There was a full moon above Greece at 22:14 p.m. local time tonight. This photo of moonglow illuminating the sea below Santorini’s famous caldera cliffs was posted on the Wonderful Greece Facebook page.
Author: admin (Page 49 of 109)
Apeiranthos is sometimes referred to as “the marble village” because many of its buildings, lanes and public squares have been constructed from marble and stone. Click on the photo to see a full-size image.
Marble marvel: One of our memorable excursions on Naxos last October was a visit to Apeiranthos, described in many travel guides and websites as one of the island’s prettiest mountain villages.
Literally made of stone, Apeiranthos is often called “the marble village” since many of its squares, streets and buildings have been constructed with slabs and sheets of the crystalline rock.
The village is home to four separate museums (Archaeological, Folk Art, Geological and Natural History), the Zevgoli Tower (which dates to the 17th Century), several tavernas and cafés, and some local artcraft and gift shops.
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Village is situated 28 km from Naxos Town
We got to Apeiranthos by taking one of the local buses which, at that time of season, operated only a few return trips per day on the 28 km route between Chora (Naxos Town) and the village. Return fare cost €12.40 — a price of €3.10 per person each way. The highlight of the ride was the tremendous scenery we got to enjoy, particularly the mountain and valley views on the twisting section of highway above Filoti village (check out the post below for a videoclip showing some of the fabulous views from the bus). Despite the limited departure and return bus trips, we still had several hours at Apeiranthos — plenty of time to explore the village and vicinity, as well as stop for a drink and snack at Samaradiko Café.
The village was fairly quiet during the several hours we spent visiting the museums and walking around. We saw several small tour groups and perhaps three dozen other tourists (at most) wandering through the village or having coffee or lunch in one of the cafés. Besides the people working in restaurants and shops, we saw just a handful of local residents plus a few cats and dogs. We had most of the village entirely to ourselves which was wonderful, since we don’t like crowded places.
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A video walk along the marble-paved streets
Below is a two and a half-minute videoclip that I shot while we were walking through passageways and up some of the marble- and stone-paved steps. I think it will give you a reasonably good impression of what it’s like to actually wander the village’s residential hillside streets.
To see more of this charming mountain village, click here to view over 300 photos in the Apeiranthos album on the MyGreeceTravelBlog Flickr page.
If you would like to learn more about Apeiranthos, click here to read a richly detailed article that was written by Konstantinos Toubakaris and published on the travel website This is Naxos. Take note that if you plan to do further research, you will probably encounter several variations in the spelling of the village name. Besides Apeiranthos, I have seen guides, maps and websites use Apiranthos, Aperanthos, Aperathos and Aperathou. They’re all one and the same place.
Here’s a 2.5-minute videoclip I shot while walking around “the marble village” of Apeiranthos on October 9 2013.
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I shot this 5-minute-long video while we were taking the bus from Naxos Town to the mountain village of Apeiranthos last October 9.
Valley views: We rented a car during our second visit to Naxos back in 2006 so we could spend a day driving around the island and visiting a few of the nearly three dozen different mountain villages. Since I was behind the wheel on the ride up to the villages and had to concentrate on the road rather than the scenery, I didn’t get much of a chance to enjoy the impressive views.
I finally got that opportunity last October when we took the local bus to several villages, including Chalki, Filoti, Apeiranthos and Koronos, on three different days. Each time I got to watch the scenery pass by while somebody else handled the driving.
The stretch of road from Filoti to Apeiranthos was my favourite since it offers breathtaking panoramic views of the beautiful valley and mountain scenery, as well as Filoti village hundreds of feet below. And since we were sitting high up in a bus, we had a vastly better vantage point than we ever would have gotten had we been riding in a compact rental car again.
Above is a 5-minute video I filmed while the bus was climbing the mountainside above Filoti. Please pardon the shaky filming — it was difficult holding the camera steady while the bus maneuvered along the many bends in the road. You’ll get to see Filoti village numerous times between the 1:40 mark and the end of the clip.
Enjoy the ride!
A new express bus service links the cruise ship terminal at Pireaus with the Acropolis (above) as well as Syntagma Square in Central Athens
Editor’s 2018 Update: The X80 route resumes service on Thursday May 10. Click here to read a Keep Talking Greece article with information about the service, including fares, schedules and stops.
