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, a SQL command or malformed data. 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. Individual Olympian Evita Griskenas was joined by group Olympian Izzy Connor and the Senior National Group at the Palaio Faliro World Cup in Athens, their second competition in Greece in as many weeks. Individual Olympian Evita Griskenas (Orland Park, Ill./North Shore Rhythmic Gymnastics Center) was joined by group Olympian Izzy Connor (Palos Verdes Estates, Calif.) and the Senior National Group at the Palaio Faliro World Cup in Athens, their second competition in Greece in as many weeks. The Senior National Group was 12th all-around (51.000) with groups from Israel (65.450), Bulgaria (64.700) and Brazil (63.850) taking the podium. The U.S. group of Connor, Daria Merkulova (Vernon Hills, Ill.), Gergana Petkova (Barrington, Ill.), Katrine Sakhnov (Glencoe, Ill.), Karolina Saverino (Elk Grove Village, Ill.) and Hana Starkman (Deerfield, Ill.) scored a 30.100 in five hoops and a 20.900 in three ribbons and two balls during qualifications. Evita Griskenas (right), Faliro World Cup ball bronze medalist© Klodian Lato/Eurokinissi Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights, opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox. and can reach depths of up to 3,000 metres They live and reproduce in Greek seas but rarely reach shallow waters."It is very rare for this species that does not approach people and favours great depths," Drougas said adding that its injury may be surfacial.Whales are often struck by ships as their lanes overlap and the volume of shipping traffic and the speed of vessels has been growing over the past decades The mammals are often unable to avoid a collision in time and are often disoriented by underwater noise.Every year about 10-15 beaked whales get stranded.Deputy Environment Minister George Amyras said a vet has taken a blood sample from the whale which will be sent to a lab "The prognosis is not good," he said.Reporting by Renee Maltezou Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved 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 Nearly 20 American gymnasts will represent the country abroad in trampoline and tumbling rhythmic and men’s artistic competition this week at the 2024 Cottbus World Cup March 22-24 in Germany as it’s the last chance through World Cup competition for the U.S to claim a men’s trampoline quota spot to the Olympic Games in Paris men’s roster are Trevor Harder (Archdale Texas/Eagle Gymnastics Academy) and Aliaksei Shostak (Lafayette Olympic quota spots will be determined based on total World Cup points earned following the competition women in Cottbus will be Nicole Ahsinger (Lafayette Md./Fairland Gymnastics) and Sarah Webster (Lafayette women secured their quota spot in Paris at the 2023 World Championships on the strength of Stevens’ bronze-medal performance Competition in Cottbus begins with Day 1 of individual qualifications on Friday Saturday’s schedule starts with synchronized trampoline qualifications at 9:15 a.m followed by Day 2 of individual qualifications at 1 p.m Visit dtb.de for all information regarding the World Cup including live scoring and live streaming for the event Greece hosts rhythmic competition for the second consecutive weekend Calif./Burlo Gymnastics) taking on the 2024 Paleo Faliro World Cup from March 22-24 This will be her first World Cup competition as a senior rhythmic athlete The World Cup kicks off Friday, March 22 with Keys in Group A for hoop and ball qualifications starting at 5 a.m. ET. Keys will then compete in clubs and ribbon qualification at 9:45 a.m. ET on Saturday. Finals rounds are slated for Sunday, March 24 beginning at 9 a.m. ET. All information about the event is expected to be housed here After a dominating American performance in 2023 men’s gymnasts will compete at the 27th Berlin Junior Team Cup March 22-23 in Germany Texas/Houston Gymnastics Associates) will return to the competition after winning four Age Group 3 gold medals in 2023 Wis./Salto Gymnastics Center) and Preston Ngai (Elk Grove Team competition is set for Friday, March 22 at 5 a.m. ET followed by apparatus finals on Saturday at 7 a.m. ET. A live stream of the event can be found here, and fans can visit the competition website for additional information Five junior men’s artistic athletes will compete at the 2024 Grizzly Classic March 22-23 in Alberta S.C./Hayden’s International Gymnastic Academy) Tenn./GymTek Gymnastics) and Oleksandr Shybitov (Prospect Heights Ill./Lakeshore Academy of Art Gymnastics) will all vie for international medals The two-day event will feature team and all-around competition on Friday, March 22 at 8:05 p.m. ET and individual event finals on Saturday at 8:15 p.m. ET. Visit thegrizzlyclassic.com for information about the competition Faliro was more of a seaside village than a part of the city wealthy Athenians grew fond of the area and sought it out as their place of residence – even today many detached houses built before World War II can be seen here Indicative of the area’s elegance and class is that one of the first and great successes of the silent Greek cinema the film “Villar in the women’s baths of Faliro” was shot here most of the middle-class Greeks of Constantinople who were forced to leave their city after 1955 settled here Later – much later- came the tram and the cycle lane that connects Faliro with the Gazi area in the city centre Faliro is a neighbourhood steeped in history offering a wide range of cultural events and recreational activities it is a neighbourhood that must be experienced Faliro is first of all a neighbourhood where you can go on endless leisurely walks and enjoy the open skyline This became more evident during the lockdown when suddenly swarms of pedestrians and cyclists began to throng the Faliro Delta Start your day early at the Flocafé Espresso Room located in the Faliro Delta (Agia Skepi tram station) Here you can choose from three different coffee blends and a wide selection of fresh juices The wider area is full of sports facilities If you’re a parent and a resident of the area one of the most beautiful spots of the Athenian Riviera a large open space where many concerts and music festivals take place every summer And since a walk in Faliro means a walk by the sea Located only 6 km from the centre of Athens Flisvos Marina is every Athenian’s number one go-to destination to get close to the sea luxury-lovers admiring the yachts moored at the berths – there are more than 300- children on roller skates; lots of people of all ages flock the marina when the weather is good either on weekdays or weekends – not a good idea if you have agoraphobia As long as the weather is still nice and warm autumn is probably the best season for nice strolls in the area It goes without saying that if you have children your main attraction will be the large playground the battlecruiser Averof is now a floating museum -a costly but totally successful investment under the command of Admiral Pavlos Kountouriotis played the most important role in Greece’s victory in the First Balkan War the officers’ lounge and the sailors’ cabins You will definitely be impressed by the heavy armoured weapons on deck The scene is complemented by