Category: Cyclades islands

  • Mykonos parties, special events & DJ lineups in July 2018

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    Looking for party listings for 2019? Click here!

     

    Kalua Mykonos

    Singer Shaya Hansen,  saxophonist Tiago Astori and DJ Mr Mike entertain daily at Kalua, along with DJs Nick Aggelidis and Freespirit

     

    Kalua Mykonos

    Junior Pappa, My Excuse, Rodge, Mahmut Orhan and Tanja LaCroix are among the special guest acts who will be appearing at Kalua in July. 

     

    Alemagou Mykonos

    Alemagou will be holding 9 special events during July 2018. Artists and their appearance dates are shown on the promotional poster above.

     

    SantAnna Mykonos

    The F*** Me I’m Famous! pool parties  — the French Cathy and David Guetta brand of “sexy and provocative parties with luxurious production in world class venues with a fantastically glamorous crowd” — are coming to SantAnna every Saturday evening during July.

     

    VOID club Mykonos

    Void has special DJ entertainment each night during July, with some artists still to be announced for the club’s event lineup this month

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    This is the international DJ schedule for July at Cavo Paradiso

     

    Branco Mykonos Whispers events

    Whispers is a new “seaside sunset concept” event being held every Saturday at Branco throughout July

     

    Belvedere Mykonos Hotel

    Starting Wednesday July 4, Belvedere Hotel will pay homage “to vinyl records inspired by the sounds of Mykonos and the nostalgic era” with a poolside sunset party every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evening until August 25. The Poolside Nights will feature “a curated selection of rare soul, funk, jazz, and R&B rooted disco” played by DJs Lou Hayter, Fiona Jane and Izy.

     

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    ~ updated on Tuesday July 31 2018 ~

     

    Below is a listing of promotional flyers for parties scheduled to take place on Mykonos during July 2018.

    Events will be added to this page when they are announced, so check back for updates. Be sure to refresh your browser so you will see newly-added updates; often events are added to this page several times per day.

    Bear in mind that many parties may not be announced until only a day or two before they take place. Some parties are advertised only locally on Mykonos, so when you are on the island, keep on the lookout for posters and club promotional staff who visit popular beaches and Mykonos Town to provide information about special events.

    For more information about specific events, pricing and admission policies, or to make table reservations or to purchase advance tickets, contact the bars and clubs directly.

    To see a list of regularly scheduled events that take place either every day or once weekly, click here.

    To see a listing of Mykonos parties and events for May and June 2018, click here.

    For a list of events taking place in August and September 2018, click here.

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    Moni Mykonos

    Mimi, B2B and FY will appear at Moni on Sunday July 1

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    Benny Benassi plays Cavo Paradiso on Sunday July 1, with support by Rivaz

     

    Scorpios Mykonos

    The program for The Sunday July 1 sunset program at Scorpios features music by Kaz James, Nic Fanciulli, Jean Claude Ades and Sneaky Sound System

     

     

    SEE PAGE 2 FOR EVENTS TAKING PLACE FROM JULY 2 TO 7

    CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

  • Lonely Planet profiles NE Aegean plus 4 ‘secret,’ timeless islands

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    Lonely Planet magazine

    Greece gets front-cover prominence on the cover of the Lonely Planet newsstand issue for May 2018

     

    The secret’s out: I had a strong hunch I might find something interesting to read about Greece when I walked into the magazine department at my local bookstore yesterday.  When I turned into the travel section, my premonition instantly proved accurate — standing at eye level on the front shelf was the latest edition of Lonely Planet, its cover graced with a photo of a blue-roofed Greek Orthodox church illustrating its “Secret Greece” feature story. 

    In another pleasant delight, I realized I had seen that very same church in person — on Astypalea, during our island hopping holiday in 2009.

    Astypalea is one of seven islands featured in Lonely Planet’s May issue and, in another curious coincidence, the article about it recommends staying in the very accommodations where we spent several nights: Fildisi Boutique Hotel

    The magazine highlights two other islands we have been to — Hydra and Sifnos — and, in yet another surprising stroke of serendipity, spotlights four more that I had been seriously considering for our upcoming vacation: Lesvos, Chios, Ikaria and Kythera. (We have already made plans to spend our time in and within sight of the Peloponnese, but Lonely Planet suddenly has me wondering if I may have made a mistake.)

