This is normally a week of preparing for a summer getaway – packing bags, closing windows, catching ferries… In 2015, this is not necessarily the case. Many of us are staying put this summer, it seems, to sweat away the days and nights in Athens. The post-modern stay-at-home ‘staycation’ has become the new standard in vacation hotspots! Whether you’re here by choice or by circumstance, it’s not hard to enjoy summer in Athens.  With a few well-planned activities – and a jaunt down to the seaside – summer in Athens can be much more than just bearable…

 

So, where to go?

 

Marina Flisvos – a lovely destination for a family outing, with cafes and ice cream shops, facing the blue sea and the marina...

 

Anafiotika – this still ‘off the beaten path’ section of Plaka retains its island-esque charm, even though it seems to me that more and more tour books are pointing travelers in this direction…

 

Dionysiou Areopagitou – who doesn’t love to take a stroll around the pedestrian pathway that winds around the Acropolis. Grab an ice cream at Makriyanni Street, and head towards the setting sun…

 

Peiraiki – follow the meandering pathway around the Akti Themistocleous coastline of Piraeus – stop along the way at any of the endless tavernas and cafes, take in the blue sea and the sunshine – and burn a few calories all the way to Marina Zeas.

 

Thiseio & Pnyx Hill – back in the city centre, a walk through Thiseio is a walk through another time – old neo-classical houses, tree-lined streets, Agia Marina church, the National Observatory and the Pnyx Hill – this one is for the history buffs!

 

Monastiraki & Areopagus – for the ‘tourist within’, a stroll around Monastiraki will inspire you with equal parts history and kitsch. For the full-on history experience, climb the stairs to the Areopagus - the lesser known, but equally important ‘other’ rock, just opposite the Acropolis. A sunset cocktail at A For Athens or 360 will give you the full rooftop overview of the whole area.

 

Akti Tou Iliou (Costa del Sol) / Alimos beachfront – …and since Greek Summer follows certain rules regardless of where you are, a trip to the beach is required for every staycation. Hop on the tram or jump in a cab (or even on your bicycle!) and make your way to the beach. There are several nice spots along the Alimos coast – I’m sure you’ll find one to your liking.

 

Truth be told, there are worse ways to spend your summer holiday than a staycation in Athens. And, judging by the tour buses and throngs of sightseers everywhere, it seems many others had the same idea…

 

Enjoy the sunshine!

 

Until next week,

 

Jack

How many languages do you know that derive from Greek origin? There are actually hundreds, and to begin listing them would literally take up hours of our time.

However, there is one language we would be remiss not to mention. It is the one you are currently reading off this computer screen: English.

There are over fifty thousand English words that derive from the Greek language. Words like anchor, martyr, prophet chaos, photograph, and nectar. The list goes on and on.

But the rest of you out there who have grown up speaking both Greek and English on a regular basis, know very well that there are a handful of words in which North Americanized Greeks enjoy using in their everyday dialect. Heck, people in Greece are even speaking it. We use these words interchangeably, and sometimes even unknowingly. We mishmash English with Greek all the time, and in the end you get: Grenglish.

So with that being said, I now present to you a list of 10 popular Grenglish words that you may (or may not) know. Read their definitions, learn how to pronounce them, and find out the proper term.

Let's go!

GRENGLISH DEFINITION: to go from one place or position to another.

USED IN A SENTENCE: μουβάραμαι από ένα διαμέρισμα σε ένα σπίτι… we moved from an apartment to a house.

PROPER TERM: μετακινώ (mai-ta-kee-no)

GRENGLISH DEFINITION: a floor or stair covering made from thick woven fabric, typically shaped to fit a particular room.

USED IN A SENTENCE: Το καρπετο θελει καθαρισμα

PROPER TERM: χαλί (ha-lee)

GRENGLISH DEFINITION: a body of fresh or salt water (of considerable size), surrounded by land.

USED IN A SENTENCE: Πάμε για μπάνιο στο λαίκι… Let’s go swimming in the lake.

PROPER TERM: λίμνη (leem-nee)

GRENGLISH DEFINITION: to make an inquiry into, search through, etc.

USED IN A SENTENCE: τσεκάραμε τα αρχεία, αλλά το γράμμα έλειπε… we checked the files, but the letter was missing.

