Following an oil spill near Salamina island in 2017, a swimming ban was put in place for the beaches along the Attica coast. However, the health ministry authorities stated recently that beaches are once again open to the public.

Beaches are now open for swimming with the exception of Salamina’s Limnionas bay, Selinia and Themistokleous coast. According to the shipping ministry, “joint efforts for the complete restoration of the marine environment impacted by the wreck carried out by relevant ministries, affected municipalities, port authorities, decontamination companies and volunteer groups, and its return to the public have been completed”.

Shipping Minister Panagiotis Kouroublis also ordered a committee of experts to carry out on-the-spot inspections of the affected areas in order to assess progress ahead of the summer season.

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

It's one of the most popular summer destinations in the Mediterranean with Athens as a great city break destination and hundreds of islands ready to be explored. The country also offer better value for your money than other countries like Spain and Italy. From Forbes, here are 10 places in Greece you must visit this summer!

Lake Vouliagmeni

"Mysterious Lake Vouliagmeni is just 15 miles outside Athens but a world apart. Its name derives from the Greek word vouliiazo, which means “submerge” and indeed the mesmerizing lake formed when a huge underwater spring let loose and caused a massive cave roof to collapse."

Milos Island

"This Cycladic island stunner is where many Greeks go on their honeymoons or just to get away from it all for a few days. Like the celebrated and in summer overcrowded island of Santorini, Milos is volcanic in origin. The unique geology has endowed the island with a wealth of gorgeous beaches, including Sarakiniko with its surreal white landscapes. Milos is about a three-hour ferry ride from Piraeus."

"If you're looking for great beaches, good food, a hint of glamor and great value for money then look no further than the Greek island of Paros. It's located south of the more famous (and much more expensive) Mykonos, but is a favorite vacation spot for the Greeks themselves. The cosmopolitan town of Naoussa has loads of great seafood restaurants and tavernas and is near an array of fine, uncrowded beaches."

Karpathos Island

"While Rhodes is the biggest and most popular of Greece's Dodecanese Islands, it's also the most touristy. Unless you're a big fan of medieval history (its main town is exceptionally well-preserved), I would say skip it in favor of the second largest island of the Dodecanese, Karpathos. While Patmos, another island in this Aegean archipelago, has attained more of a following as an in spot in recent years, slender Karpathos is arguably more authentic and has better beaches, too."

To read this article in full, please visit: Forbes

The newly formed Athenians Sports Club will hold a ‘grand opening’ on Saturday 28th of April at Aiolos Glyfadas FC in Vari.

Co-founders Lina Norman and Vasilis Katsakos are encouraging people of all ages to attend and try their hand at rugby and enjoy the other exciting activities planned for the launch.

Both Norman and Katsakos are experienced rugby players and coaches who have a passion for the game and would love to see more Athens residents enjoying the sport as much as they do.

“We decided to start ‘Athenians’ because we want to give more children the chance to play rugby,” said Norman who played in the 2010 Women’s Rugby World Cup for Sweden.

“Rugby has some great values connected to the sport. Respect for others, respect for rules and laws, solidarity with your teammates, discipline and passion. I believe that children who learn to understand and treasure these values early on will benefit in all their social, family and work relationships.’’

Rugby has given Vasilis (Billy) Katsakos the opportunity to play at the elite level in Spain and France as well as Greece and he is now ready to help the next generation reach their goals. “Academies for all kinds of sports have been my biggest dream since I was a student at university. Now I feel ready to start something and share my knowledge with the best people there are, kids! “Rugby is a lot like life.

Sometimes you have to compete with someone taller, faster or heavier than you. The magic thing is that you have to win this “fight” for you and your teammates with the attributes and skills that you have and always respecting the rules of the game and the laws of life. “Rugby is a sport that everybody can join and play an important role on the field whether you are big, small, tall or short.”

