Photo of the day: Yes! the weather is wonderful, time for swim...

October.. at Plakias beach!

New Review on Tripadvisor: “Merveilleux souvenirs ...” 5 of 5 stars

Plakias is a very nice village in the southwest of Crete. Nearby, you can discover wonderful coves with fabulous underwater. Plakias Suites is located in the far east of the opposite station to a beautiful beach. Eleni & Giorge do everything to make the stay as pleasant as possible. Rentals are pleasant and we enjoyed the many services (free chairs and umbrellas on the beach, daily cleaning of the apartment, provision of towels, and the specialties offered on arrival). Rarely, we experienced a stay as perfect. These holidays leave us a lasting memory. Thank you Eleni and Giorge.

(see here: http://bit.ly/1Z4WK4Q)

Plakiassuites: Ranked #1 of 46 Speciality Lodging in Plakias 88 Reviews

Certificate of Excellence

Greek Tourism. An eternal journey: Awards for the new film of the Greek tourism

"Greek Tourism. An eternal journey" is the new film of the Greek Tourism Organization that has already won three awards in international touristic festivals.

The Greek video, produced by the Greek Tourism Organization and directed by Antonis Theocharis Kioukas, participated recently at the International Festival of Tourism and Ecological films SILAFEST 2015, held in Veliko Gradište, Servia, where it won the “Blue Danube” award for the best cultural tourism film.

The video has also won the first price at the “Country” category at the Festival of Berlin in the international tourism exhibition ITB, and also was the main winner at the “US International Fim and Video Festival”.

Enjoy...

Tourism sector group: 2015 will be record-breaking year for Greece

The Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) announced that 2015 expected to witness the arrivals of roughly 26 million tourists and related tourism revenue worth more than 14.5 billion euros, both record-breaking figures.
If the numbers prove true, it would mean that the Greek tourism sector persevered in the face of continued political instability in the country, ominous capital controls and de facto “open borders” in the eastern Aegean for refugees and undocumented migrants sailing over from Turkey.
International tourist arrivals at the country’s main airports increased 4.6 percent compared to the corresponding period of 2014, exceeding three million.
According to SETE’s figures, in the first eight months of the year tourist arrivals increased 6.3 percent to 11.7 million.

Beautiful cafés in Greece..

Cafés in Greece is not just an entertainment place, it is a meeting point, a place where you discuss with friends your problems and current affairs and plays a big role in Greek culture.
For years the Greek traditional café, called kafenion, was a place were mainly men used to gather to drink Greek coffee, ouzo and tsipouro, play cards or backgammon (tavli) while discussing politics.
 
Today, things are quite changed; women have taken their place there, too. But, the idea remains the same. You will see cafés in every corner of Greece, from the busiest spot of the town till the most secluded village in the mountains.
Greeks are really enjoying their coffee time, spending hours with their friends. An average coffee meeting in a cafeteria for a Greek is about 1 and half hour.
 (source:protothema)

Mediterranean cooking: Crispy pittas served with a dip made of feta cheese and ouzo!

An ideal summer appetizer to share with family or friends. This recipe is easy to prepare and you don’t even have to turn on the oven.
 
Ingredients
6 Arabian pittas (flatbread)
250g. Feta cheese
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons ouzo
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 green onion, finely chopped
4-5 sprigs parsley, finely chopped
Pepper
For the accompanying salad
1 tomato diced
1 bell pepper diced
1 cucumber diced
Fresh basil, finely chopped
Olive oil
A few drops of lemon
Salt
Preparation method
Step 1
Drain the tomatoes, put them in a bowl with the rest of the salad ingredients and mix well.
Step 2
Crush the fennel seeds using a mortar. Mix in a blender the feta, the ouzo and the crushed fennel seeds and then gradually add the remaining ingredients until you get a smooth mixture.
Step 3
Heat the pittas in a toaster and then cover them with the dip and the salad.
Tip
Instead of Arabian pittas you can use Greek pittas for souvlaki.
Chef: Eleni Psihouli
Photos-Food Styling: Antonia Kati
Source: www.olivemagazine.gr

Photo of the day. Autumn sunset!

