breathtaking mag 04

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THE OFFICIAL CITY OF ATHENS MAGAZINE FOR TOURISM PROFESSIONALSwww.breathtakingathens.com

MAR-MAY2009 / issue03

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EDITORIAL

7

BUSINESS NEWS

8

ATHENS TOP 10

12

GREEK PASCHA

16

ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL 2009

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ATHENS WITH KIDS

24

GRAND RESORT LAGONISSSI

28

SEMIRAMIS HOTEL

32

INTERVIEW WITH SAKIS ROUVAS

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MONASTIRAKI, ANAFIOTIKA, PLAKA

40

IN AND AROUND ACROPOLIS

44

SPRING CULTURAL HIGHLIGHTS

48

FOOD: EASTER IN THE COUNTRY

AND IN THE CITY

52

YELLOW PAGES

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A View of the Ancients.

With breathtaking views of the famed

Acropolis and Parthenon, regal Constitution

Square and the Parliament, lush Lycabettus

Hill, or the original Olympic Stadium,

the Hotel Grande Bretagne o�ers unrivaled

perspectives of Athens’ mythical history.

Life is a collection of experiences. Let us be your guide.The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts Hotel Grande Bretagne

Explore the collection at luxurycollection.com or contact your travel professional.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Breathtaking mag is a quarterly publication of the Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company

Contact:

7 Xenofontos Street, Syntagma105 57 Athens, Greece

T. +30 210 32 53 123F. +30 210 32 16 653 E. [email protected]

Production

LIVANIS PUBLISHING ORGANIZATION 98, Solonos Street, 106 80 Athens. T. 210 36 61 200, F. 210 36 17 791

www.livanis.gr

editorial Director

Giorgos Salamas

Art Director

Angie Paragoulia

Design Director

Charalambos Andreanidis

editorial Team

Nikolas DervenoulasStavros Dioskouridis

Cover illustration

Lila Kalogeri

Photography

Gerasimos Domenikos Dimitris Koilalous

Translation Proofreading

Yorgos AvgoustisDanae Seemann

Athens Tourism and economic Development Company

President

Aikaterini Katsabe

CeO

Panagiotis Arkoumaneas

Director, Tourism Development

Manolis Psarros

Director, Athens Convention Bureau

George N. Angelis

Public Relations Director

Katerina Papadopoulou

© Breathtaking mag. All rights reserved. Neither this publication nor any part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Ath-ens Tourism and Economic Development Company.

Where opinion is expressed it is that of the authors and does not necessarily coincide with the editorial views of the publisher of the Breathtaking mag. All information in this magazine is verified to the best of the authors’ and the pub-lisher’s ability. However, the Breathtaking mag does not accept responsibility for any loss arising from reliance on it.

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ATHENS INTERNATIONAL

AIRPORT

12

BUSINESS

NEWS

8

GRAND RESORT

LAGONISSI

The Elegant &

Exciting Escape

28

ATHENS

WITH KIDS

24SPRING

CULTURAL

HIGHLIGHTS

48

GREEK PASCHA

A Resurrection

of Souls

16

SEMIRAMIS HOTEL

Focus

on positive

energy

32

SPRING IS CONSIDERED BY MANY TO BE THE BEST TIME OF YEAR

TO VISIT ATHENS, AS THE WORLD-RENOWNED ATTICA LIGHT IS

AT ITS BEST AND THE CITY FILLS WITH FRAGRANCES AND COLORS

TO MATCH.

In our spring issue, you will read all the latest business news concern-

ing Athenian tourism and much more. We will offer you some excel-

lent suggestions in making your accommodation choices, highlight-

ing two luxurious hotels. This issue also features an introduction to

Greek Easter (Pascha), a presentation of the biggest rock music fes-

tival-Rockwave 2009 in Athens, an interview with Greek pop star

Sakis Rouvas talking about Athens, a Top 10 list of things to do in

Athens and a guide to the area in and around the Acropolis.

Furthermore, you will learn about the cultural events taking place

in Athens, get an introduction to the Monastiraki – Plaka – Anafi-

otika districts and view the helpful yellow pages that will guide you

through the city.

We hope you enjoy your reading and look forward to seeing you in

Athens soon!

For more information on Athens, you can visit our brand-new web-

site www.breathtakingathens.com

We look forward to seeing you in Athens.

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EDITORIAL Panagiotis Arkoumaneas

CeO / Athens Tourism and economic Development Company

Business News

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inFO KiOsK AT AThens inTeRnATiOnAl AiRPORT

ATEDCo has introduced tourist info-

points in the Arrivals area of Athens

International Airport to better in-

form and welcome incoming visitors

to Athens.

