The cruise terminal in Piraeus is now only a 30-minute bus ride away from the center of Athens thanks to the new X80 bus line “Piraeus-Acropolis-Syntagma Express” that launched on Thursday, April 30 2015.

The new bus line will service visitors to the Greek capital arriving by cruise ship as well as Greeks needing to quickly move between Piraeus and Athens center.

The terminal of the new bus line is Akti Xaveriou in Piraeus and the last stop is Syntagma Square. The new service operates in a circular route and the travel distance from Akti Xaveriou to Syntagma and back again is 25 kilometers (60 minutes).

The route includes a total of 15 stops that are located near major tourist attractions in Piraeus and Athens such as the Acropolis Museum, the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, the Planetarium, the Piraeus Municipal Theatre and the National Museum of Contemporary Art. The X80 bus also provides connections with other metro and bus routes in and around Athens.

To ride the bus, passengers can use one-day (four euros) or three-day (20 euros) tour tickets. The first bus route will be at 7am. Furthermore, passengers that ride the X80 bus are eligible to visit the four buildings of the Benaki Museum at a special discount price.

Breakfast; it's the most important meal of the day, but sometimes there's just not enough time. Winnie Yang, from Culinary Backstreets, lets us know her favorite local restaurants for the best grab-and-go breakfasts.

 

In Athens, bread and pies still form the foundation, if not the substance, of many a meal – breakfast especially. Make like a local and start your day off right with cheese pie or koulouri from one of our top picks. (These places are also perfect for a pick-me-up later in the day.)

Address: Petraki 24
Hours: 7am-5:30pm; closed Sunday

 

Pnyka sets itself apart from the chains that have taken over Athens through its methods and its commitment to using quality ingredients. It’s known for its hearty whole-grain loaves, made from flour the bakery mills itself at the headquarters in Pagrati, but our favorite is the spanakopita, which is peerless in a city full of spinach pies.

 

Address: Misaraliotou 14, Koukaki
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 7am-9pm; Sat. 7am-4pm; closed Sunday

 

Located in residential Koukaki, this bakery is famous for its breads, cheese pies, and tsoureki. Customers start lining up the night before Lent to get their hands on Takis’s lagana, the focaccia-like bread sprinkled with sesame seeds that’s eaten to mark the beginning of the holiday. The bakery’s flavorful vasilopita, a cake eaten during New Year’s, is a reason to visit at the end of the year, but Takis is great any day of the week, any time of year.

 

Address: Voulis 10, Syntagma
Hours: Mon., Wed., Sat. 7am-6pm; Tues., Thur., Fri. 7:30am- 9pm; closed Sunday

 

This bakery lives up to its name, “excellence” in Greek. It’s been run by the same family since it opened in 1910 in this very location, and in the century-plus of its existence, Ariston has perfected the art of making pies. There are at least 15 varieties on offer every day, the top seller of which is the kouro, half-moon shaped, crumbly, butter-rich dough encasing a rich filling of feta.

 

To read this article in full, please visit: I Cook Greek

Here, Passion for Greece shares her experience of this Moroccan restaurant in Glyfada, Athens.

Tagine Restaurant in Glyfada, is a Moroccan dining experience that one should definitely try. When it comes to story telling, great food and an authentic environment, this is the place to be. On Monday night myself and 3 other members of Travel Bloggers Greece - Eleanna of Foodaki, Chrysoula of Travel Passionate and Maria of Maria Carras Creative, were invited on a Moroccan food journey in the heart of the Athenian Riviera.

Our host Kareem welcomed us in his new restaurant and shared with us the little secrets of what makes Tagine so special. Kareem cooks from the heart, and he has a passion for his business, which is something you can tell from the moment you meet Kareem. He is also a very talented story teller which makes the whole dining experience an even greater journey. You learn during the process of your meal experience and when you leave, you feel like you have gained new perspectives that have opened up the horizons of your mind. Meet Kareem and you will mark my words.

