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Record year expected for Greece tourism, but local businesses say visitors seem reluctant to spend

July 13, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

This video news report by Ekathimerini English Edition, a daily newspaper published in Athens, examines this year’s surge in tourism to Greece.

June jump: Greece remains on target for a record year of tourism, with June arrivals to Athens International Airport up by nearly 15% over last year.

The Greece Ministry of Tourism expects a record 17 million tourists to visit the country this year, bringing the recession-ravaged country €11 billion in much-needed revenue.

But even though tourist-related businesses have noticed more visitor traffic this season, particularly in Athens, they haven’t seen a corresponding increase in the amount of money that tourists have been spending.

Click on the image above to view a brief Ekathimerini video news report on this year’s prospects for Greece tourism.

Pic of the day: Santorini village views from Oia

July 13, 2013 / admin / 1 Comment

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.

Hang on! Handpan player Spyros Pan performing in live concerts across the Cyclades this summer

July 12, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

Promotional poster for the Spyros Pan Hang Solo Concerts this weekend at the Magaya Beach Restaurant in the Paros port town of Paroikia

Cyclades tour: If you’re looking for good food and some unusual musical entertainment on Paros island this weekend, the Magaya Beach Restaurant in Paroikia has just the ticket — two live concerts by hang and handpan player Spyros Pan.

In case you’re wondering exactly what a “hang” and “handpan” are (I’ll admit I had a vague idea, but still had to do a Google search to find out for certain), they are percussion musical instruments related to the steel drums from Trinidad. (Detailed information, photos, audio samples and videos of both instruments can be found on David Kuckhermann’s fascinating World Percussion website, Framedrums.)

The two Spyros Pan performances in Paros are scheduled for 8 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. The Magaya Beach Restaurant is situated on Souvlia beach, which is just a short distance southwest of Paroikia.

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Mainland must-see: the Halkidiki peninsula

July 10, 2013 / admin / 3 Comments

Golden sand beach crescents in Halkidiki’s beautiful West Sithonia region. The photo is from the Greece in Photos Facebook page. Click on the picture to view a full-size image.

Marvellous Macedonia: I wish I had longer holidays so I could spend more time exploring mainland Greece. One of the regions I’m eager to see is Macedonia, home to the city of Thessaloniki and to the stunning landscapes and seascapes of the Halkidiki peninsula. Marathias (pictured above) is just one among scores of beautiful beaches in Halkidiki. The gorgeous 200-meter-long golden sand beach, with a separate smaller strand nearby, is situated about 4 km south of Toroni in the peninsula’s West Sithonia region. Below is a Halkidiki Tourism Organization promotional video that shows some of the sights, scenery and activities that draw visitors to this dynamic area of mainland Greece.

Jackie O’ Beach Club is a classy new addition to legendary Super Paradise beach on Mykonos

July 2, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

The Jackie O’ Beach Club & Restaurant opened July 1 at Super Paradise beach on Mykonos. The aerial photo below shows the new club’s location on the hillside overlooking the west end of picturesque Super Paradise beach. The pictures were posted on Facebook by club co-owner Carsten Stehr, who created the stylish new beach venue with business partner Michalis Sigounas. Click on the images to view them in full-size format.

Club class: A stylish new restaurant and bar has opened at Super Paradise, one of the legendary party beaches on Mykonos.

Featuring Cycladic sculptural design elements in an amphitheatrical hillside setting at the west end of Super Paradise beach, Jackie O’ Beach boasts a large open-air bar, a 150-seat restaurant, private lounge areas, its own beachfront, swimming pool, jacuzzi and even a church. A Sotris clothing and fashion accessories shop is also part of the complex, which opened on the site of the former Coco Beach Club (see my August 16 2011 post for a description of the old club, as well as photos of the location’s terrific views of Super Paradise beach and bay).

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Καλό Μήνα! July’s arrival heralds the beginning of the peak summer beach season in Greece

July 1, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

July marks the start of the peak period for the summer tourist season in Greece. And with daily afternoon temperatures soaring into the mid-30s Celsius across the country, it’s also the beginning of the busiest period for beaches. Above is Myrtos beach on Kefalonia, one of the popular Greek islands in the Ionian Sea. The picture originally appeared on the Greece in Photos Facebook page.

Pic of the day: A village street on Sifnos

June 27, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

Spiral stairs add a pop of colour to a street in Apollonia village on Sifnos

Pic of the day: Panagia Ekatontapiliani on Paros

June 26, 2013 / admin / 0 Comments

One of the most famous churches in all the Greek islands, Panagia Ekatontapiliani in the Paros port town of Parikia is more popularly known as the “Church of the 100 doors” (probably because most tourists can’t pronounce the tongue-twisting Greek name.) But depending upon where you stand when you behold this beautiful building (it was constructed during the 4th Century), you will probably see more sections of stone walls and tiled roofs than doors.