Brilliant red geraniums extend a colourful welcome at the entrance to a private home on the hillside above Gialos port on Ios island
Category: Greek Islands
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Olympic Air offers fast island hopping alternative for travel between Mykonos, Santorini & Crete
An Olympic Q400F2 in flight. Image provided courtesy of Olympic Air.
Air hops: Two new Olympic Air routes give travellers an appealing and much faster alternative to ferry travel if they’re island hopping between Mykonos, Santorini and Crete this summer.
The routes, between Mykonos and Santorini, and between Santorini and the city of Heraklion on Crete, will operate three days per week only until September 15.
The inter-island flights each take 35 minutes or less and are offered on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. The new routes were introduced on June 30 to coincide with peak travel season in Greece. The flights are not offered at other times of the year.
The routes enable travellers to move between the islands in about half the time it would take on highspeed ferries, and in some cases offer considerably more convenient morning departure and arrival times.
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Mykonos food and drink 2013: Where to find the best summer beach parties and special events
The High on Heels all-female collective of DJs, musicians and vocalists gave a live performance June 24 at the Guilty Beach restaurant & bar at Panormos beach
[This is one in a series of reports about the Mykonos restaurant and bar scene this summer. The first part reviewed popular restaurants in and near Mykonos Town, while the second featured the top beach restaurants and tavernas. This post profiles venues and special events at Mykonos beaches.]
Beach bashes: The names of some of the top party venues on Mykonos — including Skandinavian Bar, Paradise Club and Cavo Paradiso — are practically household words in many parts of the world. But those aren’t the only places on the island where tourists and locals love to kick up their heels and party to music by top-flight international DJs or live entertainers.
There are dozens of popular bars and clubs in the heart of Mykonos Town and several more at some of the island’s major beaches, while even a few upscale hotels and restaurants participate in the party spirit by hosting special entertainment events during the peak months of July and August.
Here’s a look at the most popular Mykonos party beaches this season, with a peek at promotional posters for upcoming events as well as some parties that have already taken place (to illustrate the scope and diversity of the island’s summer entertainment program).
From the Paradise Club Facebook page, a promotional image for DJ Carl Cox, who headlined at the Paradise beach venue on July 19. The party lasted right through the night, with Carl Cox spinning until sunrise.
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50th annual Aegean sailing regatta starts today
The promotional poster for the International Aegean Sailing Rally, an annual competition that takes place from today through July 29.
Milestone event: Competitors from around the world will set sail today in the International Aegean Sailing Rally, the most prestigious sailing regatta in Greece.
Organized by the Hellenic Offshore Racing Club, the event was founded in 1964 and is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
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Mykonos food and drink 2013: The island’s most popular beach tavernas and restaurants
This view of a calm cove and tranquil beach on Panormos Bay is a major element of the sublime setting and laid-back, relaxed ambience…
… that continue to draw scores of diners to cozy Kiki’s Taverna near Agios Sostis beach on Mykonos. But the taverna’s superb salads and great grilled meat dishes are the main reasons why Kiki’s remains one of the most talked about beach restaurants on the island. Click on the photos to view full-size pictures.
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[This is the second in a series of reports about the Mykonos restaurant and bar scene this summer. The first highlighted restaurants in and near Mykonos Town that have been generating lots of buzz so far this season. This instalment profiles popular restaurants at a dozen different beach areas on the island.]
Best of the beaches: Mykonos is one of the most popular beach destinations in Greece, boasting more than two dozen major beaches plus countless coves and secret swimming spots off the beaten tourist path.
The good news for visitors who work up an appetite while enjoying the sun, sand and sea is that very good restaurants — some of which are considered to be among the best dining spots on the island — can be found on or near at least 16 of those beautiful beaches.
Here’s a look at the restaurants and tavernas at a dozen different beaches that travellers and locals alike have been talking about the most this summer. (I will provide a more comprehensive list of dining establishments at all beach areas in a separate post still to come.)
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Mykonos food and drink 2013: The restaurants and bars travellers are talking about this summer
The acclaimed Nobu Matsuhisa Mykonos restaurant at the Belvedere Hotel (seen in this photo from the Belvedere’s Facebook page) has been celebrating its 10th anniversary this week. Click on the picture to view a full-size image.
Table talk: One of the most popular vacation destinations in Greece, Mykonos is renowned for beautiful beaches and dynamic summer nightlife. But even though the island boasts more than two dozen major beaches, plus scores of bars and nightclubs, choosing where to swim and party will be probably be a much easier task for visitors than deciding where to dine each day.
With over 200 restaurants ranging from takeout gyros and souvlaki shops to traditional Greek tavernas and high-end gourmet establishments offering a variety of international cuisines, Mykonos is a veritable gastronomic paradise. But with such a vast and diverse array of eateries, many tourists understandably feel daunted by the daily dining dilemma — where to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner?
In a series of posts over the next couple of weeks, I will tell you about the Mykonos restaurants and bars that have been getting the best buzz this summer. I have been monitoring social media and online travel sites since early spring, and have been gathering feedback from friends and acquaintances on the island as well as people who have travelled there this summer. I also chatted about restaurants with dozens of visitors and locals during my own visit to Mykonos in mid-May.
To kick off my Mykonos food and drink 2013 reports, here’s a list of the dining places in and close to Mykonos Town that people have been talking about the most. I will report on popular bars and the hottest beach area restaurants in separate, subsequent posts.
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Pic of the day: Santorini village views from Oia
The scenic village of Oia on the northwest tip of Santorini island is one of the most popular places in Greece to watch a glorious sunset. But Oia offers some great views of Santorini itself, including Skaros Rock with its distinctive flat, square cap (center). Imerovigli, the highest village on Santorini, extends along the top of the cliffs on both sides of Skaros, while the island’s capital, Fira, is visible off to the right. Click on the photo to view a full-size image.
