Archive | January, 2012

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New Generation brings back the Glory of Greek Winemaking

Posted on 31 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

In Greece there is a deep rooted tradition of wine making, featuring an especially rich and remarkable location among wine-producing countries due to their terrain and climate.  The wine produced in Greece is rich and flavor, color and is associated not only with the nutritional habits of the Greek, but also with religious traditions and its cultural heritage.

Ancient indulgences like aromatic and old spiced wines survive in modern day oúzo and Mastíha, while wine flavoured with a bouquet of pine resin is the ancestor of the modern retsina.  The Mavrodaphne of Patras, the Muscat of Samos and Limnos are some of the countries best known in this day and age.  Rhodes, the legendary island of the knights, was one of the first areas in ancient Greece known for the production of wine, and today enjoys the longest periods of sunshine and the shortest periods of rainfall in all of Greece producing the legendary Amorgiano wines.  In addition Macedonia in Northern GREECE represents one of the oldest and finest wine-making regions in Greece today producing the world famous Naoussa wine.

On the mainland the winelands of Achaia produce some of the most famous wine varieties and with vineyards which cover more than 6,700 hectares one can get lost in the bliss of it all, and while doing so don’t forget to drink the delicate and floral Roditis.  Follow selected routes, and admire some of the most stunning vineyards of Europe.

In recent years, the Greek wine industry has undergone tremendous improvements with serious investments in modern wine making technology. The new generation of native winemakers is being trained in the best wine schools around the world and their efforts are paying off as Greek wines continue to receive the highest awards in international competitions as well as the recognition they deserve throughout the world.

Wine Resources of Greece

Wine roads of Imathia Prefecture

Wine roads of North Greece

South Peloponnese

Greek Wine Making Regions

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Anthony Bourdain; Hopping the Greek Islands

Posted on 30 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

Anthony Bourdain is a 28-year veteran of professional kitchens, having worked as a dishwasher, line cook and chef in places good, bad and horrible — most of them in New York City. In 2000, he published a memoir of his experiences in the culinary underbelly. Kitchen Confidential became an unlikely, but enduring, international bestseller.

He has continued traveling for No Reservations (now entering its fifth season).  Videos of his Trip to Greece were published on You Tube however, Travel Channel has had them removed, but they always seem to come back, so here you go:

Click here to see the Anthony Bourdain Video in Greece

Click here to see the Anthony Bourdain Video in Greece Part II

Click here to see the Anthony Bourdain Video in Greece Part III

Click Here For Travel Channels Greece Section

Click here for Anthony Bourdain Blog

To hop The Greek Islands Like Anthony Bourdain

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Club Space Mykonos, for House Music till Dawn

Posted on 29 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

From the early 1960′s Mykonos located in the Cyclade group of islands is known for its White Sand beaches, Jet setters, and Windy Roads engineered to thwart pirates pillaging hundreds of years ago.  Mykonos is also internationally known for it’s pulsating nightlife scene.  One of the largest and popular party spots in Mykonos is Club Space where the house music will keep the crowd grooving till dawn.

Club Space has become an institution for lovers of house music and the Greek Island Club Scene.  When in Mykonos stop in on Club Space to feel the rhythm of Mykonos for a space dance that you will never forget.  You may find the likes of DJ Angela Pandelis, amongst many other  Dj’s spinning the wheels of Steel.

 

 

Club Space Contact Info

+30 228 90 24100 after 20:00
Laka, Mykonos 846 00, Greece
email: info@spacemykonos.gr

Listen to Club Space House Music

Club Space Mykonos Photographs

Mykonos Experience Website For Nightlife Information

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Why Visit Greece?

Posted on 28 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

Located in Mediterranean Greece has great weather through out the year with a dry and arid climate.  Greece is a unique travel and honeymoon destination for many reasons and is referred to by many as the “Florida of Europe”.  Below are some bullet points of why we think you should visit Greece on your honeymoon or Vacation.

  • Endless possibilities of Greek Island hopping (from the cosmopolitan to the non-explored)
  • The coast of Greece has a length of about 16 000 km, including mainland and all the islands
  • The land where ‘Filoxenia’ or Hospitality started; Greece is where people’s smiles are as enchanting as the landscapes of the country
  • Amazing price offers in the off season period gives you affordable luxury
  • Ideal for those who are seeking to visit 2 civilizations at the same time since Turkey is just at a stone’s throw away
  • One of the largest percentages of sunny days in the Mediterranean combined with very mild winters
  • Variety of amazing offers for yacht lovers with beautiful sea and islands
  • Greece is the world’s largest exporter of extra-virgin olive oil, making Greece a gastronomical pleasure where eating is life

Click Here to view a Why Visit Greece Video and Indulge your Senses!