Currently there are eleven active rugby union clubs in Greece with approximately three hundred players. There are seven women’s teams. The grand opening will include tag rugby games for the kids, rugby activities for all ages, blue building blocks for the youngest kids, barbecue and drinks for sale and a DJ. There will be the chance to win a family holiday to Italy courtesy of Nova Travel.

If you are undecided whether you should attend, Lina Norman has a simple message for you. “Come! We promise you it will be fun. We have so many activities going it’s gonna be like a rugby fun fair! For the youngest and the oldest and those in between, there will be things to do for everyone.

It doesn’t matter if it’s the first time you see a rugby ball or if you have played in a world cup, rugby is for everyone.” DETAILS: Athenians Sports Club grand opening. Saturday 28 April at 17:00. Venue: Aiolos Glyfadas FC Papandreou Andrea 2, Vari Greece.

Cyclades Trail Cup is a series of trail races that aim to promote the Cycladic Islands as a destinationfor alternative, cultural and athletic tourism.

In its 3rd consecutive year in 2018, Cyclades Trail Cup presents a new set of events in alternative destinations with original routes and exciting cultural experiences! Giving priority to some of the "smaller" Cycladic islands, the 2018 Championship will include 6 races on 6 islands: Kimolos, Folegandros, Ios, Andros, Kythnos and Tinos.

Get ready for Kimolos Trail, Folegandros Sunset Trail, Ios Trail Race, Andros Trail Race, Kythnos Challenge andT inos Challenge!

The first race of the year will be in Kimolos island on 3 rd June. The 1st trail running race: Kimolos Trailwill have two routes, 21 and 9 kilometers long. The starting and finish line will be at the Chorio village and the 21km has a unique solidarity for runners choosing to participate.

For your ferry tickets, the organizers are cooperating with the “AEGEAN SPEED LINES” ferry company and offer all athletes and visitors a 30% discount on their tickets. In order to book them,after you register for the Kimolos Trail race (3rd June 2018), you will have to send an email at info@travelmilos.com with your First Name, Last Name, telephone number and “Kimolos Trail”designation to our trip partner “TRAVEL ME TO MILOS”

Every race and course offers score points for Cyclades Trail Cup, determined by the newCTC_PointSystem. Any athlete who finishes at least one race regardless of distance is eligible to receive points. The athlete that earns the highest amount of points by the end of the year will be the winner of Cyclades Trail Cup 2018.

The Kimolos Trail 21km will award you 83 points and the Kimolos Trail 9km will award you 33 points. Sports and Cinema will be joined the days of Kimolos Trail. Just like in every other Cyclades Trail Cup event, the Kimolos Trail must combine Sports with Cultural events. With the cooperation of the Kimolistes, local volunteer team, we will host a cinema night on a beach of Kimolos island!

The winners of the race will be the first 3 men and women of every route and the 1 st man and womanoriginating from Kimolos island.For registrations, visit the official website of Cyclades Trail Cup at www.cycladestrailcup.com until May the 27th.

For new registrations, after May 27th , come at the reception desk of the race on Saturday 2 June, between 10:00-18:00 at the Municipality of Kimolos.

According to a recent survey published by Trivago, an online search engine, Athens and Santorini were the top spring destinations for foreigners visiting Greece.

In particular, Athens and Fira and Oia in Santorini are the most popular destinations for spring travelers. These findings were based on search volume in the first two weeks of March for trips taking place March, April, and May.

Searches made on trivago also revealed that Greece remains a favorite destination to visitors particularly from the UK and Germany, followed by holidaymakers from Italy and France.

Destinations preferred by Greeks are Athens, Thessaloniki, Nafplio, Corfu, Ioannina, Chania, Loutraki, Rhodes, Kalavryta and Volos.