We started our dinner with learning about the art of Moroccan tea drinking, which is a much-loved tradition that signifies hospitality and friendship. Kareem let us in on a little secret, offering us a treat that has quite a remarkable story. There is a type of sugar that is actually an alternative to sugar and which only wealthy Arabs can afford to buy because of the price tag on this rare product which is especially used by people with diabetes. This sugar is called “Tears of Life” and it comes from a tree that is found on the borders of Afganistan, that produces 5 different fruit types. What you do is take a piece of this sugar, place it in your mouth and then drink the mint tea in order to get the flavours on your palate. A very unique experience indeed.  

The feast then continued with a selection of salads and dips known as mezze: Mutabal, a spicy dip made from eggplants, Taboule which is originally a Syrian/ Lebanese recipe which is served on lettuce leaves for flavour and digestion purposes, Hummus made from chickpeas, Arabic salad which is marinated with three different spices, pomegranate, lemon, balsamic vinegar and rice vinegar.  

You must also try Kareem’s falafel prepared from 14 ingredients, 7 of which are spices and 7 are fresh ingredients. Kareem only listed a few, not to disclose all his secrets, so what we could make out was that some of the ingredients are: chickpeas, garlic, parsley, onions, small leaf parsley and wild ginger. But the whole secret lies in the spices! The ingredients are marinated for 20 hours before they are served. The falafel is topped with Kareem’s signature tahini sauce. Are you hungry yet?

To read more, please visit: Passion For Greece

 

Each of the 9 Muses represented different aspects of intellect, thought, and creativity. They were also associated with a certain tool. Here is an overview of who they were and what they represented, according to Hesiod.

1. Calliope was the Muse of epic poetry. She is usually depicted holding a writing tablet

2. Clio was the Muse of history. She is always associated with holding a scroll, or a book

3. Eurerpe was the Muse of music. Usually she is depicted playing an aulos (double flute)

4. Thalia was the Muse of comedy. She is usually portrayed holding a comic mask in her hand

5. Melopomene was the Muse of tragedy. She is usually depicted holding a tragic mask

6. Terpsichore was the Muse of dance. Usually she is depicted holding a lyre

7. Erato was the Muse of love poetry. She is usually depicted wearing a wreath and holding a kithara (lyre)

8. Polyhumnia was the muse of sacred poetry. She is usually depicted wearling a long cloak

9. Urania was the Muse of astonomy. Most of the times she is depicted holding a celestial globe

To read more, please visit: Greek Boston

When Natalia Bougadeli’s grandmother needed blood in 2012, she was confronted with a problem and along with Natalia Kritsali, both students at the time, created the idea of Bloode, a way to raise awareness about the need for blood donations. Two years later, while Bougadeli was attending school at New York University in the U.S. and Kritsali was studying at Athens University of Economics and Business, the idea of Bloode remained active and they formed a team in Athens with two other students at Athens University of Economics and Business, Panagiotis and Alexander.

 

Bloode’s team went on to achieve their goal first by organizing volunteer blood donations, creating Bloode's website, and continuous calls for blood donations from patients or their relatives. Afterwards, the team expanded to informational events and educational programs, followed by the design of the application for mobile smartphones.

Their vision is to establish the first online community of blood donors and volunteers in Greece, in order to overcome this important social problem. Since their beginning, Bloode has completed 9 events, has gathered 200 units, and has saved 593 lives.

Source: Greek TV

For more information about this organization, please visit: Bloode

Continuously voted as one of the best museum’s in the world, the Acropolis Museum in Athens is dedicated to showcasing the Parthenon and its surrounding temples. Why Athens takes us on a journey through the museum, sharing insights to the galleries and pictures to go along with it.

 

Located in the central neighbourhood of Makrigianni, the museum is framed by olive trees and propped up by concrete pillars, revealing the site’s archaeological excavation below. The remnants are of an ancient neighbourhood that once thrived, complete with a drainage system, bathhouses and mosaics.