New route: Buses began running today on a new express service route that links the Piraeus cruise ship port to the Acropolis and Syntagma Square in Central Athens.
The X80 express bus will run seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 21:30 (9:30 p.m.), with departures every 30 minutes. The trip along the 25 km route from the cruise ship terminal to Syntagma Square is estimated to take between 30 and 45 minutes.
OASA, the Athens Urban Transport Organisation, introduced the new route to help make it easier for tourists arriving at Athens by cruise ship to reach Syntagma and the Acropolis — two of the city’s most popular attractions.
The bus will stop at the OLP terminal gates, the Piraeus town center, the Sygrou-Fix metro station, the Acropolis and Syntagma Square.
For 2018, two types of tickets can be used to take rides on the X80 — the €4.50 ticket that is valid for umlimited use on the metro, buses and trams in the city center for 24 hours, or the €22 tourist ticket that is valid for 3 days of travel.
Below are two maps that show the X80 route and stops at Piraeus as well as the route and stops in Central Athens. Click here to view an OASA PDF document showing the complete X80 route between Piraeus and Syntagma Square.
For general information about all modes of Athens public transportation, click here.
This map, from the Athens Urban Transport Organisation website, shows the X80 bus route stops at Piraeus. Click the image to view a larger-size picture.
This map shows the X80 bus stop locations in Central Athens
Aenaon Villas’ traditional design blends beautifully into Santorini’s spellbinding caldera landscape
Aenaon Villas sits nestled against the side of a rugged cliff on Santorini’s spectacular caldera. Designed in traditional Cycladic architecture, Aenaon’s seven luxury villas boast breathtaking views of nearby Thirasia island (upper left) …
… as well as Imerovigli village and Skaros Rock (upper left), the Nea Kameni volcano island (top center) and of course the mesmerizing blue waters of the Aegean Sea. Click on the image to view a larger-size photo.
Perfect fit: Spectacular scenery and magnificent views are the top two natural attractions that always take my breath away on Santorini. But the island’s outstanding architecture can leave me almost as speechless — particularly some of the traditionally-designed homes and hotels perched precariously on the crests and sides of the precipitous caldera cliffs.
In fact, one of the things I enjoy most about walking the scenic clifftop path from Fira to Oia is admiring the architecture and design of buildings we pass along the way. I am absolutely fascinated by the sight of hotel suites, terraces and infinity swimming pools built into the sides of sheer cliff walls that rise hundreds of feet above the sea. I am also amazed to see villas and boutique hotels under construction on cliffside real estate I would have considered to be unlikely places for new building development.
Captivating views on the Fira to Oia cliff walk
We haven’t done a cliff walk since our last visit to Santorini in 2006, but I know I will blown away by the natural and man-made scenery whenever we return to take the hike again. The views of the caldera, the sea, the Nea Kameni volcano and nearby Thirasia island are timeless, and will eternally be captivating. The four cliffside villages (Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia) will still be impressive, too. And some new (since our last visit) developments along the caldera — like Aenaon Villas near Imerovigli — will be waiting to “wow” me.
A complex of seven luxurious villas, Aenaon was built in 2009 and occupies a superb vantage point along the cliff path between Imerovigli and Oia. Its traditional Cycladic architecture, designed by Giorgos Zacharopoulos, features natural elements including boulders and stone walls that enable the villas to blend perfectly into their surroundings. Though they’re certainly eye-catching and beguiling, the brilliant white buildings don’t detract from the spectacular scenery or appear out of place — they actually complement the rocky, rugged terrain and add drama to the location’s imposing landscape.
Killer views from terraces and the infinity pool
But Aenaon isn’t just beautiful buildings with killer views from the villas, terraces, infinity pool and other points on the property. According to travellers who have reviewed the villas on sites like TripAdvisor.com, Aenaon is a “paradise” and a place “dreams are made of.” As of May 10, Aenaon was the #1 B&B and Inn property on the TripAdvisor chart for Imerovigli (out of 23 listings). It had 297 reviews, 293 of which rated it “excellent” and the other four “very good.”
Below is a series of photos of Aenaon Villas which proprietors Giorgos and Alexandra have kindly permitted me to republish on my blog. Check the Aenaon Villas website for further information about the villas as well as more stunning photos of the property, including the interiors of the suites. The website includes a chart listing rates for the four main travel seasons that Aenaon is open, and has a section where you can check availability and book online. Dozens more beautiful photos of the villas can be seen on the Aenaon Villas Facebook page, or by clicking on this link to the Aenaon Villas Pinterest profile.
