Argophilia

Αργοφιλία: For the love of the journey.

Search Results for: Heraklion

Dining in Crete: Dying Filoxenia Saved by the Few

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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 […]

Crete: Casino License Bidding Process

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In the coming weeks, the Hellenic Gaming Commission will explore potential advisors for handing out a casino license on the island of Crete. Following the land allocation for the new Integrated Resort Center, REDS is gearing up to convert the area in Gournes, Heraklion, that it has undertaken to develop. This large-scale project is a […]

Greece’s Blue Flag Beaches Get Wizz Treatment

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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 Also in the news, the Island of Rhodes lost six Blue Flag beaches withdrawn from the 2024 national and international lists.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 […]

UNESCO Delegation Pays Assessment Visit to the Palace of Knossos

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A UNESCO team led by a Dutch expert visited the Palace of Knossos yesterday to assess its current state. Their findings will determine whether it qualifies for the UNESCO World Heritage list. The evaluation focused on recent upgrades and the overall site’s condition, with a full review set for summer 2025. Preparations for UNESCO inclusion […]

Tax Increases in Hospitality Are Unjust

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During a recent meeting with regional officials and MPs Lefteris Avgenakis and Giannis Kefalogiannis, members of the Heraklion Hoteliers Association highlighted several challenges. They focused on increases in the climate resilience tax and the municipal levy, locally known as “τέλος διαμονής παρεπιδημούντων”. These fees, paid by hotels to local municipalities, are viewed as unwarranted and […]

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

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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 […]

UNESCO Inspection of Knossos Scheduled for September 17

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A UNESCO delegation should arrive in Heraklion on Tuesday, September 17, barring unforeseen circumstances. The main goal is to examine ongoing and proposed on-site operations at the Knossos archaeological site. Assessing Knossos for World Heritage Status The UNESCO experts will study developments around the palace to determine if Knossos should be on the World Heritage […]

Crete: Innovative Earthquake Prediction Partnership

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Manolis Beladakis, Director of Primary Education in Heraklion, welcomed Dr. Jonathan Bedford, head of the Tectonic Geodesy team from Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, to his office. Their meeting centred around the innovative TectoVision project, which aims to develop a global system for monitoring tectonic plate movements. Predictive Technologies for Earthquake Monitoring Researchers intend to harness […]

Sailing Courses Begin at NOGK in Gazi

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Open-Sea Sailing School Starting on 5th October, the Nautical Sports Club of Gazi (NOGK), Crete, invites participants to enrol in its 32nd open-sea sailing course. This two-month programme is designed to foster maritime skills on Crete. Course Details: Eligibility criteria require participants to be at least 18 years old and have basic swimming skills. Upon […]

Cretan Hound Club Celebrates 10th Year at Talos Plaza

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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

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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?

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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. […]

Orange Wines of Crete Take Center Stage

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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 […]

Celebrating the Cretan Hound

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The Cretan Hound Club announced its upcoming recognition and conformation show. This celebration is set to take place on Saturday, September 7, at 5:00 PM and Sunday, September 8, at 9:00 AM at Karavola by the Heraklion waterfront beneath Talos Plaza. Attendees will not need to register for the recognition event, provided their dogs are […]

Balanced Tourism Development in Crete: A Call for Fairness and Strategic Planning

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A recent meeting in Crete saw local mayors and tourism stakeholders gather to discuss the island’s future under a new spatial planning framework. The plan, which is still open for input until mid-September, aims to address Crete’s uneven tourism development, which lacks cohesive strategic guidance. Participants debated the notion of “overtourism”, asserting it doesn’t apply […]