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Greek Carnival, Great time to party in Greece

Posted on 27 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

In Greece the Carnival  started in Ancient times, believed to be as a worship to Dionysos, the God of Wine and Feast.  In the Orthodox tradition Apokries is the preparation period before Lent.  Patras, Greece is the largest and most popular ranking within the top Carnival Celebrations on the planet.  Some Refer to this holiday celebration as Greek Carnival or the King of Carninvals.   Regardless of what you refer to this party as, one fact is that it is one of the best times of the year to visit Greece.

Apokries runs for 3 weeks immediately preceding Lent & in 2012 Apokries runs from Sunday, February 19th with the Main Carnival Weekend taking place Friday, February 24th thru Sunday, February 26th this year.  Weekends, and the final carnival weekend in particular, are the most  popular periods for dressing-up and many masked balls & dances  are held throughout the three week carnival period.  Image Credit

Triodion marks the religious start of the season, but is generally a quiet church ceremony. Burnt Thursday is usually the beginning of what visitors would consider to be the real Carnival season.  For more information on the Greek Carnival visit here

Party on, Global Carnival Guide

*

1. New Orleans, USA – Mardi Gras

2. Barranquilla, Columbia – Carnival de Barranquilla

3. Nice, France – Nice Carnival

4. Venice, Italy – Carnevale di Venezia

5. Rido De Janeiro, Brazil – Carnival

6. Port of Spain, Trinidad – Trinidad Carnival

7. Patras, Greece – Apokries

8. Goa, India – Goa Carnival

9. Vienna, Austria – Fasching

* List Courtesy of am New York

For more images of the Greek Carnival Click here

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Ios Island, Uncomplicated Hedonistic Living

Posted on 26 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

Ios Island in Greece is in a class all its own.  Although not the most picturesque, upscale, historic or significant of Greek Islands, it is one of the best spots on the planet for a hedonistic adventure featuring cheap alcohol, party goers, great music and youthful travelers.  You do not have the usual distractions of other main stream islands in Greece so there is pretty much only time for  the pleasures at hand.  Ios pretty much just consists of a port, a town, a beach and dozens of clubs, bars and party spots!

Life on Ios is simple and to the point; wake up at about mid day, stumble to the beach to sleep a bit and begin the hedonistic pleasures of the day; go home before sunset, take a nap, wake up and party hard til the sunrise…and if one remembers eat along the way.  One road connects the port, the town and the beach so it is not complicated and almost impossible to get lost.   During the day, a pair of buses travel this route back and forth on a route that takes about 30 minutes to complete.  It’s so simple on Ios that you just have to remember to catch a bus at the beach every half-hour to go back to where you started from or ended…does it really matter?

Distance to settlements from port in km

Ag, Theodoti: 12
Chora: 2
Kalamos: 16
Koumbara: 1,5
Manganari: 23
Mylopotas: 5
Paleokastro: 18
Plakotos: 13
Psathi: 20


 

 

Here is some helpful information on the Island of Ios:
Customs office: +30 22860 91294
Dentist: +30 22860 92096
Health center: +30 22860 91227, For emergencies: +30 22860-28611
National bank of Greece: +30 22860 91354, 91565
Pharmacy: +30 22860 91562
Police: +30 22860 91222, 92222
Port Police: +30 22860 91264
Post office: +30 22860 91235
Town hall : +30 22860 91505, 91028

Ios Party Photos Click Here

Click here for some Ios Nightlife Listings

Greek Singles Island Hopping Featuring Ios Island

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Top 10 Greece Tourist Sites

Posted on 25 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

We present the basic “must-see” Top 10 Greece Tourist Sites for first-time visitors to Greece.  These are the places, for better or worse, that attract visitors by the thousands every year and getting more popular with each passing season.

For those on a time constraint due to a limited stay in Athens or possibly visiting Athens on a Shore Excursion while Cruising the Mediterranean, a Half Day Athens Sightseeing Trip may be the best course of action to tackle the main tourist sites of Athens.