relics and objects such as the uniforms of officers and sailors and photographic material there are also a few other ships anchored at Flisvos and in the Naval Tradition Park one can learn the entire Greek maritime history you’ll see one of the last genuine sailing ships of the Aegean Sea whose captains and officers had decided to react forcefully to overthrow the military junta regime imposed on the country in 1967 You will also see a replica of the ancient Athenian trireme an old cable steamer – in essence a floating telecommunications museum – and one more sailing ship Faliro is one of the best areas to live in Athens You can tell by the number of families you meet strolling around the area among which the playground and the park of Flisvos are the most popular an open space for ball games and bike paths a certain vigilance on the parents’ part is required as the playground has three entrances Featuring swings and courts that can accommodate wheelchairs this is an inclusive playground where children with physical disabilities can also play Goody’s Burger House located in the Faliro Delta combines a personal customer service philosophy with the warm and casual atmosphere of an authentic burger joint Here you can feast on juice burgers with three different types of beef patties as well as numerous other delicious goodies such as Meat Free & Veggie Burgers The best way to end a visit to the playground A museum housed in a building that perfectly matches its theme At the junction of Tritonos and Poseidonos streets lies Villa Kouloura a truly unique building with gothic touches and two towers that will make you think you’ve transported to Disneyland It was probably built at the end of the 19th century and was bequeathed to the Benaki Museum the Benaki Toy Museum opened to the public in 2017,hosting the toy collection of Maria Argyriadis lead soldiers and thousands of other exhibits Needless to say that you don’t have to be a parent to visit And they seemed to be having the time of their lives The main commercial street of Faliro is Zisimopoulou Street we suggest you head to Eleftheriou Venizelou Street where you’ll find numerous outlet stores Be patient and you are sure to find what you are looking for at a low price The ideal end to such a busy day is of course a very good meal La pasteria restaurant offers Italian comfort food It’s the ideal destination for large groups of friends Children will surely enjoy La Pasteria’s mouth-watering pizzas Those who prefer to stick to the classics can enjoy a luscious pasta Carbonara Those willing to experiment should try the Pasta alla Parmigianna a dish that combines great taste with “spectacle” everyone will top off their meal with a dessert from the menu the most popular Italian dessert among Greeks for many years now populist tabloid of low circulation publishes a series of cover stories attacking a work of Public Art which was just installed on a beautiful spot upon the ‘Athens Riviera’ a part of the coastal area that surrounds the Greek capital started as a laughable nuisance that only concerned a handful of ideo-religious fanatics who took their campaigning to the social media sphere Then something highly unexpected comes and turns the farce into a nightmare An ambitious political opponent of the long-standing mayor coming from a mainstream center-left party saw an opportunity to undermine the mayor by attacking the sculpture emboldened the fanatics and worked to add a veil of legitimacy to their cause A bit over 2000 signatures were collected against the work of art which is now accused of being the artistic embodiment of non-other than Satan himself(!) or a leading ‘Nephilim’ and other such nonsense reproduced from this ‘disturbed’ minority in spite of the overwhelming support by the mayor and the mainstream media to the artwork the artist and the donors that funded it – there is a chance that the populists demonizing the work of art might win; with the state intervening to remove the sculpture depicting a guardian angel who oversees the city It has been crafted by a leading international artist of Greek origin which rests upon an 8-meter tall metal pillar Similar large-scale monumental sculptures by Georgiou can be found in several cities of China Brussels and a series of international museums The artist recently completed a series of international exhibitions in Mayfair that we attended for Artdependence Georgiou’s work is not tested for the first time Shapes and figures from the same line of inspiration that brought us “Phylax” have been exhibited in New York It is the first time it produces such a reaction To allow the work of an internationally renowned and respected artist to be vandalized is unacceptable “Phylax” was recently attacked with white paint by a handful of religious fanatics who filmed themselves as they then spat and gestured indecently to the work of art to ‘defeat Satan’ If the state gives in to this extreme minority who has already resorted to ‘direct action’ – namely violence and threats which will appear internationally as hostage of sad minorities It will also be a loss for the Athens Riviera which is now being reborn after the crisis that had stalled investments and was regaining momentum It will also be a sad development for the municipality of Palaio Faliro which had just welcomed with great joy and excitement this avant-garde impression (according to a leading Greek art historian) of Talos It will also be a loss for the people of the city Kostis Georgiou’s Solo Exhibition in Mayfair We spoke to the artist who appeared genuinely sad for this ‘publicity frenzy’ as some outlets jumped on the sensationalism wave to sell adopting a tabloid-style approach for the sake of maximizing their audience is a continuation of his 40-year long artistic efforts and a milestone in his recent efforts to enhance the concept and presence of public art around Greece Its meaning is not diverging from the title The artist is hoping that the mayor and the authorities will not give in to the pressures and that they will stand firm in their current stance in favor of maintaining and protecting the piece One only hopes that art’s ‘guardian angel’ will put his or her hand to prevent further harm coming to this intense red sculpture that still stands tall and proud at the heart of the ‘Athens Riviera’ He has worked with a number of galleries and artists in Greece and Europe ArtDependence Magazine is an international magazine covering all spheres of contemporary art ArtDependence features the latest art news highlighting interviews with today’s most influential artists fair directors and individuals at the axis of the arts The magazine also covers series of articles and reviews on critical art events new publications and other foremost happenings in the art world If you would like to submit events or editorial content to ArtDependence Magazine, please feel free to reach the magazine via the contact page. The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, known as the Red Arrows, is scheduled to perform a display at noon on Saturday, May 18, over Flisvos Marina in Paleo Faliro, along the Athens coast. Additionally, the British aerobatic squad will showcase their skills during a show on May 21 at Souda Bay, Crete, as part of commemorations marking