Σάββατο 30 Αυγούστου 2014

The Greek Secret...

The video includes George Stephanopoulos, Arianna Huffington, Bob Costas, the Greek Orthodox Archbishop of America Demetrios, and more. The footage showcases 29 successful Greeks who state what "Philotimo" means to them.
source:  Washington Oxi Day Foundation

Κυριακή 11 Μαΐου 2014

Greece once again ranked second place on the Blue Flag quality award list, this year among 51 countries.

Photo: Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature
The Greek beaches that have been honored with the 2014 Blue Flag quality award were announced on 7 May by the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature.
blue_flag_cmykAccording to the announcement, Greece once again ranked second place on the Blue Flag quality award list, this year among 51 countries. Spain was in first place.
In total, 408 beaches and 10 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. Last year, 393 beaches and nine 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.

photo: Shutterstock / Anilah

Tourists want “Blue Flag” beaches

According to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature, international travel agencies abroad pay special attention to blue flag beaches when destinations are chosen for their clients.
Last year, the Greek Tourism Ministry signed a cooperation protocol with the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature to increase the number of Greek Blue Flag beaches and improve the level of services offered there.

 For the complete list of all 408 Greek “blue flag” beaches, press here.

Blue Flag beaches around the world

On a worldwide scale the foundation awarded the international eco-label (blue flags) to 3,372 beaches and 650 marinas for 2014.

source :gtpBlue_Flag_poster2014_ENG

9 of the 15 best classics books of all time are Greek!!

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The Iliad and the Odyssey ranked first and second respectively

Reputable Telegraph newspaper published a list of the fifteen best classics books of all time and nine of them are Greek. Homer occupies the first and second place with the Iliad and the Odyssey respectively, while Latin authors, such as Ovid, are also prominent in the newspaper’s list.
See the list of the 15 best classics books of all time.
1. The Iliad by Homer. According to the Telegraph, the book’s main themes are war and the lesson taught by Achilles on how to act with dignity. (775 BC)
2. The Odyssey by Homer. The hero returns from war. However, before reaching his palace he will experience many adventures… (725 BC)
3. Metamorphoses by Ovid. The book contains tales of fair or unfair punishments and of the mythical roots of the universe. (8 AD)
4. The Symposium by Plato. Greek prose at its best. A dialogue about love… (385-380 BC)
5. The Art of Love by Ovid. The book explains how men can woo women and keep them. (2 AD)
6. Phaedo by Plato. The dialogue depicts the death of Socrates and it is told from the perspective of one of his students. (385-380 BC)
7. The Symposium by Xenophon. An also remarkable symposium, although it lacks the “philosophical rigor” of Socrates. (360 BC)
8. Poems by Sappho. What little survives of Sappho’s work is amazing and wise! (born c612 BC)
9. Parallel Lives by Plutarch. Portraits of great Greek and Roman men. (before 120 AD)
10. The Aeneid by Virgil. The story of the Trojans who founded Rome. (19 BC)
11. The Confessions, Saint Augustine. The tale of St Augustine struggling with temptation0… (398 AD)
12. On The Nature of Things, Lucretius. The author leaned on the Greek philosophers to investigate how the universe works. (55 BC)
13. Works and Days by Hesiod. Myths of Ancient Greece and of the birth of gods. (after 750 BC)
14. The Histories by Herodotus. The “father” of history recounts the events of the war against the Persians. (450 – 420 BC)
15. The Georgics, Virgil. Tips for farmers that treat the earth as a living organism. (29 BC)

Παρασκευή 25 Απριλίου 2014

Greece, a small piece of heaven on earth...

Greek Tourism. An eternal journey!!
source: visitGreece

Τετάρτη 9 Απριλίου 2014

When is the best time to visit Crete?

People who think about visiting Crete often ask: When is the best time to visit Crete?
 
There are many answers to this question, but for people who want a unique experience of the real life in Crete and Greece, I would suggest them to choose the week of the Greek Orthodox Easter....

Special Offers

April:

10%  discount!
Non-refundable Rates for April  Two - roomed (2 persons) 60 €.
 
