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

For many years, Athens has been facing complaints from residents, professionals, and visitors alike about cleanliness. As in any capital around the world, cleanliness is essential, and the objective of every municipality is to design practices that are both substantial and effective.

For the first time, the City of Athens is moving towards a strategy of total cleaning interventions that have shown significant results. For the last 12 months, 37 cleaning operations in 37 different areas have been changing the image of dozens of Athenian neighborhoods.

How Things Are Changing

Every Sunday, entire city areas are sanitized. To achieve the required cleansing result, dozens of cleaning staff gather in a specific area to wash sidewalks, streets, and public spaces with hot water. Due to the current circumstances, they also carry out the required disinfection.

These operations are the pinnacle of everyday cleaning and combined with smaller-scale but equally significant actions, they are changing the city for the better. For example, the group interventions that take place in the squares. During those interventions, a large group of staff take care of the green and wash and repair the equipment within a few hours. The cleaning staff is also in charge of washing-out the bins–that are gradually being replaced by new ones throughout Athens–and organized recycling.

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Street cleanings have been happening every Sunday for about the last year, neighborhood-by-neighborhood, and not just for hygienic reasons during Covid. The Mayor would say 'it’s about returning to the basics of quality of life,' and it’s starting to have a noticeable effect. Attention to neighborhoods outside the touristic center – focusing on the neighborhoods where people actually live – is part of telling people that they are wanted and belong in Athens.

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Equipment

Today, Athens is renewing its old cleaning equipment, but it has also obtained new, modern machinery to make cleaning even more efficient. The cleaning operations rely on modern equipment such as large vacuum cleaners, 20 high-pressure cleaners, water trucks, sweepers, and other equipment for washing and sweeping sidewalks, squares, and pedestrian streets. In other words, the municipality is moving away from superficial cleaning, which may have temporarily given the feeling of cleanliness but did not offer the desired result.

How Often Do Cleaning Operations Take Place?

Every Sunday and in a different area. In every Municipal Community, non-stop. The Municipality of Athens now follows a cleanliness cycle where one cycle closes a new one opens up. The cleaning cycle is supported by daily actions in every corner of the city. "This couldn't go any further, and we all saw it for so many years," explains Mayor of Athens Costas Bakogiannis. "We have the human resources and we are renewing the equipment. We had to, at all costs, find another way to clean Athens. We had to design the cleanliness plan from scratch, avoiding one mistake: Clean it in fragments, without planning, phobically. We've reached a threshold and applied dynamic interventions in the whole city, in entire neighborhoods. And as it turns out, we are winning the bet. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but now we know how to deliver the results that all Athenians want", he adds, talking about the citiy's new cleaning strategy.

Operations By Date

Votanikos- Kato Petralona 19/01/20, Kypseli 26/01/20, Kolonaki - Exarchia 02/02/20, Gyzi- Goudi 09/02/20, Pagrati 16/02/20, Pagrati- Neos Kosmos 23/02/20, Patissia 08/03/20, Omonia 10/05/20, Akadimia Platonos 17/05/20, Neapoli Exarcheion 24/05/20, Probonas 31/05/20, Neos Kosmos 07/06/20, Plateia Amerikis (Filis Street) 14/06/20, Kolonos 21/06/20, Ampelokipi 28/06/20, Metaxourgio 5/7/20, Sepolia 12/7/20, Kolonaki 19/7/20, Plaka 26/7/20, Agios Panteleimon 6/9/20, Exarcheia 13/9/20, Kato Patissia 20/9/20, Kato Patissia 28/9/20, Sepolia 4/10/20, Ano Petralona and Thiseio 11/10/20, Neos Kosmos 18/10/20, Ellinorosson 25/10/20, Votanikos 01/11/20, Agios Pavlos 8/11/20, Lambrini 15/11/20, Omonia 22/11/20, Metaxourgio 29/11/20, Koukaki 6/12/20, Commercial Triangle 13/12/20, Kypseli 10/01/2021, Kypriadou, Ano Patisia 17/01/21, Gyzi, 24/1/21, Kato Petralona, 31/1/21

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XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing with us news and inspiring stories about how Athens is constantly becoming a cleaner, friendlier, and more welcoming city to live in.

