Balos: The jewel of Crete, prior to this year’s high season

Pink sands, blue turquoise seas..

Paradise-like waters, deep blue or turquoise, pink sand, and a backdrop of a wild bushy nature. This is Balos, a beach in southwestern Crete which has become the talk of the proverbial town amongst tourists and international media. Business Insider recently praised the beach as one of the world’s hidden jewels. Conde Nast Traveller included it in its favorite spots in Greece...
 

Since we’re on our way to the summer high season and Balos will be brimming with tourists, Sooc offers you a series of pictures that bring out its beauty, as it is naturally.

 

Acropolis Ranked Among Top Landmarks in Europe!

Travellers across the globe have ranked the Acropolis in Athens among the top landmarks in Europe for 2015, a leading travel website said on Tuesday.
According to TripAdvisor’s 2015 Travellers Choice Attractions Awards, the Acropolis was ranked 21st in the list of top landmarks in Europe.
The annual awards are based on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travellers from all over the world.
Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain, topped the Europe list, followed by Italy’s St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and the Milan Cathedral (Duomo) in Milan.
Award winners were determined using an algorithm that took into account the quantity and quality of reviews for landmarks worldwide, gathered over a 12-month period.
Tripadvisor also released the Top 10 Landmarks in Greece as voted for by TripAdvisor travellers.

Archaeological Site of Delphi. Photo © Shutterstock

1. Acropolis
2. Parthenon
3. Meteora
4. Delphi Ruins
5. Temple of Hephaestus
6. Monastery of Panagia Hozoviotissa (Grace of Panagia -Virgin Mary)
7. Acropolis of Lindos
8. Spinalonga (Kalydon)
9. Epidaurus Theater
10. Hermes by Praxiteles
(source:gtp)

Greece Slips to Third in the World on ‘Blue Flag’ Beaches List.

 The Blue Flag Program has awarded its prestigious “Blue Flag” recognition to 395 of Greece’s best beaches, the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature announced on Wednesday.
According to the announcement, Greece this year slipped one place to third spot on the Blue Flag quality award list, this year among 50 countries. Greece came third after Spain topped the list with 578 beaches, followed by Turkey with 436 beaches awarded the blue flag.
In total, 395 beaches and 9 marinas in Greece have been recognized for their excellent seawater quality, litter management, organization of the swimming area, safety procedures for bathers and protection of the environment, among other factors.
The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature said that an effort is being made to increase the number of Greek awarded beaches and marinas.
Last year, 408 beaches and 10 marinas were honored with the quality “Blue Flag” award in Greece.
The “Blue Flag” is a voluntary eco-label awarded to the cleanest and best managed beaches across the world and is run by the independent, non-profit organization Foundation for Environmental Education (based in Copenhagen). The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature is the program’s coordinator for Greece.
(Source:gtp)

British Airways returned to Heraklion, Crete, after thirty years!

British Airways announced new direct flights to Heraklion, Crete.
The decision marks BA’s return to Crete after 30 years.

British Airways flights are expected to transport around 30,000 tourists to the island by the end of the summer season with four flights per week and extra flights expected in July and August.

 
With the addition of the new flights, BA is offering flights from London to Greek destinations until the end of the tourist season. Specifically from London to Heraklion: Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Monday.

Noteworthy is the fact that Lufthansa will also start flights to the Nikos Kazantzakis airport on May 23 after a 20-year absence.

Galaktoboureko with kataifi

 Different dough gives the traditional Greek sweet a different texture

Serves: 1 full dish of 36 cm in diameter Preparation time: 20m Cooking time: 55m Ready in: 1h 15m
An alternative to the classic recipe using different filo pastry. Kataifi dough gives the sweet a different texture.
Ingredients
500 gr of kataifi dough (filo)
250 gr of melted butter
For the cream:
860 ml of full cream milk
150 grams of sugar
100 grams of finely ground semolina (simigdali)
35 gr of butter
3 egg yokes
1/2 vanilla scent
For the syrup: 
320 gr sugar
130 gr water
70 gr glucose
1 cinnamon stick
1 lemon skin
Preparation method
Step 1
Preheat the oven at 180 degrees and comb out the kataifi dough so that there are no tangles.
Step 2
In a round tin of 40 cm in diameter spread out 400 gr of the dough. Press it down with your hands so that it is firm and lightly butter the surface.
Step 3
Butter a round dish of 26 cm diameter and turn over the buttered pastry so that it sits steadily in the smaller dish.
Step 4
Prepare the cream. Heat the milk at medium temperature in a pan. Just add the sugar, the ground semolina (simigdali), the egg yok and mix together with care so that it doesn’t stick. Take away from fire once its starts to boil and add butter and vanilla until it is a unified mixture.
Step 5
Empty the cream on the dish with the dough. Cover the dough and then add the rest of the dough to cover the surface. Butter the surface of the dough. Bake for 40-45 minutes until it has a golden color.
Step 6
Prepare the syrup. Place water, glucose, lemon and cinnamon in a pan and add the sugar once it is heated. let it bubble for a minute before leaving it to cool. Once the syrup is ready pour over the galaktoboureko (milk cake)
(from: Mediterranean cooking)

Plan your trip: Top 10 Destinations for Greece - TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Awards - Rethymno ranked 7th.

