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Greece

overview of Daios Cove, Crete
Greece

3 Days at Daios Cove

Last summer after almost 2 years of staying in Athens we finally went for vacations in Crete. A mix of COVID-19, pregnancy and postpartum kept us from traveling all that time. We saw family and friends and let our one-year-old daughter roam around. We also escaped for 3 days sans baby in Daios Cove. The choice of the hotel was a case of “Instagram made me do it”. That’s where I encountered many photos of the resort (and the beach) which enticed me.  It was worth it though! For the first time in my life, I spent 3 days in…

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Olympus Mountain, Greece
Greece

Hiking Olympus Mountain

Hiking a mountain (let alone Greece’s highest) was not on my bucket list. In the summer of 2019, the opportunity to hike Olympus Mountain arose. I just had an unsuccessful frozen embryo transfer; my husband was on a project in Abu Dhabi, and I wanted to keep myself busy. So, I said, what the hell, I might hike a mountain as well. As they say, “Life lies outside of your comfort zone”, right? The hike was organized by a former colleague of mine. We were a team of 10 people, half of them experienced and half novices. We spent a…

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Greece

The essential guide to Parga

I first visited Parga back in 1994! It was an interim stop returning home from Corfu. What remained from that first visit was the vague memory of an inland (albeit coastal) city with island vibes. It’s also accessible from Athens by car, no ferry needed. That’s why we chose Parga as a summer getaway for a few days last year.  Let’s see what the city of Parga and vicinity has to offer! Exploring Parga Parga is built on the side of a hill on the north side of a picturesque cove in the Ionian Sea. A medieval castle is built…

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sea, beach and white houses, Platis Gialos, Sifnos
Greece

Weekend in Sifnos

I always jump at any opportunity to visit the Cyclades. Especially during summertime. Last year I went to Syros for work. This year I spent a weekend in Sifnos for a christening. Between seeing old friends and having a good time I managed to visit the island’s most cute villages. What to see in Sifnos Platys Gialos is my favorite beach in Sifnos. It literally translates to the wide beach and this is exactly what you get. The beach is sandy, and you’ll come across a few beach cafes and restaurants where you can relax, have a drink or eat….

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view from the Pinnacle Hotel Athens
Greece

Exploring Athens Trigono

Last month I took part in yet another Open Walk by Atenistas. This time we explored the city’s commercial area called Athens Trigono (meaning Triangle). The borders of this area are Athinas, Evripidou, Praxitelous and Athinaidos streets. This area was Athens’ original commercial center.  It is full of old buildings and crafter workshops. In Athens Trigono you will fabric stores, hardware stores, hobby stores, food stores and it goes on. A lot of new cafes and restaurants have also popped up in the area. During the walk, we discovered new places and got in buildings that we wouldn’t otherwise. Oh…

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blue above the door metal detail in Patras
Greece

24hrs in Patras

Patras is Greece’s third largest city and a commercial hub. The city’s port is Greece’s gateway to Italy and Western Europe. Patra is also well known for its carnival parade that takes place every February. I visited Patras last year for work. It had been almost 10 years since my last visit when I took part in the said carnival. This time I had time and weather on my side to explore the city and visit the new archaeological museum. Saint Andrew church I will start off with this one since it’s the city’s landmark. The church was inaugurated in…

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Lake Pamvotida, Ioannina
Greece

24hrs in Ioannina

Last week I popped to Ioannina for work. It was for 24 hours, but as always with my work trips I managed to sneak in some hours to explore the city. Ioannina is located in North Western Greece in the region of Epirus. The city’s history is traced to antiquity but came to a more prominent status during the Middle Ages. After the 4th Crusade in 1204 it became the center of Despotate of Epirus. Ioannina surrendered to the Ottomans in 1430 and until 1868 was the base of the Pashalik of Yanina. Ioannina became a part of the Greek…

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