An evening view of the villas from the terrace next to the infinity pool. Click the image to view a full-size photo.
A panoramic view from the infinity pool terrace at sunset
Villa view from the far side of the infinity pool
Villa Elidami, one of the seven luxury villas at Aenaon
I love the sharp colour contrasts between the brown volcanic landscape, the cobalt sky, the turquoise pool water and the stark white buildings and grounds
This photo by Vangelis Beltzenitis captures the infinity pool and terrace at sunset. The pool and deck offer jaw-dropping views of Imerovigli village and Skaros Rock (left) as well as the volcanic isles Nea Kameni and Palia Kameni (center).
Swimming pool and terrace view toward Thirasia island
I could admire the scenery from one of those lounge chairs for hours on end
The caldera cliffs loom large to the south of the infinity pool
This photo by Vangelis Beltzenitis shows two of the beautiful pools and a view of the marvellous caldera scenery
Photographer Louisa Nikolaidou captured this side view of Aenaon Villas with part of Oia village visible in the background.
The entrance to a quiet courtyard sitting area
Another view from the swimming pool
A Vangelis Beltzenitis photo capturing the sky, one of the villas, and some of the surrounding landscape
Twilight view from the seaview terrace
Twilight view of one of the villas
The villas and a large stone wall behind the swimming pool
A breathtaking view from the swimming pool at sunset
This photo of a surreal cloud formation passing above the infinity pool was posted on the Aenaon Villas Facebook page on May 3
Giorgos and Alexandra are the proprietors and hosts at Aenaon Villas
Succulent vegetation on the rugged landscape beside the villas
Just one of the many exhilarating views from Aenaon Villas
This is my favourite photo of Aenaon Villas because it highlights the buildings’ traditional Cycladic architecture while clouds provide a dramatic backdrop. The villa complex was designed by Giorgos Zacharopoulos.
The bar at Funky Kitchen Mykonos, a new restaurant that opened recently in the Lakka district of Mykonos Town. The photo is one of several posted recently on Funky Kitchen’s Facebook page.
More openings: Several weeks back I posted photos and information about brand-new tourist-related businesses opening on Mykonos for the summer of 2014 (see my April 13 2014 report headlined: Remezzo club gets restyled into restaurant & bar as new places to eat, stay & play open on Mykonos).
Friends on Mykonos tell me the arrival of the new accommodation, bar and dining venues has heightened the positive energy and enthusiastic buzz that has been steadily building this spring as travel bookings indicate the island could see a whopping 40% increase in visitor numbers this year.
That excitement will continue to increase this week, and throughout May, as more of the island’s already-established restaurants and bars launch their season with opening parties and special events.
Here’s some information to update my previous report from last month:
Newcomers to Lakka Square
Located near the busy Fabrika bus depot, the area around Lakka Square in Mykonos Town has long been one of the island’s top destinations for drinking and dining. It’s home to a variety of hugely popular restaurants and tavernas, including Bakalo, Marco Polo Taverna, Mediterraneo, and Sale e Pepe, and is where the cavernous Space Mykonos nightclub was located.
This year has brought three noteworthy changes to Lakka’s vibrant restaurant and bar scene.
Space is gone, and a new venue — Dream City (DC) — has taken its place. DC kicked off the season on April 19 with a grand opening party featuring Melisses and Knockout, and threw another bash the next day with Claydee and Bang La Decks. During May, Dream City will be open only on Fridays and Saturdays, but after that will be party central every day for the rest of the summer.
This image was posted on Facebook to promote last month’s opening party for Dream City Mykonos, a new club in the old Space Mykonos space
Just around the corner from DC, Funky Kitchen has opened its doors and begun welcoming customers. The restaurant subscribes to the “slow food” philosophy in preparing its Mediterranean dishes from high-quality, locally-sourced products. Everything the restaurant serves is made in-house, from its bread and dips to its marmelade and sauces as well as its sweets, chocolate chili and cardamom ice cream. Funky Kitchen also boasts an extensive wine list and cocktail menu.
Funky Kitchen is situated at 40 Ignatiou Basoula street, next door to Marco Polo Taverna.