Through these hospitable and effi-

cient kiosks, visitors may get infor-

mation from specially trained staff

and receive brochures providing ex-

tensive details on all that Athens as

a tourism destination has to offer.

These offerings include recommen-

dations for sightseeing, dining,

nightlife, day trips and shopping; in-

cluded in the brochures are a map

and a “What’s Hot” insert listing all

current events.

A plasma TV screen at these points

shows various video spots around

Athens. There is also a special in-

formational touch-screen connect-

ing users to the Athens web site

www.breathtakingathens.com,

which also provides a variety of tour-

ist information. The Info Points at

Athens International Airport are the

first of a broader information net-

work serving visitors which will

gradually be extended to all points

of entry to the city, as well as to

other locations of interest to tour-

ists, with the aim of providing the

best possible service for visitors to

Athens.

Five new gAlleRies OPeneD AT nATiOnAl ARChAeOlOgiCAl MuseuM OF AThens

More than 2,500 objects, including

figurines, vessels, gold jewellery

and silver utensils, among others,

now grace five new exhibition halls

at the National Archaeological Mu-

seum of Athens, completing the mu-

seum’s re-exhibition process.

The grand opening was held Thurs-

day at a newly opened wing which

served as the Numismatic Museum

from 1946 to 1998. This 500 m2-

wing will house parts of the Vases

and Small Objects Collection and

includes objects never before exhib-

ited publicly.

The ceremony launched a series of

events to mark the 120 years since

the National Archaeological Muse-

um of Athens was first opened at

this location (1889), as well as the

180 years since its founding in

1829.

The first gallery features vessels

from the Hellenistic period (4th-1st

century BC), which are notable for

the variety of their shapes as well as

for their rare decorative images.

These are followed by approximate-

ly 500 ceramic figurines, exhibited

in sections according to their asso-

ciation with specific areas of ancient

Greek society, such as religion, the-

atre, agricultural life, women’s ac-

tivities and childhood.

The Vlastou-Serpieri Collection is

displayed as a distinct category and

includes ancient items from Greece

and Taranta, Italy.

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The ancient Greek art of gold- and silver-

smithing is presented in an exhibition of

artfully made gold jewellery and silver

utensils. There are about 600 objects,

notable for their originality, elegance and

the fine detail of their craftsmanship.

The final gallery features rare glass ves-

sels from the Epirus and island regions

of Greece, from the Archaic period

through the Byzantine era (6th century

BC-6th century AD).

These are followed by approximately

500 ceramic figurines, exhibited in sec-

tions according to their association with

specific areas of ancient Greek society,

such as religion, theatre, agricultural life,

women’s activities and childhood.

The Vlastou-Serpieri Collection is dis-

played as a distinct category and in-

cludes ancient items from Greece and

Taranta, Italy. The ancient Greek art of

gold- and silversmithing is presented in

an exhibition of artfully made gold jewel-

lery and silver utensils. There are about

600 objects, notable for their originality,

elegance and the fine detail of their

craftsmanship.

The final gallery features rare glass ves-

sels from the Epirus and island regions

of Greece, from the Archaic period

through the Byzantine era (6th century

BC-6th century AD).

AiR ARABiA TO inTRODuCe seRviCe TO AThens

Air Arabia, the first and largest low-cost

carrier (LCC) in the Middle East and North

Africa, announced today that it will

launch service to the city of Athens, be-

ginning April 21, 2009.

Roundtrip flights will operate three times

per week between Athens Eleftherios

Venizelos International Airport in the

capital of Greece, and Air Arabia’s hub

in Sharjah. Air Arabia is the first LCC in

the Middle East to commence operations

to Athens.

The LCC will fly to Athens on Tuesdays,

Thursdays, and Saturdays, departing

Sharjah at 18:55 and arriving at Athens

at 22:45. Return flights will depart Ath-

ens at 23:30 and arrive in Sharjah at

05:20. Air Arabia’s first destination in

Greece is also the carrier’s first destination

in a European Union country. In total, Air

Arabia now serves 45 destinations across

the Middle East, North Africa, Indian Sub-

continent, Central Asia and the Southern

Europe.

“We are extremely pleased to announce

the launch of service to Athens,” said AK

Nizar, Head of Commercial Department.

“An international tourist destination,

Greece is also an important economic

centre in the Mediterranean region.

There is significant passenger traffic be-

tween the country and the Middle East,

particularly for tourism and business. We

are confident that Air Arabia’s non-stop

flight to Greece will further enhance its

popularity among the Middle East-based

tourists.”

