Athens, July 25, 2019 – “Navarino Challenge” follows, as every year, the ideals of the Olympic Movement, which is to educate youth through sports, without discrimination and in keeping with the Olympic spirit of fair play. Messinia has started spreading the message “Sports unite people” around the world with the participation of Olympic athletes and hall of famers such as Nick Galis, Olympic silver swimming champion, Spyros Gianniotis as well as participants of all ages and sporting abilities. “Navarino Challenge” will be held for the 7 th consecutive year, from 11-13 October 2019, in Messinia and Costa Navarino.

Open Water Swimming In Pylos
On Saturday October 12, amateur and professional athletes can swim alongside silver Olympic medalist and world champion in open water swimming, Spyros Gianniotis, at the picturesque harbor of Pylos, at the site of the critical naval battle that led to Greece’s independence. The open water swimming race by Vikos, approved by the Hellenic Swimming Federation, covers a unique 1-mile (1.6 km) route charted by Nikos Gemelos, the Greek National coach who has given us countless Olympic and world-class honors in open water swimming. Check HERE to enjoy beautiful snapshots from last year’s competition:

Coastal rowing for the first time at “Navarino Challenge”
On Saturday October 12, a coastal rowing relay race and demonstration will be held for the first time at the historic Navarino bay under the auspices of the Hellenic Rowing Federation in the presence of Greek and twice Olympic medalist in lightweight double sculls competition, Vassilis Polymeros (federation’s curator of national teams), who will be honored at this year's event.

Activities for parents and children at The Dunes Beach
The Dunes Beach offers peace and tranquility as well as sporting opportunities for participants at the Navarino Challenge. Following the enthusiastic participation of children at the beachathlon activities last year, this year parents get to join in the fun too! Under the expert supervision of 400m. obstacle Olympic and World Champion, Periklis Iakovakis, will guide 6-13 year olds and their parents through a series of track and field competitions.

Beach volleyball returns this year with the former Greek national volleyball player who holds the record of appearances in the Greek National Team, Michalis Triantafyllidis. During the weekend, beach volley lessons by Samsung, as well as the Samsung King & Queen Beach Volley Tournament by Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, will be held with Michalis Triantafyllidis. To wrap up, the advantages of exercise and well-being will benefit children and grown-ups who will be choosing beach yoga by Messinian Spa from FitnessArt of Dimitris Moros, with instructor Katiana Priovolou. 2 Enjoy some unique moments from the activities to be held at The Dunes Beach in the following video HERE! 

Accommodation Packages at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino Navarino Challenge participants who have booked their package at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino, taking part in the main events (running, swimming) will be able to also enjoy the full programme that includes more than 30 sporting activities. The program includes: boccia with the gold Paralympic medalist Grigoris Polychronidis, pilates lessons with Mandy Persaki, high intensity training for people of all ages by Dimitris Moros & FitnessArt, indoor cycling (team teaching) for people of all ages by the trainer Tess Arlauckas and Dimitris Moros, powered by FitnessArt, baby swimming lessons for kids up to 3 years old by Swim Academy & Red Swim Academy, aqua aerobic lessons by Swim Academy & Red Swim Academy, climbing lessons by the Navarino Outdoors team, bike ride in Voidokilia supported by Navarino Outdoors, as well as golf clinics supported by Navarino Golf Academy. Free participation in the Authentic Marathon of Athens for the first 50 The first 50 to book their package at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino stand a chance to win a free participation at the Authentic Athens Marathon 5km race on Sunday November 10, 2019. More information on accommodation packages can be found HERE!

Registrations continue for running and swimming Entries for the award-winning sporting event are underway and interested parties can take part by completing the special form available HERE!

Pre-sale is also available online via www.viva.gr or by phone at 11876 as well as at all Viva pre-sale points.

