MyGreeceTravelBlog.com
Photos & memories from our trips to Athens, the Peloponnese, mainland Greece & Greek Islands — plus profiles of places we would love to visit

Islands suffer flood damage after heavy rain soaks the Cyclades

Stormwaters surged across fields, farmlands and roads on Naxos after heavy rain lashed the island on Tuesday. This picture of an overflowing stream appeared in a January 23 2017 photo report published by Naxos Times.

After the Tuesday rains, this waterfront strip in Naoussa village on Paros was left a complete muddy mess. This was one of several photos that Kay Will shared on Facebook to show the aftermath of the storm.

Devastating downpours: Winter weather has been packing a powerful punch in Greece this month.

First it was unusually cold temperatures and snowfalls that struck much of the country during the first week of January (see the stunning pictures and videos in my recent posts Amazing winter wonderland scenes from Greece and Greece in white winter glory).

The mercury has since climbed and the snow in many places has melted, but Mother Nature wasn’t finished — she decided to pound some of the Cyclades islands with heavy downpours that lasted throughout the day on Tuesday January 24.

[adToAppearHere]

The rain, occasionally accompanied by hail, pelted Paros, Naxos, Tinos, Mykonos, Sifnos, Andros and other islands for more than 24 hours.

Paros was particularly hard hit by the storm and seems to have suffered the most water damage. There was extensive soil erosion as well as some landslides, and flooding caused widespread damage to farm fields, shops, homes, churches, vehicles, and roadways.

According to a January 25 report on the local news website ParosIn, damage to some areas was so severe, the island’s mayor has written to regional authorities requesting they declare a state of emergency so that resources can be deployed to assist with the massive cleanup and repair work that must now be undertaken.

The news story noted that the mayor’s letter described severe damage in the municipal areas of Naoussa, Kostos, Lefkon, Archilocus, and Marpissa, as well as places in and around Parikia.

According to the Naxos Times, the deluge doused Naxos with so much rain that streams turned into “rushing rivers” that “drowned” farms and fields, and flooded some roads. Near Koronida village, where wildfires had burned several weeks before, the water washing down the streams was black from all the soot being carried away, the January 24 Naxos Times report stated.

This short videoclip, shared by the Maistros Panormos Tinos page on Facebook, shows some of the rainwater damage at Rochari beach on Tinos

Click on the link below to continue reading and see more storm photos and video on page 2 of this post.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 26, 2017
Mykonos parties and events from September to December 2017

Cavo Paradiso’s DJ roster for September, including its closing week parties September 20, 22 and 23

~ Updated on Tuesday December 26 ~

While September’s arrival is a sign that summer is winding down, that doesn’t mean the party scene is finished on Mykonos. Although Madon ended its season during the last week of August, many bars and clubs are still going strong. It’s also a great time for major cultural events, including the Mykonos Biennale and the Mykonos Multimedia Festival, both taking place the first week of the month.

Although some venues will start to close up shop over the course of September, many bars in Mykonos Town will remain open throughout the month and into the first half of October, while some of the beach clubs will also stay in operation until at least early October.

You’ll find a day-by-day list of September and October parties below and continuing on page 2 of this post. Please note that most events for October entertainment events will not be released until closer to that month. This post will be updated whenever party details are released.

If you want to see what the party scene was like on Mykonos during earlier months this year, click here.

On Friday September 1, singers Antonis Remos, Ragheb Alama and Mustafa Sandal will perform in concert at Nammos in celebration of the Kurban Bayrami feast for Eid el-Adha. Also in the entertainment lineup for the evening is world-renowned belly dancer Oryantal Didem .

The 2017 Mykonos Biennale — a festival celebrating art, dance, music and short film — takes place September 1 to 5 at locations around the island.

Another major cultural event on the island this month is the Mykonos Multimedia Festival 2017, featuring multimedia performances, interactive installations and Internet art. It’s being held at the Sefanos Syrioti Hall on Meletopoulou Street each evening from September 1 to 3.