Athens, the largest city in Greece, is one

of the world’s oldest cities with recorded

history spanning some 3,400 years. A

bustling and cosmopolitan metropolis,

Athens is central to economic, financial,

industrial, political and cultural life in

Greece. It is rapidly becoming a leading

business centre in the European Union.

Athens is widely referred to as the cradle

of Western civilisation and the birthplace

of democracy. With over 16 million visi-

tors every year, tourism contributes 15

per cent to the US$350 billion Greek

economy.

AThens inTeRnATiOnAl AiR-PORT’s weBsiTe weB AwARD winneR

The Athens International Airport’s web-

site has won a pair of prestigious “Web-

bies” awards from Flightglobal.com. AIA

won the Bronze award in the category

“Best Airport Website” and the Silver

award in the category “Best Online In-

novation” for its Infogate and Autopilot

tools.

“Online innovation, fast, customised,

practical, accurate and up-to-date infor-

mation, intelligent use of Flash, well de-

veloped section for business visitors,

comprehensive” were some of the ele-

ments that led to the excellent evaluation

of Athens International Airport’s website

and a pair of “Webbies” awards, in the

framework of Flightglobal.com’s “Web-

bies - Aviation Web Awards 2008”.

Athens International Airport’s

www.aia.gr was awarded with

• the bronze award in the “Best Airport

Website” category (gold for Amster-

dam’s Schiphol website and silver for

San Francisco International Airport)

• the silver award in the category “Best

Online Innovation”, for offering airlines

personalized customer communica-

tion through the innovative e-tools In-

fogate and Autopilot, blending market

intelligence with e-communication

Focusing on the flow of up-to-date, ac-

curate and useful information, AIA aims

at the continuous development of a com-

prehensive and dynamic airport website,

in a friendly environment offering fast

and easy navigation.

CulTuRAl PARK AT The FAliROn DelTA

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation has

gifted Athens a project on a grand scale

that elegantly combines education, cul-

ture, public space and respect for the

environment.

The project to be constructed in an ex-

panse of 166,000m2 will include the new

National Library of Greece, the Greek

National Opera, the “Agora” (an imitation

of the gathering place of Ancient Greeks)

and the Stavros Niarchos Park.

The internationally known Italian archi-

tect, Renzo Piano, who was selected for

the design of the project, recently pre-

sented the preliminary plans.

A 10,000m2 sloping roof covered with

photovoltaic cells will dominate the oth-

erwise aesthetically low-key Faliron com-

plex, to be built mainly in stone.

The roof will cover the National Library’s

expansive reading room, which is de-

signed to serve as a meeting place. Cop-

ies of textbooks from the libraries of the

most prestigious educational institu-

tions in the world, such as Harvard and

Yale universities, will be housed at the

new library, which will also include con-

ference rooms.

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AThens’ hOTel gRAnDe BRe-TAgne On lisT OF wORlD’s BesT hOTels

The Hotel Grande Bretagne has once

again been included on the lists of the

world’s best hotels in Conde Νast

Τraveller (USA) και Τravel + Leisure

magazines. The Athens hotel was cho-

sen among the best hotels in the coun-

try and the world in Conde Nast Trav-

eller magazine’s 2008 Reader’s Choice

Survey, in which the magazine’s more

than 32,000 subscribers responded to

select the best hotels, resorts and

cruise ships in the world. The survey

results were published in the Novem-

ber 2008 issue. At the same time, Trav-

el + Leisure’s international team of

journalists included the hotel on the

list of the World’s Best Hotels 500,

which features hotels receiving the

highest score in the World’s Best sur-

vey. The Hotel Grande Bretagne, which

first opened in 1874, is owned by Lamp-

sa Hellenic Hotels, SA. It is managed

by Starwood Hotels & Resorts World-

wide Inc., one of the leading hotel and

tourism companies in the world with

about 900 hotels in more than 100

countries and employing a staff of

155,000 at the hotels it either owns or

manages.

ReCOnsTRuCTiOn OF MOnAsTiRAKi squARe

The reconstruction of Monastiraki

Square has been completed, with the

multi-coloured stone paving symbolis-

ing its the multicultural history. Visi-

tors can now see - as well as hear - the

waters of the River Iridanos flowing in

the bed found at a depth of 6 metres

during the reconstruction. The re-

newed square was embraced by visi-

tors the first weekend after work was

completed. The square seems to har-

moniously co-exist with the surround-

ing historical area: the Temple of Pan-

tanasas, restored after the 1999

earthquake, the view of the Acropolis,

the ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library

and the Roman Agora.

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis

thanked the Ministry of Culture and the

Unification of the Archaeological Sites

of Athens, SA, for the funding and ef-

fort they contributed, “so that we can

see a renewed Monastiraki,” he said.