PROPER TERM: ελέγχω (eh-le-hoh)

GRENGLISH DEFINITION: an automobile. The real definition of kάρο is horse carriage in Greek.

USED IN A SENTENCE: Οδήγησα το κάρο μου στην δουλειά…  I drove my car to work.

PROPER TERM: αυτοκίνητο (af-toh-kee-nee-toh)

To read more, please visit: Greek Gateway

A great grand-daughter born in New York and a great-grandmother born a world and four generations back in Turkey - connected by a wedding coat.  This is the beautiful story of Evangelia Tsaoussis and her desire to pay tribute to four generations of her family's Greek heritage.

Ever since Evangelia (Eva) first laid eyes on her Yiayia Eliso's wedding coat, she felt a connectiont to it.  Yiayia Eliso was her great-grandmother, her 'little yiayia' who was both as tall and as tiny as Eva was.  And although they were born a world apart and in different eras, more than a century apart - growing up little Eva felt a special bond with her great grandmother.  

Both were born with the same attitude and thirst for life as the other, that same underlying love of family and fierce survivor attitude.  Eva and her great-grandmother were very close,  Yiayia Eliso passed away at the age of almost 100, leave Eva with a full lifetime of memories.

Yiayia Eliso was born Elizabeth Bantos in the early 1900s in the historic Phanar district of then Constantinople to parents who fled from Pontos and walked for days to reach safety. It was the time in the late 1800s and early 1900s when life for Greeks in Asia Minor was volatile and dangerous.

Yiayia Eliso’s mother Vasiliki was given a traditional Greek wedding coat by her mother, taking the story of this embroidered jacket back five generations. With the help of a Turkish Imam in Constantinople, Eliso’s family was helped with safe passage to Epirus in mainland Greece, where they stayed for a few years, before heading to Athens, where the family settled.

All along the way, the wedding coat that was with the family for generations was amongst the most precious cargo when the family resettled from one place to another. Eva’s family tree is the stuff legends are made of— having survived the massacres and genocide of the Greeks of Pontos, migration from Constantinople to mainland Greece, both world wars, the occupation, the civil war and subsequent expulsion from their homeland, eventually arriving in America as refugees, where Eva’s mother Liz (named after yiayia Eliso), was born.

Liz grew up in New York’s close-knit Greek American community. She eventually married and had two children— Eva, and a son George. She instilled in both of her children a love of faith, culture and community service and always shared stories of her rich family history and heritage. So when Eva matured and it was time for her to get married— it was only natural that she honor her family— and the memory of her great grandmother with whom she shared so much— by donning the family wedding coat.

To read more, please visit: Pappas Post

Four Greek companies were selected recently, among the top 110 European companies, as the finalists and “Ruban d ‘Honneur” 2015/2016 recipients of the prestigious European Business Awards (EBAs). The businesses advanced to the next and final phase of the competition where the winners will be announced in each of the 11 categories at the Awards Gala Final on 17 June in Milan.

The four Greek companies that qualified for the final are Coffee Island, Megas Yeeros, Pharma-Data, and Vikos.

The EBA’s National Champions and “Ruban d ‘Honneur” finalists are selected by an esteemed panel of around 150 independent judges made-up of European business and political leaders, academics, and entrepreneurs. The “Ruban d ‘Honneur” title is given to the top ten companies from all over Europe for each of the 11 categories of the awards, including Entrepreneur of the Year Award, Award for Customer Focus, Employer of the Year Award, etc.

36 Greek companies were initially distinguished as National Champions, which put Greece in 6th place of total distinctions by country, among a pool of 678 additional National Champions from 33 countries across Europe.

In an online video public vote running alongside the independent judging part of the competition, the Greek company, Loux, was named as the National Public Champion for Greece in the 1st phase of public voting between January and February after almost 160,000 people voted online. There are now 32 National Public Champions competing for a second public vote that runs until 26 April. The company from across Europe with the most votes at the end of this period will be announced as the ultimate European Public Champion also at the EBA’s Gala Final in June.

To read this article in full, please visit: Greek News Agenda.

The tanker Agia Zoni II sank on Sunday September 10th just off the coast of the island of Salamina. It was carrying 2,500 tonnes of fuel when it sank. Thousands of tonnes of fuel oil and marine gas have spilled into the Saronic Gulf.

Authorities had sealed the shipwreck on Tuesday and there was no further spillage from this date. Despite the efforts of tank trucks working to clean up the pollution, several beaches along the Athens Riviera have been affected.