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

What started as a discovery of antiquities in the Athens metro rail area, is now an underground exhibition of the Athens metro. The exhibition, which is free to the public, is filled with antiquities, including sculptures of the Parthenon, Athenian amphoras, ancient toys, funeral monuments, and parts of one of the oldest bridges found in Attica. Be sure to get your Ath.ena ticket and visit one of these stations:

Syntagma

At this station, visitors can take a good look at the stratigraphy of Athens that covers a period from early 5th century B.C. until the Ottoman times. Therein, on the first floor also lies a skeleton of a young lady who lived in the 4th century B.C., whose exhibited in a tomb between layers of soil. Visitors will also be able to see ancient pipes that brought water to Athens, as well as the sanitation system of the city.

Monastiraki

At this station, visitors can admire a large photograph of an underground tunnel full of pottery fragments, giving a picture of what the Athens metro looked liked during the archaeological dig. Heading towards Kifissia, travelers can see the riverbed of Iridanos, one of the three ancient rivers of Attica.

Elaionas

Here, the oldest bridge located in Attica can be found. The three pillars of the ancient bridge of Kifissos river date as far back as 5th and 6th century B.C.

To read this article in full, please visit: Tornos News

Photo Source: Flikr

Travelers wishing to island hop through the Ionian islands this summer will be happy to learn a new ferry line connecting the islands will begin for the first time on May 1, 2018!

The Minister of Maritime Affairs announced the new route at the Regional Developmental Conference of the Ionian Islands. The High Speed Azimut Joy Cruises, which has a capacity of 260 passengers, will serve the new route. 

Every Monday Wednesday and Friday the boat will depart from Corfu and call at Paxos, Lefkada (at the port of Vasiliki), Ithaki (Pisaetos), Kefalonia (Sami) and finally Zakynthos. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays the boat will follow the reverse of the above route, departing from Zakynthos.

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

It's one of the oldest countries in the world and once the pinnacle of civilization. People flock from all over the world to Greece, with the country boasting a sunny Mediterranean climate, gorgeous beaches, quaint villages, ancient ruins, and much more. If you ever find yourself in Greece, be sure to check these places out!

According to the Guardian, you should check out:

Peloponnese

"Peloponnese was traditionally called Morea which means mulberry leaf. This name fits Peloponnese perfectly as it is shaped like a large leaf. It is located in the southernmost region of Greece with a wide peninsula connected to the mainland by the Rio-Antirrio bridge. Peloponnese boosts an extensive history with echoes of ancient events and cultures all around it."

Meteora

"The Greek word Meteora translates as “suspended in the air” which perfectly describes these magnificent cliffs that rise over 1,200 feet into the air overlooking the villages of Kalambaka and Kastraki in the north-central mainland of Greece."

Thessaloniki

"As the second largest city in Greece and the capital of the Macedonian region of Northern Greece, Thessaloniki is always buzzing with life and is known as the cultural capital of Greece."

To read this article in full, please visit: The Guardian

TripAdvisor's Traveler's Choice Awards recently named AEGEAN Airlines the Best Regional Airline in Europe for 2018! 

Last year was the first year TripAdvisor included an airline category for the Traveler's Choice Awards. AEGEAN was also listed as one of the best for the 2017 Traveler's Choice Awards. To continue the success this year, they honored 69 airlines that provide exceptional value and service across the world. Singapore Airlines was named number one in the world. 

The Traveler's Choice Awards for airlines recognize carriers who exceed passenger expectations and receive great reviews from travelers. The winners of the 2018 Traveler’s Choice Awards for Airlines were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of airline reviews and ratings submitted by travelers worldwide on TripAdvisor Flights from February 2017 to February 2018.

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

Please click HERE to view TripAdvisor's Top 10 Airlines in the World for 2018.

Santorini recently discovered a 9-meter sperm whale that washed ashore on a beach near Akrotiri, on the caldera side of the island. The whale, which was in a state of rot, was first spotted by a diver. The cause of death is unknown and will be determined after veterinary experts perform an autopsy. 

The sperm whale is in a location that is not accessible, making it difficult for authorities to retrieve the mammal. However, the Port Authority of Thira is actively working with the Hellenic Center for Marine Research to solve the issue.

The video below shows the diver discovering the large whale.

Source: Protothema