“It is a part of our city.”

With projects such as these, the area

around Monastiraki has undergone a

significant renewal.

In combination with the programme to

showcase archaeological findings in

appropriately designed outdoor areas,

the image of the capital is improved

along with the daily life of residents of

and visitors to Athens.

eTihAD AiRwAYs ADDs AThens TO iTs FlighT ROuTe

Etihad Airways, the national airline of

the United Arab Emirates, is set to

boost its flying programme to Europe

with the addition of a major new route

to Athens. The Greek capital will be

initially served by the airline three

times a week from early June, increas-

ing to five flights a week from October

2009 and then daily from the start of

2010. ‘We anticipate strong demand for

flights to and from Athens,’ said James

Hogan, chief executive at Etihad Air-

ways. The airline will also provide a

flight link between Athens and Mel-

bourne. ‘The new route also offers ex-

cellent connecting opportunities be-

tween Athens and the rest of our

network, helping to link this historic

European city with Greek communities

worldwide,’ added Hogan.

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ATHENS HAS SO MUCH TO OFFER THAT VISITORS COMING

TO THE CITY FOR THE FIRST TIME SHOULD PUT SOME

THOUGHT INTO PLANNING THEIR ITINERARY AHEAD OF

TIME. HERE IS A LIST OF 10 THINGS YOU SHOULD NOT

MISS.

The AThens ACROPOlis

Visible from almost every corner of the city, the Acropolis

stands defiant and dignified, dominating the Athenian sky-

line. The quintessence of the classic era and one of the most

important monuments on the World Heritage List, the Par-

thenon dominates the Athens Acropolis, attracting millions

of visitors every year.

AnTique AThens inTegRATeD inTO The COnTeMPORARY CiTY

Walk along the Monastiraki, Plaka, Thission and Kerameikos

districts and get to know Ancient Athens in situ. As a result of

the urban development project “Unification of Archaeological

sites,” the majority of archaeological sites have been perfect-

ly integrated into the contemporary city. Walk around Athens

or enjoy a cup of coffee and at the same time gaze on major

sites of antiquity, such as the Ancient Agora, the Roman Ago-

ra and others.

geT TO KnOw MORe ThAn 5,000 YeARs OF CivilisATiOn

Museums in Athens boast important exhibits, taking you on

a journey through more than 5,000 years of human civilisa-

tion. Beginning with the Cycladic era, you can move on to

the Minoan times, explore the Classic era, the Roman times,

the Byzantine era, the era of the Ottoman empire, then pass

into the era of Enlightenment, finishing up in the 19th and

20th centuries.

Athens Top 10

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THEATER

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hiKing in The heART OF The CiTY

Situated in the heart of the city centre,

Mount Lycabettus is ideal to go up, ei-

ther on foot or by cable car, and enjoy

the magnificent panoramic view of Ath-

ens.

PlAKA AnD sunDAY MORning FleA MARKeT

Within the picturesque old town of Ath-

ens is Plaka, a neighbourhood full of

small cafes, tavernas and souvenir

shops. Every Sunday morning, a flea

market takes place at Monastiraki and

Avissinias Square, with antique furni-

ture, porcelain and many other interest-

ing things for sale.

The AThens MeTRO: A MuseuM On The MOve

The Athens Metro is much more than

just a means of transportation. It is a

museum where in order to pass from

one area to another, you are presented

with exhibits of both the antique era

and contemporary Greek art.

DeliCiOus MeDiTeRRAneAn Cuisine BY The seA

It takes less than half an hour to get

from the city centre to Mikrolimano,

where you can enjoy a meal by the sea.

Make sure you try the variety of fresh

sea food as well as other recipes of

Greek cuisine, famous worldwide for

their fresh ingredients and high nutri-

tional value.

shOPPing

Boasting a long tradition in handicrafts,

jewellery making and shoe manufac-

ture, Athens impresses with both the

number and originality of its stores.

Alongside these specialty shops, the

fashion world offers more than one

could possibly ask for: department

stores, internationally acclaimed de-

signers and labels, as well as a big va-

riety of small boutiques that carry

brands from all over the world.

nOTORiOus nighTliFe

Nightlife in Athens lasts until the early

morning hours. With such a large

number and variety of bars and clubs,

you always want to visit two or three

places before going to bed. The Psirri

district is home to a number of the city’s

hottest clubs and bars playing all types

of music from rock to Latin and pop.

