Crete has long been a sought-after escape for off-season sun. Voted Europe’s most popular destination by the tour operator Tui in 2022, it’s soon set to receive more visitors, with Athens as a destination city may have not reached overcapacity in the number of visitors but it presents “tourism fragility” and “sensitivity” in terms of pressure on its infrastructure from recent years’ rise in tourism the Study of Tourism Carrying Capacity of Athens was carried out on behalf of the Municipality of Athens by Develop Athens SA (Anaptyxiaki Athinas SA) the University of Piraeus’ Department of Tourism Studies and construction company Gimisis + Associates The study showed that both highly saturated neighborhoods and less-visited areas faced pressures by permanent and temporary visitors on water consumption neighborhoods and capacities are as follows in Athens: Of all neighborhoods 14 or 9.7% are highly saturated: Ioulianou-Filadelfias Koukaki (all these comprise the 1st City District) includes 11.8% of all neighborhoods: Lofos Strefi The Athens neighborhoods that combine high saturation rates and high-medium rent prices total 27 Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox Mimis Domazos is one of the most iconic figures in the history of Greek football His career was inextricably linked to Panathinaikos while his footballing intelligence and his ability to lead the game earned him the nickname “General” making his first-team debut in a game against Panionios he began a legendary journey that lasted more than two decades Although the “Greens” lost 2-0 their march to the final is considered one of the greatest feats of Greek football According to one of the most famous stories Puskas wanted to have a trial in the backline I’ve been playing for Panathinaikos all my life” Their fight was so intense that his teammates had to separate them not only kept him in the team but relied on him to lead Panathinaikos to the final Puskas had said: “Domazos is one of the smartest footballers I have seen he left Panathinaikos and played for two years for AEK Athens in 1984 he returned to his beloved team for one last match making history as one of the few players to play in four different decades He had said in interviews that he considered “football a game of the mind” stressing that fitness and speed are important but without clear thinking and spatial awareness The figure of the “General” remains alive in the memories of fans but also for his ethos and competitiveness He was a personality who left an indelible mark on Greek football leaving a legacy that has inspired generations of young athletes Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" © 2025 ellines.com © 2025 ellines.com, all rights reserved a guest of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife Mareva Mitsotakis chose to show her the beauties of the beaches of Sfakia with Damoulis’ boat which traditionally takes them to these places According to information from Creta24 the Coast Guard patrolled the entire route while before starting their journey to Agios Pavlos READ MORE: Modi aims to explore Piraeus port utilisation during Greece visit – report The Municipality of Lipsi chose to use an original video clip to promote vacations to the island in spring and Easter Greek rapper Michalaras and the mayor of Lipsi, Fotis Mangos, joined their voices in a special song entitled “Come with me to Lipsi,” which combines traditional island music with rap See the video: “The idea came about after a chance meeting on the island last summer, where we were inspired by the sea and composed together We wanted to show that when authenticity mixes with the modern something unique and original is created,” said Mangos The song’s music video transports the audience to the sustainable paradise of the Dodecanese, with images and footage of the enchanting beaches, picturesque villages “The unpretentious always remains current and in demand Our successive ecological and sustainable initiatives in recent years have created a tourism development model that brings measurable results,” the mayor said “For 2023, Lipsi set a record number of visitors with travellers enjoying authentic travel experiences and modern tourist services at reasonable prices The momentum building for the new season is just as great as travellers’ intentions to visit widen considerably before and after July and August,” he added A record company is already promoting the new song This is a continuation of the municipality’s strategy that began three years ago with the performance of a timeless Italian song and the filming of a video clip on the island This action resonated with the Italian public at the time and was highlighted by the popular newspaper La Repubblica READ MORE: Agios Pavlos: The isolated beach in Crete with a Byzantine church and beautiful waters Exquisitely exclusive and strewn with floral carpets in spring and busily lively with both loyal and new visitors during summer Amorgos has become highly popular since it was “discovered” in the late ‘90s but retains its rugged and traditional allure nonetheless It is a Cycladic gem known for its independent authentic character and dazzling natural coastal and mountainous beauty Amorgos has two harbours where the ferries arrive (around nine hours from Piraeus port) while Katapola is less of a ‘destination’ but with its own attractions It’s essential to also explore beyond the port villages starting with the classically Cycladic Chora Dazzling white architecture contrasts with the sea blue doors and shutters Visit the Archaeological Collection of Amorgos stop to sip Greek coffee in the shade of a tree at quaint Loza cafe and visit the churches The locals are known for their friendliness and filoxenia (hospitality) and will gladly direct you to the places you’d most like to discover