    The main focus of the magazine’s Great Escape cover feature is the Northeast Aegean group of Greek islands; specifically, Lesvos, Chios and Ikaria. Stepping ashore on these particular isles “introduces olive farmers and wild honey, hidden villages and untouched beaches, and perhaps the secret to long life,” the feature story introduction says.

    Reading the Lesvos profile quickly made me crave Greek cuisine, though I should have expected that given the article’s headline: “Savour the many flavours of Greece on Lesvos, from olive oil to ouzo and orange wine.”

    The second feature story invites readers to “discover a centuries-old tradition of mastic cultivation and the fortress-like villages that grew rich from it” in southern Chios.

    The third main article introduces Ikaria, one of the world’s unique Blue Zone locations where residents “enjoy longer lives than anyone else in Europe.”

    One-page mini profiles for Astypalea, Kythera, Sifnos and Hydra appear in the magazine’s “Secret Greece” feature as examples that, “even in the well-known Greek island groups,” visitors can find “the odd place that’s little changed over the decades.” Each profile includes short thumbnail descriptions for “Why am I going?”, “Where should I stay?”, “What am I eating?”, and “What am I drinking?”

    The island articles are all good reads, and just might entice you to consider the Northeast Aegean for a future trip to Greece, especially if you haven’t considered that region of the country before. (They probably will make you feel peckish for Greek food and beverages, too.)

    See if you can find a copy of the magazine at your local newsstand before it sells out.

  • April landslide prompts renewed warning of 5-year-old ban on visits to Santorini’s Red Beach

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    Red Beach Santorini

    With its breathtaking backdrop of soaring crimson cliffs, many tourists regard Santorini’s Red Beach as one of the top “must-see” attractions on the island. This image appeared on the Travel to Santorini page on Facebook.

     

    Red Beach Santorini

    Red Beach has officially been closed to the public since 2013 because of rockfall risks, but thousands of tourists ignore warning signs and visit regardless.  This photo, posted to Facebook by Hui Lin, shows a newlywed couple walking in the water at Red Beach on February 25 2018.

     

    Red Beach Santorini

     Luckily, no-one was injured when a landslide struck Red Beach on April 13 2018. This photo by Costas Konstantinidis shows the huge pile of sand and rock debris that slid onto the southern end of the beach.  The photo appeared in Greek news stories reporting on the latest rockfall.

     

    Beautiful but dangerous:  “Attention! Danger of landslides. No entry.”

    That’s the warning on signs posted along the access path to Santorini’s world-famous Red Beach, but each year thousands of tourists have ventured down to the beach regardless, to sunbathe, swim and shoot those all-important “I was here” selfies.

    Scores of people will probably visit Red Beach again this year, even though a landslide in mid-April confirmed there’s an ever-present danger that sections of the tall crimson cliffs that tower above the beach could collapse on them at any time.

    Widely considered to be one of the most beautiful and unusual beaches in the world, Red Beach resulted from the natural erosion of the cone of a small volcano. Comprised of loose layers of slag (volcanic cinder), the cone’s steep southern slope developed large cracks and fissures during seismic and volcanic activity; eventually, sections of the slope crumbled and slid seaward, creating the dramatic cliffs that rise above the stone and pebble shore today.

    The cliffs have been studied extensively by geologists and volcanologists from Greek universities and the Institute for the Study and Monitoring of the Santorini volcano, who concluded that further erosion cannot be stopped or prevented.  Since landslides are unpredictable and instantaneous, they urged island authorities to take steps to keep people from visiting Red Beach and potentially putting themselves in harm’s way.

     

    Red Beach Santorini

    This aerial image shows how the slopes of a former volcano cone have caved in and crumbled onto Red Beach over time. The photograph has appeared on many social media sites, including the Akrotiri and Knossos community page on Facebook, but I haven’t been able to find the original source to give proper credit for the image.

     

    The island municipality did close Red Beach to the public after a major landslide occurred in August of 2013, but most tourists have simply walked past the “no entry” signs that were put up. It’s possible many of the travellers weren’t aware there have in fact been major rockfalls, or perhaps they have thought the risk of one occurring during their visit was so infinitesimal it wasn’t worth worrying about. After all, if it was so dangerous, why would local and national travel and tourism businesses continue to recommend that people go there?

