It was recently announced that Athens, Greece is a finalist amongst 12 cities for the 2018 European Capital of Innovation Award. The award is an annual prize awarded to the European city that is best able to demonstrate innovation that improves the lives of its citizens.

Cities that are able to contribute to open dynamic innovation ecosystems, involve citizens in governance and decision-making, and use innovation to improve the resiliency and sustainability of their cities are given consideration for the award. The city that is named the European Innovation Capital of the Year will receive 1 million euros, while the five runner-up cities will receive 100,000 euros.

The Mayor of Athens, Giorgos Kaminis, explained that Athens being nominated for this award began with a variety of innovation programs in Athens, such as renovating old abandoned buildings and opening them to local communities.

The other cities in running with Athens are Aarhus, Antwerp, Bristol, Gothenburg, Hamburg, Leuven, Lisbon, Madrid, Toulouse, Umeå, and Vienna.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Travel Pages

Dynamic presence of the Greek National Open Water Swimming Team. Major sponsors support the organization for another year!

“Santorini Experience” is approaching, as in October 5-7, the thrilling running and swimming races will take place for the 4 th year in Santorini, the world- famous tourist destination of unparalleled beauty.

This year’s event will feature many big names of the Greek National Open Water Swimming Team such as world champions Kelly Araouzou and Antonis Fokaidis, European champion George Arniakos and Greek champions Dimitris Negris, Stellina Aplanti, Dejan Jovanovic and Dimitris Manios.

In the context of this year's participation, the Greek champion Kelly Araouzou stated: “I am very happy to participate for the 4th consecutive year in Santorini Experience. This is an event that increases both its racing and organizing level every year. Particularly the open water swimming race is unique, as it is conducted in a unique landscape and on a route that you can swim only once a year, in the waters believed to cover the lost Atlantis. The swimming race is always implemented with absolute safety from the volcano of Santorini, having the imposing view of the island in front of you, with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation and following the FINA regulations. I invite all amateur and professional friends of the sea to take part and swim with me at the 4th Santorini Experience”.

Registration for “Santorini Experience” concludes on August 31 st , 2018. Hurry up and register now HERE as there are only a few days left:

For the second consecutive year in “Santorini Experience”, Samsung will be the official technology partner. The company will enrich the experience of those participating and attending the event with the innovative Samsung Galaxy ecosystem services, such as the Samsung Galaxy S9 and S9+, coupled with the Gear 360, the Gear VR and unique 360 degrees content.

Ford Motor Hellas promotes sports and “fair play” by participating for the 4 th year in the support team of “Santorini Experience”. Athletes and organizers will move with the safety and efficient Ford Motor Hellas cars, the official sponsor of the event. Alafouzos Sport will also be present at the 4 th “Santorini Experience”, as in all previous events as the official sponsor of the event. Athletes will be able to pick up their participation numbers and packages from Alafouzos Sport store in Fira.

Watch the impressive video teaser of Santorini Experience 2018 HERE! 

Santorini is an island in which use of means of transportation is necessary and DNA Travel provides its services for this purpose. Participants will be able to take advantage of the special offer created by DNA Travel for the days of Santorini Experience and arrange a transfer from/to their hotels and from/to the airport or the port they arrive at a cost of €30.00 for up to 4 people and with €5.00 extra cost for every extra person. Reservations can be made at info@dnatravel.gr and info@dnatravelgreece.com , but also at the following telephone numbers: +306972245343, +306980027609, +302286021179.

VitaNTravel, as the official travel agent of the event, will take care and assist all athletes and escorts with information about the ferry routes, ferry tickets, car rentals and accommodation in the island while a special accommodation package has been prepared for the period October 5-7, 2018. You may book this special package for a two- night stay that includes your hotel accommodation, ferry tickets with Blue Star Ferries, in economy class for the itineraries: Piraeus - Santorini (5/10), departure: 07.25 am, arrival: 14.55 pm and from Santorini - Piraeus (7/10), departure: 15.30 pm, arrival: 23.25 pm as well as extra transfers from the hotel to the event venues.

The privileged package starts from 130€/person. For more information visit:

http://vitantravel.gr/ or call +30 2103249070.

To find all available offers related to the event click HERE!

Ryanair is the official airline partner. Official sponsors are for one more year, Blue Star Ferries, Athina Luxury Suites and Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa. Official Supporters are Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Avance Rent A Car, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels and Boatmen Union Santorini. “Santorini Experience” is a co-organization of Municipality of Santorini, Municipal Sports Cultural Environmental Organization of Santorini (DAPPOS) and Active Media Group.

The event is held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization.