the 83rd anniversary of the Battle of Crete. have ranged from throwing white paint and spitting at it to attempting to exorcise it with a Greek priest sprinkling holy water.It was displayed in early December in a busy area in the coastal suburb of Palaio Faliro religious conservatives and supporters of far right political groups.Late on Wednesday night a group of 10-15 hooded persons tied it to the back of a truck and drove away mayor of Palaio Faliro Dionysis Hatzidakis told Real FM."It's wings are now broken," said Hatzidakis who has filed a lawsuit "It has been severely damaged.""So if we don't like something we destroy it .. for political purposes?," Hatzidakis said adding that he suspected the attackers were far-right.He said they threatened to hurt an eye-witness if he alerted authorities If the sculpture can be repaired it will be reinstalled a spokesman for the mayor told Reuters.The sculpture was created by well-known Greek artist Kostis Georgiou who has exhibited both at home and in other countries He told Enikos.gr that Phylax was transferred to a safe place and that he hopes "the evil shall not prevail"."All this violence against the sculpture since the first moment it was installed has left me speechless," he told Reuters "It should remain down on the ground as a memorial of the irrational rationale."Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas and Renee Maltezou; Editing by Matthew Mpoke Bigg It looks like people just hate the soil,” says Mrs Ourania as she sweeps the yard at what is one of the last surviving detached houses in the Athens suburb of Nea Smyrni I ask how she feels about the transformation of her tiny street which has seen apartment blocks replace the older houses – most pre-war – with increasing rapidity in the past couple of years “We lost hundreds of houses with small gardens and yards; it was madness,” she says of the big construction boom of that era are right on the front line of what may be called the third wave of Athens’ suburban expansion The first big urbanization boom took place in the 1970s – when thousands of houses and their plots were signed over to developers in exchange for an apartment or a few apartments in the new block a system known as “antiparochi.” The proliferation of mixed-use apartment blocks from that boom also cemented the Attica basin’s urban identity The last wave before the present one was during the economic boom of 1995-2005 and it was even more prolific than the present one buoyant sentiment from the prospect of the 2004 Olympic Games and other factors drove the acceleration of construction activity That wave not only washed away hundreds more houses in the space of a few years it replaced them with even taller apartment blocks of seven or eight stories having a profound impact on the microclimate of the city’s mostly narrow streets by blocking the natural sunlight and air circulation as well as razing what greenery there was along sidewalks to make way for parking garages for the city’s burgeoning fleet of cars “Nea Smyrni’s greatest downfall was the destruction of its front gardens which had been mandatory when the neighborhood was first built as a ‘green suburb’ before World War II unhealthy patches of greenery that allowed the construction of parking garages,” says civil engineer and local resident Angelos Papaioannou an archaeologist and coordinator at Monumenta a nongovernmental organization dedicated to recording the country’s 19th and 20th century building stock and spearheading efforts to save it “I think we’re experiencing a repeat of the 1970s – and that is no exaggeration We can’t keep up at Monumenta with the emails and messages coming in every day about buildings being demolished in many parts of Athens but also in other cities like Thessaloniki and Alexandroupoli Most concern buildings from the 1920s and 30s but there are also post-war ones from the 50s This wave of demolitions increased in 2022 and continues unabated in 2023,” she says What we’re actually seeing is the coiled-spring stemming from a decade of economic crisis and the significant contraction of construction activity Most of the licenses for buildings constructed from 2018 onward were issued during the difficult years of the recession as a result of a surge in sales of land and property – on very favorable terms for the buyers Most of the houses being demolished are not architecturally noteworthy which is why they have never been listed for preservation by the ministries of Environment or Culture While they may not have the aesthetic caliber of loftier townhouses built by renowned architects or under different economic circumstances they do nevertheless possess an aesthetic and environmental qualities that grow increasingly valuable with time and should not be dismissed As for the institutional framework governing them local architectural boards are responsible for giving the green light for the demolition of any building erected before 1955; only rarely do they reject an application for a non-listed building Buildings that are over 100 years old (unlisted ones) have an additional layer of protection as their demolition must pass the much stricter Ministry of Culture This means that many owners of inter-war era buildings are now scrambling to get a demolition license before the property turns 100 the main reason why buildings are coming down is the profit-damages ratio The cost of maintaining and upgrading an old house is unbearable for most owners modern apartment in its place is as powerful as it was a century ago “We know from civil engineers that antiparochi never really stopped except in the last economic crisis,” says Gratsia “We genuinely ask ourselves how we can help stem this phenomenon which will lead to enormous losses of our architectural legacy Now that the registry for 1830-1940 has been completed it emerges that Athens has 11,500 buildings from that period Many of them may not be listed but they are noteworthy and it is important that they are saved sent a letter to the prime minister asking to accelerate the implementation of the Diatiro program that has been announced providing funding for structural and restoration work Only political willpower and public pressure can stop this evil tide.” Athens’ first private settlement was established exactly 100 years ago It was called Psychiko and designed by architect and urban planner Alexandros Nikoloudis on the model of English 19th century garden cities It was one of a handful of zoning programs that was implemented to the letter in Greece and continues to stand out for its planning with streets radiating off a succession of roundabouts and elegant houses or small apartment complexes set back from the roads in gardens The municipal authority representing Filothei and Psychiko is determined to celebrate the centennial with a victory in saving the character of the most coveted suburb in the Greek capital Applications for construction licenses for the area started pouring into the zoning department in nearby Agia Paraskevi (which had jurisdiction at the time) in 2017 and the first sizable projects appeared shortly after alarming the local authority and residents After being elected mayor of Filothei-Psychiko in 2019 Dimitris Galanis realized that he was facing an unprecedented