    Valid point indeed, since some Santorini tour agencies offer boat trips to the beach, while a variety of island hotels and travel businesses regularly encourage visits to Red Beach in photos and comments posted on their social media accounts. Enterprising local residents also have set up rental lounge chairs and umbrellas on the beach, along with a snack canteen — apparently in blatant violation of local regulations. And Aegean Airlines recently raised some eyebrows when it featured Red Beach on the cover of its in-flight magazine for March & April 2018, and in several photographs accompanying its feature story “The hidden treasures of Santorini” (one of the pics showed a female fashion model posing in front of a debris pile from a small landslide).

     

    Will anything change as a result of the most recent rockfall, which occurred on April 13?

    According to reports posted on the Greek news and information websites Atlantea and LIFO,  among others, the latest landslide prompted island authorities to issue a press release reminding people that “access to the Red Beach is forbidden” — as it has been since 2013 — so the beach remains off-limits for sunbathing, swimming, walking and other activities.

    “The area has been marked with warning signs, and it is urged by all those involved with tourism to respect these prohibitions in order to avoid accidents,” the municipal press release is quoted as saying.

    But since the “no entry” signs have been ignored for several years already, the municipality ultimately may have to consider installing physical barriers to ensure that people keep off the beach. As of this writing (on April 30 2018), tourists were still live-posting photos and reviews of Red Beach on their various social media pages, with some commenting that they noticed the hazard signs but went onto the beach anyway because they saw other people there.

    If you’re planning to visit Santorini but don’t wish to risk a visit to Red Beach, you can instead view dozens of photos of it in my May 2016 blog post The bewitching but dangerous beauty of Santorini’s Red Beach.

     

    Aegean Airlines Blue Magazine

    The cover photo for the March/April 2018 Aegean Airlines in-flight magazine shows a fashion model posing near rocks  at one end of Red Beach.  There are more shots of models on the beach in the magazine’s photo feature on Santorini’s natural “hidden miracles.”

  • Greek Island icons & landmarks: The blue-domed church high above the sea on Santorini

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    Agios Theodori Church

    Photos of Agios Theodori Church have inspired countless people to visit Santorini and other places in Greece — or to dream of going there

       

    Greek Islands Icons & Landmarks is a series of occasional posts about curious, unusual and extraordinary sights and places we have seen on our travels in the Greek Islands

     

    Celebrity dome: It’s a quintessential image of Greece:  a cute white chapel with a shiny blue dome, accompanied by a white belfry with three bells, sitting high above the sea on Santorini.   

    It’s called Agios Theodori, but like thousands of other churches in Greece, few people outside the country know its name. Nevertheless, it’s a familiar sight to millions around the world, since photos of the church have appeared for decades on travel posters, tour materials and in guidebooks, newspapers and magazines. Along with the Acropolis in Athens, that little whitewashed, blue-domed church is one of the main images people associate with Greece.

    I recall seeing pictures of Agios Theodori in the early 1980s, first at restaurants in Windsor, Ontario and Detroit’s Greektown, and then at travel agencies and restaurants along Danforth Avenue in Toronto’s Greektown, which was just a few blocks from where I was living at the time. That was long before I ever considered going to Greece, but the pictures of that blue-domed church stuck in my mind.

     

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    Agios Theodori church

     

    Agios Theodori church

     

     Over 20 years later we finally made it to Greece,  and Santorini was the last stop on our island-hopping holiday. Although I hoped we would see the famous blue-domed church, I didn’t know where to look for it. I figured that if we came across it while exploring the island, that would be great, but if we didn’t get to see it on this trip, perhaps we would some other time. 

    Imagine my surprise and delight when, only minutes after checking in to the Santorini Palace Hotel in Firostefani, we walked to the tip of the caldera cliff nearby to check out the views — and saw Agios Theodori church just a few meters directly below us. I was slightly stunned at first; it felt like the familiar image I had seen in print so many times had suddenly come to life before my eyes. 

    So was it as breathtaking and impressive as I had anticipated, after seeing it in photos all those years? You bet! There was absolutely no disappointment here —  the live view was spectacular. And to think the church was only a few dozen meters from the front door of our hotel! Now what were the odds of that happening? 

