A family road trip has never been easier in Greece, especially with the help of Kids Love Greece and their mythological road trip itinerary! There are so many places to see and do and the time it takes to drive is never too far. This road trip begins and ends in Athens and covers the major archaeological sites, significant places of interest, and even some UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

The road trip begins in Athens, and our pro-tip here, is to leave as early as you can in the morning, preferably on a Saturday or Sunday in order to avoid the traffic. The first stop on the agenda is the mountain town of Arachova. This is a lovely place to spend some time, with great views and an intimate feel. You might even choose to spend the night here, or even two nights if you use this as your base to explore Delphi.

The next stop is the archaeological site of Delphi. If your kids read the Percy Jackson books, then they can probably tell you all about it! Delphi was considered to be the center of the ancient Greek world, and was home to the famous oracle. It is worth spending at least a couple of hours at the site, and there is also a museum to be visited.

To read this article in full, please visit: Kids Love Greece

This Spring and Summer 2018, the Road Trip Project, a travel experience, will take 8 individuals on 4 routes across Europe. These 4 duos will hop on a minibus and take a road trip across Europe. They will get to meet locals, experience the local vibe, discover projects that change people's lives for the better, and explore unknown places and amazing landscapes.

The road trips will go from the Baltics to the westernmost point of Europe, will span the length of the Danube, travel around the Mediterranean, and even reaching the Atlantic. The road trippers will then have the chance to share what they learn along the way by filming and posting their stories to other millennial across the continent and beyond.

At the end of their journey, their unique experiences will be featured in a road movie and reflected in an online travel guide on Europe's off the beaten paths.

For more information and how to apply, please visit: Road Trip Project

It gets its name, rizogalo, from its two main ingredients--rice (rizi) and milk (gala). Greek rice pudding is a thick and creamy treat, popular during Greek Carnival or Apokries.

 

To learn how to make Rizogalo, please visit: The Spruce

According to the 2018 Best Countries report released by US News & World Report, Greece was ranked as the 28th best country in the world! Greece was included as one of the best countries in the world because of its contribution to culture, science, the development of trade, investment, tourism, and its impact on international economies.

 

The report analyzed 80 countries based on a sample of 21,000 respondents and a range of criteria including economic influence, power to citizenship, quality of life, and perception on a global scale.

Overall, Greece was ranked 3rd for heritage, 5th for adventure, 15th for cultural influence, 24th movers (up-and-coming economy), 25th for citizenship, 29th for quality of life, 35th for entrepreneurship, 52nd for power and 55th in terms of being open for business.

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

This winter in Belgium, a charity concert organized by '12 Hours for Greece' raised 35,000 euros to support the initiative 'Fuel for Schools.' Greek artists performed at the concert and hundreds of Greeks and philhellenes attended. The funds from the concert were then donated to the International Foundation of Greece to help heat the schools in remote areas of northern Greece.

'Fuel for Schools' was started in 2012 and has raised money annually to benefit the schools struggling during the current economic crisis. Aspasia Leventis, the founder and president of the International Foundation for Greece said in a press conference that this year 250 schools had applied for the program.

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

Starting in February 2018, Piraeus port in Athens will get a direct rail link to the Athens International Airport. Piraeus is Greece's biggest port and one of the largest ports in the Mediterranean. The trip between the port and the airport is expected to take about 1 hour.

Piraeus will also connect to the airport at Spata, which is northeast of Athens, Kiato in northern Corinthia, and Halkida in Evia, all via the Proastiakos suburban railway.

The Proastiakos service will be much more frequent between Piraeus and central Athens, running every 15 to 20 minutes instead of once every hour.

Source: Ekathimerini

Beginning April 14th through the 17th, the annual ASTA Destination Expo will take place in Athens, Greece. This is a great opportunity to explore Greece beyond the main destinations like Mykonos, Santorini, and Patmos.

 

During the event, guests will receive destination training from local Greek experts, networking opportunities with travel suppliers, exclusive opportunities for pre- and post- FAM trips to the Greek islands. Participants will also get to experience Greece at an affordable price.