It is reported that the 45 year old tanker had not been surveyed and was not certified as seaworthy by the Hellenic Register of Shipping (HRS).

This truly unfortunate event is an environmental disaster.

If you have information about volunteer actions taking place, please share the updates on our Facebook page HERE!

For additional information about the spill, our friends at Athens Coast have an informative article HERE!

Lunch or dinner, local or ethnic, traditional or creative, Athens offers a wide choice of restaurants where you can enjoy an excellent meal without breaking the bank! As you wander around the city center you'll discover many cheap and cheerful restaurants that serve delicious food. Here is list of three great, reasonably priced, restaurants in Athens.

 

Zampano takes traditional Greek cuisine to a whole new level with modern, creative elements based on seasonal ingredients from all over the country. The restaurant’s wine list includes some of the finest wine varieties in Greece that will satisfy even the most demanding wine connoisseur. And if you are feeling groovy, Zampano has you covered with a great selection of cocktails!

 

Address: 18 Sarri, Psyri, Athens
Telephone: 213 0233244

Price Point: $
Dress Code: Casual

 

The Holy Goat

Run by a collective of twelve people, The Holy Goat (Το Θείο Τραγί) identifies itself as a punk bistro, where music and food are a ritual. It combines a bucolic yet elegant atmosphere with a touch of Brooklyn punk and serves creative Mediterranean cuisine, prepared by imaginative cooks. The space is designed for demanding foodies, and people who enjoy unique tastes, eclectic music, and good wine!

Address: 36 Kidantidon, Ano Petralona, Athens
Telephone: 210 3410296

Price Point: $
Dress Code: Casual

Taqueria Maya

Tacos, burritos, quesadillas, Cuban sandwiches, juices, and margaritas, that’s what Taqueria Maya is all about. Authentic ingredients, non-GMO maize flour, and high-quality vegetables and legumes are used for the preparation of the dishes, which are all made on the spot. A tiny place packed with flavor and Latin vibes!

 

Address: 10 Petraki, Syntagma, Athens
Telephone: 211 2167081

Price Point: $
Dress Code: Casual

Photo Credit: Zampanó

To read the article in full, please visit: 10 Best

If you're new in Greece and feeling lost, no need to worry! We've got you covered with some must-know Greek words and phrases you should know and you'll be just fine. Just check out this week's newsletter for more information and other exciting news!

Athens can bring out the romantic in you too! Here are some fun ideas for every kind of couple on what you can do for a perfect date night, from seaside sunsets to midnight stargazing.

We're sure these suggestions will impress, surprise and charm your date or significant other!
 


The Cultured Couple 
Are you the duo that gets fired up by art? Stroll around the stunning Acropolis Museum, looking for representations of Eros and Aphrodite as you wander among the statues in its glass-walled halls. The museum stays open until midnight on Fridays, with live jazz in the sleek modern Greek restaurant. Head up Rovertou Galli Street for dinner at Attikos Greek House, a rooftop restaurant with the Parthenon so close you can almost touch it. The roof garden is smaller and more intimate at Athens Was hotel nearby, but the menu is more sophisticated. The view from the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a Roman amphitheatre built into the slopes of the Acropolis, is even more dazzling. Just have dinner first; the show doesn’t begin until after sunset.

The Daylight Romantics
Got an early flight or ferry to catch? The glittering Athens Riviera will get your heartbeat racing any time of the day or year. If you want to impress your date, book a sunbed and a massage at Astir Beach—in Athens, it’s warm enough to sunbathe and even swim for at least six months of the year. (Adjacent Vouliagmeni bay is more budget-friendly). For a seaside lunch, head to Lambros for some grilled fish, thinly sliced octopus, and saganaki (fried cheese) or Blue Fish for seafood served on a deck suspended above the sea. Then head over to Krabo, a boho beach bar on secluded Zoska bay (next to Kavouri), to watch the sunset with an Aperol spritz with a twist of lime and watermelon.

The Nature Lovers
You won’t find a more electrifying backdrop for a date than the Acropolis. Pack a blanket (or a couple of yoga mats), pick up some Greek cheese, charcuterie and dried fruits (or some takeaway from Ellinika Kaloudia or Pantopolion in Koukaki) and head up to Pnyx for a picnic with Parthenon views. This is where the ancient Athenian assembly met to debate the issues of the day. The entire hill is an archaeological site, but it’s rarely crowded—the perfect spot for practicing yoga or tai chi (outdoor classes are often held here). As dusk falls, wander down to the Athens Observatory, on the adjacent hill of the nymphs: it’s time for some stargazing.