     

    Agios Theodori Church

     

    Agios Theodori church

     

    Agios Theodori Church

     

    We saw Agios Theodori church again, on each of our subsequent visits to Santorini, and it was still impressive to see. If we ever go back to the island I’m sure we’ll pass through Firostefani so we can take another look.

     

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    Below are several photos I found online, showing the church from perspectives we didn’t manage to photograph ourselves. There’s also a map indicating where Agios Theodori is located, should you want to see it in person yourself.

     

    Agios Theodori church

    The Agios Theodori belfry is seen in an image from the Petr Svarc Images page on Facebook

     

    Agios Theodori Church Firostefani

    The front of Agios Theodori church as seen from “street” level — actually, from the footpath that winds along the top of the caldera between Firostefani and Fira. Ting Lin shared this photo on Google Images.

     

    Agios Theodori Church

     Also from Google Images is this photo by Charles Cheng, capturing Agios Theodori at sunset

     

    Agios Theodori church location

    Agios Theodori church is marked as “Three Bells of Fira” on Google maps, but it isn’t in the town of Fira — it’s a 10- to 15-minute walk away if you follow the clifftop footpath from the cable car station and walk north toward Firostefani (keeping the sea on your left side).  To see it from the “travel poster and guidebook perspective,” make your way to the Santorini Palace Hotel. From the hotel entrance, walk up the short slope toward the sea, and head for the low wall at  the edge of the parking area. Look down to your left, and enjoy the view!

  • Mykonos parties, special events & DJ lineups in May & June 2018

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    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    This is the international DJ lineup for June at Cavo Paradiso

     

    ~ Final update on Thursday June 28 ~

     

    Below are promotion flyers for parties scheduled to take place on Mykonos during May and June 2018. Events will be added to this page when they are announced, so check back for updates. Keep in mind that many parties may not be announced until only a day or two before they take place. Contact clubs directly to make table reservations or to purchase advance tickets.

    Click here for the list of June parties and events.

    For parties and events taking place in July, click here.

    For August and September events,  click here.

     

    Bar & club openings and special events during May

     

    Babylon bar Mykonos

    Tuesday May 1 is opening day for Babylon bar in Mykonos Town

     

    Skandinavian Bar Mykonos

    Skandinavian Bar’s opening party is set for Friday May 4

     

    At54 club Mykonos

    At54 club starts its season on Saturday May 5 with an opening party featuring a live show by singer Kelly Kaltsi

     

    JackieO Beach Mykonos

    JackieO’ Beach opens for the summer on Saturday May 5

     

    Celebrities Bar Mykonos

    DJ Jordy plays Celebrities bar on May 4, 5 and 6

     

    La Rosticceria Mykonos

    Singer Vicky Bee appears at La Rosticceria on Monday May 7

     

    Principote Panormos Mykonos

    Principote Panormos starts its season on Thursday May 10

     

    Celebrities Bar Mykonos

    DJ Van Damme plays a 3-night gig at Celebrities Bar starting Friday May 11

     

    Enjoy Cafe Bar Mykonos

    Enjoy Cafe Bar presents a live show by Lefteris Vazaios on Saturday May 12

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos 2018

    Argie, AnXid & Heavy G are in the DJ lineup for Cavo Paradiso’s Season Opening party on Saturday May 12

     

    Kalua Mykonos

    Kalua returns with a refreshed look for its season opening on Sunday May 13

     

    Scorpios Mykonos

    Jean Claude Ades and Kaz James host the season opening party at Scorpios on Sunday May 13

     

    Solymar Beach Restaurant Mykonos

    Solymar beach restaurant and bar returns to Kalo Livadi on May 15

     

    Lotus Resto-Bar Mykonos

    Singer Kelly Kaltsi will give a special live guest performance during the summer opening event at Lotus Resto-Bar on Wednesday May 16

     

    Scorpios Mykonos

    Scorpios Unplugged is the new music ritual that will be held at Scorpios every Friday evening. The program makes its 2018 debut on May 18 with live music by Monality.

