Greece was recently awarded as the leading tourism destination in the Mediterranean and southeastern Europe for 2018 by SACEN International, the international center for the promotion and development of the tourism and catering sectors, during a special ceremony held in Belgrade, Serbia.

Known as the “Oscars of Tourism”, the award has been given to countries and enterprises active in the field of tourism in the Mediterranean and southeastern Europe for the last 17 years.

The winners are selected in seven categories: Tourism destination; business tourism; cultural tourism; tour operator; gastronomy tourism; best enterprise in the catering sector; tourism personality of the year in the Mediterranean and southeastern Europe.

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

Air Transat, Canada’s leading leisure airline, has recently increased their flights from Athens to Canada by 14 percent compared to 2017. Stating that the Athens market has a high demand for Canadians wanting to visit the Greek capital, the airline's Director of Sales announced that the airline would specifically add flights from Athens to Toronto and Montreal.

Air Transat's service from Greece to Canada will begin this summer season 2018. They will offer six direct flights every week to Montreal and Toronto. For passengers wanting to go to Vancouver or Calgary, Air Transat will offer connecting flights via Athens three times a week.

The flight schedule will run until October 2018.

Source: Greek Reporter

Photo Credit: Wiki Commons

In the mood for pre-summer pampering?

Come along Saturday May 19 to the Nine Lives ‘Shop & Spa Saturday’ between 11am and 5pm at Arcadia to get primped and preened in style, with all proceeds going straight into veterinary care and feeding of stray cats!

Thanks to the talented team who are donating their time and skills for our cause, services including Essie manicures, Thai and Indian massages will be available from 11am till 5pm – just show up on the day and book a slot, and you can get a complete restyle, ease away your aches and pains, or get a glossy spring nail colour for the week ahead!

Pick out beautiful fashion pieces, stylish accessories, efficacious cosmetics and one-of-a-kind jewellery to brighten up your new-season wardrobe and summer style. While browsing, enjoy a delicious homebaked cupcake or cinnamon roll with a cup of tea or coffee, or a refreshing glass of Strofilia wine and a choice of scrumptious lunch dishes by Veganopoleio that are as healthy as they are tasty!

And because your four-pawed pals need some pampering too, Purina will be at our event giving out cat-treats and on hand to answer all your feline nutrition-related questions, while Psipsini.gr will be selling meowtastic handmade cat toys, beds and scratching posts.

For more information about Nine Lives Greece click HERE! 

Mr. IOANNIS  DOULIOTIS MBBS MRCOG specialises in Infertility, IVF, Laparoscopic and Hysteroscopic Surgery in Psychiko.

The Doctor is a regular member of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists of England (MRCOG). He is also a member of the British Fertility Society (BFS).

He is a scientific associate of Serum IVF Clinic In Athens  and an Honorary Consultant of Concept Fertility Unit IVF in London.

He graduated from the Medical School of the University of Athens in 2002. After completing his rural service and fulfilling his military duties in Alexandroupoli, in 2006 he moved to the UK for his specialisation, where he worked for some of the busiest University Hospitals in the UK (NHS) such as  Kings College Hospital, Royal Free Hospital, St. Georges Hospital and St Heliers Hospital.

In 2014, after international examinations, he was admitted as a member of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of England (MRCOG). This title is internationally recognized and is highly regarded.

He has dealt extensively with medical research on stem cells / umbilical cord blood and the effect of obesity on reproduction. In his professional career he has published a significant number of scientific articles in international medical journals and has presented his work at global conferences such as the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the British Fertility Society (BFS).

During the last years of his stay in London, he worked extensively and gained vast experience in assisted reproduction and preservation of fertility for cancer patients, as well as in  "social" cryopreservation of genetic material (embryo - oocytes - ovarian tissue). He specialises in treating cases with low ovarian reserve and repeated miscarriages and implantation failures. For selected cases in vitro fertilisation (IVF) in a natural cycle or mild stimulation is suggested.

During his stay in the United Kingdom, he gained extensive experience in specialised laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgery, along side the well-known Laparoscopic surgeon James English.

The most frequently performed surgeries are: hysteroscopic removal of polyps / fibroids, adhesiolysis (Asherman's syndrome), laparoscopic removal of cysts, ovaries, fallopian tubes, endometriosis and laparoscopic total hysterectomy.

Mr. Douliotis is also experienced in cosmetic gynaecological surgery such as labioplasty and hymenorrhaphy for selected cases.

In 2016 he returned to Greece in order to live and work in his birthplace, having gained valuable international experience that enables him to deal with the majority of obstetric and gynecological cases successfully.

Katerina Vrana, a talented stand up comedian who was named "The Funniest Woman In The World" at the "Laugh Factory" competition aims to spread laughter and positive energy to the world through her performances. 

20 comedians and herself have decided to organise a special comedy night, where all proceeds will go towards her health restoration which has been seriously affected since April 2017, while performing in Malaysia.


