Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Crete’s Future: Windmill Tourism Near a Beach

by

Crete, the island beloved for its ancient history and traditions and for its abundant natural beauty, is being destroyed by profiteers. Most professionals I know who are not handcuffed to the industries and oligarchs ruining the Island’s development agree. A recent press release about the so-called BOAK infrastructure project is another key sign that one […]

Six Awesome Reasons to Visit Crete in Autumn

by

Crete, Greece’s biggest Island, is blessed with an ideal location and geography to take advantage of the gifts of Autumn. With an average daily temperature of 23°C during the day and a minimum of 17°C at night, the Island is perfect for visitors seeking a cosy solace. Punctuating Crete’s ideal climate, scores of Autumn activities […]

Crete Summer Ends: Time to Kiss “It” Goodbye

by

Crete, one of the top 25 destinations in the world, is a continent all its own. The majestic beauty of the Island is one of many facets that make it so difficult to say goodbye. No matter what, though, sooner or later visitors must tell the mythical land to kiss their sunbaked asses goodbye. It’s […]

Tourism Draculas Descend on Greek Isles During Drought

by

These days, the news is banged out on keyboards at media outlets and tourism company marketing departments, riddled with unholy irony and incongruity. Take the news from September, when tourism experts billed Naxos as an ideal sustainable tourism destination for the British market. Coincidentally, the biggest reservoir on the Greek island dried up in July.  […]

Dining in Crete: Dying Filoxenia Saved by the Few

by

It’s disconcerting when things change overnight. This is especially true when you live on an island that is supposed to be all about tradition, consistency, hospitality, and a paradise experience. At least, this is how I’ve been describing Crete for over a decade. Then, a cold  €29 ribeye steak dish finally hit me like a […]

Shhh! Keep the Secret of Kea Island for Yourself

by

Travel publicity about the marvellous Greek islands is in good supply these days. More people have been informed, and hundreds of thousands more travellers have discovered paradise this season. Crete, Mykonos, Ithaca, Rhodes, Kos, and a hundred other idyllic destinations flood the collective minds of vacationers worldwide. Still, there are more secret places, like the […]

Greece’s Blue Flag Beaches Get Wizz Treatment

by

Budget airline Wizz Air has just announced an expected 15-20% increase in passengers for next year. Also in the news, the Island of Rhodes lost six Blue Flag beaches withdrawn from the 2024 national and international lists. Greece lost some 22 Blue Flag designations by the end of July 2024. In this report, I will […]

Thierry Teyssier’s Luxurious Regenerative Tourism Concept

by

Thierry Teyssier, the visionary behind 700,000 Heures Impact, is trying to show the hospitality industry how travel must be done in the future. His vision of truly regenerative tourism is based on his belief that hospitality should breathe life into a place rather than taking everything away.  Teyssier, known for having the fabulous Dar Ahlam […]

Crete Region & Association of Hoteliers of Crete Agree to Agree Some More

by

A recent press release from the Region of Crete offers a sneak peek at why the island is in such trouble where regenerative economics is concerned. The fact is, only a scant few people in Crete’s government even understand sustainability, let alone concepts like regenerative tourism or agriculture. However, no matter how hopeless the island’s […]

Cretan Hound Club Celebrates 10th Year at Talos Plaza

by

This past weekend, the Cretan Hound Club (Όμιλος Κρητικού Λαγωνικού) celebrated its tenth year on the seaside at Talos Plaza in Heraklion. The two-day event also served to register new Cretan Hounds and to recognize the best specimens of those presented.  The President of the Cretan Hound Club, Nikos Anetakis, administered the essential events where […]

September 4th, the 14th Apesokari Traditional Tastes Event Takes Place

by

To begin September 4, 2024, at 6.30 pm, at the Primary School of Apesokari, the festival will offer traditional dishes that are part of Crete’s heritage. Associations from all over the Messara area will contribute their local cuisines, which are a part of everyday life in rural Crete.  The Network of Messara Associations, in collaboration […]

Is Mickey Mouse Leadership Destroying Greece’s Biggest Industry?

by

According to the latest tourism figures for Greece, several of the country’s islands are seeing record numbers of visitors. Crete tops the list with a record 2.9 million international air arrivals—up 6.7% compared to the previous year. Another popular destination, the Dodecanese islands, has welcomed 2.4 million visitors, an 11.4% rise compared with last year. […]

Dawn Project Sounds Alarm on AI Frenzy

by

Here’s one for all those people out there skeptical we are all being sold smoke and mirrors where artificial intelligence (AI) is concerned. Software billionaire Dan O’Dowd, the world’s leading authority on software that never fails and can’t be hacked, has launched a public awareness campaign revealing critical defects in AI. O’Dowd, whose company Green Hills […]

Orange Wines of Crete Take Center Stage

by

The orange wines of Crete are the latest viticultural trend. This is interesting for many reasons, mainly because of the ancient traditions and unique processes for creating these aromatic and intense wines.  Orange wines are a type of white wine produced here in Crete and elsewhere. They apply the same maturation and technical processes as […]

Kimolos Island Beach Votes World’s Best

by

The Cycladic Island of Kimolos was recently given the distinction of having the world’s cleanest beaches and clearest waters. The Island, which was a battlefield between Ancient Athens, the ruler of the island, and Sparta, the ruler of Milos, is a lesser-known touristic gem than its neighbour Milos. Prassa Beach, which won the world’s best award, is a […]

Greek Ferries Offer Rough Sailing and Stinky Toilets This Season

by

This summer in Greece is extremely hot, and the effects are felt everywhere, including aboard island ferries. State broadcaster ERT reported yesterday that a passenger aboard a ferry headed from Crete to Athens lost his cool over a toilet situation. According to the report, the passenger assaulted a crewmember over an issue with the ship’s […]

Crete Selected as Gastronomic Region of Europe for 2026

by

Crete has been selected to be included in the Gastronomic Regions of Europe 2026 by The International Institute of Gastronomy, Culture, Arts and Tourism (IGCAT). An international jury comprising four experts, accompanied by IGCAT’s President, Diane Dodd, PhD, evaluated the application of the Crete region for the title of European Region of Gastronomy 2026. After […]

Is the Sun About to Set on Santorini Tourism?

by

According to AFP, Santorini is Greece’s most “Instagrammed” Island, an accolade locals may soon detest. Authorities have talked for years about setting certain limits so that one of the world’s top touristic destinations will not sink because of hypertourism.” Mayor Nikos Zorzos has been promising drastic changes to alleviate some of the pressure on Santorini, […]

Chania Wildfire Situation Intensifies Under Heat Emergency

by

Crete Island and much of the rest of Greece are experiencing stalling heat, water shortages, and a rash of threatening wildfires. The most recent news comes from Chania Prefecture on Crete, where the villages of Agriles and Livada and the broader area were the most recent hit. According to the news, villages and settlements in […]