Amorgos has two of the most spectacular and oldest monasteries in the country – the Monastery of Hozoviotissa on the eastern part of the island and the monastery of Agios Georgos Valsimitis above the Chora is the second oldest of its kind in Greece and although quite a trek to clamber up to is well worth the effort a 16th Century basilica built on the site of an ancient temple dedicated to Apollo is where – until the practice was banned in 1967 – water divination used to take place the “talking water” (called “Lalon Idor”) from the spring was “divined” to tell of the future Today visitors love to head there not only for the deeply spiritual ambiance but also to meet the host – a friendly nun who looks after the place and its visitors as well as a huge family of cats Amorgos has idyllic landscapes for scenic and invigorating hiking – regardless what degree of challenge you prefer There are numerous well-marked routes along the ‘kalderimia’ paths that locals used for crossing the island before roads were invented ranging from 20 minutes to several hours’ hikes that you can easily follow using a map (and common sense) Stop to admire the dry stone walls (xerolythies) and terraces sweeping sea views and skylines as well as bird’s eye vistas of villages and surrounding mountains and hills as you walk Ask your hotel or check out websites like Go Amorgos for detailed and excellent ideas for your preferable trek As the set for Luc Besson’s deep sea diving romance and dolphin-themed film “The Big Blue” was filmed in the late ‘80s the island famously has some stunning waters such as those at the pebble beach of Aghia Anna Agios Pavlos (across the islet of Nikouria) and Maltezi are some of the best beaches of Amorgos Take your mask and flippers – or learn to dive at the local scuba school – and explore the rocky coves and caves around the coastline or plan a sailing trip if you have the time In the excellent cookbook “The Essence of Cyclades” the authors who spent years researching the cuisine and cultural history of this island group write: “In Amorgos fava (yellow split peas) was a must in everyday meals the honey is fragrant with the scents of thyme and sage the goats feed on aromatic herbs and drink seawater and the cheeses have a unique local flavour.” Axialo and Malaka are basic daily staples of the local diet as are the above-mentioned aromatic herbs (including pungent types of thyme and oregano vrouves (wild greens) and feskoula (chard) Not-to-miss traditional dishes include the crispy Amorgos cheese pies the omelet with kavourma (pork confit) and for dessert kaltsounia and the honey-drizzled xerotigana (deep fried dough strips) A local drink you’ll be (luckily) offered everywhere from a monastery to the corner taverna is Psimeni caramel-coloured local raki drink that is cooked with honey and spices You’ll find most of the best tavernas at Aegiali Alexia Amvrazi stayed at the Aegialis Hotel & Spa in Aegialis which has a startling view of the bay of Aegialis below serves fresh organic food produce at its restaurant and helps organize top notch tours Alexia Amvrazi enjoys the thrill of discovering beauty in the world around her With a passionately hands-on approach to Greece's travel for 20 years she has explored and shared her findings with the world on all aspects of the country and its people via writing Although her childhood and early youth in Italy Egypt and England left her feeling somewhat root-less she is by now firmly connected to her native land bravely weathering the hurricane known as the Greek crisis Chrisostomos and Maria were introduced by her cousin one night whilst Maria was visiting Sydney There was an instant connection but unfortunately the following day Maria had to return to her home in Darwin The following week Maria was back in Sydney for a concert and Chrisostomos took her out to dinner They continued a long-distance relationship for 8 months travelling back and forth from Darwin to Sydney while holidaying together in Greece Chrisostomos proposed in beautiful Santorini The church service took place at Agios Pavlos in Lindos The reception was in Kalithea and was hosted by Pane Di Capo Both Chrisostomos and Maria had always said they wanted to get married in Greece as they are both Greek and wanted to go back to their roots and have it feel more meaningful Maria’s grandfather would not have been able to travel to Australia and that played a big role as they couldn’t have a wedding without him being there All the planning and styling was left in the hands of leading events company White Events white-events.gr who did an amazing job The groom and groomsmen wore tailor-made suits White Events made all the floral arrangements they were bottles of olive oil with sprigs of rosemary A Greek band from Rhodes as well as DJ Sabio who flew to Greece from Australia to play at the wedding Savvas Argiros Photography savvasargirou.gr Gina Mamouzelos is a second generation Greek Australian who grew up immersed in her Greek heritage culture and listening to her grandparent’ mesmerising tales about life in Greece Passionate about ensuring the Greek language is not forgotten among the younger generations in 2002 she became a panel member on the SBS Greek radio show ‘Let’s Talk Openly.' She graduated with a Media and Communications degree from the University of Sydney and has put her lifelong passion for writing to use working in social media This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page a Brutalist building emerges from the heart of the 20th century Brady Corbet’s new film “The Brutalist” (an Oscar contender with 10 nominations – screening in Greek theaters from February 6) introduces a host of themes a Hungarian-born Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor Educated at the Bauhaus School of the Weimar Republic he