The Romanian flight carrier Blue Air will be adding Athens to its new summer flight program for 2020. As part of this new program the Bucharest-based company, will introduce eight new routes departing from Bucharest, Bacau, and Iasi.

 

As of June 15th, Blue Air will provide flights from George Enescu International Airport in Bucharest to Athens International Airport. It is reported that the prices of Blue Air’s new destinations will be starting from as little as €19,99 and may include other discounts through the airline’s yearly subscription program.

 

So, for those seeking to travel to Athens from Romania, or the other way around, it may be worth looking into the largest Romanian airline.

 

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

China is the second-largest book market in the world, with an impressive turnover of about 10 billion euros a year.

 

Regarding Greek literature, translations of ancient Greek works are very popular in China coming in the first place, Nikos Kazantzakis is the most translated contemporary Greek writer. At the same time, Seferis, Cavafy, and Elytis are among the most translated Greek poets.

 

Author and historian, Emilios Solomos researched to investigate the image and ranking of Greek literature abroad and spoke to Hellenists and translators who bridge Greek literature with faraway languages and cultures.

 

Solomos spoke with Jingjing Hu, translator, and Head of the Department of Modern Greek Studies at the Shanghai International University, regarding Greek literature in China. "I adore Greece and I want to introduce it to my compatriots," she explains.

 

According to Hu, modern Greek literature is still relatively unknown but appealing to Chinese readers because of their genaralized admiration of the ancient Greek world. She suggests that boosting publishing exchange between Greece and China will eventually make it easier for Greek writers to communicate directly with Chinese publishers.

Have you ever lost something and would try almost anything to get it back? Well, maybe try making a Fanouropita! This spicy cake is traditionally baked in Greece to honor St. Fanourios, the patron saint of revelation, between the 26th and 27th of August. Many Greeks, however, also regularly bake a Fanouropita in the hopes that the saint of revelation will help them find their lost belongings. In fact, the cake’s name also reveals its supposed object-finding powers: it was named after St. Fanourios, whose name originates from the Greek word “fanerono,” which means “I reveal.” So, Fanouropita quite literally means, “a pita that reveals.”

 

Even if you don’t believe in the Fanouropita’s power, or have an app to help you find lost items, the cake is still worth making! This quick, easy-to-make, and versatile cake is perfect for the Lenten season, and can easily be made vegan—all you have to do is replace the honey with sugar and add tahini.

 

Just a word of caution, though. While the main ingredients for the cake are walnuts, a dried fruit of your preference (we suggest raisins here), cinnamon, oil, sugar, and flour, it is said that all the ingredients must add up to an odd number (e.g. 7, 9, 11, 13, and so on). The recipe at the bottom has 11 ingredients without the icing sugar. If you chose to include the icing sugar, which we suggest you do, consider adding a second type of dried fruit to make the number of ingredients odd again.

 

Hopefully, this cake will help you find what you are searching for... And if it doesn’t—at least you got a tasty treat out of the experience!

Yield: 1 cake (25cm)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Cooks in: 1 hour and 20 minutes

 

 

To find out important tips on how to prepare a Fanouropita, please visit: Kopiaste

The Museum of Vancouver in Canada worked with Simon Fraser University’s Stavros Niarchos Foundation Centre for Hellenic Studies to create an exhibit called Beyond Worlds: Greek Civilization XR Experience. This exhibit used both augmented and virtual reality technologies that enable visitors to virtually immerse themselves in Greek mythological and historical sites.

 

The exhibit was in its nascent stages and was only for elementary students until January 2020 while the researchers calibrated the technology being used. Even in its pilot run, though, the program offered visitors a unique opportunity to put on a pair of 3D goggles and be transported to a digital reconstruction of the Tholos of Delphi. Within this virtual site, museum-goers could explore the landmark and even leave an offering for the Delphic Oracle.