Having visited the museum on numerous occasions, we suggest starting your journey from the top floor of the ‘Parthenon Gallery’ and making your way down from here. From this third floor, you will not only be mesmerised by the magical views, but will also get to appreciate the amount of thought the architects have placed into the museum’s design.

To read this article in full, please visit: Why Athens

Photo Credit: Why Athens

Online interactive platform with virtual tours of destinations across Greece.

A new initiative for the extrovert promotion of the Greek culture by the E-Learning of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) and currently in the making with everyone’s support through the act4Greece crowdfunding program by the National Bank of Greece.

How does the world see Greece and its culture? Do we share the same perspective? How do we overcome the stereotypes and the distance they create between us? Can we communicate, come closer and get to know each other, learning the real Greece? Can we capture the image of our country to share it with the world?

A new initiative implemented by the E-Learning of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA) entitled YouGoCulture invites us to "enter the picture", even with one euro, and create the images that we will share to travel Greece across the world ... through its culture.

Because ... Culture is not only (everything) that made us proud yesterday! Culture is also all that makes us proud of what we are today! Culture is everything that make us Greek every day. Because Greece means culture ... And culture is us!

A platform made up of familiar materials ... Materials that shaped the "soul" of Greece, its culture, over the centuries ... Everything that made it and still makes it special. A platform made of images ... Made with knowledge, artistry and genuine passion to take Greece even farther ... but at the same time to greet Greek and foreign friends from all over the world, "welcoming" to this corner of the planet all those who are interested in knowing the “real” Greece.

A free access, public and nonprofit platform, which has already begun its mission. It captures the charm of unique destinations in the Peloponnese and in Attica, and is committed to highlight the dual character of cultural heritage - modern lifestyle all over the country and can achieve it with the power of many, with the minimal contribution of us through Act4Greece.

The aim is to raise funds of €65,000 to produce the original audiovisual material of the destinations specified below.

An act of extroversion that relies on the generosity of Greeks and aspires to be a practical example of re-launching against the widespread crisis. On the side of the productive forces, the new generation and the local communities, together with the Greece of innovation and the representatives of the real economy, the productive sector and the sustainable entrepreneurship, the YouGoCulture platform contributes in the common pursuit of progress and development, both at national and local level, through the use of symbolic capital and comparative advantages of the country for the promotion of our cultural asset and tourist product.

We travel to every corner of Greece to meet its people. We follow their paths. We hear their thoughts. We get to know their faces and record what makes them special, highlighting the culture that makes them Greek.

People and monuments share their "stories" so that Greece can share its story ... with the world! They narrate memories of their past and moments from their present so that Greece can narrate its future to the world. Together, in a special narrative through the "ecumenical language" of culture, they create a rare mosaic of images and knowledge that reflects the authentic characteristics of Greek identity of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

Come to share experiences ..., art ..., knowledge ..., sports ..., innovation ... To share dances ..., festivals ..., but also struggles ..., tastes ..., smells ..., memories ..., feelings ..., traditions ..., customs ..., landscapes ..., moments ...

... so that Greece can share its values ..., ideals ..., hospitality ..., democracy ..., philosophy ..., theater ..., nature ..., light ..., its blue ... its invaluable wealth ...

Let's share our present ... so that Greece can share its past, but also its future...

Because every story, our story, is invaluable ... and it's worth sharing it!

Thissio is a small area in downtown Athens, next to the Acropolis and is filled with cool little bars and restaurants. From our very own food critic, George highly recommends you to get lost in the neighborhood and try to discover its secrets, just as he did and precisely how he stumbled upon Gevomai kai Magevomai or the Savor Charms Taverna.

"During one of my rounds, I found myself pretty hungry and in need of a traditional and delicious Greek cuisine. So I thought, what better place to fulfill my desires than in a taverna? For some of you, this will not be a surprise, but to those of you who have never been to a Greek taverna, they are fairly cheap and incredibly good. You can usually order from a few daily prepared wonders, as well as from a traditional pre-arranged menu."