Street view of the new Funky Kitchen restaurant, which features Mediterranean cuisine prepared in line with the “slow food” approach to cooking
The third newcomer to Lakka Square is Noodle Mykonos, an Asian “fusion” restaurant with a noodle and sushi bar.
Noodle offers “quick, fresh and healthy” cuisine for on-site dining, take-out and delivery.
This map, from the Noodle Mykonos Facebook page, shows the restaurant’s prime location two blocks from the Fabrika bus depot
This photo of guests gathered outside Noodle Mykonos during the restaurant’s recent opening party was posted on Facebook.
Also from the Noodle Mykonos Facebook page, a snapshot of the menu
Skandi Bar ready to rock
The Skandinavian Bar and Disco has been a veritable institution on Mykonos since 1978, ranking as one of the top places to party in the Greek islands every year since then. Its opening night event for 2014 takes place tonight (May 5), and the place will continue rocking all summer long.
Opening party promotional image from the Skandinavian Bar Facebook page
Skandinavian Bar posted this enthusiastic group photo on its Facebook page to promote the club’s opening party on Monday May 5
Kastro Bar launches new season
Also opening today is another popular bar that has developed a legion of fans and regular visitors from around the world since it opened in 1976 — Kastro Bar. It’s located steps from the famous Paraportiani Church and boasts great sea and sunset views.
This photo of the Kastro Bar interior was posted on the Mykonos Facebook page today to announce today’s official opening.
A Nice n Easy start at Kalo Livadi
The Nice n Easy Bio restaurant cafe expanded from Athens to Mykonos last summer, and the island outpost became an instant hit. Nice n Easy Mykonos vaulted to the #37 ranking for Mykonos restaurants on TripAdvisor.com, supplanting Solymar as the trendiest eatery at Kalo Livadi beach. (Solymar had to settle for the #176 ranking on TripAdvisor’s Mykonos restaurant chart).
Will Nice n Easy duplicate its success in 2014? We may soon find out — it will be opening its doors on May 16.
This photo was posted on the Nice n Easy Mykonos Facebook page to announce the restaurant’s official opening on May 16
Top beach eateries now open
Kalosta Restaurant quickly became one of the most popular new places to dine on Mykonos last year, vaulting into a high position on the TripAdvisor.com traveller reviews (where it is currently is rated as the #12 restaurant on the island.) It opened for a fresh season on May 7.
It joins several perennially-popular dining spots that have already opened for business at other beach areas, including Kiki’s Taverna at Agios Sostis, Aneplora at Kalafatis, Solymar at Kalo Livadi, Tasos at Paraga, Nammos at Psarou, Kostantis at Ornos and Hippie Fish at Agios Ioannis. Launching its season soon will be Fokos Taverna at Fokos beach, which has set its opening for May 15.
This photo, from the Kalosta Restaurant Facebook page, shows part of the view of Panormos beach that restaurant guests will enjoy from the open-air dining terrace
Kostantis restaurant is situated near the middle of Ornos beach. This photo of the beachside dining terrace appears on the Kostantis Restaurant Facebook page.
Mykonos Town hot spots
Fans of superb Italian food and fine wine will be happy to hear that Sale e Pepe is open for another season. The restaurant is located at Lakka Square and has won numerous accolades for its food and wine. It has been well-known for its wine list which is arguably the best on the island, and which has won acclaim from Wine Spectator magazine as one of the best restaurant wine lists in the world.
Lovers of authentic Neapolitan pizza will be delighted that Marechiaro is now open again, too. Besides pizza, Marechiaro offers salads and appetizers as well as fish specials and rib eye steaks. Pizza can be ordered for pick-up and take-away each day from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Last but not least, the world-famous Nobu Matsuhisa Mykonos started its second decade of business on May 9. Situated in the chic Belvedere Hotel, the restaurant celebrated its 10th anniversary last year.
From the Sale & Pepe Facebook page, a photo of the restaurant’s open-air dining terrace near Lakka Square in Mykonos Town
New disco & lounge at Taxi Square
Boogie nights return to Taxi Square on May 16 when the new lounge & discotheque @54 Club opens in the premises formerly occupied by the Ramrod Club gay bar.
The island’s newest nightclub is promising “Exclusive weekly parties full of the sexiest & most glamorous jet setting crowd and pumpin’ jamz to boot!”
The grand opening celebration starts at 7 pm.