For more information on accommodation packages in the region visit VitaNTravel
Samsung is the official technology partner for another year.
Official sponsors of the event are Ford Motor Hellas and the Natural Mineral Water “Vikos”.
Luanvi is the official sports supplier of the event for one more year. Official supporters are Poseidonia, Municipality of Pylos-Nestor and PlantBox.
Messinian Spa is the Official Beauty Partner for the first time.
Partners of the event are Pylos Poems, Fysiotek Sports Lab, Karalis Beach Hotel, Athens Easy Transfers. Avance Rent A Car is the official rental partner.
National Geographic is the strategic partner of the event and 24MEDIA its premium media partner.
“Navarino Challenge” has joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2019 programme of the European Commission and is under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports. The event is held under the auspices of the Greek National Tourism Organization with the approval of the Hellenic Swimming Federation. Navarino Challenge is co-organized by Costa Navarino , The Westin Resort Costa Navarino and Active Media Group with the support of the Municipalities of Pylos- Nestor and Trifilia.
Athletic Partners: Explore Messinia, F45 The Pearl, FitnessArt, Navarino Golf Academy, Navarino Outdoors, Navarino Racquet Academy, Pilates by Mandy, Red Swim Academy, Swim Academy, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, Vizantinos target sport club 3 CSR Partners: Captain Vasilis and Carmen Konstantakopoulos Foundation, WWF Greece, Karkinaki, Institute of Preventive Medicine Environmental and Occupational Health Prolepsis
Assisted by: VitaNTravel, Karalis City Hotel & Spa, Lifeguard Patrol, Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Target Security, Pilia Express, METAXA, The Blue Beetle, Fever-Tree, NoS, Southern Comfort Discount Partners: Anazoe Spa, Attica Selections, Kessaris, Panellinios Agora Boutique, Tsamis Eyewear Boutique Hashtags: #navarinochallenge #costanavarino #sportsunitepeople #eatwell #runwell #livewell
Photo credit: Spyros Gianinotis

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, opens its "home" to the general public and invites you to get to know the Propylaea, one of the most iconic places of remembrance of the Greek capital. Part of Athenian Trilogy, the most well-known and important Neoclassical buildings’ cluster in the city centre,the building of Propylaea founded in 1839, in drawings of the Danish architect Hans Christian Hansen.

Its halls constituted spaces for education, association, and protest. In its premises you can find the Greek Parliament, the National Library, numerous museums and workshops. In the interior and its precinct you can visit a series of ceremonial events (statues and column erections, anniversaries celebrations, etc.), while in the city geography, it constituted the eminent place of action, demonstrations and mergers.

The building decoration, with more characteristic mural in the interior façade of Propylaea, is one of the most important iconographic programs of the Greek 19th century. The architecture and painting served a narrative framework that closely connected the historical periods of Greek national history, while the sculpture program focused on recent history: Statues of important persons of Modern Greek history and columns of fallen in wars, works of Greek sculptures.

The tours include acquaintance with the Athenian trilogy and the visit to the Propylaea building. The tour duration is about 60' and will be made by Art historians of the Department of History and Archaeology , Michalis Giochalas and Pavlos Gkoygiannos, under the scientific supervision of the Associate professor of history of art in the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Athens Dimitris Pavlopoulos.

For the tours there is price of 3€ for adults, 2 € for students or unemployed, 1€ for children (up to 6 years old) and for persons with disabilites the entrance is free of charge. (includes special information brochure).

For reservations visit the Guided Tour Calender here.

The Funky Gourmet summer Pop-Up at Costa Navarino brings a 2 Michelin Star dining experience in Messinia, Peloponnese.

This summer, Funky Gourmet will operate in the stunning location of the brand new, earth-sheltered clubhouse at the Navarino Bay resort area in Costa Navarino, for 6 weeks only, from July 8th to August 17th.

Overlooking the historic bay with the spectacular sunset vistas, our multi-awarded Chefs Georgianna Hiliadaki and Nikos Roussos will showcase a 2-hour gastronomic journey, offering a degustation menu of Avant Garde Messinian–Greek cuisine.

The Chefs saw this partnership with Costa Navarino as an opportunity to study the Messinian food culture. Local ingredients and traditions will be brought to life, combining the high-quality raw materials of the region with avant-garde cooking techniques and a unique presentation, transforming the guests’ dinner into an unconventional culinary experience.

The wine list will be a tribute to Greek wines, while an exclusive wine pairing will be also available for the wine lovers.

This unique experience will come alive with colors, aromas and flavors, composing a delicious canvas that will appeal to all senses and elevate the Messinian gastronomy to new sensory heights!

Each year Travel + Leisure magazine asks readers to share their opinions on top travel experiences such as islands, cities, hotels, cruise ships, and more. The islands on the top 15 list have been rated according to their sights, natural scenery, beaches, friendliness, overall value, and of course, food!

4 great Greek islands made the list of the 15 best islands in Europe: Crete, Paros, Santorini, and Milos. Milos, is in fact, the grand winner as it was voted the best European island for 2019!