"This little taverna was no exception. What Savor Charms lacks in ambiance, it exceeds in food quality. I was offered a fairly full menu, both in English and Greek (for people like me who like to practice their Greek vocabulary and reading). After a few minutes, I was handed a hand-written note that showed the specials of the day, of which required some explanation from the waiter. Let me assure, though, they were the best choice!"

"I was with a small group of friends so ordered a few dishes to share among ourselves, as I think this works well with groups of friends. We ordered three daily specials, a mushroom souffle, fried sardines, and eggplant with tomato sauce and feta cheese on top. From the menu we had saganaki (fried cheese), potatoes, grilled octopus and zucchini croquettes. To ease the soul, we asked for two carafes of white wine from the house. Savor Charm's Greek wine is some of the best I have had so far! It was heavenly!"

"Needless to say the food was incredible. The souffle had a nice creamy texture to it and was cooked beautifully, the croquettes were a Greek delicacy and don´t even get me started on the eggplant with cheese! As is customary in Greece when the check comes, we were also offered a complimentary dish. This little gift from the taverna is usually an assortment of desserts, ouzo, coffee or in this particular case, a cold Mastixa. If you have never tried it, you are missing a big Greek secret. All in all, Savor Charms was a delicious and small Greek Taverna, perfect after a long day of museums and old stones sightings."

George is XpatAthens' Argentinian visiting food critic. All opinions are his own. Keep checking back in Restaurants for more of George's reviews!

Savor Charms
Address: Nileos 11, Thissio
Telephone: 210 345 2802
Facebook

Photo Source: Tripadvisor

One of the two best wellness programs in the world, Navarino Challenge, was organized for the 9th year at Costa Navarino and Pylos, Messinia, on October 15-17, 2021, with the participation of people of all ages and abilities
.

Navarino Challenge had more than 1,300 participations in the context of a full program with numerous sports activities. Hosted at The Westin Resort Costa Navarino – and with its central message “sports unite people” the event pursued the goal of the Olympic Movement, which is to help build a peaceful and better world without discriminations, through sports.

Navarino Challenge was an oasis of well-being, despite the difficult weather conditions that prevailed throughout the country. The activities took place in the presence of Olympians who participated together with amateur athletes, in a completely safe destination. The celebration of sports tourism brought together athletes, families and children from 17 countries such as: Belgium, France, Germany, United Kingdom, USA, Spain, South Korea, Netherlands, Sweden.

This year’s Navarino Challenge campaign with its message “We all speak Greek” had a Greek “color”, and the participants had the opportunity to find this out in the event’s commemorative T-shirt, which was designed by Luanvi, and was dedicated to the Greek language including many Greek words in various foreign languages​. This way, Navarino Challenge promoted and highlighted the cultural heritage of Greece and the indisputable value of the Greek language. 

The event, having decided to promote and highlight the work and life of the great Greek Olympic medalist from Pylos, Konstantinos Tsiklitiras organized for the first time the standing long jump activity in his honor, in the presence of Gold Olympic medalist Miltos Tentoglou and his coach, George Pomaski at The Dunes Beach, in Costa Navarino. The two significant sports personalities visited the refurbished family home of the Olympic medalist Tsiklitiras in Pylos, now a museum housing a Library and Art Gallery with rare documents, paintings, historical maps and many interesting exhibits, in the presence of Pylos-Nestor Mayor Mr. Panagiotis Karvelas and the descendant of Tsiklitiras, Ms. Pepita Tsiklitira. 