Plakias is 35 kilometres south of Rethymno, on the southern coast of Crete on the Libyan Sea and is a popular tourist resort well-known for its award-winning Blue Flag sandy beach stretching for 1400 metres.

It combines everything as it offers visitors many facilities: surgery, pharmacy, all kinds of shops, car hire, post office, ATM, many tavernas, exciting nightlife, organized beaches (Souda, Damnoni, Ammoudi, Schinaria), diving centre, free-riding centre, and an extensive marina where even large yachts can berth.

Guardian: “No fear, the real Greece is still here” (beautiful pics)

 Greece is still an attraction

In beautiful piece of what it means to vacation in Greece, and contrary to fear surrounding the country’s future in the Eurozone, the Guardian explains why it is still the right choice visit Greece during summer. The generous and friendly people, the fresh foods and the sense of warmth one feels there. Here is an excerpt of the article by Kevin Rushby:

Whatever happens, I’m heading for Greece this summer. Once upon a time that would not have sounded like a political statement, but it does today. And yet I am only going to Greece for the same old reasons I ever did: warm breezes off the sea well into October, traces of ancient heritage, the elemental, straightforward lifestyle, and to try, once again, to convince myself that retsina tastes good. And what could be more straightforward than putting your money, and your faith, in a place that you know and love?
 
Three years ago – when Greece was in one of its frequent “this is the end of everything” moments – I was sitting at a dining table on a beach in the Peloponnese. The restaurateur had moved it there – “Because you will like it!” – and then he sat down and started sloshing wine into glasses. There were Greek friends with me. I hadn’t known any of them for more than 24 hours. The table seemed to exert a gravitational pull, gathering people to it, all talking of whether tourists would come, of whether livelihoods would survive. But before too long, laughter broke out and somehow the financial crisis evaporated … and no one mentioned it again.
 
A fisherman’s catch was examined and a ridiculous quantity dispatched to the grill. More wine arrived; another table was added. The party got bigger. For people anxious about their financial future, I thought they showed a remarkable ability for wild feasting. Perhaps it was pagan superstition to fool the gods of bleak austerity. I liked that. I didn’t want the evening to end.
 (source:protothema, Guardian)

#SeeYouInGreece: Hollywood Celebs in Hashtag Campaign to Support Greece

 News website Greek Reporter recently launched a hashtag campaign to support Greece that includes a video of supportive statements on the country, made by some of the biggest names in Hollywood.

 The video includes statements on Greece made in the recent past to the Greek Reporter by Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Steven Spielberg, Gerard Butler, Jodie Foster, Sofia Vergara, George Clooney, Ethan Hawke, Michael Douglas and Robert Redford.

 The best way to help Greece and get a dream vacation bargain, is to visit the country NOW! Cause despite the debt problem, the sun is still shining, the culture is stronger than ever, and prices have hit an all-time low! If not now, then when?!

World's Best Places to Visit: Crete, the famous Greek island found on 22nd place!!

'Even after you've conducted plenty of research, choosing the perfect vacation spot can present a challenge. That's why U.S. News compiled a list of destinations using opinions and recommendations from travel experts and users to help you narrow down your options. The top spots range from big cities, such as Paris and New York, to coastal getaways, like Maui and Puerto Rico.'

 The Greek island, Crete is found on 22nd place.
If there was one word to describe the Greek island of Crete, it would be "diverse." Sandy beaches hide amongst soaring mountains, palm-tree forests grow in the middle of sprawling plains, bustling modern cities share coastline with ancient ruins.

 Read the whole list:
 1. London
 2. Bora Bora
 3. Barcelona
 4. Paris
 5. Sydney
 6. New York City
 7. Maui
 8. Rio de Janeiro
 9. Cape Town
 10. San Francisco
 11. Maldives
 12. Prague
 13. Yellowstone
 14. Bahamas
 15. Vancouver
 16. Washington D.C.
 17. U.S. Virgin Islands
 18. Zurich
 19. Budapest
 20. Las Vegas
 21. Hong Kong
 22. Crete

Photo of the day!

In Greece there are chairs enough to accommodate everyone. Come and relax with us. Eat. Enjoy a bottle of wine and become friends.