Greece has been associated with winemaking for thousands of years. According to Greek mythology, it was Dionysus, God of wine, who brought wine and vineyards to the Greeks. Dionysus taught the Greeks the art of viniculture, how to produce wine, preserve it, and - most importantly- drink it.

Even though many parts of Greece, such as Santorini, Nemea, and Crete, have significant viniculture traditions, Athens is unique in its very own way. It is one of the few capitals with so many wineries so close to the city.

 

This 7-acre vineyard produces international wine varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Chardonnay. At the heart of the vineyard is the well-equipped, boutique winery; the wines age in French and American oak barrels in the underground cellars. Wine tastings and guided tours can be arranged by appointment with the winery.

Address: Semelis 1, Stamata, Attica
Telephone: 210 8145113

On Thursday 15 August 2019, at 9 p.m., the Acropolis Museum invites visitors to its entrance courtyard on a musical journey under the August Full Moon. Exceptional artists Eirini Toumpaki, Andreas Lafis, Maria Anamaterou, and Sotiris Karistinos and their orchestra will perform beloved songs by great Greek songwriters and composers (Kostas Makedonas, Lavrentis Mahairitsas, George Dalaras, Haris Alexiou, Dionysis Savvopoulos).

On this day, the Museum will be open from 8 a.m. to 12 midnight (entry will be free from 8 pm onwards), and visitors will be able to enjoy the permanent exhibition galleries as well as the temporary exhibition ‘Chisel and Memory. The contribution of marble craftsmanship to the restoration of the Acropolis monuments’.

The restaurant on the second floor will be open during the same hours (telephone reservations on +30 210 9000915) and also the ground floor café.

Moreover, on the same day visitors will have the opportunity to participate in presentations at the archaeological excavation titled ‘Walking in the ancient neighborhood of the Acropolis Museum’, as follows:

English: 12 noon & 5 p.m.
Greek: 1 p.m. & 7 p.m.
Duration: 45 minutes
Participation: Limited to 20 visitors per session.
For registration, please refer to the Information Desk at the Museum entrance on the same day. First-in first-served.
Price: Only the general admission fee to the Museum is required (10 euro).

Sitting at the heart of the fine dining experience in the Greek island of Naxos, 'Barozzi Restaurant' has established a renowned reputation as a world-class destination for sophisticated cuisine. 

To further its high-end offerings, Barozzi has now launched a degustation menu, providing customers with an enticing opportunity to sample the comprehensive menu, as part of a true dining experience. 

In addition to the delectable degustation menus, the restaurant now also provides wine and cheese pairing options, in which the very best of local cheese and selected premium wine can be sampled, bringing a true taste of the region. Having some of the region's most critically acclaimed chefs looking to make their mark in the fine dining market, Barozzi Restaurant is committed to sourcing the very best of local produce for a rich, varied and seasonal offering. 

Arguably the island's premier venue for sophisticated haute cuisine, Barozzi can provide distinctive food creations for those looking for upmarket catering options, perfect for special occasions such as birthday, weddings, hen and stag experiences. The restaurant is excited to be spoiling diners with an ever-changing carousel of well-executed, creative and delectable dishes for any special event.

The restaurant is also ideal for couples eager to experience something different in their vacations, experiencing a unique romantic dinner and signature cocktails.

Found in the beautiful Aegean island of Naxos, the restaurant is proud to be pairing its haute cuisine offering with a tantalizing range of cocktails, created from the talented fingertips of the restaurants own professional mixologists. Barozzi's founder Dionysis Alimpertis commented:

“Our commitment is to provide our diners with an experience never to be forgotten. For us, detail is everything. From designing our dishes to sourcing the very best ingredients to pairing them with the most finely balanced flavors. Anything less than sensational is unacceptable, and our customer feedback thankfully reflects the incredibly high standards we strive for.”

To make reservation inquiries or for further information, please visit the official website at https://www.barozzinaxos.com.

Barozzi Restaurant and Cocktail Bar was established in 2017, located in the heart of Naxos town, within a 1930s impressive building renovated by Aliberti Projects with gfra architecture. The restaurant has been awarded the Aegean Cuisine certificate and constantly receives distinctions and enthusiastic reviews. Our philosophy is to promote the Aegean and Mediterranean cuisine, excellent local ingredients and create Greek flavours with a modern perspective.

Wine region: Santorini

Standout points: Centuries-old basket-trained vines; unmissable Assyrtiko wines 

Winemaker: Paris Sigalas

Wine style: Volcanic wines focused on the Assyrtiko grape