There’s much, much more to Greece than what is listed here, but if your budget or time is limited, these are the main spots to concentrate on and explore:

  1. Athens – The Acropolis
  2. Athens – The National Archaeological Museum
  3. Near Athens – Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion
  4. Island of Santorini
  5. Island of Mykonos
  6. Ancient Theater of Epidaurus
  7. Mycenae
  8. Crete
  9. Crete – Knossos
  10. Island of Hydra

Click here to see the Full Description of the Top 10 Greek Tourist Site List

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Top 13 Beaches of Greece

Posted on 24 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

Every where one looks there is a top 10 list of beaches as if someone other than the 12 Gods can make such a list of favorites.  The problem is simple; Greece and it’s islands have an overabundance of beaches, coves and private hideaways which one calls a beach. The Endless sands of the Greek coast add up to approximately 16,000 Kilometers.

A visitor has the opportunity to enjoy beaches in sheltered bays and coves, golden stretches of sand with dunes, pebble beaches, coastal caves with steep rocks and dark sand typical of volcanic soil. In 2007, 428 beaches and 5 marinas in Greece were awarded the “Blue Flag”, a figure that places the country in second place among 49 other countries.

Most of the thousands of Greek coasts are freely accessible and you can easily discover and enjoy them. There are also many organized beaches in the country, with the necessary infrastructure providing high-quality services (umbrellas, reclining chairs, change booths,cafes, bar-restaurants etc), and in addition to swimming, you can enjoy an abundance of water sports.

Here are some beaches we think one should put on their list of those worthy of an exploration:

  • Ballos Beach, Gramvousa Crete
  • Egremni Beach, Lefkada
  • Kathisma Beach, Lefkada
  • Apella Beach, Karpathos
  • Saraniko Beach, Gavdos
  • Achla Beach, Andros
  • Pori Beach, Koufonissia
  • Tsigrado Beach, Milos
  • Mikros Simos Beach, Elafonissos
  • Seychelles Beach, Ikaria
  • Myrtos Beach, Cephalonia
  • Zacharo Beach, Peloponnese
  • Lagouvardos Beach, Messinia, Peloponnese

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European Cruise offer with Royal Caribbean

Posted on 23 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas

 

Its cruise wave Season and that means Big savings on Summer Sailings to Europe if you book early and lock in the deal.  For instance Royal Caribbean is offering up to a $100 on Board Ship credit for bookings made thru February 29th 2012 for any Europe sailings departing April 01 to December 31 2012.   Royal Caribbean is offering a $50 credit for any outside cabin or better and $100 credit for any Balcony or Suite.

Cruising is a great way to explore the Eastern Mediterranean and explore the Greek Islands.  A cruise allows you to get a taste of the Greek Islands, with out committing to any particular one.  Many US companies are offering more cruise itineraries to reach both mainland Greece as well as the islands of Greece.  A Cruise ship serves both as your Island Hopping transportation and hotel; best of all three square meals are always included when on a cruise ship.

To take advantage of this Deal contact Cruise One Cruises at 718.878.6410 on any of the Royal Caribbean Ships listed below and offer the Ship Board Credit Deal

Radiance Class

Serenade of the Seas
Brilliance of the Seas
Jewel of the Seas

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Guide to Athens Airport Services

Posted on 22 January 2012 by Basil Boziotis

 

 

Athens Airport INFO and SERVICES
Available 24 hours/7 Days a week
+30 210 3530000 or info@aia.gr

BAGGAGE STORAGE
Arrivals Level
+30 210 353 0352

FLIGHT INFORMATION & Services
Click Here for Athens Airport Flight Information

 

 

Greek National Tourism (GNTO)
Located in Arrivals Level
+30 210 353 0445

LOST PROPERTY (operated by Police)
Located near the arrivals area next to post office
+30 210 3530515
* For lost luggage contact your airline

METROAthens
+30 210 5194012
Click Here for Athens Metro Information

SKYCap/Porter Services
located on the departures level
+30 210 353 0100 (or 353 0843)

POST & COURIER Services
The Hellenic Post Office
Located in the arrivals level
+30 210 353 0561(2)

PUBLIC BUSES
Dial 185 while in Greece
Click Here for Athens Bus information

SUBURBAN RAILWAY
+30 210 529 7777
Click Here for Athens Subhurban Railroad information

VACATION SERVICES GREECE
Click Here for Delos Vacations

VAT (Tax) REFUND
Located on departure level in Euro Exchange Units
+30 210 353 1444

For More Athens Airport Information Visit Here

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