gradually comes to embody a Modernist architectural vision in post-war America – a nation celebrated for its freedom and innovation he encapsulates the spirit of iconic Brutalist figures such as the Estonian-born American Louis Kahn and which was once occupied by the Whitney Museum of American Art which flourished in the post-war world (and in Greece where many examples exist) during the early decades of the Cold War continues to speak to us about both yesterday and tomorrow offering fresh perspectives on the geopolitics of aesthetics 60s and 70s – often dismissed as cold or ugly – broke away from the sleek lines of Modernism They embraced a new understanding of urban life these structures have even inspired groups dedicated to their preservation “The Brutalist” reminds us of enduring standpoints from the 20th century It revisits the Brutalist chapter of our cities challenging us to reconsider its aesthetic impact There is a perspective that links Brutalism with a spirit of rupture One might argue that Brutalism represents one of the final chapters of Modernism as it had spread in the last century yet it boldly reinterprets and even “desecrates” the inherited Modernist perspective recalls classics like “The Fountainhead” (1949) directed by King Vidor and starring Gary Cooper as a groundbreaking architect embodying the vision of individualism against the backdrop of New York’s skyscrapers This film was inspired by a classic book by Russian-American writer and philosopher Ayn Rand – a staunch advocate of objectivism whose ideas during the 1940s 50s and 60s evolved into a new “religion” and foreshadowed Thatcherite principles 60s and 70s – often dismissed as cold or ugly – broke away from the sleek lines of modernism mid-20th-century architectural references inevitably undergo an aesthetic and ideological re-evaluation in light of the legacy of Modernist movements Unlike Modernism – the sleek approach championed by German-American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe – Brutalism incorporates It converses with a kind of social-democratic architecture and unfolds into distinct aesthetic branches – whether in the USA groups such as “SOS Brutalism” have emerged formed by enthusiasts who remind us that the passage of time breeds nostalgia and inspires devoted followers Many of these advocates are even drawn to Athens where numerous examples of Brutalist architecture are scattered throughout both the dense urban core and its outskirts Efforts to rescue Brutalist architecture began as early as 2000 when the demolition of large Brutalist buildings in England spurred new ideas about cultural heritage the value of Brutalism can be a contentious issue Its value is not always immediately apparent I often admire the multistory parking lot at 22 Mezonos Street in the Agios Pavlos neighborhood where a row of Neoclassical houses has been preserved While some buildings in Athens border on Brutalism others are distinctly Brutalist and noteworthy – such as the Alpha Bank building at the intersection of Stadiou and Korai streets designed by Scottish architect Sir Basil Spence in collaboration with Emmanouil Vourekas is housed in a purely Brutalist structure by Michael Photiadis Other examples include the British Embassy building (by Eric Bedford located at the intersection of Ploutarchou and Ypsilantou streets the building at the intersection of Valaoritou and Voukourestiou streets by Konstantinos Dekavallas and structures at 67 Ippokratous Street and 29 Skoufa Street notable examples include the Department of Theology at the University of Athens campus in the foothills of Mount Hymettus designed by Lazaros Kalyvitis and Yorgos Leonardos; the old AGET Iraklis building in the northwestern suburb of Lykovrisi by Alexandros Tombazis which has been beautifully restored and renovated by Georges Batzios Architects; and the Difros apartment complex by Tombazis on Ethnikis Antistaseos Street in Halandri There are many more examples in industrial residential and office buildings throughout the area This new international perspective on Brutalism is driven by a contemporary desire to re-examine the past and disentangle it from the cultural context in which it was born It is a journey through time that brings forth ideas and projections of dreams onto a canvas of desire The growing distance from the 20th century continually creates both space and necessity As part of a plan to tackle drug use among the homeless in the center of Athens a new dormitory structure is set to open in the downtown area of Agios Pavlos the new structure has drawn the opposition of local residents Similar structures are also being planned in western Attica and Piraeus according to national drugs coordinator Dr Christos Kouimtsidis the City of Athens is planning to launch mobile units for supervised drug use and to boost the efforts of social workers on the city’s streets These workers reach out to users on the street and provide them with clean needles to protect themselves from disease president of the municipality’s addiction prevention center “within the next six months we expect to have the specific vehicles that can also be used as mobile medical units.” Plans to establish the Pheasant Museum had long been brewing in Victoria’s mind implementation began shortly after her father’s death in 2022 and the museum opened its doors to the public in 2023 in Agios Pavlos the neighborhood beloved by the great Greek artist during his formative years we aimed to manage his body of work and protect his copyright,” explains Victoria Fassianou a quaint neoclassical building with an inner courtyard and tiled roof stood on the grounds where the Alekos Fasianos Museum now stands The family settled there when Alekos Fasianos’ grandfather became a priest at the church of Saint Paul the memories of the