The extension of Line 3 in Piraeus will be operational within the next few days, according to Giorgos Karagiannis, deputy minister of infrastructure and transport.

Speaking to ERT, he highlighted the substantial advantages that the metro lines 3 and 4 additions will provide to not only all Athens citizens but also to the environment. Karagiannis noted that with the operation of the metro in Piraeus, the country’s largest airport will be connected to the largest port in less than an hour. The trial runs for Metro Line 4 started last Tuesday.

“An additional 340,000 passengers will travel daily on this line alone, while 2,000 new trees will be planted in Athens, and, for the first time, architectural contests for square redevelopments will be launched in collaboration with the Municipality of Athens,” he said.

Karagiannis also announced the project for the extension of Line 2 to Ilion will be tendered by the end of 2022 and the extensions to Menidi and Zefiri will follow in the next phase.

Originally published on: ekathimerini.com

LAMPSA Hellenic Hotels, a distinguished group in the hospitality industry, is pleased to announce another bonus initiative for its dedicated associates.In a heartfelt gesture of appreciation, the major shareholder of LAMPSA SA has decided to offer a bonus totaling €1.3 million for the second consecutive year to all associates of Hotels Grande Bretagne, King George and Athens Capital.

Recognizing the unwavering professionalism and tireless efforts of its people, LAMPSA SA will be distributing a bonus of €1000 net to each associate, irrespective of their ranking at the company's three flagship hotels in Athens. This reward serves as a testament to their commitment to delivering exceptional hospitality services and their ability to excel during demanding periods.

LAMPSA SA, a company with a long-standing history in the hospitality field, firmly upholds the belief that employee recognition lies at the core of its corporate philosophy. By fostering strong bonds and trust- based relationships with its workforce, the company has consistently positioned itself as a leader in the tourism industry. For the second year in a row, LAMPSA SA has been named among Greece's ten most attractive employers according to the prestigious Employer Brand survey conducted by Randstad. This accolade reflects the enduring commitment of LAMPSA SA to charting a shared path with its employees, driving future accomplishments and continuing to thrive as the oldest hospitality and tourism organization in Greece.

The bonus initiative not only symbolizes LAMPSA SA's gratitude towards its valued associates but also reinforces their pivotal role in achieving the company's vision. Through their exceptional skills and outstanding achievements, they contribute significantly to the company's success and the promotion of Greek hospitality.

We know that the Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthiest, if not the healthiest diet in the world.

The culinary habits of Greece and southern Italy offer numerous health benefits from heart protection to mental health.

This diet is based on simple ingredients such as olive oil, vegetables, fruit, beans, yogurt, cheese, some fish, a bit of meat and plenty of herbs. And while these ingredients may sound simple, they are nutritionally complex, full of antioxidants, substances that protect the body from various chronic diseases.

Anyone can make their diet more Mediterranean by using mostly olive oil for their cooking needs, eating plenty of seasonal fruit and vegetables and eating less meat. Here are simple steps to get you started:

In Greece partucularly in Crete a popular dish is the Dakos, a whole grain barley rusk (paximadi) topped with soft white cheese, tomatoes, olives and drizzled with olive oil. You can make your own by substituting a thick piece of toasted whole wheat bread. Top first with tomatoes, than crumbled feta cheese, a few olives, add some olive oil and a sprinkle of dry oregano.

Greeks have the highest consumption vegetables in the world according to a latest study from the Tufts University. How do they do this? The answer is vegetable casseroles. Greeks consume so many vegetables because they serve them as a main course. Use fresh or frozen vegetables; almost anything will do, but the best are green beans, peas, okra and cauliflower. Sauté a chopped onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil, add about 500 grams of vegetables and continue sautéing. Next, add about 250 grams of crushed tomatoes, a bit of parsley, salt and pepper, and some water, enough so that it halfway covers the vegetables. Let it simmer for about an hour. Serve with a slice of fresh bread and feta cheese.