The Gazi district is host to many trendy,

arty-style bars. If you are looking for

something chic, head for the Kolonaki

district. In the southern suburbs, you

will find noisy or quiet places to dance

or have a drink by the sea.

viBRAnT CulTuRAl liFe

Last but certainly not least, the arts are

flourishing in Athens these days.

Throughout the year, internationally ac-

claimed artists perform in the Greek

capital and distinguished visual arts

events take place in a large number of

galleries and museums.

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50SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS 255INTERNATIONAL MEETINGS

760UNIQUE SOCIAL EVENTS77.256PARTICIPANTS37.200ABSTRACT PAGES

17.800INVITED SPEAKERS210.000SQ. M EXHIBITION SPACE520MEDIA ACTIVITIES

4.000ACCREDITED JOURNALISTS100SKILLED PROFESSIONALS

01. ASSOCIATION MANAGEMENT

02. PROFESSIONAL CONGRESS ORGANISER

03. EVENTS & DESTINATION MANAGEMENT

04. STRATEGY & COMMUNICATION

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welCOMe sweeT sPRingTiMe!

Something peculiar always happens during Easter time. As soon as Holy week starts, everything falls into

place. Scents become even stronger and sweeter, the verses in church are sung louder, and the spirituality

of nature is reflected in the deep mystical feeling of our soul. Yes, Greek Easter is unlike any other. The fact

is that Easter in Greece is by far the most important celebration Orthodox Christianity, since it is associated

with the Resurrection of Christ. The Greek name pascha is derived from the Hebrew word Pesach, meaning

the festival of Passover. The question of when Easter should be observed was first settled by the First Coun-

cil of Vithynia in Nicaea in 325 AD, when it was decided that the celebration should take place on the Sunday

after the first full moon on or after the day of the vernal equinox. In Greece, Pascha is called Lambre (mean-

ing bright or lucent) because it is a day of joy and it signifies the passage from death to life. Many customs

and folk traditions are revived annually at this time. The week preceding Easter is called the Holy Week and

each day of that week relates directly to a particular event that took place during the last days of Christ

prior to his crucifixion. The procession of the Epitaphios takes place on Good Friday, while on Holy Saturday

(which is called the Great Sabbath in Greek) the faithful gather in churches for the Paschal Vigil holding white

Paschal candles as they wait for the proclamation of the resurrection of Christ. Just before midnight, all the

lights go out. At midnight, the priest chants, “Come receive the light,” and then exits the church’s sanctuary

with a lit Paschal candle to light the candles of the faithful. Then he reads passages from the Gospel of the

Resurrection and as soon as he finishes he chants “Christ has risen...” Then the fireworks begin - a custom

that has its origins in the era when Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire - while the congregation kiss

each other (what the Greeks call the kiss of Love) and say Christos anesti (“Christ is risen”).

The ChuRChes OF AThens

For every Christian, Good Friday is the most solemn day of the year. In order to understand what the profound

solemnity that characterises Greek Easter is all about, you can wait at Syntagma Square, where at 9.30 pm

the various Epitaphios processions converge, each one decorated with fresh flowers. There you can see the

decorated biers upon which the Epitaphios is carried from many central churches, such as the Aghia Irini

Church (Saint Irene Church), the Aghia Aikaterini Church (Saint Catherine Church), the Ai Yiorgi Karytsi

Church (Church of Saint George of Karytsi) and of course the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. If, however,

you want to experience a more solemn religious event, you may head towards Plaka, the most picturesque

precinct of the City of Athens, where in Kydathenaion Street you can see the procession of the Epitaphios of

the Church of the Metamorphosi tou Sotiros (Church of the Transfiguration of the Saviour). Although you will

have to go up a lot of stairs and then come down while making your way through a dense crowd in the nar-

row streets holding a Paschal candle, the whole ambiance of the procession is richly rewarding.

Greek PaschaA Resurrection of Souls

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THE AIR IS FILLED WITH THE SCENT OF HONEYSUCKLE

AND LILAC. YES, GREEK PASCHA (EASTER) CARRIES

WITHIN IT A CERTAIN MAGICAL qUALITY THAT IS AS-

SOCIATED WITH THE FIRST SIGNS OF SPRING, THE DEEP

RELIGIOUS FEELING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE FAMOUS

GREEK WRITER PAPADIAMANTIS, AND OF COURSE THE

EVER VIBRANT SPIRIT OF THE GREEK PEOPLE.

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COMe ReCeive The lighT

If you want to experience the Paschal Vigil in

Athens, you can go to any church you happen

to be near, but bear in mind that in some church-

es the Vigil takes a special form. The Metochion

of Panagios Taphos in Plaka (Monastery of the

Holy Sepulchre, 18 Erechtheos St.) is the church

which first receives the Holy Light from Jeru-

salem. Athenians welcome the Holy Light at the

Athens Airport at about 8 pm on Holy Saturday.