challenge ‘I think we’re experiencing a repeat of the 1970s – and that is no exaggeration’ “What had changed was that the new building regulation that had come out in 2012 started being implemented after a construction hiatus during the recession catching many municipal authorities off guard,” he says The new regulation may have been dressed up as promoting greater energy efficiency but a closer look revealed that it allowed a 5% bigger building ratio and an “energy-saving” structure on top of the roof which in “modern Greek” terms has basically meant an additional floor in places like Psychiko and Filothei is not a negligible change It certainly would not be accepted without challenge because it directly threatens their architectural character and their arrangement,” says Galanis Much to the joy of construction companies and contractors the new regulations tend to favor more ambitious projects putting dozens of detached houses in the suburbs at risk “We took immediate action and told the government that these building regulations could not be allowed to override the special presidential decrees protecting the status of Athens’ three garden towns: Psychiko We also established a zoning office in our own municipality so we can have more control over the files that pertain to our neighborhoods,” adds the mayor Even though the question of precedence has not been settled yet the municipal authority has managed to freeze several building permits and But why is an apartment in the suburbs still so coveted I ask my Kathimerini colleague and expert in all things Athens to the suburbs is the poor quality of most buildings in central Athens and the fact that schools are Those reasons alone give us a picture of this imbalance It is also clear that the ‘modern’ apartments that started appearing in the 1970s offered a sense of luxury and comfort that the older buildings could not in that the situation has not changed significantly Many of the new apartment blocks going up across the city are evidence of this new residential model which is based more on the notion of a compound (with services) than on the typical apartment building Harris Savvidis is an architect and a resident of the southern Athens suburb of Voula “We have been experiencing widespread reconstruction in the southern suburbs over the past few years which is due to the interest of foreign investors in the local property market as much as the interest of people who want to live in Greece for the benefits of Schengen as well as the freedom this provides to travel and work anywhere in Europe after securing a Golden Visa,” he says The key trait of this new wave of construction is the demolition of individual houses dating from 1930 to 1980 and their replacement with apartment blocks that meet the terms of the new regulation gives all sorts of incentives for constructing new buildings in the place of old ones and provides less plot coverage and a higher energy class meaning mandatory upgrades to the specification of heat insulations heating systems and other mechanical installations meaning that the new apartment blocks are three or even four meters or even floors higher than the older ones around them This has created a situation in the market which is no longer reversible.” you could still see unbuilt plots of land in Glyfada “This is one of the key differences with the previous construction waves; there are no more empty plots A similar image is transmitted from the northern suburb of Halandri by Panayotis Tournikiotis city planner and until recently a professor at the National Technical University of Athens and the head of its School of Architecture “I have noticed it these past couple of years We lost a lot of decent inter-war buildings in Halandri at the time,” he says noting that it is also unreasonable to expect all the houses to be saved “The economy and social necessity are the driving forces behind construction Expanding protection to include the more noteworthy among the remaining houses would be one option and reducing the benefits of replacing them would be the other,” he says “Cultivating an interest in these houses and showing their value in terms of quality of life memory etc could also contribute to their protection and improvement And this is something that social media could contribute to A policy of incentives to maintain and restore houses would also be important in selected neighborhoods where these houses were built under special circumstances or those blocks in Halandri designed with such social ecological or urban balance,” adds Tournikiotis as architect Harris Savvidis describes?” I ask the usually optimistic Nikos Vatopoulos but there are definitely a lot of tools we could use Imagine how different so many neighborhoods and suburbs would be if the state had set certain guidelines: giving opportunities for architecture of a higher quality setting a limit on four or five floors and definitely ensuring more greenery,” he says Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox housed in a fairy-tale edifice at Palaio Faliro on Athens’s southern coast is poised to open its doors to the public for the first time Sunday It is the latest addition to the Benaki group of museums and is based on a vast collection of vintage toys donated by Maria Argyriadi “This is like closing a circle that has taken 25 years to achieve,” says Argyriadi of a process that started in 1980 and was anything but a game as she sought noteworthy exhibits such as the wooden rocking horse that early 20th century statesman Eleftherios Venizelos had given his grandson or the porcelain and ivory toy set that once belonged to Queen Olga Of Argyriadi’s 20,000-strong collection of toys dating from Roman and Byzantine times to the middle of the last century around 3,000 will be put on show in alternating displays at the Benaki’s new museum Handmade dolls in traditional Greek costumes painted by hand fashion dolls from France complete with a full wardrobe wind-up and mechanical toys made of tin or wood lead soldiers and model trains and airplanes are just some the exhibits that visitors will be able to view at the museum which promises thrills for kids and plenty of nostalgia for adults “This is a museum that’s successful even before it opens properly,” says George Manginis one of the three members of the Benaki’s executive committee adding that the school tour program is already booked through June The Benaki Toy Museum is housed in a beautiful private villa that was built in the 19th century to resemble a castle It was donated to the institution in 1976 by its last owner with the intention of it becoming a museum Original elements from the whimsical building have been retained – such as the ornamental murals a fireplace made of red marble and wooden details – and give the space even more of a fairy-tale air to acquaint the public with the new museum with the official opening scheduled for Thursday the Hellas Liberty merchant ship and the submarine Proteus is to be created at Flisvos in Palaio Faliro on the southern coast of Athens Shipowner Aris Theodorides will donate €35 million to establish the park which will be named Odysseus – The Greeks and the Sea The contract outlining the state’s acceptance of the donation was presented to the Parliament on Wednesday for