Page 39 of 109

A beach tour on Karpathos

February 8, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Click the arrow to watch Marco Corradini’s video showing scenes from some of the best beaches on Karpathos

Beach guide: I have mentioned before that Karpathos is on my “must see” list of Greek Island destinations. I’m even more keen to visit Karpathos after discovering an excellent video tour of the island’s beaches today.

Entitled Karpathos, Greece: The most beautiful beaches, the 9-minute clip by Marco Corradini will introduce you to many of the island’s more than 50 scenic beach areas. Marco’s tour focusses on beaches in four main regions of Karpathos. Besides giving wonderful views of the strands, coastlines and the gorgeous turquoise and cerulean sea, Marco provides information on how to reach the beaches, describes if they have a sand or pebble surface, and notes if there are any facilities nearby, such as tavernas.

Marco calls Karpathos an “island of incomparable beauty, with high mountains and beautiful beaches with crystal clear water and amazing colors, the ideal place for a relaxing and exciting vacation!”

Fingers crossed I’ll find out for myself sometime soon.

Election aftermath: Don’t cancel your plans to visit Greece

January 31, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Tourists visit the square outside the Greek Parliament building in Athens

Don’t miss out: In the wake of last Sunday’s election of a new federal government in Greece, many people have been wondering if they should cancel or postpone their plans to visit the country this year.

On social media and on travel sites like TripAdvisor.com, people have been expressing concerns about potential travel turmoil in the event of a “Grexit” from the E.U., or currency and banking chaos resulting from the new leadership’s controversial stance toward austerity measures and conditions of the financial bailout Greece received during its debt crisis.

While nobody can accurately tell what’s going to happen at this point, travel expert Simon Calder says it will nevertheless be “an excellent summer to holiday in Greece. “

“If there is one certainty about Greece in 2015, it is this: millions of travellers will enjoy superb holidays there. Life goes on,” Calder wrote in a column published Friday in The Independent, a national newspaper published in the U.K.

If you’ve been wondering what to do about your own vacation plans, click here to read Calder’s sensible advice about why you should still visit Greece.

My own flight to Athens is booked, and I can’t wait to return to Greece in May!

Bay watching on Milos

January 31, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

Halara Studios view of the Bay of Milos and the island’s west side

Scenic viewpoints: Several readers recently asked about places to stay or visit on Milos to enjoy amazing views and scenery. On our last trip to the island we stayed at Halara Studios in Plaka village, where we had inspiring views of the Bay of Milos from our windows and from the long terrace outside our room. (Plaka is the capital of Milos island.) Another option for accommodations is Studios Betty, about which I’ve heard good comments. It’s located only a few meters from Halara, and offers substantially similar views.

But the best vantage point on the island is Kastro, the summit of the peak that rises a few hundred feet above Plaka. If the thigh-burning uphill hike to Kastro doesn’t take your breath away, the views from there certainly will — especially at sunset. (If your legs and lungs can’t handle the hike all the way to the top, the terrace outside Thalassitra church part way up is a good viewing spot, too.)

And if you have mobility issues and can’t climb the steep stairs to either Thalassitra church or Kastro, head for the Korfiotissa church in Plaka. The wide terrace on the west side of the church offers marvellous views as well. Want to sit back and sip a drink or glass of wine while watching the sun go down? You can’t beat the patio at Utopia Cafe (see my April 4 2012 post about sunset watching from the bar.)

Below are several pics showing some of the Bay of Milos views from Halara Studios, Plaka and Kastro. You can view additional photos in the Milos 2011 photo collection on the MyGreeceTravelBlog Flickr page. Take a look, in particular, at the Halara Studios, Plaka village and Kastro at Sunset albums.

Also visit the Plaka Milos Facebook page for more photos and information.

Another Halara Studios view of the Bay of Milos

Kastro view of Plaka village and the Bay of Milos

Kastro view of Plaka (right), Tripiti village (center) and the bay

The church of Kimisi of Theotokou (Assumption of the Virgin church) is a superb sunset viewing spot on Kastro, high above the Bay of Milos (left)

Thalassitra church sits roughly halfway up the mountain peak between Plaka and Kastro. Its terrace is an excellent place to view the sunset if you can’t make it all the way up to Kastro.

Looking down some of the steps on the mountainside below Kastro. At left is the Thalassitra church.