For more information, please visit: ASTA

Packing can be overwhelming especially if you are traveling lightly and unsure about the weather. Luckily, Greece in the summer is usually steady sunshine and warm days, but there are a few things to keep in mind when packing for the Greek Islands. Rebecca Hall from Life Beyond Borders shares her packing list and recommendations on what to bring!

T-Shirts and/or Tunics - Great for traveling and can be worn over leggings or even as a dress.

Flip Flops and Sandals - It's important to have one pair of beach shoes (flip flops) and a nicer pair of sandals for going out. Rebecca loves the Tea brand because they are great for walking up those steep and uneven cobbled lanes that the Greek islands are known for.

Several Swim Suits - As a good Greek will tell you, there's nothing worse than drying yourself in a wet swimsuit. All Greeks go to the beach with at least one change of swimwear.

All Purpose Dress - A light, cotton dress is perfect for day or evening wear. You can dress it up or down.

Sweater - Surprisingly, it can get cool at night on the islands. There's usually a breeze and when the sun goes down, you can definitely feel a chill in the air. Be sure to bring a light sweater if you plan on staying out at night.

The Greek islands are not just for visiting during the summer months. September and October, and even November, can be the best time of year to visit. Don't miss Rebecca's packing list for Autumn!

To read this article in full, please visit: Life Beyond Borders

Plastic bags will no longer be available for free in Greece and this is just the beginning!

The new year finally brought a change that may relieve Greece's natural habitat as plastic shopping bags will no longer be available for free. Consumers will either have to pay for bags - if they consider it absolutely necessary to carry their purchases - or have their own bags with them.

Since 2015, the European Union has set the goal of reducing consumption to 90 plastic bags per citizen by 2019 and to 40 by the end of 2025. Greece, however, is one of the last countries in the fight against the plastic bag. According to the latest data from the Hellenic Recycling Organization, each Greek uses up to 336 bags per year.

In the battle to limit plastic, Plastic Feel Greece - a newly created non-profit group aims to educate and inform the world about the environmental misfortunes of discarding plastic. Plastic Free Greece was founded by Dimitra Koutsoukou, Antigone Theodorou, Agnieszka Fibak and Tenia Kyriazis and collaborates with the international organizations Plastic Pollution Coalition and Plastic Oceans Foundation.

The group's activity has already attracted the interest of ordinary citizens and teachers who are willing to talk to their students about environmental protection. Plastic Feel Greece has bought the rights of two documentaries, A Plastic Ocean and Straws, which have already been screened in 115 schools across the country.

"The response from teachers is impressive. They get in touch with us and ask us to bring the documentaries to their schools. We send them the link to the films together with our own presentation in which we propose actions such as cleaning on beaches, updating local communities etc.," says Dimitra Koutsoukou.

They claim that the majority of Greeks do not realize how serious the problem of pollution is that has been caused by plastic.

"Most people think pollution is a problem that concerns India or Indonesia, not the crystal waters of the Aegean and the Ionian," says Dimitra. "However, many are shocked when they learn how overwhelmed the oceans are and are outraged when we show them pictures of Greek beaches being wrecked".

Originally posted on Vice.com
Translated by XpatAthens

Once again, the Hotel Grande Bretagne is included in the 2018 Gold List of Condé Nast Traveller Magazine titled 'Our Favorite Hotels in the World.'

Our Favorite Hotels in the world: Gold List is a list of the best hotels in the world as voted by the travel editors of the most discerning travel publication featuring top hotels from 54 countries and 6 continents. This year, the Hotel Grande Bretagne has the distinguished honor of being the only hotel in Greece as part of the list.

This is one more great recognition of excellence for the landmark Hotel Grande Bretagne which is committed to creating exceptional, indigenous experiences for its guests.

To view the full 2018 Gold List, please visit: Condé Nast Traveller Magazine

 

Photo Courtesy of Hotel Grande Bretagne