Then it is passed on to the representatives of

every metropolitan bishop of the country, which

then fly back to their respective cities carrying

the Holy Light with them. The atmosphere is full

of magic: the scents from the sacred rock of

Acropolis, the cool breeze of the night and the

absolute silence as the congregation awaits the

Holy Light. Another idea you may want to con-

sider is going to the Chapel of Aghios Georgios

in Lycabettus Hill.

The Paschal Vigil starts at 11 pm and at midnight

the lights of the church go out. This small church

is situated in one of the most spectacular sites

in Athens, but on the night of Holy Saturday, as

one listens to the people chanting in unison while

holding candles and hears the cannons firing in

the distance in honour of Jesus raised from the

dead and all the congregation chants in unison,

it is truly unique. Another idea is to participate

in the Paschal Vigil at the Russian Church (in

Philellinon Street) where the congregation gath-

ers, each person carrying their festive baskets

filled with buns, red-dyed eggs and chocolates

so that the priest will bless them before they

carry them back home. Here you will not find

traditional chanters, but a women’s choir. At ex-

actly midnight the Christos Anesti is chanted

100 times and the service continues until 4 in

the morning.

sunDAY OF lOve

The morning of the Sunday of Pascha (Easter

Sunday) starts with the Divine Liturgy of St.

Basil the Great and the gospels are read in all

languages as a gesture towards international

peace and friendship. Then the Easter celebra-

tion starts in every house. The main dish of the

day is the spit-roasted lamb, which has been

prepared the day before, and the traditional

Greek dish kokoretsi (made of the skewered

pieces of the organs of the lamb -- liver, heart,

kidneys -- wrapped tightly in its small intestines,

seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano

and roasted over a slow-burning open fire). Oth-

ers follow different culinary customs. They eat

roast lamb cooked in the oven, stuffed with rice,

pine seeds and raisins. As soon as the Greeks

sit at the table, they tap their eggs against their

friends’ eggs and the owner of the last uncracked

egg is considered lucky. Then they exchange

wishes and the feast begins in earnest. In the

afternoon of the same day, we have the Easter

Vesper, also known in Greece as the Vesper of

Love. During the Afterfeast of Pascha, which

lasts for 40 days, Orthodox Christians greet each

other by saying Christos anesti, to which they

reply Alethos anesti (“Indeed, He has risen”).

eAsTeR in AThens

Athens provides many opportunities for you to

have a good time and experience the unique

atmosphere of the Paschal season. You can stroll

around and visit various exhibitions, buy gifts

and Paschal candles, lose yourselves amidst the

many shops specially decorated for these fes-

tive days or you can try some Lenten food (any

food or sweets that do not contain meat, cheese,

milk and eggs). All the formal religious events

which take place in the churches of Athens pro-

vide a first-hand experience of the solemnity

that is typical of the Greek Holy Week while, af-

ter the Paschal Vigil, almost every restaurant

offers mageiritsa (a soup made of the lamb’s

internal organs: liver, heart, lungs and intestines

with an egg-lemon sauce), red eggs and roast

lamb.

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Saturday 27 June

TERRA STAGE

PLACEBO (Alternative Rock)

MOBY (Electro Pop - Rock)

GOGOL BORDELLO (Gypsy Punk)

PLACEBO

Brian Molko, a modern-day Ziggy Star-

dust with a voice that stands out on

first hearing, is morally responsible for

the sophisticated lyrics that have made

Placebo so unique. It is no coincidence

that they have played sold-out concerts

in 44 countries so far and have gone

gold and platinum in 30.

MOBY

Slightly earlier, Richard Melville Hall aka

Moby will appear for a dance session

that few will be able to resist. Words are

inadequate to describe Moby. He’s been

playing music since he was nine, he was

a member of a punk band at 13, he

launched New York’s decks after that

and since then he has been experiment-

ing, stimulating and enthralling audi-

ences while remaining our own Rock-

wave Hero!

GOGOL BORDELLO

The party will have started long before

with the noisy and outrageous Gogol

Bordello. An unusual mix of gypsy and

punk music with elements of cabaret,

Gogol Bordello is Eastern Europe’s mu-

sical answer via the heart of America.

Since 1998, they have toured the big-

gest festivals in Europe and America

and have shared the stage with Manu

Chao and Dub Trio, as well as with Ma-

donna for a special version of L’Isla

Bonita! The troubadours are coming;

the troubadours are here; their words

are fire; their sound a spear.

