Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Greece

Art Links – Athens 2014 Arrives in October

Aleksandr Shatskih

Coming to Athens in October, the first annual Art Links international art collective group exhibition connects creatives across artistic genres. Focused on art in the new collective society, this inaugural event is set to kick off 10 – 15 October in Athens, Greece at The Hub Events venue.

Greece Earthquake Rattles Aegean Ports [update]

Aleksandr Shatskih

Just before 9:30 GMT this morning a magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit eastern Greece just south of Kamariotissa in the Aegean. The quake, reported by the USGS was felt as far away as Palestine.

Hellenic Initiative to Honor George D. Behrakis & Others

Aleksandr Shatskih

The Hellenic Initiative (THI) will hold a second annual banquet, “Investing in the Future of Greece” to honor George D. Behrakis, John Pappajohn, and Peter G. Peterson. The nonprofit’s mission, mobilizing investment for Greece, has scheduled the event for October 2nd in New York.

Six Unforgettable Crete Restaurants

Phil Butler

Crete offers a diverse culinary trip for travelers, even though the island’s traditional cuisine is the marque attraction for foodies. While the Mediterranean diet is well known and as healthy as advertised, the Cretan take on healthy eating is actually the oldest and most time honored. Ancient as this cooking tradition is though, fine eateries around the island offer unique twists on age old recipes. Here’s a sampling of superb restaurants of a kind.

Majestic Pics of Crete: Summer 2014

Phil Butler

We love images, and especially those of places we love to visit most. To share a bit of photographic love of Crete, Greece with you, here’s a selection of images from Flickr users we love. Enjoy the Island famous for Filoxenia.

Greece PM Certifies €500 Million Yearly for Tourism Growth

Aleksandr Shatskih

Prime Minister of Greece, Antonis Samaras has announced Greece will invest €500 million euru in tourism infrastructure per year over the next six years. Last month, at the 22nd annual general assembly of the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE), Samaras outlined the funds from the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF), as well as private sector investment.

Picture of the Week: Falasarna

Mihaela Lica Butler

Falasarna (Φαλάσαρνα), an ancient harbor dating from circa 333 BC, is today an agricultural area, known for its olive groves and greenhouses cultivating tomatoes, but also for its secluded, peaceful beaches. Falasarna is interesting from an archaeological standpoint as well: there are several areas where excavations are currently ongoing, revealing important structures from the Hellenistic […]

Tours Spotlight: Topdeck’s Athens to Perdika to Athens [updated]

Aleksandr Shatskih

Scanning the web for tours in Eastern Europe this month and next, we found Topdeck’s 7 day sailing excursion from Athens, to Perdika, to Athens a relaxing seafarer’s dream. For all those who’ve ever dreamed of sailing the Greek isles, this small group tour lets you get hour hands on sailing experience in, and even taking part in local yacht regattas.

Next Month: The 73rd Anniversary of the Battle of Crete

Phil Butler

Coming next month, one of the most momentous and notorious events in Crete history is celebrated. May 20th, 1941, the skies over this ancient island darkened with the parachutes of thousands of Nazi paratroopers in what was one of the largest airborne invasions in history. The Battle of Crete saw the Third Reich victorious, but not without massive resistance from Cretans and British soldiers stationed there.

Red Eggs and An Orthodox Easter Prayer

Phil Butler

For Orthodox Christians, an old, old tradition is the dying of eggs to symbolize and attest to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The eggs, which are a symbol of the stone tomb where Jesus’ body was laid, are traditional symbols now for greeting on Easter.

Grotto Homes: Romance the Cretan Way

Phil Butler

On Crete the idea of out-of-the-way places takes on new dimensions. The countryside is as pristine and wild as you can imagine. The effect of this wildness, meeting the cities by the sea, leaves visitors spellbound in a sort of landscape awe. At the civilized heart of rural Crete, a tapestry of villages dot the island like tiny gems. It is in just such a tiny town, literally hidden from view, where you will find the most romantic stay at Grotto Homes.