A full moon illuminated the waters at Greece's Koroni castle on August 15.

The moon was celebrated with cultural events around the country, with local media reporting that museums and archaeological sites would stay open late.

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.

Even though details regarding the episode have not been revealed, the duo's travel to Greece will focus on their clashing personalities.

According to the Hellenic Film Commission (HFC), "The Trip to Greece" will showcase the comedians visiting many of Greece's historical sites and monuments, including the Temple of Apollo in Delphi, the Ancient Agora of Athens, the Ancient Theater of Epidaurus and more.

To read this article in full, please visit: eKathimerini

Three Greek university students won one gold and two silver medals, at the 2019 International Mathematics Competition (IMC), that took place in Bulgaria, last week.

The 2019 competition was organized by University College London and hosted by the American University of Bulgaria.

Did you know that about 150.000 English words derive from ancient Greek? It shouldn't surprise you then, that many idioms and sayings also originate from ancient Greek.

Your Achilles Heel literally means your weak spot. According to Greek Mythology, Achilles was invincible all over his body except for his heel because when his mother dipped him in the River Styx, she held him by one of his heels. During the Trojan War, Paris shot an arrow and struck the only vulnerable spot on Achilles' body: his heel.

Between a rock and a hard place

Between a rock and a hard place, means having to choose between two evils. In Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus had to pass between two sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, who dwelled on opposite sides of the strait of Messina. Odysseus chose to pass by Scylla, the lesser of the two evils, thinking he would lose fewer men, than passing through Charybdis, the whirlpool.

Knock On Wood

The habit of touching/knocking on wood, to avoid bad luck, or to bring good luck, goes back to ancient Greece, where it was believed that wood nymphs called dryads lived inside trees. The ancient Greeks would touch a tree, hoping to invoke good luck or protection from the wood nymphs dwelling within.

 

To read this article in full, please visit: Greeker Than The Greeks

 

Public city spaces are our home, so we want them to be clean and tidy. The City of Athens invites locals to actively participate in keeping the city clean while helping municipal workers complete their tasks with ease.

Clean Your Neighborhood

Properly Dispose Of Electrical Appliances

Don't dump your old refrigerator, washer, cooker, or any other electrical appliance on the street. The City of Athens collects old appliances for special recycling. All you need to do is book a time slot through 1595, the municipality's 24 hour phone line.

Tie Up Garbage Bags

Please tie up garbage bags before putting them into the dumpster; this way, the sidewalks, and streets won't get dirty during garbage collection. Note: When placing recyclables into the blue recycling dumpsters bags don't need to be tied up.

Organize your Recyclables

Please organize your recycling at home. Putting your recyclable materials in different bags makes the process at the collection and sorting recycling plants a whole lot easier.

Don't Move The Dustbins

Please don't move the dustbins; this makes the cleaning, and  garbage collection process much easier and more effective.

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!