 

The museum also offers other virtual experiences for their visitors. For example, using a common tablet attached to a round shield, a still image of battleships could be projected onto the wall. Then, via the tablet’s screen, visitors were given access to a Greek warship’s deck after the Battle of Salamis, which took place in the 5th century BCE. From the ship’s virtual deck, viewers could see orange clouds emanating from the fires that destroyed enemy ships.

 

At a less dramatic installation, a tablet could also be used to virtually open a door painted on one of the museum’s walls. The door led to an ancient Greek villa’s yard, where actors in costumes of clothes from ancient times sat in conversation under the sun.

 

Visitors were also invited to wear 3D goggles and enter the mythological Greek underworld. In this world, people were transported throughout the underworld to perform simple tasks.

 

Although the exhibit is still considered to be a pilot project, it points to a new type of digital tourism and immersive learning. Museum-goers will not only be able to cross geographical boundaries in a matter of seconds, but they’ll also have the chance to go back in time and participate in mythological and historical events that they could only learn about, or watch from afar in movies and documentaries.

 

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

 

Whether you’re interested in religious tourism or experiencing an authentically Greek island, Tinos is worth visiting any time of the year. If you are looking to experience Tinos at its liveliest, then definitely consider going during the summer: there is the celebration of the Dormition of the Virgin in August, an annual mountain race, and even the Tinos World Music Festival!

 

To read this article in full, please visit: Culture Trip

The Greek Minister of Culture, Lina Mendoni has declared 2020 as the 'Year of Melina Mercouri' in memory of the famed Greek actress that served as the country's first-ever female Minister of Culture, promoted 'cultural diplomacy,' and instigated the efforts for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

 

Among others, some of the events that will mark the 100th anniversary since the birth of Melina Mercouri are a theater awards ceremony, full moon screenings of her films, and an exhibition showcasing the Parthenon Marbles in Paris.

 

'Melina was known for her spontaneity, faith, and vision,' said Mendoni, adding that 'the year dedicated to Melina begins on January 29, with an international workshop on the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles at the Acropolis Museum commemorating Melina's efforts for the realization of a vision that we all believe will gain the momentum and become a reality.'

 

The 'Year of Melina Mercouri' is co-organized by the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Melina Mercouri Foundation.

 

It's almost Valentine's day, and love is in the air. So, if you are searching for romantic spots in Athens to spend quality time with your significant other, or even to pop the question, we've got you covered with some of the city's most idyllic locations!




The Diomedes Botanical Garden is undoubtedly one of the most romantic places in the busy city of Athens. Even though it is located in the city center, it very often goes unnoticed. In the city's hidden paradise, you'll be able to stroll among 3,500 plant species and discover the different sections, such as the arboretum, the ornament plants section, the historic plants section, and the greenhouse. The ambiance and beautiful setting of this garden make for the perfect romantic backdrop for you and your loved one.




This tiny scenic neighborhood in Athens is one of the most iconic romantic places in the city. Anafiotika lies on the northeast side of the Acropolis hill and is part of the historic neighborhood of Plaka. The settlement dates back to the era of Otto of Greece when workers from the island of Anafi came to Athens to work as construction workers in the refurbishment of the King's palace. When you reach up, you'll feel like you're in a Cycladic village within the city tiny with white houses, narrow alleys, and bougainvillea plants. In this oasis of tranquility, the intensity of Athens will seem miles away!

Lycabettus is the highest peak in Athens and one of the city's most iconic landmarks. At 300 meters above sea level, Lycabettus offers unsurpassed views of the city. In fact, on a clear day, you'll be able to see the island of Aegina shimmering on the horizon. The top of the hill can be reached by foot, but the easiest way to get there is via the cable car that runs every half hour from the station on Aristippou street. Mount Lycabettus is home to the picturesque chapel of St. George, a restaurant, and an open-air theater. Climb up in the evening to enjoy exceptional views of the city below!