Bartender Tassos stands outside @54 Club, a new disco & lounge opening on the premises once occupied by the Ramrod Club gay bar. The club, located next to Taxi Square in Mykonos Town, starts its boogie nights with a grand opening party on May 16. The photo is from @54 Club’s Facebook page.
Greek dancing & music at Roca Cookery
Roca Cookery isn’t a new restaurant (it has been in business for nearly three years now), but I noticed they have added something new that will probably be as huge a hit with tourists as their excellent seafood dishes and Greek cuisine.
One evening each week, Roca Cookery will host a Greek dancing show with live music. The spectacles will take place on Tuesdays at 21:30 (9:30 p.m.).
For reservation inquiries, contact the restaurant by telephone at or drop by in person. Roca Cookery is situated next to the Mykonos Archaeological Museum on the road above the Mykonos Old Port.
A promotional image for the new Greek dancing and live music shows being held every Tuesday night at Roca Cookery.
Getting ready to reel in a big boat? A man fishes from rocks in the Mykonos Town harbour, near the charter motor yachts Happy Dolphin II (left) and Hadia. We saw the Happy Dolphin II one week later while we were on Ios island (in mid-May of 2013). The 40-meter ship can sleep 13 guests in 5 cabins, and has a crew of 9. What a way to cruise the Greek Islands! You can view more photos of the 40-meter luxury yacht in my Happy Dolphin II at Ios album on Flickr.
This marvellous photo of massive waves crashing ashore at Angali beach on Folegandros was posted online recently by Instagram member Io2109 …
… while this image, which is from a photo gallery on the Folegandros.com travel website, shows the scenic beach and bay in weather conditions far more suitable for enjoyable swimming and sunbathing
Beautiful bay: Every time I see photos of Folegandros, I feel an urge to curse and kick.
I want to curse the wind because that’s what caused the cancellation of ferry service during two days of our Greek holiday in 2007, and kept us from spending as much time on Folegandros as we had planned.
And I feel like kicking myself for not making a better effort to get back to Folegandros for a repeat visit in the years that have passed since our far-too-brief introduction to this charming island in the West Cyclades.
Folegandros is an ideal destination for hikers, and we did a lot of walking during our whirlwind two-day visit that September (we were supposed to have had 3.5 days there, but Mother Nature made certain we saw more of Sifnos instead. No offence to Sifnos, but we really regret getting shortchanged on Folegandros).
One of our walks took us from Chora to Ano Meria village, where we had an unforgettable lunch at Irini’s grocery store & café (which I profiled in a June 23 2012 post), and then walked to Angali beach, where we stopped at a hillside taverna to rest with a cold drink while taking in the terrific views of the picturesque bay.
Sunshine, clear skies and a light breeze
It was a gorgeous sunny day with clear skies, a faint breeze and warm temperatures. There were only about two dozen people at the beach that afternoon, and most were either playing paddleball or sunbathing on the sand. The sea was cool but fairly calm, and a few people were taking quick dips and swimming.
I have vivid memories of how peaceful Angali Bay looked on that particular day, so I almost didn’t recognize it in a photo I discovered while surfing the web today. The picture that caught my attention is the one at the top of this post — a dramatic image of huge, wide waves breaking ashore as greyish-white clouds sweep across the blue sky above. The striking scene was captured by Instagram member Io2109, and I loved her photo so much I couldn’t help but share it. (Check her Instagram page for additional fabulous photos of Folegandros as well as other places in Greece.)
Below are more images of Angali beach and bay. The first picture is from the Travel to Folegandros travel website, while the rest are shots we took back in September 2007. Sometime (soon, I hope) we’ll get back to Folegandros to see parts of the island we missed first time around.
This image, from a photo gallery on the Travel to Folegandros website, shows the boat dock, beach and bay at Angali
Partway down the steep road that leads to Angali beach
Nudist campers definitely aren’t welcome here!
Two visitors (bottom left) take a swim in the bay’s turquoise water
Rolling mountain terrain and cliffs along Angali Bay
A fishing boat enters Angali Bay
View from the fishing boat quay near Angali beach
Boats docked at the small quay near the beach
Whitewashed buildings with blue shutters on the hill above Angali beach
There are a few tavernas and several rental accommodations at the beach
Cliffs rise above the eastern end of the beach
Paddleball game in progress
Paddleball players on the beach
Sunbathers on the rocky shoreline to the east of the sandy beach
A boat sits at anchor in the middle of Angali Bay
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