Category: Cyclades islands

Hang on! Handpan player Spyros Pan performing in live concerts across the Cyclades this summer

Promotional poster for the Spyros Pan Hang Solo Concerts this weekend at the Magaya Beach Restaurant in the Paros port town of Paroikia

Cyclades tour: If you’re looking for good food and some unusual musical entertainment on Paros island this weekend, the Magaya Beach Restaurant in Paroikia has just the ticket — two live concerts by hang and handpan player Spyros Pan.

In case you’re wondering exactly what a “hang” and “handpan” are (I’ll admit I had a vague idea, but still had to do a Google search to find out for certain), they are percussion musical instruments related to the steel drums from Trinidad. (Detailed information, photos, audio samples and videos of both instruments can be found on David Kuckhermann’s fascinating World Percussion website, Framedrums.)

The two Spyros Pan performances in Paros are scheduled for 8 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Magaya Beach Restaurant is situated on Souvlia beach, which is just a short distance southwest of Paroikia.

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July 12, 2013
Jackie O’ Beach Club is a classy new addition to legendary Super Paradise beach on Mykonos

The Jackie O’ Beach Club & Restaurant opened July 1 at Super Paradise beach on Mykonos. The aerial photo below shows the new club’s location on the hillside overlooking the west end of picturesque Super Paradise beach. The pictures were posted on Facebook by club co-owner Carsten Stehr, who created the stylish new beach venue with business partner Michalis Sigounas. Click on the images to view them in full-size format.

Club class: A stylish new restaurant and bar has opened at Super Paradise, one of the legendary party beaches on Mykonos.

Featuring Cycladic sculptural design elements in an amphitheatrical hillside setting at the west end of Super Paradise beach, Jackie O’ Beach boasts a large open-air bar, a 150-seat restaurant, private lounge areas, its own beachfront, swimming pool, jacuzzi and even a church. A Sotris clothing and fashion accessories shop is also part of the complex, which opened on the site of the former Coco Beach Club (see my August 16 2011 post for a description of the old club, as well as photos of the location’s terrific views of Super Paradise beach and bay).

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July 2, 2013
Pic of the day: A village street on Sifnos

Spiral stairs add a pop of colour to a street in Apollonia village on Sifnos

June 27, 2013
Pic of the day: Panagia Ekatontapiliani on Paros

One of the most famous churches in all the Greek islands, Panagia Ekatontapiliani in the Paros port town of Parikia is more popularly known as the “Church of the 100 doors” (probably because most tourists can’t pronounce the tongue-twisting Greek name.) But depending upon where you stand when you behold this beautiful building (it was constructed during the 4th Century), you will probably see more sections of stone walls and tiled roofs than doors.

June 26, 2013
All eyes on tonight’s ‘super moon’ above Greece

Anthony Ayiomamitis captured this gorgeous photo of a golden full moon rising above the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion in Greece on May 5 2012. It’s the featured photo on the Astronomy Picture of the Day website.

Moon event: You can be sure that a lot of people in Greece will keep looking skyward tonight as the biggest full moon of 2013 rises on its dramatic pass across the sky.

According to the Astronomy Picture of the Day website, the exact full phase of the moon will occur at 11:32 UT, shortly before the moon reaches perigee — the closest point to Earth in the lunar orbit.

Since this Full Perigee Moon will be the biggest and closest full moon of the year, restaurants, bars and clubs across Greece will be celebrating the big occasion with a variety of events, from quiet viewings over cocktails to special dinner menus and even some all-night-long dance parties with world-renowned DJs entertaining.

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June 23, 2013
Biennale brings avant-garde art to Mykonos

This promotional image for this weekend’s Mykonos Biennale depicts a view of the picturesque blue-domed church at the Mykonos harbourfront, as seen from the entrance colonnade at the Mykonos Town Hall

Cult event: Most people associate Mykonos with beautiful beaches and scintillating nightlife, but this weekend the island will draw international attention for arts and culture instead as it plays host to an avant-garde festival of visual art, music, dance and film.

The Mykonos Biennale, a cult event featuring a video film festival, contemporary art installations and live dance and musical performances, takes place at a variety of venues in and around Mykonos Town as well as on nearby Delos island during the four days starting Friday June 21.

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June 20, 2013
A minstrel in Mykonos Town

Musician Andreas Tsironis plays the bouzouki while one of the island’s famous pelicans preens on the wall behind him in the Kastro area of Mykonos Town

Tunes for tourists: Cruise ship passengers who headed for the Kastro area of Mykonos Town in hopes of seeing one of the famous Mykonos pelicans, as well as the iconic Paraportiani Church, got a triple treat while visiting the island recently.

They not only got to see both the church and one of the popular birds in the same place, but they also got to enjoy some live musical entertainment at the same time, courtesy of a local bouzouki busker.

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June 20, 2013
Summer Sailstice offers fun way to ‘sea’ Greece

A sailboat glides near steep cliffs that soar above the northwest coast of the Gulf of Milos on Milos island. Click the image to view a full size photo.

Solstice sails: If you happen to be travelling in Greece next Saturday and would like to do some sightseeing from a fresh and fun perspective, rather than take a run-of-the-mill bus tour or guided group walkabout, head for the nearest port or marina to see if you can sign up for a sailing excursions or tag along as a deckhand for a local sailor.

Not only will you get to view spectacular Greek scenery from unique and unrivalled vantage points on the water, but you also will be joining tens of thousands of other people around the world in Summer Sailstice, an annual international event that celebrates the joy of sailing.

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June 18, 2013