Category: Greek Islands

  • Island driving distractions: Sheep gridlock at Grikos and 4-legged highway hazards on Amorgos

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    sheep near Grikos Bay on Patmos

    A flock of sheep approaches the main highway from a side road leading to the Grikos Bay resort area on Patmos island

     

    Mass transit: One of the things we appreciate most about our Greek Island vacations is our temporary escape from the commuter chaos that clogs the city streets during the morning and afternoon rush hours back home.

    That doesn’t mean we escape traffic problems altogether when we’re in Greece. It’s just that the ones we encounter are generally a lot more interesting and usually quite entertaining to see.

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  • Pic of the day: Tholaria’s Agioi Anargiroi church

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    Agioi Anargiroi church in Tholaria

    The tall belltower and big blue dome of Agioi Anargiroi church is a landmark attraction at Tholaria village on Amorgos

     

  • Mild to wild watersports in the Cyclades

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    tubing at Mylopotas beach

    Thrillseekers take a wild tube ride at Mylopotas beach on Ios

     

     

    Take the tube: Going for a swim in the sea is the time-honoured traditional way to cool off and seek some relief from the searing summer sun in Greece. Activities on the water can help beat the heat, too, with tube rides and sports like kitesurfing and wakeboarding offering a wet ‘n’ wild workout for people seeking a much more active and exciting adventure.

    But if you’re too timid to skim across the sea under sail or motor power, you can still have a blast watching a novice try one of the sports for the first time, observing experienced participants honing their skills, or seeing a professional make even the most difficult maneuvers look almost effortless.

    Windsurfing, canoeing, sea kayaking, sailing, and stand up paddle boarding (SUP) are among the mainstream watersports offered at beaches on some of the islands in the Cyclades (as well as in other island groups and many places along the coast of the Greek mainland).

    For people seeking more speed and excitement, alternative activities include jet skiing, waterskiing, wakeboarding, water tubing and banana boat rides. In some locations, kite surfing is available for enthusiasts eager to experience the thrills and adrenalin rush of an extreme water sport.

     

    A kitesurfer skims across the choppy sea off Agios Prokopios beach at Naxos on May 23 2013

    Mountains on nearby Paros island provide a backdrop to this kitesurfer skimming the choppy surf off Agios Prokopios beach on Naxos

     

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  • 3 fun ways to cool off at a beach in Greece

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    It takes skill and strength, but kitesurfing lets you zip across the water and even catch some quality air time, as these enthusiasts demonstrate in a video I shot at Agios Prokopios beach on Naxos on May 23.

     

     

    Tube rides offer speed and splash and the risk of an unexpected dip in the sea, as these riders discovered at Mylopotas beach on Ios. I shot this clip on May 21.

     

     

    For people who prefer to stay close to shore and keep their feet on the ground, jumping and wading in big waves — like these at Agios Prokopios beach in Naxos this past May — can be just as fun and exciting. I shot this clip on May 23.

     

  • Pic of the day: The Gialos port area of Ios

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    Looking down on the Gialos port and harbour area of Ios island from the footpath to Chora village

    Part of the Gialos port and harbour area of Ios, as seen from a vantage point on the footpath to Chora. Click the photo to see a full-size image.

     

  • Pic of the day: Astipalea’s castle and windmills

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    Windmills and the Venetian Castle at Chora on Astipalea island

    The imposing Venetian Castle towers above Chora village and a row of red-roofed windmills on Astipalea island

     

  • Pic of the day: Seeing red on Samos

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    Bold red bougainvillea cascades above the entrance to Hotel Helen in Vathi (Samos Town) on Samos

    A canopy of bold red bougainvillea above the entrance ensures that it’s easy to find Hotel Helen on Grammoy Street in Vathi on Samos island

     

  • Patmos international film festival starts Wednesday

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    International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP) promotional poster

    More than two dozen feature films, documentaries and shorts will be shown this coming week during the third International Film Festival of Patmos

     

     

    Reel thing: One of my favourite Greek islands, Patmos, is perhaps best known for the historic Monastery of St John the Evangelist, which is visited by scores of pilgrims, tourists and cruise ship passengers each year. But for the next seven days, the scenic Dodecanese island will be in the spotlight for an altogether different cultural attraction — the third International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP).

    More than two dozen documentaries, shorts and feature films — including the current Hollywood hit Before Midnight, for which scenes were filmed in Messinia, Pylos and other parts of the southern Peloponnese of Greece — will be screened during the weeklong event, which runs July 24-31.

    Venues include the 400-seat Cinema Under the Stars, an open air theater at the School of Skala where feature films will be shown, and the 200-seat Documentaries and Shorts Hall at the Patmos Aktis Suites & Spa luxury hotel at gorgeous Grikos Bay.

     

    This 90-second clip is the official trailer for the International Film Festival of Patmos (IFFP). It offers an “eclectic tour” of Patmos, the IFFP website says, and gives “a glimpse of the island’s unique lifetstyle” by peering at scenery through foliage or from unexpected angles.

     

     

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