More info at: www.santorini-experience.com

Official Airline Partner: Ryanair

Official Technology Partner: Samsung

Official Sponsors: Ford Motor Hellas, Blue Star Ferries, Alafouzos Sport, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa

Official Supporters: Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”, Avance Rent A Car, Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels, Boatmen Union Santorini

Official Transport Partner: DNA Travel

Strategic Partner: National Geographic

Assisted by: Lifeguard Patrol, Assyrtico Wine Restaurant Café, Hellenic Recovery Recycling Corporation, Voluntary Lifeguards of Santorini, Mediterranean Dive Club, Santorini Nautical Club

Hospitality Sponsors: Santorini Hoteliers Association, Meltemi Hotels & Resorts, Aqua Vista Hotels, Athina Luxury Suites, Santo Maris Oia Luxury Suites & Spa, Canaves Oia, West East Suites, Desiterra Luxury Suites & Villas, 270 Oia’s View, Central Fira Hotel, Fanouris Condo, Monolithia, Casa Iphigenia, Sienna Resort

Official travel agent: VitaNTravel

Official Hashtag: #SantoriniExperience

Photo credit: Loukas Hapsis

Various islands in Greece have started research in order to discover new ways to operate a more sustainable and environmentally-friendly mobility and transportation system. With populations growing substantially during the summer months because of the influx of tourists, such systems are needed now more than ever.

The Sustainable Island Mobility Plan (SIMP) was created in order to offer easy, economic and flexible solutions to the mobility issue of the Greek islands by using methods such as the limiting of the use of cars, the promotion of carpooling, the introduction of electric vehicles, the reduction of speed limits and the improvement of existing parking spaces as well as the creation of new ones.

The first SIMP will be designed for the islands of Sifnos, Kea, Small Cyclades, and Naxos.

Article Source: Greek Reporter

According to Forbes, "the laidback Kerameikos neighborhood seems to live in a magical world of its own.” Because of its vibrant neighborhood with murals painted on the walls, new exciting restaurants, and some of the trendiest places for a drink, this Athens suburb has been labeled by Forbes as one of the coolest, hip, and artistic neighborhoods in the world.

The hippie-like atmosphere of the neighborhood has caught on and even tourists check it out and hang out with the local crowds. There are up-and-coming artists who display their work at galleries, theatres, bars, and there is something do around every corner.

Kerameikos is just a 10 minute walk from the historic center of Athens. As Forbes says, "It’s a place where old and new, Greece’s storied past and often turbulent present, tradition and forward-looking creativity all coexist happily together."

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek Reporter

Photo credit: Greek Reporter

If you're in Greece during the month of August, it is essential that you know how the whole country celebrates August the 15th. A sacred holiday full of traditions and celebrations. And if you're planning on going to any of the beautiful Greek islands, Skyscanner can help you book your tickets!

The Book Festival is held this year with the active participation of the “Athens 2018 World Book Capital” City of Athens, which in its own pavilion, presents its program , which includes more than 300 events. The 47th Book Festival pays tribute to Sung Poetry and attempts to open a dialogue between the Book and the arts.

The festival’s parallel program features a handful of interesting events which pay tribute to eminent Greek artists such as Katerina Aggelaki Rouk, Dionysis Savopoulos, Manolis Anagnostakis, Loula Anagnostaki, George Andreou and concerts by Stamatis Kraounakis, Eleni Tsaligopoulou and Yannis Kotsiras.

“The perfect disappearance”, Dilemma live in poetry of Katerina Aggelaki-Rouk

“Oh, Master-King” [E, Kyr-Afenti Vassilia], Folktale narration, at 19:00

Book Publishers Association pays tribute to Dionysis Savopoulos for his great contribution to Sung Poetry

Do not scare the Nightingale, Theatrical play at Aeroplio

“Trees and Nightingales said”, Fairy Tale Narration for young children

Event for Manolis Anagnostakis & Loula Anagnostaki

Children’s Youth Symphony Orchestra – Nina Patrikidou, under the auspices of the Archbishopric of Athens

“It’s love”, Folktale narration

Musical Journey inspired by the poem “I’ve had a dream” by poet Yovanna and the composer and pianist Anna Stereopoulou.

Event for Karagiozis by the Book Publishers Association with screenings, lectures, discussions and a great concert with Panino Damianos and his band.

Event dedicated to Nikos Kavvadias, by the Book Publishers Association in collaboration with the National Theater of Greece

The Book Publishers Association in collaboration with ERT pays homage to Nikos Kavvadias for his great contribution to sung poetry.

“From D. Solomos to Today”, songs, speeches, recitations by actors and poets.

Event dedicated to theater critic Kostas Georgoussopoulos

Event on the book of Kevin E.Simpson “Soccer under the Swastika” by Mv publishers

Marios Strofalis and his quartet present excerpts from Song of Songs

Folktale narration

Award Ceremony honoring Mikis Theodorakis for his great contribution to Melodic Poetry and Greek culture. Concert featuring his popular compositions performed by renowned old and new Greek artists.