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos 2018

    G. Siras & Terry will be on the decks at Cavo Paradiso on Saturday May 19

     

    Buddha Bar Beach Mykonos

    Buddha-Bar Beach presents Mixology Weekend with Matthias Giroud on Saturday May 19 and Sunday May 20

     

    Scorpios Mykonos

    Jean Claude Ades and Kaz James provide the music for The Sunday program at Scorpios on May 20

     

    Toro loco Mykonos

    Sunday May 20 is Disco Fever night at Toro loco 

     

    Scorpios Mykonos

    Scorpios presents The New Aeon with Rico Loop on Monday May 21

     

    SantAnna beach club Mykonos

    SantAnna beach club starts its second season on Tuesday May 22

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    AnXid & Mark Code are featured DJs at Cavo Paradiso on Thursday May 24

     

    Kelly Kaltsi

    Narghile Bar and Sale e Pepe restaurant celebrate their official summer opening on Friday May 25 with a live performance by singer Kelly Kaltsi

     

    Rustic Grill Mykonos

    Local rock group Pole-Dancing Pelicans will perform at Rustic Grill on Friday May 25

     

    Güzel gets its 2018 season off to a start with an opening party on Friday May 25

     

    Madon Club Mykonos

    Madon club opens for the season on Friday May 25

     

    Bonbonniere Mykonos

    Young & Tay headline the opening party at Bonbonniere on Friday May 25

     

    Moni Mykonos

    Live DJ duo Âme headlines the opening night party at Moni on Friday May 25

     

     

    4711 Mykonos

    Live Greek music venue 4711 opens for the summer on Friday May 25 with performances by Dionisis Sxoinas

     

     

    NNautilus restaurant Mykonos

    Pianist Vaya Nassi will entertain at Nautilus restaurant on Friday May 25, Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27. Performances begin at 8 p.m.

     

    Void club Mykonos

    Void celebrates its 2018 opening with a weekend of partying on Friday May 25, Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27

     

    Void Mykonos

    Joris Voorn is headline act for the opening party at Void on Friday May 25

     

    Super Paradise beach club Mykonos

    Athens-based RnB artist Steve #onemanshow appears for a special performance at Super Paradise beach club on Friday May 25 at 4:30 p.m.

     

    Mykonos Bar

    Mykonos Bar presents singer Elli Kokkinou for three nights of lives shows: Friday May 25, Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th

     

    Mykonos Bar

    Bo Fugitive also will be performing at Mykonos Bar on Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27

     

    Super Paradise beach club Mykonos

    Playmen will be playing Super Paradise beach club on Saturday May 26

     

    Hippie Chic hotel Mykonos

    Hippie Chic Hotel is holding a Bank Holiday Beach Party on Saturday May 26

     

    Alemagou Mykonos

    Damian Lazarus spins the tunes for the afternoon party at Alemagou on Saturday May 26

     

    Cinderella nightclub Mykonos

    The new Cinderella Mykonos  dance club celebrates its grand opening on Saturday May 26. Inspired by the legendary Piero’s bar, a former icon of the Mykonos nightlife party scene, it’s the summer island outpost of the Cinderella club in Athens.

     

    The Grill House Mykonos

    On Saturday May 26, The Grill House Mykonos is throwing a party to celebrate its grand opening. DJ Giorgos Panagopoulos will provide music for the event, which starts at 6 p.m. 

     

    Void club Mykonos

    RnB artist Steve #onemanshow appears at Void on Saturday May 26

     

    Bonbonniere Mykonos

    Junior Rush spins at Bonbonniere on Saturday May 26 and Sunday May 27

     

    A2 DJ Music Workshop

    The latest semester for the A2LTD Music WorkShop has ended, and student DJs will be taking a tour to Mykonos to spin music at four venues — Veranda, Sueno Pool Bar, Queen of Mykonos and Super Paradise Beach Club — from Friday May 25 through Sunday May 27

     

    Alemagou Mykonos

    Alemagou is holding an afternoon party on Saturday May 26. DJ Dest will play the opening set and then, as the sun sets, Damian Lazarus will take over the decks and really get the party going.