May:

Kleio Suite (2 persons) from 13/05 to 22/05 non-refundable 70 euro.
Erato Suite (4 persons) from 17/05 to 23/05 non-refundable 105 euro.
Contact us


 
Free sun beds loungers and umbrellas on the beach!!
 
We have obtained for our clients a 12% discount (www.alianthos-group.com) and you can pick up your car directly from the airport .


 

Σάββατο 29 Μαρτίου 2014

Out of a frosty winter, a warm Greek summer awaits...

Greece’s mountains, beaches, family values and gastronomy are just some of the 49 reasons to love the country, according to BuzzFeed, an American social news and entertainment website.
 The post includes some great pictures of Greece and was created by Alexander Besant, a member of the BuzzFeed Community.

Greeks take their time.

Greeks take their time.

They let beautiful moments linger.

They let beautiful moments linger.

They are passionate.

 They are passionate.

From May to September you’ll almost never see a cloud.

 From May to September you'll almost never see a cloud.

Crete has more history and landscapes on one island than some large countries have.

 Crete has more history and landscapes on one island than some large countries have.

The beaches are absolutely crazily

...but the beaches are absolutely...

Theater was born here.

 Theater was born here.

Philosophy too.

 Philosophy too.

Democracy was conceived here on this rock.

 Democracy was conceived here on this rock.


 

Πέμπτη 6 Μαρτίου 2014

16 Food Reasons Greeks Are Better At Life

We have the Greeks to thank for so much of our modern day society. They paved the way for great philosophical minds to keep pushing us forward intellectually. They gave us the Olympic Games, and a desire to strive for athletic excellence. And, well, then there's democracy. Clearly, we owe a lot of who we are to Greece. We're thankful for all of it, but most of all, we're thankful for the feta.
The Greeks have singlehandedly shaped our modern society, and they have also -- and just as importantly -- shaped a way of eating that no country can rival. Not only is their cuisine swimming in fruity olive oil, drowned in red wine and full of mezedes, but it's also a diet that nutritionists across the board tout as the way to eat healthy. While we all try to eat like this, and happily so, the Greeks do it best. It's just their way of living, which explains why they're so much better at life than the rest of us.

Two words: grilled cheese
 
All cheese, no bread necessary. In Greece, this grilled cheese is known as Saganaki. It's a yellow cheese -- usually Graviera -- that has a high melting point so it can stand up to being fried in a pan. It gets crispy on the outside and melty on the inside. It's basically everything cheese has ever wanted to be. But the Greeks don't stop there. They also have Halloumi, another cheese with a high melting point, that they grill and serve on top of salads or with watermelon. Trust us, you want all of this.
 
NO ONE makes a better salad, so don't even try.
 
Greek salad has everything you need: feta, tomato, cucumber, oregano, olives and olive oil -- of course. So all you other salad makers can just go home. (Do you see that feta chunk?!)
 
Wine comes first, water second.
 
Wine is not relegated to celebrations or holidays. No, the Greeks know that wine is an important part of one's daily diet, along with olive oil. And it has been since ancient Greek cuisine.
 
They've never let tentacles scare them.
 
And we're forever grateful. Because when the Greeks grill octopus it turns into something we thought was only possible in our dreams.
 
Tzatiki is their ketchup.
 
Yes, yes and yes. Made of yogurt -- so it's healthy -- cucumbers, garlic, dill or mint, tzatziki is served alongside meat dishes and mezes.
 
This is dessert.
 
Hello, Loukoumades! These are a Greek donut soaked with honey, and they're served for special occasions. Jelly donuts have got nothing on these guys. They're even better than you can fathom they might be. Seriously. In ancient Greece, these deep fried dough balls were served to the winners of the Greek Olympics. That's how special they are.
 
They've turned eating LOTS AND LOTS of olive oil into a healthy pastime.
We can never repay them for this.
 
Their land is reserved for only important crops: olives and grapes.
 
For making olive oil and wine, of course. (Well, that might be a slight exaggeration, but they do produce A LOT of wine and A LOT of olives.)
(source: huffingtonpost)