All comedians participating have promised to give their best in this night of laughter, optimism and solidarity:

Stelios Anatolitis
Dionysis Atzarakis
Dimitris Dimopoulos
Dimitris Doukoglou
Thomas Zambras
Vyronas Theodoropoulos
Chrysa Katsarini
Michalis Mathioudakis
Mikeius
Blink Mike
Kostas Malatsis Salas
Konstantinos Bouras Baimakos
Aristotle Rigas
Zisis Rubos
Paris Rupos
Angelos  Spiliopoulos
Lampros Fisfis 
Bismissos
Ilias Fountoulis
George Hatzipavlou
Dimitris Christoforidis

*Performances will be held in Greek 

Interesting Facts About Plastic Pollution Worldwide

• 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced since plastic was introduced in the 1950s. The amount of plastic produced in a year is roughly the same as the entire weight of humanity.
  
  
• Nearly 2 million single-use plastic bags are distributed worldwide every minute.
  
  
• One million plastic bottles are bought every minute around the world — that number will top half a trillion by 2021. And less than half of those bottles end up getting recycled.
  
  
• 8 million metric tons of plastic winds up in our oceans each year. That’s enough trash to cover every foot of coastline around the world with five full trash bags of plastic…compounding every year.
  
  
• There is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way.
  
  
• If plastic production isn’t curbed, plastic pollution will outweigh fish pound for pound by 2050.

For more information and more ways to get involved, please visit: Plastic Free Greece

Facts Source: Earth Day

Out of 47 countries, Greece came in 2nd with a total of 519 Blue Flag beaches, which equates to about 12 percent of the total awards. The area in Greece with the most Blue Flags is Halkidiki. Spain came in 1st with 590 Blue Flag beaches.

This year, the international committee awarded 3,687 beaches, 679 marinas and 55 tourist boats across the planet. 

The Blue Flag is a voluntary eco-label awarded to beaches across the world and is run by the independent and non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education. The Blue Flags are awarded to beaches that follow requirements that include Environmental Education and Information, Water Quality, Environmental Management and Safety and Services.

Source: Tornos News and Greek Travel Pages

In the last few years, Athens has become more than just a quick stop on the way to the Greek islands. With the plethora of affordable accommodations and exceptional experiences available in the Athens, more and more tourists are opting to spend a few days in the city.

Apart from the most popular experiences in Athens, there's always a market to wander, a rooftop bar to grab a drink, and plenty of shops to explore! From Condé Nast Traveler, here's how to spend 3 days in Athens.

Visit the Acropolis! But first, get acquainted with history with these 8 things you may not know about one of the most impressive and beautiful ancient structures.

After your first fix of ancient history, refuel with a mid-morning koulouri (a ring of sesame-covered bread) from one of the food carts below, and then make your way over to the Acropolis Museum, about a seven-minute walk.

For a late lunch, walk over to the hip-yet-tranquil neighborhood of Koukaki, which sits at the foot of the hill yet still manages to provide a much-needed respite from the more touristed streets nearby. For a budget-friendly option, try some of the best street food in Athens!

After lunch, explore the National Museum of Contemporary Art and spend the rest of the day wandering through the streets of central Athens. At night, grab a cocktail at one of Athens' roof gardens with astonishing views and delicious food.

Day 2

While Athens’ Monastiraki Flea Market is—in theory—open seven days a week, it’s only really worth your time on Sunday mornings, when jewelry makers and artisans set up their stalls for the day.

Don’t miss the Stavros Melissinos sandal shop for a pair of classic leather sandals, and make a quick detour to Pittaki Street to Instagram the 150 lanterns, chandeliers, and lamps that hang above the gritty alleyway. 

In the afternoon, hike up to the top of Mt. Lycabettus where you will see some of the best views of the city.

Try to time it for sunset and grab a drink at hilltop restaurant Orizontes Lycabettus, which has a panoramic terrace, before making your way back down to the Exarcheia below for dinner.

Day 3

Especially in the summer, the heat can start to take its toll so it makes sense that Athenians spend June through August on one of the 6,000 surrounding islands and islets. Take a peak at one of these day trips out of the city or a nearby island like Evia.

If you don’t want to stray that far from Athens, head towards Vouliagmeni Beach or Glyfada, a spectacular seaside town. For lunch try NAMI Sushi Bar.

Alternatively, dedicate your final day to the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center near the Bay of Faliro, where you can do pilates on the Versailles-inspired Great Lawn of Stavros Niarchos Park, watch a ballet in the 1,400-seat main hall, catch the Greek National Opera, or even hole up in the brand new National Library of Greece.

At night, make your way back to the city center to Plaka and become mesmerized by the Acropolis once again. For your nightime cocktail, head to The Clumsies, known as one of the best bars in the world.

Source: CN Traveler

UberX recently announced that their services will be suspended until further notice, beginning from April 9, 2018.

The company stated that new local regulations and provisions will impact ridesharing services. UberX is in the process of assessing how they can operate within this new framework.

Uber remains committed to Greece and will continue with uberTAXI while they work with local stakeholders to find a way to enable users to enjoy the benefits of modern technologies like Uber.

We will update with more information as soon as it is available.