neighborhood profoundly influenced his later artistic themes,” Victoria reflects he frequented theaters like ‘Peroke’ and ‘Samartzi,’ cinemas such as ‘Alcazar’ and ‘Victoria,’ and the Archaeological Museum His explorations led him to interact directly with the Athenian neighborhood’s tradesmen and artisans shifted in the 1970s when the neoclassical structure was demolished to make way Alekos Fasianos was dissatisfied with the outcome and commissioned his friend and architect Kyriakos Krokos to redesign the space incorporating a small exhibition area on the ground floor for his works the vision for the Alekos Fasianos Museum took shape “The shared aesthetic and philosophical principles that guided their creative and personal lives are evident in this structure They aimed for a minimalist architectural style,” Victoria explains The entire space was enriched and meticulously crafted with various materials and finishes — from concrete and stone to mosaic — and a color palette featuring earthy greys “Our aim was to create a space that harmoniously converses with his art.” While Alekos Fasianos did not originally envision a museum his family has enriched the space with dozens of his works “The Alekos Fasianos Museum showcases works spanning from 1956 until the end of my father’s life Visitors encounter early abstract pieces from the 1960s as well as later works influenced by Byzantine art and mixed techniques — all bearing the unmistakable Fasianos style,” Victoria explains “The legend of his neighborhood unfolds through paintings depicting scenes and experiences from Agios Pavlos and his explorations in Athens,” she emphasizes “The heroes of his childhood merge with those of Greek mythology creating the timeless hero that is humanity.” Victoria reveals that she truly grasped her father’s artistic magnitude after completing her education believing culture could be found even in the simplest places His artistic imprint was on everything in our home and he insisted we treat his belongings with reverence,” she recalls I couldn’t understand why I wasn’t allowed to lounge or sprawl on the couch like my peers Alekos used to say that sinking into a sofa made one lazy Entering his studio with him was a cherished privilege,” she concludes Regarding Alekos Fasianos’ enduring advice that she holds dear “His counsel to ‘be like the bee — travel widely and ultimately create something uniquely your own’ remains a guiding principle.” Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr The historic Tsantalis winery has filed a bankruptcy petition which is expected to be heard on October 11 at the Thessaloniki Court of First Instance asking for a date for the suspension of payments As the president of the company’s Employees’ Union who confirmed the filing of the petition and its hearing date the company has stopped production from August 2023 while for the first time in its history the harvest did not take place so it cannot bottle and market products of the new vintage The news of the bankruptcy filing may have shaken things up given that the company was facing persistent problems despite agonizing efforts to survive and find an investor Asked whether the interest of Sterner Stenhus-“Hellenic Wineries” in Tsantalis (the company that also acquired Boutaris Wineries) has finally and irrevocably waned Kaligas made it clear that he did not know: “We only hear rumours all we are interested in is that an investor finally comes to the company and we can go back in and work again.” Kaligas has been working at the historic winery for almost 40 years but most of the company’s other employees are also tied to its history and course having stuck with Tsantalis for at least two and a half decades while similar moves have been made individually by non-member workers the company’s liabilities exceed EUR 65 million and concern debts to five banks the social security funds and the employees Turnover has in recent years followed a reverse trend to that of the liabilities at the height of the pandemic ‘we did not have time to send wine to the supermarkets’ Asked whether the closure of the Russian market may have acted as the coup de grace for the historic winery Kaligas assessed unambiguously that it affected the winery which is based in Agios Pavlos and has production facilities/vineyards in Maronia (Rhodope) Rapsani and Naoussa (about 150 hectares of vineyards in Halkidiki Among the company’s product codes stands out a wine with great appeal in the Russian market and a remarkable history Panteleimon on Mount Athos and has been selected by the Kremlin to be served at official meals set against the backdrop of Red Square previously the company’s website (which was not accessible at the time of writing) reported the following story Evangelos Tsantalis accepted the invitation of the monks to show him around the monastery and the surrounding areas almost abandoned vineyards in an extraordinary location called Metochi Chromitsa immediately caught his interest It was at that very moment that the idea of reviving the vineyards was born in Evangelos Tsantalis’ mind Evangelos Tsantalis signed an agreement with the monks of Agios Panteleimon for the development of the vineyards in Metochi Chromitsa and committed himself to their complete revival as well as to the reconstruction of the winery It was clear from the outset that this was an extremely expensive project at all stages Evangelos Tsantalis’ belief in the uniqueness of the terroir prevailed When the chief agronomist pointed out the high cost of the investment He is asking if this vineyard can produce high quality grapes.” The Tsantalis family has been growing vines making grapes and distilling tsipouro and ouzo since 1890 the company’s employees will hold a general meeting in order to be more fully informed about the bankruptcy petition