Homage to the composer George Andreou featuring discussions, presentations and concert with Eleni Tsaligopoulou and Yannis Kotsiras

“Lorca at the Greek Art Theatre”, presentation of excerpts from Blood Wedding, documentary screening & concert by Stamatis Kraounakis

Our myths, our stars, Theatrical play at Aeroplio at 12:00. “Theria and Zoumpera”, fairy tale narration for children accompanied by music

Under the August full moon, the City of Athens Philharmonic Orchestra will take visitors on a musical journey to the nostalgic world of Greek cinema, on Sunday 26 August 2018 at 9pm.

Τhe concert is organized by the City of Athens Culture, Sport & Youth Organization (OPANDA) in cooperation with the Acropolis Museum. Music director: Dimitris Michas

The concert will take place in the Museum’s entrance courtyard with free entry.

The Museum’s entrance is located at the beginning of the pedestrian walkway of Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, close to the Acropolis metro station.

On this day, the Museum will be open from 8 a.m. to midnight with free entry to the exhibition galleries from 8 p.m. onwards. The restaurant of the second floor and the ground floor café will be open during the same hours.


(Photo credit: Nikos Vardakastanis)

With the amount of harmful plastic litter in our oceans and seas, the EU has proposed new EU-wide rules to target the 10 most used single-use plastic products, as well as abandoned fishing gear, most often found on Europe's beaches and seas.

The single-use plastics campaign, which launched on World Environment Day in June 2018, will introduce more readily available, affordable, and sustainable alternatives to the these products, as well as banning some from the market. For products that don't necessarily have a good alternative, the focus will be to limit their use through national consumption reduction and implementing design and labelling requirements, as well as waste management/clean-up obligations for producers.

According to this EU fact sheet and the single-use plastics campaign, 43% of all marine litter polluting our oceans is made up of these 10 types of single-use plastic items:

The campaign is aimed at young, dynamic adults who are always on-the-go, who are concerned about the environment, but continue to make daily choices that affect it. Enjoying take-away coffees and single-use straws are just a few examples. Part of the marketing efforts of the single-use plastics campaign includes a video, which you can watch below.

Plastics make up 85% of marine litter across the world and 70% in Europe. Plastics are also reaching people's home, with micro-plastics in the air, water, and food affecting people's health. With this new campaign that will help tackle the plastics issue, we will see new opportunities for innovation and job creation.

The campaign is addressing all Europeans and is offered in all official EU languages. There will be special focus placed on Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Spain.

So, are you #ReadyToChange?

For more information, please visit: Be Ready To Change

While on the Cycladic island of Sikinos in Greece, archaeologists came across an untouched tomb of a prominent and noble woman, along with 1,800 year-old jewelry, during a restoration project of a monument.

The grave, which had the inscription "Neiko," was found inside the vault of a Roman-era maosoleum at Episkopi, and was initially believed to be the temple of Apollo Pythios. Inside the tomb, the team of archaeologists found golden jewelry that included wristbands, rings, and a pendant and buckle, along with vases, a pen and mirror, and fragments of clothing. The woman, they believe, belonged to the nobility class and lived between the 2nd and 3rd century BC.

The director of the ephorate, Dimitris Athanassoulis, referred to the find as 'unprecedented' and told the Athens News Agency that the objects were hidden in a blind spot amongst the double walls.

Athanassoulis also told Reuters, "It’s very rare. A monument, one of the Aegean’s most impressive, has got an identity. We now have the person for whom the building was built, we have her remains, and her name."

Article source: Greek Travel Pages

Photo credit: Greek Travel Pages

Located in the upscale neighborhood of Kolonaki lies Yoleni's, a multi-level food emporium offering visitors anything from a taste of cold cuts and cheese to wine at the wine bar or head upstairs to the restaurant.

Nikolaos Pipas with Dorotheos Chatziioannou opened Yoleni's in 2016 with the goal to showcase the hidden gastronomic treasures of Greece. Pipas spoke to the NY Times and said, "I was thrilled every time I found a new product hidden in a tiny corner of Greece, in a village where an old granny would tell the secrets of a recipe or a hidden treasured ingredient. We wanted to find all those treasures for Yoleni’s, to show people the real Greek cuisine.”

Behind the wine bar is Yoleni's expert on Greek wine who helps visitors narrow down their wine choice. They have over 30 types of local wines by the glass, and even more by the bottle.

The restaurant offers two menus, one called Topos, that was created by Yoleni's to revive their grandmothers' lost recipes. Menu offerings include grilled sardines wrapped in vine leaves, a cheese and egg pita, or a traditional Greek pie.

Yoleni's doesn't stop there. On another level they have a paradise for meat-lovers, with a butcher shop and steakhouse sharing the space. Go down a level for dessert and coffee and if the kids want to play, Yoleni's offer a children's play area. For a small fee, kids can play while their parents enjoy their meal or even go shopping in the neighborhood.

On the third floor, Yoleni's offers cooking classes that teach old and forgotten recipes, as well as an olive oil bar.

To read this article in full, please visit: NY Times

 

Photo source: Tripadvisor