Cast off from Kos and Rhodes, butterfly-shaped Astypalea has always walked its own path. Now, this classy Dodecanese charmer is on the cusp of being the first Mediterranean island to have energy autonomy, thanks to a groundbreaking new agreement. Astypalea has always lived on the cusp. Straddling the Dodecanese and the Cycladi...
Read moreNikos Garyfallos' cutting edge skate bowl, Blue Enigma, has turned a sleepy Andros village into a magnet for skaters, bikers and bladers the world over. Dedicated to his grandparents, this hand-sculpted marvel also works double-time as a dramatic open-air gallery with a difference, Amalia Melis notes. Making your way through t...
Read moreLike the sound of pampering yourself at a palace? Once the summer residence of the Greek royal family, Tatoi Palace, in the serene wooded foothills of Mount Parnitha, is poised to become a heritage hotel and holistic spa for storied stays and agro-tourism adventures. It might have been the smallest of European royal residences, ...
Read moreThe historic site of the former Public Tobacco Factory at Lenorman, a symbol of Greece’s industrialisation and progress, emerges as an emblematic cultural venue to host an exhibition to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the founding of the modern Greek state. The renovation of the impressive 19,000 sqm space will be funded in its entir...
Read moreLockdown measures to continue until January 7 but mandatory quarantine for all visitors to be reduced from 10 days to 3 days. All travellers visiting Greece until January 18 need to: fill their PLF form 48 hours before flying to Greece have negative results of a PCR test before flying to Greece undergo a rapid test on arrival and an ...
Read moreThe style story of Lebanon is that of a tiny country with outstanding craftsmanship. Lebanese “design-preneur” Nathalie Fallaha, now based in Athens, introduces you to her country’s dreamy design ethos with a curated guide to the most desirable Lebanese gifts around. Olivier DeGem jewellery! When Oliver DeGem launched his first...
Read more2020 has been a watershed year for us all. But for best-selling British author Victoria Hislop, it’s been “the very worst and very best of times”; defined by extremes of pain and joy. In the wake of losing her mother, Hislop buried herself in her work to produce two new books and a televised series (mid-pandemic, no less) and also became a...
Read moreGlamorous socialite, political powerbroker, commissioner of grandiose palaces, grieving mother and champion of women’s education. The Duchess of Plaisance was no ordinary expat. Discover how this intriguing single female from Philadelphia came to wield such great power and influence over 19th century Athens, and find out where you can stil...
Read moreTiger King? So last Lockdown. Netflix swaps shock TV for a new feel-good documentary about the stray cats of Syros, who have found sanctuary through the extraordinary efforts of feline Samaritans Joan and Richard Bowell (they went for a holiday and ended up with a crusade!). [caption id="attachment_8855" align="aligncenter" wid...
Read morePrefer to stay in the dark? With mushroom season in full swing, why not occupy yourself with some of the tastiest nature therapy around on a becalming wild mushroom safari in Greece’s spectacular woodlands and evergreen forests or a world-famous national park. ©Nat...
Read moreFollow Justin Brendel as he embarks on an uplifting alpine adventure of Olympic proportions, complete with shooting stars, donkey “mines”, and powerful new friendships. “And don’t touch the small orange and black animal. He is poisonous.” I never saw this notorious salamander during our stunning four-hour hike up Mt. Olympu...
Read moreThe appetite for accommodation in the Greek capital is soaring with a fresh breed of inner-city boltholes, catering to every style, mood and budget. There are rooms that qualify as art museums, others that will feature in your instant bucket-lists: here’s Athens Insider’s rundown of the hottest hotel openings this year. Stop moaning about...
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