Thessaloniki Rising as Choice Tourist Destination

Andreas Mandrinos, Secretary General, Thessaloniki Hotels Association; Konstantinos Tornivoukas, Vice President; Aristotle Thomopoulos, President; Stefan Merkenhof, Managing Consultant, GBR Consulting Thessaloniki is winning over the crowds thanks to the experiences it offers, hotel satisfaction and consistency in its services, according to a survey presented by the Thessaloniki Hotels Association and GBR Consulting at the Holiday …

Benaki Museum in Athens Wins 2017 ‘Experts’ Choice Award’

Greece’s Benaki Museum in Athens was recently announced as a winner of the TripExpert 2017 Experts’ Choice Award, which recognizes the best attractions around the world based on reviews by journalists and professional travel writers. TripExpert is a professional travel review site. “With positive reviews from reviewers such as Michelin Guide, Fodor’s and Travel + …

Halkidiki’s Beaches Top the List of ‘Blue Flags’ in Greece

The Halkidiki peninsula is once again at the top of the “Blue Flags” list for 2017 in Greece, as 71 of its beaches were awarded in recognition of their cleanness, water quality, organization, safety and services, environmental management and protection. Ouranoupoli, Porto Carras, Armenistis, Marmaras, Kriopigi, Fourka, Nea Moudania and Sani are just some of the …

The Basilicas of Philippi: churches of unique Christian importance

Four impressive three-aisled basilicas with narthex have been erected at the archaeological site of Philippi, coming from the Early Christian Period. Basilica A On a level above the Kavala – Drama road and the marketplace of Philipi (west of the theater) has been traced the biggest early christian church of Philipi, called Basilica A. It …

Philippi Archaeological sites: From the Hellenistic to Roman period

The archaeological site of Philippi is located in Eastern Macedonia between the modern cities of Kavala and Drama, at the southeast edge of the plain of Drama. For the most part, the landscape that surrounds the archaeological site has been preserved intact from antiquity to this day. The most important sites, apart from the theater …

Philippi:The impressive ancient theater from Hellenistic Times up to now

This impressive monument is one of the oldest and most important buildings of the city. Its present form is the result of successive building changes that represent various phases of the city’s history. It is located on the hillside of the acropolis hill, in contact with the eastern wall of the city, on which it …

Macedonian Philippi: From the Neolithic era to the Kingdom of Macedonia

Long before the Ancient Greeks located to Philippi, there was a Neolithic settlement that was discovered in the last decades, next to water springs, at Dikili-Tas (Orthopetra), lying 2km east of the ancient city. This settlement in the prehistoric dark millennia can be considered as a distant ancestor of the city of historical times. Life …

Athens Among World’s Top 50 Millennial Destinations

Athens is among the world’s top 50 cities attracting millennials, according to a survey released on April 19th by online housing platform Nestpick. The Berlin-based aggregator platform studied thousands of cities based on 16 criteria including housing score, tolerance to immigration, equality and nightlife, ranking the top 100 cities for millennials to live or visit. …

Mykonos: Churches and Monasteries devoted to Saint Mary

Panagia Paraportiani The chapel of Panagia (Virgin Mary) Paraportiani is one of the most famous churches of Mykonos, located in the town of Chora, in the neighborhood of Kastro. Its name literally means “Our Lady of the Side Gate” in Greek, as it is positioned near the main harbor entrance in the side gate of …

Learn about the New Zagori Project at the magical Region of Epirus!

A new project that aims to keep travellers interested in visiting and returning to the Zagori region was recently presented at the office of the European Parliament in Athens by the University Research Institute of Applied Communication (URIAC) of the National & Kapodistrian University of Athens and the Zagori Excellence Network – ZEN. Titled the …

Athens Marathon 2017 : Reserve your place in and experience the authentic ancient route!

The original historical course during your visit to Greece, you will be tracing the footsteps of Pheidippides, ancient heroes, philosophers, and legends! The Athens Marathon is like no other on Earth. According to legend, it covers the same ground that the Athenian messenger Phiedippides ran when he brought news of victory of the Greeks against …

Alonissos island is promoting sustainable tourism!

It’s been already 5 years that the Greek island of Alonissos in the Northern Sporades has started a serious “going green” effort by rejecting the plastic and adopting the paper and cloth instead. The Alonissos municipality teamed up with the Mediterranean SOS Network and MOm (the Hellenic Society for the Study and Protection of the …

Greek Easter hymnology: Experience the rhythm of devoutness and spirituality

Greek Easter hymns are among the most beloved, spiritual and esoteric hymns of the Orthodox Church Liturgies. To the Greek Orthodox Christians the Holy Week centers on the hymns and the Church. The hymns from the Eastern Orthodox Church were most written during the height of the Byzantine Empire, originally composed in Koine Greek. About …

Easter Holy Week: the symbolisms behind the Greek Orthodox Church

Each day during Holy Week has a special meaning, and understanding what each day represents can help making attending all those church services a lot more meaningful! It is really worthwhile to go to the church and watch the services being able to feel the unique spiritual atmosphere Greek Orthodox Church offers. Here is an …

TripAdvisor: Greek Islands Among Top Destinations in Europe in 2017!

Crete, Santorini and Rhodes are included in the top 20 destinations of tripadvisor.com top Travelers’ Choice Destinations in Europe for 2017, based on the preferences and reviews of travelers. According to travelers’ opinion, Crete is fourth most popular destination in Europe, Santorini is the 16th and Rhodes is the 18th. Crete also came in sixth …

The silence of the lamb: from the Jewish Passover to Greek Easter

The religious significance of lamb began in the Old Testament, particularly in Genesis, when God asked Abraham to sacrifice his son. Abraham obediently obeyed God and made his preparations for his sacrifice. When Isaac saw what his father was doing he asked, “The fire and wood are here, but where is the lamb for the …