The LGBT + Vibe
You won’t find a more electrifying backdrop for a date than the Acropolis. Pack a blanket (or a couple of yoga mats), pick up some Greek cheese, charcuterie and dried fruits (or some takeaway from Ellinika Kaloudia or Pantopolion in Koukaki) and head up to Pnyx for a picnic with Parthenon views. This is where the ancient Athenian assembly met to debate the issues of the day. The entire hill is an archaeological site, but it’s rarely crowded—the perfect spot for practicing yoga or tai chi (outdoor classes are often held here). As dusk falls, wander down to the Athens Observatory, on the adjacent hill of the nymphs: it’s time for some stargazing.

This content was originally published on This is Athens
Photo Credit: Thomas Gravanis

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Whether you’ve just arrived in town – or have been here for years – Athens always has new secrets to share! This is Athens is the official guide to this captivating city of ancient energies and booming urban culture. Compiled by a team of specialist local writers, This is Athens brings you an authentic and intimate portrait of a living Athens beyond the guidebooks – along with daily curated listings of all the best events and great weekend inspiration all-year round. From must-know neighbourhoods and emerging art hubs, to gourmet hotspots, cool shopping and the buzziest bars, This is Athens will help you to get the most out of living in Athens!

Thank you This is Athens for your contribution as an XpatAthens Partner.

We open the news and “Oh no! Not again!” Another disaster, a pandemic, a war, a robbery, and a murder. I used to want to save the world, and now I don’t know how.

Research shows that we are living in the best time for humanity since the first appearance of the human species. This is not hearsay or some wishful thinking, surveys show that indeed the percentage of people living below the poverty line is lower than ever, child mortality, illiteracy, wars are drastically reduced, and more people than ever in history have access to basic goods, our life expectancy has increased, we suffer from less disease and have access to information, education and more freedom than man has ever known.

And although we have recently emerged from a pandemic and wars are raging around us, and environmental disasters continue to occur worldwide, the above statistics continue to apply. So why don’t we see it?

Media. We are bombarded daily with news and news, the vast majority of which are bad or at least disturbing. The wonderful everyday events are usually not even presented and there is a distorted picture of reality because this is what attracts attention.

We are led to believe that deep down the world is going to hell, and that is the widely held view. Our brains are tuned to be able to identify the views that agree with our pre-existing views. The system is called Reticular Activating System and if we have “set” it in this way, it will give us these results. If we feel unlucky, proof will come to us constantly that we are unlucky. If we believe we are not good at something, we will self-affirm. So if we believe that the world is headed for destruction, we will only listen to and process the information that confirms just that.

What cognitive errors intensify the problem in our minds?

• Sadness/Apathy: man has an innate tendency to care and want to help his species, his fellow man, as Rutger Bregman really beautifully describes in his book “Humanity”. But when a man constantly receives messages that show him that bad things are happening around him, he may initially get angry and resist. Later, he sinks into sadness, and often apathy ensues. Apathy is a feeling of helplessness to do anything. This vicious circle robs us of the true power we have and is simply a wrong perspective.
• “If I am responsible for everything, then it’s all my fault.” That’s not the case, we can’t feel bad about everything, good or bad our power is great but not that great.
• I can’t change anything. Also not true. Each of us can actively help as a citizen, as a unit, as a friend, and influence the lives of those around us. Limiting beliefs like this sink us into a sense of helplessness.
• Generalization of the feeling of helplessness in other areas of our life: “Since everything is bad, what do I want and do?”/ “It’s not a good time to change”/ “It’s not a time for dreams”. And our dreams are never present. There is a tendency to exaggerate what we observe as bad and a diminished belief in what we feel we can achieve.

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

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I help outstanding individuals get unstuck from personal fears and limitations and fast-track to the life of their dreams. I specialize in the problems of modern life in urban environments: a job we do not love, dead-end relationships, lethargy, burnout, inability to live in stereotypes, excessive stress, a general feeling of “blockage”, “helplessness” and “entrapment”. For more information about me and my work visit my website.