     

    Tropicana beach club Mykonos

    Israeli dance and electronic DJ/producer/remixer Sagi Abitbul brings his show to Tropicana club on Sunday May 27

     

    Solymar Beach Restaurant Mykonos

    On Sunday May 27, Greek singer Γιώργος Σαμπάνης (George Sabanis) performs at Solymar Beach Restaurant at Kalo Livadi beach

     

    Kalua Mykonos

    Alternative rock band My Excuse will perform at Kalua on Sunday May 27

     

    Super Paradise beach club Mykonos

    DJ Vasilis Koutonias will be playing the latest popular Greek music at Super Paradise on Sunday May 27

     

    Void club Mykonos

    Echonomist plays Void club on Sunday May 27

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos 2018

    Dennis Ferrer will be on the decks at Cavo Paradiso for the Holy Spirit holiday weekend party on Sunday May 27.

     

     

     

    Pinky Beach Mykonos

    After 6 years at Super Paradise, Pinky Beach has relocated and will open in late May at Agia Anna/Paraga beach

     

    Guapaloca Mykonos

    May 28 is the launch date for the new weekly Baywatch Party at Guapaloca, scheduled to take place every Monday starting at 4 p.m. Dress code for the parties is Baywatch red.

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    Argie & Heavy G are scheduled DJs for the Full Moon Party at Cavo Paradiso on Tuesday May 29

     

    La Rosticceria Mykonos

    Vicky Bee returns to La Rosticceria for another live show on Tuesday May 29

     

    Cavo Paradiso Mykonos

    Junior Rush and DJ Terry headline the party at Cavo Paradiso on Thursday May 31

     

    For parties and events in June, click on the link below to turn to page 2.

    CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

  • Amorgos island: Where time is always well spent

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    In Amorgos, There is Time is a 2.5-minute video from BKC Film 

     

    Timely island: An engaging short film I discovered this week has rekindled some sweet memories from our our only and only visit (so far) to Amorgos nearly 10 years ago.

    In Amorgos, There is Time was published on Vimeo just two days ago (March 1 2018), and I found a link to it in the newsfeed for my blog page on Facebook. 

    The two and a half-minute film features aerial and ground-level photography that spotlights an impressive panoply of sights and scenery from the ruggedly beautiful island in the eastern Cyclades. 

    The video begins with a distant, aerial view of the magnificent Chozoviotissa Monastery, which is built into the face of a sheer cliff that soars hundreds of meters above the sea on the eastern coast of Amorgos — a stunning sight I think is a must-see attraction for anyone visiting the island.

    The film then presents a sequence of alluring images of island attractions and sights, including stone-paved streets, traditional tavernas and whitewashed buildings in seaside and mountain villages; windmills; sheep and donkeys; a tortoise, a seal and other sea life; a shipwreck; and views of splendid sunsets, beaches, mountains and coastlines. These are interspersed with scenes of island residents going about their daily lives and participating in local culture and activities.  (There also are numerous views of the Aegialis Hotel & Spa, the only 5-star hotel on Amorgos.)

    We spent four full days and nights on Amorgos back in May 2009, and wished we had been able to stay a week or longer. We have been meaning to get back, but its off-the-beaten-path location has kept us from fitting it into our more recent island-hopping itineraries.  Looks like it’s time to find a way to pay Amorgos a return visit.

  • The sweet sounds and looks of luxury at Canaves Oia hotel on Santorini

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    This 2-minute film is the official 2018 promotional video for Canaves Oia on Santorini. The hotel looks amazing, and its outstanding scenic views show why Santorini is one of the world’s most famous islands.

     

    Dreamy destination: Yesterday (February 23) was a terribly dreary day here in Toronto. The morning temperature was only 1 degree Celsius, a light drizzle was falling, and fog had enshrouded most of the downtown skyscrapers that usually crowd the skyline view from my windows. The dull light made me feel tired, and I kept wanting to crawl into bed. I desperately needed sunshine, but since there wasn’t any in the forecast, I started surfing the web to watch some videos of sunny places in Greece. That always perks me up on gloomy days.

    I found the usual assortment of home-made travel clips and aerial videos shot by camera-mounted drones, all of which boosted my spirits a bit. However, the film that gave me the biggest lift was a marketing promo for one of the most exclusive — and expensive — luxury resorts on Santorini.

    Entitled Luxury Never Sounded So Good, it’s the official 2018 video for Canaves Oia,  a stunning 5-star boutique hotel perched atop the caldera cliffs in Oia village. The resort is just as gorgeous as its incredible views and surrounding scenery, and it regularly wins awards and accolades from top travel magazines and websites, including TripAdvisor. It also has been profiled extensively on social media and in dozens of leading lifestyle, fashion, design and travel publications around the world.