approval and contains stringent guidelines for the project’s execution It will be built on 2.6 hectares of public land which had been granted to the Hellenic Navy and the Municipality of Palaio Faliro and will be complemented with the concession of a sea area at a depth of 1 kilometer The cost of the construction of the entire facility will be borne by the civilian nonprofit company owned by Theodorides Downtown Athens’ Syntagma Square is being reconnected to the tram service after a two-year hiatus after a stretch of the track from the city center to the suburb of Neos Cosmos was closed the Transport Ministry confirmed that tests were successful on the stretch between Syntagma and Kasomouli Street in Neos Cosmos – which includes key stops like Vouliagmenis and Fix – and the tram is ready to resume operation This section of the tram runs above the bed of the dried-out Ilissos River and was closed in 2018 over concerns about possible sinkholes beneath the tracks Work has since been carried out to strengthen the stretch The ministry added that service will also resume on the southern coastal stretch of the tram between Batis in Palaio Faliro and the Peace and Friendship Stadium (SEF) in Neo Faliro which had been closed down due to the reconstruction of the spaghetti junctions and anti-flood work in the area The overhaul of the Faliro Bay area is expected to be completed by the end of the month ATHENS: Greece is riding a weather “rollercoaster” with weekend temperatures spiking to a record high for March just ahead of a forecast bout of snow and frost The mercury soared to 31.4 degrees Celsius (88.5 degrees Fahrenheit) on Saturday in the central town of Livadia -- the highest-ever recorded for March according to National Observatory of Athens´ Meteo.gr other weather stations registered temperatures more typical of balmy May than the closing days of winter “The very high maximum temperatures recorded during the last four days (from Wednesday to Saturday) in the country were record highs for the month of March in many areas,” Meteo.gr said a nationwide ban on burning material on rural properties is in effect until March 18 “To have such temperatures so early in March this has never happened before!” meterologist Panagiotis Giannopoulos told ERT television The unusual spike was attributed to a blanket of Saharan dust in the air This winter is listed as the 13th warmest in Greece Inhabitants in Greece will have to brace for plunging temperatures from Tuesday “A cold air mass on Tuesday will give showers and snow all over the country,” Giannopoulos said where today we have 27 degrees the maximum temperature will be 11 degrees Copyright © 2025. The News International, All Rights Reserved | Contact Us | Authors The Chamber of Greek Artists on Thursday issued a statement reacting to the destruction of a statue at a public square on Athens’s southern coast that religious zealots said symbolized Satan a red winged figure by Kostis Georgiou sat atop a metal pole was pulled down from its pedestal in Palaio Faliro in the early hours of Thursday by around 15 hooded men according to an announcement from the municipal authority A man running a kiosk near the seaside park where the sculpture was displayed told authorities that the vandals turned up in a truck and two SUVs and used ropes to pull the sculpture down and smash it on the ground They also allegedly threatened the kiosk owner when he berated them for their act of vandalism the Chamber of Greek Artists said it was “deeply saddened that even a small portion of society can be manipulated by arbitrary interpretations of a work of art.” The reference was to a protest rally earlier this month spearheaded by a local parish priest and calling for the removal of the statue which the cleric described in an open letter to Palaio Faliro Mayor Dionysis Hatzidakis as “a demon and a soldier of Satan that must be despised as blasphemous to the holy trinity.” “Attacks carried out in such a brutally practical manner on art… are an extremely dangerous phenomenon pointing to our society’s increasing turn to fascism,” the artists’ group said Visitors wait in line to board an exact replica of an ancient Greek warship built in the mid-1980s by naval architect John F Coates that is docked at the Palaio Faliro marina the Hellenic Navy will be allowing visitors to try their hand at rowing the 37-meter trireme which is propelled by 170 oarsmen and two large sails The Olympias trireme is docked beside the navy’s the early 20th century armored cruiser Georgios Averof some 100 parishioners marched from their church of Panaghia Myrtidiotissa in Palaio Faliro in southern Athens to a public sculpture where a priest sprinkled holy water on the art work to “exorcize its demons.” In an open letter to Palaio Faliro Mayor Dionysis Hatzidakis parish priest Patapios Argyros said that the sculpture – called Phylax (Guardian) – is a “demon and a soldier of Satan that is an affront to Orthodoxy and the Christian faith The bright-red statue depicts a winged human form seated on a tall metal pedestal More than 100 faithful led by their priest marched to the local square asking for Lucifer’s depiction to be removed Since 5 December the sculpture Phylax by acclaimed artist Kostis Georgiou that was installed near the Palaio Faliro marina in Trokadero dividing Greek scholars and church officials that was commissioned by the Martinos shipping family has been donated to the Palaio Faliro Municipality and stands alone between the local chapels of Agios Georgios and Agia Skepi the Phylax has suffered two vandalism attacks; as a response to the Municipality naming it “guardian-angel” of the South Athens suburb even though the council and Mayor Dionysis Hatzidakis clarified that the Phylax does not symbolise the guardian angel as depicted in Christian faith proceeded to throw red paint on the statue as well as cut the power to the tram line that powers the art piece and keeps it illuminated at night Several members of the local community argued that the image of the red naked man with wings is provocative and symbolises Lucifer “Who says that the colour of Satan is red there are angels with red wings and red hair” artist Kostis Georgiou told Greek Channel Skai TV adding that “the criticism started by some ultras like newspaper Eleftheri Ora and the [fake] monk “It is supposed that the opponents are Christians but their soul is anti-Christian,” Georgiou continued The latest incident comes from around 100 parishioners that last night decided to march from Panagia Myrtidiotissa church in Palaio Faliro led by their local priest who sprinkled holy water on the art work to “exorcise its demons.” “The sculpture is a demon and a soldier of Satan that must be despised as blasphemous to the holy trinity,” parish priest Patapios Argyros wrote in his open letter to the Mayor “It is an affront to Orthodoxy and the Christian faith,” the priest continued a signature collection among the residents of the suburb has begun to have the sculpture removed the leading Greek airline had the honour of flying alongside the Hellenic Airforce aircraft for another year during the commencement of this year’s celebration of the Hellenic Airforce The celebration took place on the 5th of November of 2023 in honor of the patron of the