180 Sunset Bar hosts the Mykonos White Party on Friday September 1

On Friday September 1 and Saturday September 2, Tropicana beach club is holding special parties to welcome the arrival of September and to celebrate Eid al-Adha

Claptone and Valeron play Cavo Paradiso on Friday September 1. See page 2 for a list of other events being held at the club this month

VOID‘s Hip Hop Nights continue on Friday September 1 with DJ Robbin Jefferson and DJ Hulk on the decks

[adToAppearHere]

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 25, 2017
Mykonos parties and special events in August 2017

~ updated on Wednesday August 30 ~

Here’s the August DJ lineup for Cavo Paradiso

Tropicana welcomes the arrival of August with a champagne shower party on Tuesday August 1

Orazio Rispo from New York’s Resolute club is guest DJ at Moni on Tuesday August 1

It’s Ladies First night at Madon on Tuesday August 1

DJ Behrouz brings his Miami club concept ‘Do Not Sit On The Furniture‘ to Scorpios on Tuesday August 1. Also appearing at the event are Birds of Mind, Powel and Viken Arman.

The Neverdogs lead the party at SantAnna on Tuesday August 1

On Tuesday August 1, VOID presents “techno legend”Jackmaster with support from DJs Jimmy Lainas and Nick Jojo

Bob Sinclar makes his annual appearance at Cavo Paradiso on Tuesday August 1

Singer Stacey King and her band will be performing poolside at the Belvedere Hotel for five nights — from Tuesday August 1 through Sunday August 6

Don Diablo and Tujamo take over the decks at Tru Paradise on Wednesday August 2

[adToAppearHere]

Please turn to page 2 to see the full listing of August party events.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 25, 2017
Mykonos parties and special events in July 2017

Elli Kokkinou is back at Mykonos Bar for nightly performances from July 27 until August 1

Guapaloca Bar is throwing a Glow Party on Monday July 31, with music provided by DJ Beau from Melbourne, Australia

Dubai’s The List comes to Toy Room Club on Monday July 31, with music by Mr. Levier and Tim Kay

Ingrosso is featured act at Cavo Paradiso on Monday July 31

[adToAppearHere]

~ updated on Monday July 31 ~

Page 2 of this post contains a chronological list of parties taking place on Mykonos during July, and is updated whenever new events are announced. To see events scheduled for August, September and October, as well as parties that are held on either a daily or weekly basis during the summer, follow the links below:

Click here to see regular weekly events and summer DJ lineups for the major clubs

Click here to see what’s happening in August

Click here to see events planned for September and October (Please note that only a few events have been announced for these months so far. More information will be available by mid- to late August.)

Click here if you will be island hopping in Greece this summer and want to see party events on other Cyclades islands including Ios, Naxos, Paros, Santorini, Syros, Amorgos and Andros.

Turn to page 2 for the full day-by-day list of July events:

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 25, 2017
Mykonos party scene 2017

For information about nightlife and beach parties in 2018, check out my post: Mykonos bar, nightclub and beach club openings in 2018

The former Paradise Club has an all-new name and completed renovated venue for summer 2017 — it’s now the TRU Paradise beach club and restaurant and it hosts special party events with big-name DJs from time to time. Feature acts for Tuesday July 25, for example, were Ummet Ozcan and 2 Faced Funks.

Alemagou will be hosting nine EΘER events this summer, a series of new concept parties being held between July 12 and September 1.

Alemagou also is hosting Odyssey, a “5-week sunset-session residency curated by Tale Of Us.” These parties begin Wednesday July 19 and continue each Wednesday evening (from 5 p.m. til midnight) until August 16.

JackieO’ Beach club introduces Wedanceday Experience for summer 2017. The “fashion-themed” parties feature a team of 12 resident artists and DJs whose mission is to unite with the crowd on the dance floor and, through their unique artistic expression, elevate all participants “to a state of pure happiness and pure party feeling.” The parties will be held each Wednesday from July 19 through to August 23.