     

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    With all that good press, Canaves Oia probably doesn’t need to advertise anymore. But I’m glad they do, since their videos are professionally produced, enticing to watch and — best of all — they make me feel, for a few minutes at least, that I’m back in Greece on vacation.

    What I particularly like about this year’s promo film is that members of the Canaves staff and management team play starring roles, while the hotel and the exquisite Santorini scenery fill supporting background positions.

    The video runs for just over two minutes, and is bound to put you into a luxuriously dreamy Santorini state of mind — especially if the weather sucks wherever you might be while you watch it. If you won’t be able to stay at the Canaves or visit Oia this year, watching the clip and daydreaming about being there is the next best thing. 

    By the way, just in case you’re wondering: No, the hotel didn’t ask me to post the video on my blog. Nor did it offer to pay me or give me free accommodation if I did.  (I don’t have that kind of good luck, unfortunately).  I found the video while clicking around the web, and liked it so much I decided to feature it in a blog post. Santorini was one of the first Greek islands we got to visit, and it’s one of the reasons we fell in love with Greece and keep going back. I simply hope that sharing the film might inspire other dreamers and travel buffs to visit Greece some day, if they haven’t been there yet. 

    And if you’re a fan of minimalist design and crisp white interior decor, click on the link below to see the sweet looks of luxury — a selection of tantalizing images I’ve collected from various galleries on the Canaves Oia website. There’s a few photos of the breathtaking views from the accommodations, restaurants, bars and swimming pools, too.

    CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

  • Greek Island icons & landmarks: Shark Rock on Naxos

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    Shark Rock

    Shark Rock is an amusing attraction on the western coast of Naxos, between Agia Anna and Maraga. We shot this photo of the grinning Great White during our first trip to Naxos in 2005.

     

    This is the first instalment of Greek Islands Icons & Landmarks, a planned series of occasional posts about curious, unusual and extraordinary sights and places we have seen on our travels in the Greek Islands

     

    Rock star: My first close encounter with the most famous fish on Naxos occurred in June 2005, during our first visit to the island. It happened while we were walking along the wide smooth rocks and giant boulders that line the seashore on the southern side of Agia Anna Bay.  From this point there is a sweeping, unobstructed view of the Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios beach resort areas, as well as pyramid-shaped Stelida mountain to the north, so I paused to take some photos. When I turned to continue on my way, I nearly stumbled against the snout of the island’s fabled landshark.

    I didn’t know what it was initially. I thought it was just a big, long, slender rock rising more than a meter above the ground at a 45-degree angle — nothing unusual for a rocky seashore. Then I noticeda row of small stones had been arranged inside the long, narrow crack that curved around the raised end of the rock. It struck me as odd until I took a few steps back and realized someone had cleverly given the fish-shaped rock a toothy grin so it would resemble a Great White shark.  Another stone had been carefully placed higher up the rock to resemble a right eye.  It looked hilarious, and I couldn’t stop laughing.

     

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    I paid Shark Rock a visit on all of our subsequent trips to Naxos, and it still made me smile and chuckle each time. But last year I was disappointed to see a photo of the landshark that had just been shared on a Naxos fan club page on Facebook. It showed that someone had given Shark Rock a makeover by painting its belly and nose white, and its eye and gills blue. Like other members of the Facebook group, I didn’t think it was an improvement — the shark had looked much better au naturel, and didn’t need a sloppy paintjob to catch attention. The colours detracted from the subtle, creative humour of the simple stone teeth and eye.  Less is more, right?

    I’m hoping that rain, wind and waves wear off the paint by the next time I return to Naxos,  so the landshark looks the way I remember. 

    There are additional photos of Shark Rock, and a satellite image showing where it’s situated, on page two of this post.

     

    Shark Rock on Naxos

    Shark Rock strikes a menacing pose with Stelida mountain and the Agios Prokopios beach resort area in the background

     

    Shark Rock

    This telephoto picture shot from across the bay shows how Shark Rock blends into the rocky shoreline near Agios Nikolaos church, perfectly poised to surprise passersby. (He’s just below the trees on the right side of the hill.)

     

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