Hellenic Air Force The event was attended by the Minister of National Defense the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Air Commodore (Ret.) Themistocles Bourolias In the airspace above the beach of Palaio Faliro the two state-of-the-art SKY express aircraft AIRBUS A320neo (SX-NIG) and ATR 72-600 (SX-NTE) showed their dynamic presence taking part in the impressive formations with the Hellenic Airforce aircraft With an astounding synchronism and in perfect collaboration the pilots of the Hellenic Air Force and SKY express gave a unique show that left everyone attending the event in awe The captains from SKY express side were Mr Eleftherios Helmis (AIRBUS A320neo) and Mr Gregoris Karaousoglou and Nicolas Vranas (ATR 72-600) BOOK YOUR TICKETFIND A HOTELFIND A CARFIND A PARKING SPACETHE COMPANY Groups and charter flights request and support: Travel Agents support exclusively in Belgium Groups and charter flight requests exclusively in France: Groups flight support exclusively in Germany: Groups flight support exclusively in Austria: Groups flight support exclusively in Turkey: Green light for shelter for ancient mass grave found during construction of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre in Faliro Greece’s Central Archaeological Council on Tuesday agreed on the specifications of an underground shelter to permanently protect the ancient mass grave containing 80 shackled skeletons found at Paleo Faliro The mass grave, dating back to the 7th century BC, was found at the construction site of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC) in 2016 when works for the new cultural centre were carried out Excavators at the necropolis found skeletons victims of mass executions that bear signs of a violent death with some in chains with their wrists clamped by iron shackles “For the first time we can illustrate historical events that took place during the struggle between aristocrats in the 7th century and led to the establishment of a democratic regime in the city of Athens,” project director Stella Chrysoulaki told Archaeology magazine in reference to the discovery in 2016 that is believed to be connected to the Cylonian affair The archaeological discovery  will now be showcased with a covering in the hope that the area will become accessible to the public in the future The three groups of graves will be covered by the construction of a simple and plain underground shell with a descending walkway to blend with the surrounding landscape of the SNFCC Esplanade while also creating a micro-climate to best preserve and protect the find READ MORE: Ancient skeletons in Athens’ closet The architectural construction that will make visitors feel as though they are visiting a resting place for the dead rather than another tourist attraction Consultation on the new zoning plan for tourism is expected to begin soon and to serve as the main instrument for imposing restrictions on the number of short-term rental assets the exact content of restrictions is unclear but the inclusion of a number of areas of Attica in the relevant provisions seems to be a harbinger of future developments one of the main elements of the new zoning plan provides for restrictions on the number of accommodations it will be foreseen to set “limitations on the number of sharing tourism spaces and simple rented rooms as a percentage of the beds of the main tourist accommodation” in the “control areas” and in the “developed areas.” The latter concern Attica and Thessaloniki given the shortage of houses to buy or rent and the housing crisis this has created Standing out in Attica among the “developed areas” are downtown Athens However the bulk belongs to the center of Athens with 16,900 accommodations while the other 4,882 assets are located in all other regions in some of them it is not clear where the interventions will be focused How the selection has been made has raised questions both due to the low penetration of short-term rentals and the fact they are not areas with a deficit housing and high demand from long-term tenants the “control areas” include districts that are in very strong demand the phenomenon of shortage in housing for students or public officials is observed every year so the search for solutions is now imperative These are the municipal units Paralia in Pieria The Greek cuisine at its best with delicious homemade food meat “cooked-to-order” and fresh fish and seafood: After countless tastings we created a list with all the taverns in the southern suburbs of Athens that have preserved their original character and are truly worth going out of the usual tourist ways to discover with its covered courtyard and rustic interior They specialize in juicy grilled meat cooked-to-order which tend to steal the show as they are presented forming a mountain Paired excellently with saganaki (fried cheese) but make sure to reserve some space in your stomach for the final treat loukoumades (fried dough) with honey and cinnamon Babis has been a destination for foodies for many decades; the tavern is famous for its juicy burgers its regular customers show a particular preference to its well-cooked fish it has fast service and a modest environment It opened in the early 1990s in a restored mansion built in 1927 It has an inner courtyard filled with flowers but in the summer most people prefer the outdoor courtyard the perfectly cooked pork tenderloin and the mini cheese pies they will treat you to loukoumades and semolina halva A beautiful neighborhood tavern in Palaio Faliro veal liver and juicy burgers with freshly fried potatoes on the side The impeccable and polite service is another plus One of the best taverns in Athens to eat meat It is a regular destination for juicy kontosouvli (spit roasted meat) We recommended making a reservation if you want to go on the weekend or on Friday night Do not forget to try the pastirma mini pies Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Μπαρμπαμητσος-Λαδοκολλα (@barbamitsos_ladokolla) An old-school neighborhood tavern that has maintained its regular customers for over thirty years Relatively small and decorated with photographs and murals reminiscent of the era of ‘rebetiko’ this tavern almost always has a full house There are three options to choose from: burger The only exception to this logic of simplicity is that the food is served with french fries and that you can accompany it with spicy cheese dip Barba Mitsos-Ladokolla: 11 Ioustinianou St. Lightly roasted on the outside and juicy on the inside because she wanted to take care of a beloved customer They have remained the tavern’s specialty ever since do not hesitate to order the ribs and steak Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Ο ΡΟΥΜΕΛΙΩΤΗΣ (@oroumeliotis) Roumeliotis is famous for its gigantic rib steak juicy kontosouvli and traditional kokoretsi (usually on Friday nights and weekends) as well as its fries with fried eggs and red spicy homemade cheese dip you will always be treated to orange cake and ice cream but still reminiscent of a traditional tavern Drami serves dishes inspired by the cuisine of different Greek regions Try sharing the appetizers and make sure to order the homemade meatballs or the aromatic zucchini balls grilled mushrooms and the chicken stir-fry and it grew in size