Saturday night had a Greek “color”, with the event’s Grand Sponsor, Samsung, welcoming guests at the special “Award Night Powered by Samsung” to honor some great sports personalities. Specifically, the Gold Olympic medalist in the long jump Miltos Tentoglou was awarded for his contribution to sports by Mr. George Panageas, Costa Navarino Facilities Management Director. The top track and field coach George Pomaski was awarded by the swimming coach with Olympic and world distinctions Nikos Gemelos. The gold Paralympic medalist and world champion in boccia Grigoris Polychronidis and Katerina Polychronidi - Patroni were awarded by Mr. Ilias Lymperis, Vikos SA Media Manager. The Olympian and Eurobasket MVP Evina Maltsi was honored by the Sportadore owner and exclusive distributor of Luanvi in ​​Greece, Mr. Manos Sifakis. The only Greek woman who has conquered the 7 highest peaks in the world, Christina Flampouri, was awarded by the Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development President and Poseidonia Restaurant owner in Pylos, Mr. Vassilis Vrettakos. The wheelchair basketball and fencing athlete Georgia Kaltsi was awarded by the Hellenic Basketball Federation Member of the Board and Public Relations Officer, Mr. Konstantinos Asimakopoulos.

The evening ended with the Greek-American ultramarathon runner and ambassador of the event Konstantine Dean Karnazes, who was awarded for his participation in the 10 marathons in total of Run Messinia, in 10 consecutive days, 200 years after the Greek revolution of 1821, by Mr. Byungmoo Theofilos Shin, Samsung Electronics Hellas President. In the event’s aftermath, Karnazes stated: “The 9th Annual Navarino Challenge was a celebration of all things Greek, sports, athleticism, curiosity, and the pursuit of aristia. On the bicentennial of Greek Independence nothing made me prouder than running in this land our forefathers fought to save and protect during the most beautiful 21 km race on earth. Next year will mark our 10th anniversary and I look forward to Navarino Challenge 2022!”.

The award night was presented by the Euroleague legend Joe Arlauckas and the former basketball player, sports journalist and dynamic Euroleague reporter, Dora Panteli. In fact, a big surprise was organized for Joe Arlauckas as the event together with Trace ‘N Chase, awarded him a signed jersey of the NBA legend, Julius Erving as a gift.

5km Powered by Samsung & Galaxy Fit2 gifts

On Sunday, runners had the opportunity to run in the top 21.1km Greek Half Marathon, together with the Greek-American ultramarathon runner Konstantinos Dean Karnazes, on the 10km route by Caterpy and the fun 5km route Powered by Samsung. Starting from the Navarino Dunes at Costa Navarino, they ran along the coast to Pylos and crossed the beautiful Voidokilia beach, while they passed by the Gialova lagoon.

At the finish line, a unique gift awaited all participants in the 5km Powered by Samsung who acquired a Galaxy Fit2. Respectively, the participants in the 10km by Caterpy received special no tie laces, by the company.

You may find all results here.

At the same time, hundreds of young participants offered smiles in the children’s 1km route, which was held for children aged 10-14 years old and up to 9 years old.

Wellness activities for the whole family

The schedule of Navarino Challenge brought participants closer to sports and offered them the opportunity to learn their benefits alongside top instructors. More specifically, the following activities were held:

• Exclusive taekwondo lesson Powered by Samsung with the two times silver Olympic medalist Alexandros Nikolaidis
• Basketball lessons, for children aged 5 to 16, with Olympian Evina Maltsi & Euroleague Legend Joe Arlauckas
• Beachathlon for parents & children aged 6 to 13 with Olympian and European champion Periklis Iakovakis
• Navarino Challenge King of the Court Beach Volley Tournament Powered by Samsung and beach volley lessons Powered by Samsung, with the former international Greek volleyball player and record holder with the National Team of Greece, Michalis Triantafyllidis supported by Triantafyllidis Beach Arena.
• 4on4 basketball tournament
• Boxing lessons with the champion Christos Gatsis & Vizantinos Target Sport Club
• Kick boxing lessons for people of all ages with the champion Alexandros Nikolaidis
• High intensity training by Nestle Fitness for people of all ages with the top physical education teacher Dimitris Moros & FitnessArt
• Group cycling (spinning challenge), with trainer Tess Arlauckas - F45 Barrio Salamanca and Dimitris Moros powered by FitnessArt
• Crossfit by Nestle Fitness with Dimitris Moros & FitnessArt
• Beach yoga by Messinian Spa with Katiana Priovolou & FitnessArt
• Pilates by Nestle Fitness with the physical education teacher, Mandy Persaki,
• Tennis Tournament with the support of the Mouratoglou Tennis Center - Costa Navarino, in the new impressive academy’s courts 
• Bike Ride at Voidokilia in collaboration with Navarino Outdoors
• Climbing lessons in collaboration with Navarino Outdoors
• Golf lessons by Bombay Sapphire supported by Navarino Golf Academy

During the event, the first findings of the sports tourism research conducted by the event in collaboration with Deree – The American College of Greece were presented in a closed meeting.