Sunday 28 June

TERRA STAGE

THE KILLERS (Alternative Rock - Post

Punk Revival)

DUFFY (Pop Soul)

Two bright stars at the peak of their

international success are coming to

Greece for the first time to appear on

the Terra Stage on the second day of

Rockwave Festival!

The big name of Rockwave Festival this

year are the Killers, one of the hottest

and most successful bands in recent

years! They are coming to Athens at

the zenith of their career. Alongside

with will be appearing the pop soul

Welsh queen Duffy at Terra Stage for

one of the most anticipated Rockwave

nights. Award winners, critically ac-

claimed and at the top of their music

career with so many hits already to their

name are among those expected, as we

still wait for the full line-up to be an-

nounced.

THE KILLERS

Are we Human or are we Dancers? That

is the question posed by the eccentric

youths from Las Vegas who seem to

have an answer. Brandon Flowers and

his group descend on the Terra Stage

as true headliners with their complex

lyrics, outlandish appearance and

above all, their tremendous attitude!

DUFFY

The surprise of the year, this young

Welsh woman with the deep soulful

voice will take us through the streets

of Rockferry, the most successful album

of the year by this year’s most success-

ful British singer. Rockwave welcomes

Duffy!

Monday 29 June

CRUEFEST STAGE (TERRA STAGE)

MOTLEY CRUE (Hard Rock)

MONSTER MAGNET (Hard Rock)

ARCH ENEMY (Melodic Death Metal)

LAUREN HARRIS (Hard Rock - Power

Pop)

The poster boys for ‘80s hair metal, Möt-

ley Crüe parleyed whip-lash hard-rock

songs, melodic power ballads and a wild

image into platinum-level heavy-metal

stardom and with hits like Dr. Feelgood

and Girls, Girls, Girls will dominate the

third day of the festival. Rockwave Fes-

tival 2009’s third day is the ultimate hard

rock-metal festival experience. Terra

Stage will be transformed into CrueFest

Stage to welcome the pirates of hard

rock, Motley Crue. Earlier, Monster Mag-

net will take us far away on an ecstatic

and cerebral Powertrip. No performance

would be complete without the female

side of hard rock. The “Diva Satanica,”

Angela Gossow, with her manic voice and

the death-metal dynamic of Arch Enemy,

appears along with Lauren Harris, any

father’s idea of an ideal daughter and

hard rock idol.

VIBE STAGE

W.A.S.P. (Heavy Metal)

Voivod (Heavy Metal - Thrash Metal)

Meanwhile back on the Vibe Stage:

Blackie Lawless’ W.A.S.P. come to the

Vibe Stage as he carries on the classic

W.A.S.P. tradition to headline this ulti-

metal date with well-known hits and a

strictly R-rated attitude. Slightly earlier,

the legendary Voivod will be releasing

their own musical Armageddon.

Terra Stage and Vibe Stage will be in

use back to back while bands alternate-

ly take the stage.

20 21

Rockwave Festival 2009 & Terra Vibe

Cu

ltu

re CELEBRATING ITS 13TH YEAR OF SUCCESS, ROCKWAVE ONCE AGAIN PRESENTS A FOUR-DAY MUSIC FESTIVAL ExPERI-

ENCE THIS SUMMER WHICH PROMISES TO BE MORE SPECTACULAR THAN EVER, HOSTING SOME OF THE BIGGEST NAMES

ON THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC SCENE ON TWO STAGES. ROCKWAVE FESTIVAL IS NOTED FOR ITS GREAT ATMOSPHERE

AS WELL AS BEING ABLE TO LURE SOME OF THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ACTS, WITH THE LIKES OF THE OFFSPRING AND

JUDAS PRIEST MIxING IT UP WITH MANU CHAO AND MARKY RAMONE LAST TIME ROUND. FESTIVAL GOERS WILL HAVE

PLENTY OF SHADY SPOTS TO LOOSEN UP OVER A COLD MARGARITA BEFORE THE MUSIC STARS AT THE AMAZING

TERRA VIBE VENUE IN MALAKASA FOR THE EVENING SHENANIGANS

ARCh eneMY

gOgOl BORDellO

MOnsTeR MAgneT

w.A.s.P.

nori.kapza

THEATER

22 23

The result: not a minute without mu-

sic! Also on offer: camping, kiosks,

games, t-shirts, souvenirs, theme

events and festival services as only

Rockwave knows how to provide, and

above all, the Rockwave Festival

Vibe.

Tuesday 30 June

How could the Rockwave Festival

refuse to give the stage over to the

great Slipknot and massive favourites

Mastodon.

