Trained in silence to attain fitness levels worthy of Hercules and the ability to stand like a statue for over an hour at a time, evzones are the living embodiment of Greek grit. We bring to life the daily existence of these granite-faced guardians of democracy. Who Are They? The Evzones (Greek: Εύζωνας) are a ceremonial unit t...
Read moreOctober 28 – Oxi Day - is a day to recall Hellenic heroes and the daring deeds of our ancestors who fought so that Greece could be the passionate and free democratic country it still is today. On October 28, otherwise known as Oxi Day, we celebrate the 74th anniversary of when the Greek Prime Minister and Military General Ioan...
Read moreWith their famous pompoms and synchronised stoicism, the elite soldiers of the Presidential Guard are just as much a symbol of Athens as the Acropolis (and every bit as Instagrammed!). We take a peek underneath those 400-pleat fustanellas to hail the unsung heroes behind these proud national emblems. Often the most-photograp...
Read moreWe've all heard about the Day of the Dead or seen the classic sugar skull paintings—but what does this celebration really represent? Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is not a Mexican version of Halloween but an explosion of color and life-affirming joy. As in cities across Mexico, join Athenian revellers as they don funky makeup an...
Read moreEvery 15 seconds, somewhere in the world, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer – and tragically, for many, the news comes too late. From free haircuts to digital races and blushing cocktails, here’s how you can become part of the solution this October in Athens. Get a free haircut, donate it to those who need a moral bo...
Read more“You look at a shop window and for the first time in a long time, you want to buy a pair of shoes. Your food has some flavour. You make plans for the weekend. You consciously taste every moment but you feel alienated from the world around you.” Travel broadcaster and journalist Maya Tsoclis – and now breast cancer ambassador – shares her...
Read moreSusanna Hoffman traces Greece’s 6000 year-long love affair with honey and the evolution of the Greek honey industry to include a whole range of apiary offerings from royal jelly, propolis, bees’ pollen and extended product lines that cover the gamut from sauces to soaps, all enriched with Greek honey. [caption id="attachment_8...
Read moreGooey and comforting, quick and easy … there are times when only a pizza fix will do. From authentic Italian to Greek spins and vegetarian delights, Athens Insider selflessly scoured the streets to scout the city’s best 5 pizza places. You’re welcome! Etien Pizza Bar From its retro decor in hues of dusty pink offset by sun...
Read morePrecious things rarely come easy. Come October, the landscape of Kozani erupts into a purple carpet of saffron blossoms. Behind this glorious spectacle, however, lies weeks of back-breaking labour to transform this most fragile of flowers into the world’s most sought-after spice. Driving north in October on the Greek mainl...
Read moreArt critic Peter Schjeldahl of The New Yorker, described the acclaimed 81-year old artist Brice Marden as "the most profound abstract painter of the past four decades." And for good reason. Some of his paintings have been sold for more than 10 million dollars. He is also a hotelier, a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, ...
Read moreThe Gem Society’s Muse bistro delivers a snapshot of the elegant Beirut way of life, delivered one delicate plateful at a time. Infused with flavours from France, Lebanon and Greece, the cuisine here is soulful, a textural memory of large family dinners, as the large black and white photograph that dominates the restaurant suggests. Sudha N...
Read moreIn the sixties Hydra became an artists’ colony, even Leonard Cohen couldn’t resist and bought a house there. It has changed quite a bit since then and the simple lifestyle of those days changed into a more luxurious one. One local has been through it all – Stephan Colloredo-Mansfeld, who made his fortune being one of the first rare-record...
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