as it quickly gained loyal customers It has managed to preserve its original identity over time it is a classic destination for kontosouvli The lamb on the spit is also worth ordering one of the most famous Athens districts for meat lovers at the time and since then it has remained open all year round The meat has Greek origin and they use fresh charcoal every day for grilling They are well-known for their traditional kokoretsi named after the owner’s brother who was an Evzonas or Tsolias (military rank in the Greek army) It has built a good reputation and loyal clientele thanks to its steaks (especially the “stable” steak) sausages and its well-done lamb on the spit The service is impeccable even during rush hour Ursula Andress and Brigitte Bardot have all dined here in the past Time stopped at this tavern at some unspecified moment thirty years ago The tavern opened in 1983 and was named after the region where shepherds used to rest with their flocks before going to the mountains The honeyed lamb in the hull accompanied by potatoes with lemon the spicy tzatziki and the well-balanced kokoretsi are some of the menu items that stand out The first thing to make impression after you take a seat at the tavern’s blue tables is that they serve fresh scallops it is an Italian trattoria disguised as a Greek fish tavern that This fish tavern has hosted great Greek musicians and artists who fell in love with its simplicity and delicious dishes Fresh fish is carefully cooked on the grill or in the pan while the Platamonas shrimps are to die for It is a must to order the caramelized octopus with black-eyed beans and cherry tomatoes the homemade taramosalata (fish roe dip) and the delicious fish soup with a tradition in serving good fish since 1950 and it insists on a small but delicious menu After trying the fresh fish from the Cyclades and the fried shrimp from Platamonas they will treat you to homemade halva and traditional Greek spoon sweet which stands out for its fresh fish and delicious seafood It is a six-minute drive from the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio on your way back to Athens after visiting the Temple make a stop in Legraina and you will not regret it A post shared by Ιωλκός – Iolkos (@iolkos.seafood) In this elegant fish tavern that opened in 2013 in a “hidden” neighborhood of Glyfada you will find seafood and fish from Ikaria and Lemnos It combines the culture of the Greek “tsipouradiko” with the quality of a gourmet restaurant fresh sea urchin dishes as well as scallops which are paired incredibly with their homemade dips while enjoying Greek ouzo and tsipouro found here in abundance Another great choice on the way back from the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio to Athens Located in the same spot since 1947 on the seaside the environment is that of a traditional fish tavern with really good fish and a wonderful view out to sea It is also known for its remarkable shrimp pasta Ta Kalamia: 39th km Athinon – Souniou Avenue Η δημοσίευση κοινοποιήθηκε από το χρήστη Νίνα (@sokoinsta) Four minutes away from Stamatis and eight in total from the archeological site of Sounio in “Theodoros & Eleni” you will find the most delicious mussels of Attica bathed in a velvety feta and oregano sauce or with garlic and wine Just one tip: Be ready to get your hands dirty ouzo and other seafood delicacies that will catch your eye on the menu Ramona has been open for decades and it is loved by its many loyal customers especially beef stew with pasta or french fries but what catches the eye are the large wine barrels “dressed” in vine leaves as well as the black and white photos of the city on the walls a formidable cook with experience of over 30 years opened Palia Fava in 2005 in one of the narrow alleys of Palaio Faliro This tavern is characterized by its retro look and it focuses on traditional Greek cuisine such as soutzoukakia (a type of meatballs) bean and other soups are definitely worth trying and before you leave they will treat you to dessert prepared with the available seasonal ingredients Here you will find a wide variety of casserole dishes while the tavern is also known for its veal steak and grilled chicken burger and there is a spit for kontosouvli and kokoretsi in the weekends they will treat you to loukoumades and homemade ravani (sweet semolina cake) This is the place to taste authentic Greek dishes balanced and delicious food prepared with authentic local products Here you will indulge in a proper choriatiki salad (traditional Greek salad) wonderfully-fragrant cucumber and feta cheese with a full flavor The appetizers are also traditional Greek dishes all of which are prepared with extra-fresh ingredients a traditional recipe with orzo and pieces of meat this is where the restaurant’s name comes from The Bigger Playground of the Balkans that hosts over 1400 children  aged 2 to 12 was launched by the Municipal Authority of Palaio Faliro on February 10 This is an area of ​​13 acres between Flisvos and the marina the dozens of original colorful instruments of the playground have taken their place in the specially designed space and welcome the young visitors The area is divided into six sections: one for 2-5 year olds a field for sports with outdoor gymnastics equipment and mini soccer and basketball courts a 80-seat wooden amphitheater where cultural events and a canteen from where parents have the ability to supervise their children pointing out that the playground gives a space for the children to play safely in an area beside the sea All playground instruments meet the standards of the Hellenic Organization for Standardization (ELOT) and allow kids to develop their sociability while having fun through group play The floor around the toys is made of rubber in order to protect the young visitors while in some games where the surrounding area could not be fitted with elastic floor The playground has a large 1,000-square-meter instrument with slides lofts and allows access via ramps and triangular stairs with handles to facilitate children with disabilities The park is fenced and in the evening it closes and is protected in order to avoid any vandalism Throughout the length and breadth of the area lighting and 80 benches have been installed and more than 1500 roots of various trees and plants have been planted The cost of the project amounted to 1,000,000 euros the municipality did not spend a single euro since large companies that advertised their products offered to cover it The land belongs to the Public Real Estate Company Με την εγγραφή σας αποδέχεστε τους Όρους Χρήσης και Πολιτικής Προστασίας The leak has been described as an ‘ecological disaster’ with authorities accused of failing to recognize the scale of threat  Images of of dead and oil-coated turtle’s and birds underscored the economic and environmental impact and experts estimated it could take years before the affected area fully recovered fans and more are saying their last goodbye today to journalist Kosta Hardavella with his funeral scheduled for 13:30 in Panagitsa Palaio Faliro His body is on display early for a popular pilgrimage at the church Konstantinos Hardavellas and his journalist wife Maria Panagopoulou are at the church early to receive condolences from the people in Paleo Faliro