Click here to see regular weekly events and summer DJ lineups for the major clubs

Click here to see a list of events taking place during February, March and April

Click here to see parties and bar openings during May

Click here to see events that have been announced for June

Click here for a list of parties scheduled for July

Click here to see August events

Click here to see events planned for September

Click here if you will be island hopping in Greece this summer and want to see party events taking place this summer on other Cyclades islands including Ios, Naxos and Santorini

For tickets and VIP table reservations, contact the bars and clubs directly.

[adToAppearHere]

Please click on the link below to continue reading on page 2 of this post

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 25, 2017
New Emirates route will link Athens and Newark with non-stop daily flights year-round

An Emirates airline photo of the Boeing-777-300ER-2 aircraft it will fly on a new route linking Athens to Newark beginning in March

Four season flights: There’s good news for North American travellers: Getting to Greece from the USA both during and outside the peak season summer months will soon be a lot easier.

Emirates airline today announced a new route that will provide daily non-stop service between Athens International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport — year-round. It will be the first time since 2012 that an airline will offer daily non-stops from the USA to Greece all year long.

The non-stop transatlantic service is part of a new Dubai – Athens – Newark route that will launch on March 12 2017.

Emirates will fly a Boeing-777-300ER-2 on the route, providing 8 seats in first class, 42 in business class, and 304 in economy.

[adToAppearHere]

“Emirates flight EK209 will depart Dubai at 10:50 local time, arriving in Athens at 14:25 before departing again at 16:40 and arriving into Newark at 22:00 on the same day. The return flight EK210 will depart Newark at 23:45 local time, arriving in Athens the next day at 15:05. EK210 will depart once again from Athens at 17:10 bound for Dubai where it will arrive at 23:50, facilitating convenient onward connections to over 50 Emirates destinations in India, the Far East and Australia,” the airline said in its media release.

“Passengers in all cabin classes can enjoy the friendly service from Emirates’ international cabin crew, meals prepared by gourmet chefs, and over 2,500 channels of the latest movies, TV shows, and music hits on its award-winning ice inflight entertainment system,” the announcement added.

While the new Emirates route will greatly facilitate travel to Greece for Americans, it also will benefit travellers in Toronto and other parts of eastern Canada by providing a possibly more convenient alternative to flying to a major European city and then catching a flight to Athens. I’ve been considering off-season trips to Greece, so the forthcoming Emirates service is welcome news to me personally, as I’m sure it will be for the large Greek communities in Toronto, Montreal and the New York City area.

January 23, 2017
Greece’s best destinations for budget travellers

A Venetian castle towers above Chora village on Astipalea island. The quiet and unassuming Dodecanese island boasts beautiful scenery, some of which you can see in the video featured in my post Aspects of Astipalea.

Budget friendly: Are you considering a trip to Greece this summer, but wondering where you can go to avoid draining your bank account paying for food and accommodations at expensive destinations like Mykonos and Santorini? Although it’s possible to holiday on a tight budget on both those islands. as well as other high-profile destinations, there are numerous alternatives that offer great Greek holiday experiences at considerably cheaper prices. You’ll find some excellent suggestions in the article Best low budget summer destinations in Greece, published by the informative and insightful travel website HIP GREECE.

The article lists more than a dozen islands plus one mainland Greece resort area that won’t break the bank, and offers brief descriptions of highlight attractions at each place, with links to additional in-depth articles about some of the destinations.

The spotlighted destinations include:

♦ The Small Cyclades islands of Iraklia, Koufonissia (Pano and Kato Koufonissi), Donousa and Schinoussa

♦ Kythira

♦ Serifos

♦ Tinos

♦ Ios

♦ Ikaria

♦ Astipalea

♦ Lefkada

♦ Skopelos, and

♦ Parga, a picturesque coastal resort area near the town of Preveza in western Greece.

You can read the complete HIP GREECE article by clicking here.