Throughout the event the volunteers of Deree – The American College of Greece offered their significant support.

Throughout the three days, participants had the opportunity to get a closer look to Samsung’s new line of foldable smartphones, discover amazing deals on smartphones, wearables & TVs and make their purchases easily and quickly from the Samsung eShop.

At the same time, Vikos company supported the event as an Official Sponsor with the Vikos Natural Mineral Water and Vikos Natural Mineral Soft Drinks spreading the message of sports ideal and sportsmanship, while offering the necessary hydration and revitalization to all participants.

Samsung Electronics Hellas was the event’s Grand Sponsor and Official Technology Sponsor. 

Vikos Natural Mineral Water was the Official Sponsor.

Luanvi was the Official Sports Supplier.

Costa Navarino and The Westin Resort Costa Navarino were the Official Hospitality Sponsors.

Poseidonia and Karalis Beach Hotel were Navarino Challenge’s Official Supporters.

Nestlé FITNESS® was the Official Breakfast Partner.

Messinian Spa was the Official Beauty Partner. 

The North Face was the Outdoor Partner.

Athens Medical Group was the event’s Medical Partner.

Bombay Sapphire, Target Security, Caterpy, Avanti and Fysiotek Sports Lab were the event’s Partners.

Avance was the Official Car Rental Partner.

π3 (pi3) was the Sustainability Partner. 

SKAI was the Premium TV Partner.

National Geographic was the Strategic Partner. 

Deree - The American College of Greece was the Educational Partner.

Explore Messinia, FitnessArt, F45 Barrio Salamanca, Mouratoglou Tennis Center – Costa Navarino, Navarino Golf Academy, Navarino Outdoors, Pilates by Mandy, Red Swim Academy, Swim Academy, Triantafyllidis Beach Arena, Vizantinos target sport club, Marathon Team Greece were Navarino Challenge’s Athletic Partners.

A Little Shelter, All For Blue, ANIMA, Diaforozo, Karkinaki, The Other Human, Pet Partners of Hellas were the event’s nonprofit organizations CSR partners.

Navarino Challenge was assisted by Vita N Travel, Karalis City Hotel & Spa, Pylos Association of Enterprises for Tourism Development, Maritime Athletic Pylos Association “Nestor”, Pilia Express, Kayak, Nestor.  

Anazoe Spa, Armyra, Attica Selections, Bio & Pharma Store, Kessaris, Nargile, Panellinios Agora Games were the Discount Partners.

With utmost safety

The event was held based on the strict health protocols approved by the Health Scientific Committee of the General Secretariat of Sports. All participants took part in the event with the provision of a vaccination certificate, or a recovery certificate that was valid for 180 days from the day of their race, or with a PCR test.

Navarino Challenge was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Tourism, the General Secretariat of Sport of the Ministry of Culture & Sport, the International Olympic Academy, the Greek National Tourism Organization and the Hellenic Basketball Federation while it was supported by the Municipality of Pylos-Nestor. 

The event joined the Greek actions of the #BeactiveHellas 2021 programme of the European Commission which was held under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sports. The event was organized by ActiveMedia Group which was also responsible for the event’s Sports Production. All running races were co-organized with Messiniakos Gymnastic Club and EAS SEGAS Peloponnese Region.

Hashtags: #navarinochallenge #costanavarino #sportsunitepeople #eatwell #runwell #livewell

Photo Credit: Elias Lefas