Olive Magazine's round-up of the very best budget restaurants in the Greek capital, include Cookovaya, Kriti, Chryssa Chryssa, Stani and To Mavro Provato. These places offer traditional Greek dishes cooked in modern style, from feta pie with sesame and honey to fresh tzatziki with slow-cooked roast beef and octopus carpaccio.

The financial wrangling may be continuing in Greece but, for travellers, the situation is clear-cut: go now and you can enjoy both a cheap holiday, and the satisfaction of helping local businesses (and the people who rely on them). With that in mind, here are five great places to eat out fabulously on a budget in Athens.

Through an unassuming arcade in a slightly down-at-heel part of the city, Kriti is a family-run restaurant serving dishes from Crete. Cooked in a tiny kitchen by one Mrs Katchoulis, take your pick from fabulous ribs with red peppercorns and spicy sauce, smoked apaki sausage, feta pie topped with sesame and honey, Dakos salad (a crispy barley rusk base with fiery red tomatoes, galomyzithra cheese, and crettama, a Cretan sapphire), fried stuffed olives and plates of creamy, soft cheese from Sitia. A selection of plates to share costs around € 15 pp.

Address: 5 Veranzerou, Kanigos Square.
Tel: 210 382 6998

Well-known chef and owner Chryssa Protopapa lost her previous restaurant earlier in the crisis but after saving for several years she has now opened this simple, subtle treasure. Think refined traditional Greek cuisine – country-style knotosouvli (spit-roasted chicken) with roasted pies and fresh tzatziki, and slow-cooked roast beef with smoked eggplants. Nothing costs more than € 9. Pictured top is Chryssa Chryssa's Saganaki feta cheese pie.


Address: 4 Artemissiou.
Tel: 30 210 341 2515.

This stunning restaurant is the lovechild of five of the city’s best chefs who’ve joined forces in the kitchen to produce food they describe as ‘bright and clear without adornments’. The menu changes twice a day, the catch is from the Mediterranean only and everything is made in-house. Food is cooked in a wooden oven and on a charcoal grill and includes the likes of charred octopus or sea bass carpaccio and ergolavos dessert – almond biscuit, almond cream and strawberry compote. A three-course lunch costs around € 20 pp.

Address: 2A Chatzigianni Mexi st. 11528.
Tel: 210 723 5005.

To read this article in full, please visit: Olive Magazine
By: Audrey Gillan

Summer has come and Athens is brimming with bars ideal for night (and day) crawlers! There is an abundance of bars that have various cocktails to choose from, sophisticated spirits that offer breaths of coolness, and super views of the acropolis. 

If you feel a little spoiled for choice and don't know where to start from, here are 3 of our favorite summer bars!

 

The Zillers, a restaurant and bar, is located on the top level of a hotel and is a popular hotspot in the city. Visitors will enjoy an excellent view of the Acropolis and of Mitropoleos square. What else could you ask from an open-air space for your summer nights? Cocktails of course! You may try the Ipanem cocktail with cachaca, passion fruit, lime, honey, and candy. 

The first Greek Vermouteria borrows its name from the smells and aromatic herbs used in cooking. Inside the Odori, you can find a drinks list that is more than generous. Not limited to classic cocktails, but "playing" different vermouth and selected Greek spirits to enjoy your drink in your own measures. There are 8 signature options based on an equal number of herbs that flavor vermouth and they say it's exactly what you need. The interior is reminiscent of the botanical garden and the tables that lead to Skouleniou street are more than suitable for after-office drinks and an evening spirit. 

Where: Skouleniou 2, Athens
Telephone: 210 3314674

 

From the center, we move on to Hymettous where something exciting awaits. Is it the freshly roasted coffee? Is it the refreshing cocktails and the tables outside? It is and it's all together in this hip espresso & cocktail bar which promises 'peace of mind,' but also countless summer nights (and days) on the comfortable terrace and the accompaniment of fine foreign musicians. Visitors must try their fresh homemade Sangria and Spicy Mule, with homemade syrup chili, pineapple, slices of cucumber, and spicy cayenne pepper grains. 

Where: Plateia Ymittou 3, Hymmetus
Telephone: 210 762 1880