[adToAppearHere]

We’ve been to three of the recommended islands — Astipalea, Ios and Tinos — and have had brief peeks at the Small Cyclades during port stops on a ride from Amorgos to Naxos on the Express Skopelitis ferry. We would agree that all are good choices for travellers visiting Greece on a budget. We haven’t yet been to the other destinations cited by HIP GREECE, but several friends have told us Kythira, Serifos and Ikaria are wallet-friendly, while others have said the same for the Small Cyclades. However, we were surprised that Naxos wasn’t mentioned — we have found it to be the most reasonably priced island of all we have been to so far and it remains one of our favourite places to visit in large part for that reason. (See my article Our Top 15 reasons to visit Naxos for further information about that wonderful island).

Keep in mind that the main tourist period in Greece runs from late April until early October, with July and August being peak travel season. July and especially August also happen to be the most expensive months to visit, so if you’re on a limited budget, try to schedule your vacation for April, May, June, late September or early October, when prices tend to be much lower. Hotel rates usually skyrocket for August, and hostel, camping and cheaper basic accommodations typically tend to book up early in the year. If you can only travel during peak season, make arrangements for your accommodations as soon as possible to secure the lowest prices.

Chora village on Ios is chock full of restaurants and bars, while the island is blessed with numerous gorgeous beaches including Mylopotas (which is walking distance from Chora) and Manganari.

January 23, 2017
Greece in white winter glory

Η χιονισμένη Ακρόπολη από ψηλά (The snowy Acropolis from above), is a 1-minute video filmed for the Eurokinissi news agency. It shows drone views of the Acropolis, the Parthenon and nearby historic sites following a light snowfall in Athens in early January 2017

Winter wonders: I previously published a 2-part post containing dozens of photos of winter scenes from Greece — pictures that had been shared on social media after severely harsh northern weather systems brought freezing temperatures and snowfalls to many parts of Greece, including islands, the Peloponnese, and the mainland. Dozens of winter scene videos have been published online, too, and in this post I’m sharing some of the many films that I have enjoyed watching.

On this page you’ll find films showing breathtaking aerial views of snowy Athens, Kastoria, Kavala, Ioannina and Nafplio. The videos on page 2 feature stunning storm and après-snowfall scenes from Alonissos, Skiathos, Skopelos, Sparta, Thessaloniki, Volos, Evia, Chios, Crete, Naxos, Lake Plastiras near Karditsa, and more of Athens and Nafplio.

[adToAppearHere]

International news reports about the snow and cold weather that struck Greece and other European countries earlier this month, along with the scores of snow photos and videos shared on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, have surprised many people around the world who don’t realize that Greece gets winter weather, too.

Many mistakenly believe Greece enjoys balmy temperatures and sunny skies year-round, so some people have been absolutely astounded to see pictures showing snow on beaches, monuments and villages they have visited during summer trips to Greece. (In the various Greece travel forum pages on TripAdvisor, I regularly see posts from people who are planning Greek island holidays for winter months because they believe it’s a good time to visit for swimming, sunbathing and beach parties. I would love to see the looks on their faces when they see videos like the ones in this post — or actually show up at a Mykonos beach in mid February!)

[adToAppearHere]

While the winter scenery in these videos is amazing to see, it simply confirms that Greece looks marvellous and is well worth visiting even in the off season. The island and mainland landscapes, the historic ruins and monuments, and the cities, towns and villages are breathtaking all year long.

If you can’t make it to Greece in spring, summer or autumn, why not consider a winter trip? You’ll find the scenery is just as lovely as it is in peak travel season, the locals are warm and friendly, and best of all — there are no crowds.

Studiotrasias created this superb aerial film of gorgeous winter scenery at Kastoria

These drone views of Kavala were filmed by Tetracopterakias after the city endured three consecutive days of snowfalls

Nikos Roussis captures the winter beauty of Ioannina in this 4.5-minute film

Captivating aerial views of Nafplio, filmed by Kostas Ko

Please click on the link below to view more videos on page 2 of this post.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

January 20, 2017