Lake Vouliagmeni

 

For those of you looking to get away from overcrowded cityscapes on Valentine’s Day, consider going to Lake Vouliagmeni. It’s a jaw-droppingly beautiful geological setting with warm waters that make it the perfect place to take your significant other for a relaxing and romantic day. It’s also most definitely worth staying to see the lake light up in the evening and become even more romantic.
For the couples that bond over food, the lake also has an all-day bar-restaurant, and is very near one of Vouliagmeni’s oldest pastry shops (Aqua Marina) and the very popular Waffle House. If both of you want to be alone, though, consider packing a picnic and choosing one of the many beautiful, quiet corners to sit in.

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Know a great romantic spot? Share your city insight with us!

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Phoenix Athens is a non-profit art gallery and residency in Athens that provides workshops and opportunities for local and international creatives to develop and showcase their practice in Greece.

ORGUE - PAYSAGE

Opening: February 20th 
Duration: February 21st - February 28th 

Phoenix Athens is happy to present the music event and exhibition show by Alexis Paul (Saudaá Group).

Alexis Paul (Saudaá Group) and his street organ has lead a nomadic and poetic adventure since 2016. With the aim of creating a transversal experience, Paul draws inspiration from the heart of this instrument and illustrates its music as a ‘tool’ enabling us to discover every aspect of the music’s context.

The intention of his work, which has greater importance than the cultural production itself, is built around the concept of *ORGUE - PAYSAGE. Behind it is a multifaceted project inspired by the cultural heritage of the street organ, which consists of gathering the imagery and inspiration from popular cultures, exploring them, and extracting the most beautiful aspects with a contemporary and collaborative perspective.

For the “ORGUE - PAYSAGE” show, Alexis Paul invites people to discover his musical path, exploring the poetic side of his nomadic project. His practice includes a variety of mediums from soundscapes to photographs and collages. Paul has recently started exploring the links between embroidery and sound alongside the idea of repetition. Using the traditional perforated cardboard and punching on it ancient patterns from the Cyclades, his aims is to play a loop of textiles.

During the opening night, Alexis Paul will be presenting, for the first time a "light" solo set blending audio sample extracted from his street organ to selected analog synthesizers.

THE PERFECT ENDING 

Opening: February 20th 
Duration February 21st - March 29th 

Phoenix Athens presents the solo exhibition The perfect Ending by Leandros Pigades.

The artist, based in New York and Athens invites the viewer to embark on a psycho-geographical detournement of time and space. An experiment in situational awareness and cultural appropriation, the artworks, weave a cinematic narrative encouraging the viewer to question their perceptions and comprehension of the environment as a means to better understand the contemporary world on a local and global level.

The exhibition explores the relationship between the universality of myth and aesthetic-terrorism. Pigades practice, inherently derivative of art history, insists that it is not unique but continues the tradition which simply juxtaposes new and old ways of art-making as a projection of the future. An authentic advocate of the avant-garde post-humorist art movement, which should not be confused with “posthumous” because the artist is not dead yet.

Pigades encourages the capitalistic community to “BUY NOW” and consume his works before its too late. Using the gentrifying anarchist hotbed of Exarchia as a launching point for dialogue and to discuss the many contradictions and blah blah blahs it possesses, the artist hopes to shine new light on post-crisis Athens and the changing urban reality.

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XpatAthens is proud to be a Non-Profit Sponsor of the Phoenix Athens Gallery & Residency

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High court judge and human rights advocate, Katerina Sakellaropoulou has been elected Greece's first female president. Sakellaropoulou was nominated by the ruling conservative party but received backing from the opposition parties.

Breaking through the gender barrier is not a new thing for the president-elect; Katerina Sakellaropoulou was the first woman to serve as the president of the Council of State, Greece's highest administrative court.

In the parliamentary vote last Wednesday, the 63-year-old received the support of 261 out of 300 MPs, way above the 200 required by the constitution.

The president holds a mostly ceremonial position in Greece and serves a five-year term. Sakellaropoulou succeeds President Prokopis Pavlopoulos and is expected to take office on March 14, 2020.


To read this article in full, please visit: cnn.com