Rethymnon is one of the most well-preserved Venetian old towns on the island of Crete.
Its 16th-century buildings are stunning examples of ancient architecture, and the monolithic Fortezza reflects both European and Moorish influences.
Explore the magical waterfalls, rock formations, and ‘"cave church" of Saint Anthony Gorge before taking a pleasant evening stroll along the colorful Venetian Harbor. Relax in a taverna over a plate of Cretan meze, like fresh feta drizzled with local olive oil.

Three more towns of Crete are among the top 10!!
See the full article: TripAdvisor


 

National Geographic calls UK travelers to “Return to Greece”

The UK issue of National Geographic Traveler gives travelers around the world 11 reasons to visit Greece in its May issue whose cover story is titled “Return to Greece”.

The article admits that Greece has experienced a “tumultuous few years” but it is still worth visiting due to the increasing number of flight connections, alternative hospitality options beyond the usual draw cards such as sea and sun.

It's Island Time: TripAdvisor Names the Europe's Top 10 Islands in 2015 Travelers' Choice Awards. Crete ranked 3th

The island of Crete is a Greek jewel floating in a sea of melted turquoise.
 The beaches are godly stretches of pillowy sand and smooth pebbles.
 Its historical and mythological significance can not be ignored: Crete is said to have been to be the birthplace of Zeus, the king of the Gods, and was the site of Europe's first modern civilization. 
 Archaeological and historical sites abound and make an awe-inspiring break from a sun-soaked day at the beach.
 
Two more Greek islands are among the top 10!!
Best islands in Europe: 
1. Santorini, Greece
2. Madeira, Portugal
3. Crete, Greece
4. Zakynthos, Greece
5. Fuerteventura, Spain
6. Jersey, Channel Islands
7. Mallorca, Spain
8. Capri, Italy
9. Tenerife, Spain
10. Corsica, France

Crete Governor Calls on Tourism Professionals to Put Best Face Forward

Attracting quality tourism by putting on its best face is the Region of Crete’s motto ahead of the summer tourist season set to kick off this month.
Speaking recently at a Crete taxi union meeting, Regional Governor Stavros Arnaoutakis stressed the need to work together in a coordinated manner in order to upgrade the quality of services offered.
Mr Arnaoutakis reached out to all tourism sector professionals and invited them to do their best in ensuring that the professional side of Crete comes forth.
With regard to taxi services offered, Mr Arnaoutakis and union representatives addressed recent complaints by drivers concerning lost fares and discussed issues of proper operation as well as the need for regular checks.
“We will do our best to ensure a productive cooperation with all parties involved. We must show another side to Crete. We need to invest in quality tourism, and all drivers must display professionalism,” Mr Arnaoutakis said.
Meanwhile, Crete taxi union representative Lefteris Petrakis demanded the enforcement of the law with regard to private means of transport on the island.
(source:gtp)

Grandma’s meatballs with a twist

Tradition meets… something new

Serves: 5 Preparation time: 35m Cooking time: 25m Ready in: 60m


Ingredients
For the meatballs
200g. sausage (pork)
500g. minced beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1½ cup parsley, chopped
80g. Greek graviera cheese from Crete, grated
200g. fresh bread crumbs, ground in a blender
1 egg
salt, freshly ground pepper
For the tomato sauce
1 small cup of olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 cans chopped tomatoes or 900g. fresh tomatoes, grated on grater
1 tsp. tablespoons tomato paste
75ml red wine
1 tsp. tablespoons sugar
1 cup chopped parsley
1 handful fresh basil leaves

Preparation method
step 1
Making the meatballs: Open the casing from sausage and remove the flesh into a large bowl.
step 2
Add the minced meat, onion, parsley, cheese, bread crumbs, egg and plenty of spice. Knead with your hands until you get a homogeneous mixture.
step 3
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees in the air. Shape the minced meat mixture into about 25 balls and bake in oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown.
step 4
Making the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and sauté the garlic for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, wine, sugar, parsley and spice. Simmer the sauce for 20 minutes or until thickened. Then add a few leaves of basil, add the already cooked meatballs and stir gently. Serve the meatballs with pasta of your choice sprinkled with Greek graviera cheese from Crete.
Instead of pasta you can use rice or fried or boiled  potatoes etc.

Source: Olive Magazine
Chef: Ioanna Stamoulou

Plakias Suites: #1 of 45 Specialty Lodging in Plakias, Rethymno Crete!!

Plakias Suites (5.0 of 5 stars) Ranked 1 of 45 Specialty Lodging in Plakias according the popular travel site TripAdvisor 

Having already received the prize Certificate of Excellence with 84 Reviews!!