to bid him farewell he addressed the death of his father for the first time his namesake son revealing what was the last thing he said to him we were now communicating in both of our favorite ways The last thing he said to me was ‘Don’t worry we’ll grow up together,'” Constantinos Hardavellaswrote I won’t say goodbye because I know a part of you will always remain with me and one day we will meet again through someone else’s eyes,” concludes the son of Kostas Hardavellas in his post 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 Thick fog and high levels of African dust have covered Paleo Faliro and the Kifissos area creating a suffocating scene and making driving particularly difficult the limited visibility on the avenue can be seen while vehicles are moving at reduced speed due to the dangerous conditions The phenomenon affects other areas of the basin Faliro once again embraces rhythmic gymnastics athletes from around the world, who will compete for distinctions and the applause of fans at the 10th International Tournament Aphrodite Cup taking place from Friday (21/3) to Sunday (23/3) at the Faliro Indoor Gymnasium (Tae Kwon Do) The successful event enters its second decade with a new record number of participants as 310 gymnasts from 27 countries make this year’s anniversary edition truly unique The countdown to the 10th Aphrodite Cup culminated with a press conference held at the welcoming venue of TGI Fridays in Marina Flisvos The speakers included the Mayor of Palaio Faliro the President of the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation and Olympian Vasilis Tsolakidis the President of the organizing club G.O.P.F the Deputy Regional Governor of Sports & Olympic Ideals of the Attica Region and member of the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation (HGF) Board of Directors Vasiliki Millousi representing the Attica Regional Governor Nikos Hardalias the Deputy Regional Governor of South Athens Christos Theodoropoulos “Harmony” Giorgos Kazantzopoulos and rhythmic gymnastics champion Panagiota Lytra The event was also honored by the presence of HGF Administration representatives Third Vice President and Olympian Eva Christodoulou and Board Member and FIG Executive Committee Member Also in attendance were Palaio Faliro’s Deputy Mayor of Sports Michalis Koumentakos Deputy Mayor of Sanitation Maria Michalopoulou Olympian in rhythmic gymnastics Klelia Pantazi Yiannis Fostiropoulos (Mayor of Palaio Faliro):“The sport of rhythmic gymnastics has made the city of Palaio Faliro known worldwide through the Aphrodite Cup and the World Cup we hosted in previous years Our municipality is particularly friendly to sports and culture which was not easy when this event first started the Aphrodite Cup is a ‘green’ event leaving the minimal possible energy footprint while also promoting volunteerism This event also provides an important opportunity to open up Olympic facilities which should always be full of sports activities.” Vasilis Tsolakidis (President of HGF):“I am delighted that the Municipality of Palaio Faliro supports gymnastics who has been dedicated to rhythmic gymnastics for 45 years We welcome all delegations and hope for even greater participation records in the future Vasiliki Millousi (Deputy Regional Governor of Sports & Olympic Ideals / HGF Board Member):“It is a great pleasure to represent the Attica Region and Governor Nikos Hardalias as well as the gymnastics community in which I grew up The Attica Region actively supports all initiatives that promote sports values and Olympic ideals Efforts are being made to integrate the Olympic Tae Kwon Do Gymnasium into the Faliro development area the largest project currently underway in Attica to improve the facility’s future utilization The Aphrodite Cup is now an established institution Best wishes to all athletes and coaches for a successful competition.” Christos Theodoropoulos (Deputy Regional Governor of South Athens):“We are delighted to host this event in Palaio Faliro there are Olympic facilities in the area that remain unused I believe that with the transfer of these facilities from ETAD S.A Governor Nikos Hardalias and his team will prove that these venues can generate value and economic benefits The Attica Region will continue to support the Aphrodite Cup ensuring it provides the highest possible exposure to our area.” Eleni Michopoulou (President of the Organizing Committee / President of G.O.P.F “Harmony”):“I am very proud that we have reached the 10th Aphrodite Cup which started under Mayor Dionysis Hatzidakis and then Deputy Mayor Yiannis Fostiropoulos we transform the Olympic Tae Kwon Do Gymnasium into a sports venue at great cost Without the support of HGF and the Municipality of Palaio Faliro The Attica Region has also supported us in 2017 The Aphrodite Cup has reached great heights and future generations can take it even further and the team behind the Aphrodite Cup is incredibly strong and must remain so.” Giorgos Kazantzopoulos (Vice President of G.O.P.F we celebrate 10 years of the Aphrodite Cup which continues to be the rhythmic gymnastics event of five continents Even though we are at the beginning of a new Olympic cycle The Aphrodite Cup started in 2015 with a team of experts trained during the Athens Olympics and has now earned its place on the international gymnastics scene the event has generated €1.5 million in revenue for South Athens proving that an international sports event can be a key factor in local sustainable development without whom this success would not have been possible.” Panagiota Lytra (Rhythmic Gymnastics Champion):“I am very happy to participate for the second consecutive year in the Aphrodite Cup This will be my first international competition of the year I am excited to showcase my new routines and will try to perform them well I want to thank my coaches for their constant support as well as everyone involved in organizing this tournament to see the stands filled with fans who will motivate us with their presence.” The 10th International Rhythmic Gymnastics Tournament Aphrodite Cup is organized by the Gymnastics Club of Palaio Faliro “Harmony,” co-organized by the Hellenic Gymnastics Federation and the Municipality of Palaio Faliro under the auspices of the Ministry of Education the General Secretariat for Gender Equality & Human Rights with institutional support from the Public Real Estate Company (ETAD) S.A The event’s media sponsors are ERT and ERA Sport Athens Medical Center – Palaio Faliro Clinic The Aphrodite Cup is also supported by the Institute Team for the World – Environmental Alliance 2004+ promotes the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is part of the Green Sports League’s second-tier certification system Due to the organization of a road race called “16th International Poseidon Half Marathon and Parallel Events,” temporary traffic regulations will be implemented on Sunday (April 27) on the following road sections in the municipalities of Palaio Faliro and Alimos: The Hellenic Police (ELAS) appeals to drivers for their better service and to prevent traffic accidents reminding them to be particularly cautious while passing through the aforementioned areas and to follow the existing road signs and the instructions of traffic officers