overseas clients.

Greek Property Point Person - All of our clients are predominantly non-Greek residents who wish to purchase or who already own property in Greece. We handle all real estate related matters, becoming your go-to-point-person and owner’s representative.

Greek Property Portfolio - We coordinate the process of organizing all your property related documents such as title deeds, public entity registrations, building permits, etc. in order to ensure that as an owner all of your property documents are up-to-date.

Remodeling & Procurement in Greece - We handle complete and partial renovations and upgrades of any scale and type. Our services include plumbing, electrical installations, carpentry, masonry, painting, furniture, fixtures, and landscape design.

Greek Property Ownership - We can assist with handling domestic accounts, negotiating leases, issuing energy performance certificates for rental properties, handling ‘common area’ (kinohrista) matters by representing apartment owners and overall property related compliance services with our team of English speaking associates.

Contact us directly here to tell us about your needs. We are a team of trustworthy locals who speak the language, and know how to get the job done impeccably well!
Thursday, 05 February 2015 14:57

House Sitting

And oldie, but goodie from Jack...I’ve spent the past week house-sitting for a friend in Koukaki, in the shadow of the Parthenon. Part of the deal is walking the dog 3 times daily – a task which I don’t mind at all, much less given that my dog-walking path is the Dionisiou Areopagitou pathway around the Acropolis. I mean, how much better does it get – early morning, deserted streets, quiet – and all the dog-owners out for their morning jaunt around the great symbol of the city…

I never thought of Athens as a ‘dog owning city’. I stand corrected.

I’ve walked around the historic centre this week more times than I can count. I told my friends I’ve been doing laps around the Acropolis. It’s surreal. And completely ‘normal’ too. I think it’s great that such an important monument forms such an ‘integral’ part of day-to-day life here. Whether you walk around it, drive around it, look at it through a distant window – it’s always there. And for every tourist with map in hand, staring at the rock – there is another local, on her way to meet a friend for a catch-up.

Life in the centre of Athens – for my taste – is fantastic. Everything is just around the corner. The streets are busy with voices and activity. Nightlife is ‘just over there’. And parking is… well, parking is no issue when you don’t even need a car.

So with the Acropolis Museum in front of me, Makriyianni street behind me, I wait for the real estate agent to show up – it’s about time I checked out some apartments down here…

Until next time,

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…

Thursday, 09 June 2016 07:00

Biking In Athens

The capital of Greece, with the joys of the mountain and the pleasures of the sea equally available, can really thrill the bikers. Mount the bicycle of your imagination and follow us on an enchanting trip around the beauties of Athens. Kids of all ages, set the wheels in motion… Take your family along and follow safe ways through parks and cycle lanes. Treat your spare time of nonchalance with fitness in the following suggested places...

- Park of Environmental Information and Sensitisation “Antonis Tritsis”.

- “Syggrou” grove in Kifissia

- The ex royal estate in Tatoi

- The Technical University’s park in Zografou

- Intermunicipal cycle track of the northern suburbs

Let history be your guide…

The longest pedestrian walkway is Dionysiou Areopagitou str. It starts at the Hadrian’s Arch; it goes past the Acropolis Museum and keeps on through Apostolou Pavlou str. to Thissio and Monastiraki and, at Assomaton square, it meets Ermou str. Take the latter and go as far as Gazi or Plaka.

Feel the energy of the surroundings: incomparable monuments of the Greek cultural heritage will set the backdrop for an unforgettable ride pas the Ancient Agora, the Ancient Dionysus Theatre, the Roman Agora. For a time journey back to the ages of the old times of Athens as capital of the Hellenic Republic, Plaka is the best choice.

Caressed by the sea breeze…

When you have cycled around the city centre but you are eager for more, go to the Athens Riviera and enjoy some ouzo after your ride. Our suggestions:

-From “Floisvos” marina to Eden beach

-From Fáliro to Glyfáda

-From the marina in Glyfáda to Kavouri

To read this article in full, please visit: Visit Greece
 

 

 

Thursday, 19 February 2015 12:28

Greeks In New York To Celebrate Oxi Day

On October 28th, millions around the world will commemorate OXI (pronounced ō-hē) Day, a day honoring Greece’s courageous resistance during World War II. The day will be remembered on board the USS SLATER in Albany, New York with a brief program beginning at 9:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend. 

In 1940 Mussolini delivered an ultimatum to Greece’s Prime Minister demanding the entry of the Italian army into Greece and Italian occupation of Greek territory. The Prime Minister refused. His response was quickly echoed by the people of Athens as “Oxi,” meaning “No.” 

To read more, please visit greekreporter.com

By Ioanna Zikakou

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