A great view of the Bay of Milos from steps farther down the hill

The terrace at Korfiotissa church in Plaka is an excellent place to take in the sunset and the superb Bay of Milos scenery

An afternoon view from Plaka toward Cape Vani, the rocky point at the mouth of the Bay of Milos (upper left), and nearby Antimilos island

SkyGreece Airlines will launch service to Canada on May 17

January 29, 2015 / admin / 1 Comment

SkyGreece Airlines posted this photo of its Boeing 767-300ER aircraft to its Facebook page today.

Routes revealed: Travellers will have more choices for direct flights between Canada and Greece beginning Sunday May 17.

That’s the day SkyGreece Airlines is expected to launch service between Athens and Toronto, with three flights per week. On Wednesday May 20, SkyGreece will start a once-weekly flight to Toronto from Thessaloniki, and on Saturday May 23 it will debut a once-weekly departure from Athens to Montreal.

More good news: SkyGreece will offer service during winter months, too, with two flights per week from November 2015 until April 2016. (The flights to and from Thessaloniki will only be seasonal, however.)

Canadian charter airline Air Transat and Air Canada rouge, a “leisure” division of Air Canada, are the only carriers presently offering direct flights between the two countries — and only during the spring to fall travel period.

First-ever service between Thessaloniki and Canada

SkyGreece will become the first carrier to offer scheduled commercial service between Thessaloniki and Canada. The two Canadian airlines fly to and from Athens only.

The SkyGreece transatlantic schedule was revealed January 30 on the Greek Air News Facebook page. The Greek Air News report did not include any information about fares for the flights between Canada and Greece. Curiously, SkyGreece didn’t make any announcement about its new routes on either its website or its Facebook page on January 30. It did, however, post two photos of its single Boeing 767 aircraft on Facebook (including the one I have republished at the top of this post) along with the comment “The family will be growing soon!!”, which suggests SkyGreece may soon be adding more aircraft to its fleet.

But on January 31, SkyGreece did post news of its routes (indicating slightly different service starting dates than Greek Air News had mentioned.) “We have listened to the continuous demand of the Greek community in Canada and in Greece and decided to develop our flight schedule to meet the demand.,” the airline stated on its Facebook page.

Executive appointments announced

As I reported in a January 21 post, SkyGreece received Canadian regulatory approval this month to commence scheduled service between the European Community and Canada. In an announcement about the Canadian Transportation Agency decision, SkyGreece promised to unveil its “new and exciting flight program” within days.

A private company based in Athens, SkyGreece has offices in Montreal, Toronto and New York.

On January 26 the airline announced the appointment of Denis Codere as its deputy chief commercial officer, and on January 28 it announced the appointments of Eleni Kessaris and Louise Cofsky to director positions on its Canadian management team.

New 4-star hotel set to open at Platis Gialos beach on Mykonos

January 21, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

This photo, from The George Hotel’s Facebook page, shows the Platis Gialos hillside location of the soon-to-open accommodations

Hillside hotel: Mykonos-bound travellers will have more accommodation choices at Platis Gialos once a brand-new hotel, The George, opens for the 2015 summer season on May 1.

The George Hotel only has a presence on Facebook so far, where it has billed itself as a 4-star property and posted several photos showing the hotel exterior, a sample room interior, and a typical hotel room view. But its website and online booking system should be up and running in early February. [Editor’s update: The website and booking page were operational as of January 29.]

The hotel is built into the side of the rocky hill that stands behind Platis Gialos beach, one of the most popular strands on the island. The George appears to be situated next door to the 5-star Myconian Ambassador Hotel, which just happens to be the first hotel we ever stayed at in Greece. It’s an excellent location: George Hotel guests will enjoy wonderful views of the Platis Gialos area while being just a 5-minute walk from the beach in one direction, and a similar walking distance from the nearest bus stop in the other.

Platis Gialos is one of the best resort areas to stay at on Mykonos, since it offers a good selection of restaurants right on the beach and close by, along with several convenience stores, and is walking distance from four nearby beaches — Psarou, Agia Anna, Paraga and Paradise. Moreover, it takes less than 15 minutes to get to Mykonos Town by regular bus service or by taxi.

The George is affiliated with the Acrogriali Hotel, which is one of several hotels fronting on Platis Gialos beach.

General manager Argyrios G. Theoharis told me The George will have three room types, all of which offer sea views: deluxe double; deluxe triple, and a 2-bedroom family room that can accommodate up to 5 guests. Room rates will be available once the website and online booking system are launched next month.

Below are several photos from The George Hotel Facebook page, where several more room and view pictures can be viewed.

See my August 23 2011 post for photos and information about Platis Gialos beach.

I have circled The George Hotel location on this aerial photo of Platis Gialos

From The George Hotel Facebook page, a view of the hotel exterior

This is one of three room interior photos posted on the hotel Facebook page

Guests of The George will enjoy views like this of the Platis Gialos area

Agency approves SkyGreece bid for licence to fly to Canada

January 21, 2015 / admin / 1 Comment

Facebook page photo of the SkyGreece Airlines aircraft

Application approved: Canadian travellers may soon have a third option for direct flights to and from Athens now that the Canadian Transportation Agency has approved SkyGreece Airlines’ application to offer scheduled service between Canada and Greece.

In a ruling released January 20, the Agency said it has approved the SkyGreece request “for a licence to operate scheduled international services between member states of the European Community and Canada.”

SkyGreece is a private company incorporated in Athens, It has offices in Montreal, Toronto and New York.

In a post on the SkyGreece Airlines Facebook page today, the airline said it is “extemely happy” with the Agency’s long-awaited decision.

“More great news about SkyGreece Airlines S.A. and its new and exciting flight program will be unveiled in the next few days,” the airline added.

There is no word yet on the results of SkyGreece’s similar application for a licence to offer service between Greece and the USA.

As I reported in a March 25 2014 blog post, Greek media had reported that SkyGreece was hoping to commence flights between Greece and New York during the summer of 2014. But the applications for licences to fly to Canada and America took longer than expected, and as I reported in a post on June 18 2014, SkyGreece began operating charter flights to certain destinations in Europe and north Africa instead.

Although SkyGreece has only one aircraft at present, service to Canada would give travellers an alternative to Air Canada and Air Transat, which are the only Canadian airlines currently offering direct flights between Canada and Greece.

I’ve been curious to see how competitive the SkyGreece fares will be, but even if they’re dirt cheap I won’t be flying SkyGreece to Athens — I’ve already booked flights with Air Transat for my next Greek holiday this spring. But if their prices are good, and their schedule reasonable, I definitely would consider SkyGreece for subsequent flights.

I will keep you posted on any forthcoming route and fare announcements from the airline.

Captivating colours on the coast of Paros

January 20, 2015 / admin / 1 Comment

A rugged section of coastline near Parasporos beach on Paros

True colours: One of the things we most remember from our first trip to Paros 10 years ago was an afternoon walk along the island’s rocky coast just west of Parasporos beach. We were mesmerized by the constantly-changing sea colours, which ranged from a deep cobalt blue to a vivid emerald green, with an astonishing array of turquoise shades in between. It was fascinating to observe the colours shift as we moved from one cove to the next. Below are some of the photos we shot during our hike. You can view those and more images in larger format in the Coastal Colours on Paros album on the MyGreeceTravelBlog Flickr page.

Sunset’s glow at Roditses beach on Samos

January 19, 2015 / admin / 0 Comments

The setting sun casts a warm golden glow on Roditses beach (foreground) and nearby Vathy, the capital and main commercial center on Samos island

Roditses beach is about a 15-minute walk from Vathy, in a predominantly residential area with apartment buildings, elegant holiday homes, rental studio accommodations and a few hotels. It’s also the location of Tasos Taverna, whose open-air dining terrace is visible at upper left.

Roditses is a rather unremarkable small beach, with a surface comprised mainly of stones and pebbles. There are scores of beautiful and more scenic beaches on Samos, but Rodises is quick to reach on foot from Vathy, and it’s suitable for some quiet time or sunbathing.

Two big apartment buildings on the hill behind Roditses beach

Looking toward the Tasos Taverna seaview dining terrace, from the rocky southeast end of Roditses beach. Tasos is the #1-ranked restaurant for Vathy on TripAdvisor.com, where reviewers praised the reasonably-priced Greek cuisine and the taverna’s views of Vathy Bay and the sunset.

Although Roditses beach is far from spectacular, that’s not the case for the views from Tasos Taverna, where diners can watch as the sun sets in the distance beyond Vathy Bay