The nine members of Slipknot are the

true on-stage embodiment of theatri-

cal elaborated lyrics (contemporary

industrial poems) and a unique meld-

ing of metal and rap, industrial and

gothic. The masked nu-metal Slipknot

headline the Terra Stage on the fourth

day of the Rockwave Festival.

They will be preceded by the hysteri-

cally cerebral Mastodon, American

New Wave metal pioneers and huge

favourites among Greek fans. They

will be taking us on their own astral

journey with their new album Crack

the Skye, destination: Rockwave

2009’s star.

Doors open at 11 am daily.

Terra Vibe

On the map as the biggest open air

venue in the world, Terra Vibe is the

ideal destination for the greatest

bands and the most famous artists.

It has accommodated some of the

greatest names of the international

and the local music scene. The natu-

ral beauty and the amazing scenery

of Terra Vibe confirm the feeling that

you are in the countryside, as a sense

of liberation overcomes you.

Terra Vibe celebrated its grand open-

ing in 2004. It has since accommo-

dated major shows and events such

as Rockwave Festival and Terra Vibe

Festival with various parallel activi-

ties and happenings taking place dur-

ing the events, such as:

Street theatre-Jugglers

Bungee Jumping

Bazaar

Art Exhibitions

What you should know about Terra

Vibe

It is located at the 37th km of the Ath-

ens-Lamia National Road in Attica.

Terra Vibe lies on a 40-acre piece of

land and has 200m frontage to the

access road of the Athens-Lamia Na-

tional Road, where the main entrance

is located. Access is easy by train

(Sfendali Station), by coach, with your

own vehicle via the national road or

by specially chartered buses that are

hired during events such as Rockwave

Festival.

Terra Vibe boasts:

• 15,000 square meter turf

• Storage rooms

• Technical equipment for shows

• Refreshment and snack stalls

• Medical centres

• Lavatories

• Prefabricated houses as dressing

rooms

• Stalls (styled like gazebos) for

various uses

Services that Terra Vibe offers

include:

• Catering

• Medical care

• Cleaning & hygiene services

• Audience safety

For more information:

www.breathtakingathens.com

www.rockwavefestival.gr

39-41 Lykavittou Street, Athens 106 72, Greece, Direct Tel.: ++30 210 366 8800, Fax: ++30 210 364 6415email: [email protected] ñ www.afea.gr

siteICCAMember

TRAVEL AND CONGRESS SERVICES

KTX AFEA 21X28 19-03-04 17:18 ™ÂÏ›‰·1

KilleRs

PlACeBO

MOBY

DuFFY

PlAYMOBil FunPARK

Playmobil FunPark is a magical children’s play area which pleas-

antly combines creativity with fun. It is a world especially designed

to meet the playing needs of preschool and school-aged children

(1-10 years). The entire world of Playmobil unfolds before the eyes

of children. Pirates, fire fighters, Vikings and a lot of other themes

have been assembled for children’s enjoyment. If your children en-

joy Playmobil toys, then this park is definitely the place to be. A

unique experience for every child! It is located in 1,000 square me-

ters on the first floor of the Playmobil warehouse in Kato Kifissia.

For more information, call: +30 210 8000018.

eMOTiOns MuseuM OF ChilDhOOD

The Emotions Museum of Childhood is a museum which uses ex-

hibits, play and stories to encourage children to discover the world

of emotions, as well as to learn more about themselves and others.

Moreover, it sensitises parents and educators on issues relative to

children’s emotional development and socialisation through semi-

nars aimed at adults. Using play, story-telling, interactive exhibits

and other activities, children are encouraged to increase their self

awareness, to explore their feelings and thoughts and to develop

better communication with adults. This is a great place to have fun

with your children and learn a few things about them.

For more information, visit: www.mce.gr.

Athens with Kids Athens is great for kids and has lots of attractions, events and activities

for the whole family.

25

TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN IS NOT LIKE TRAVELLING WITH FRIENDS. KIDS NEED TO BE ENTERTAINED AND

AMUSED AND ATHENS IS A CHILD-FRIENDLY CITY FULL OF ACTIVITIES FOR THAT PURPOSE. SO IF YOU ARE COM-

ING TO ATHENS WITH KIDS, YOU WILL FIND THERE ARE MANY THINGS FOR THEM TO SEE AND DO EVERY DAY

THAT YOU WILL SPEND IN THE CITY. THERE ARE ALSO MANY FACILITIES IN AND AROUND ATHENS THAT CATER

TO FAMILIES TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN OF ALL AGES. PLAYGROUNDS, WATER PARKS, ZOOS, ADVENTURE

PARKS, FUN PARKS AND CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS ARE ALL HERE FOR YOU TO ENjOY. LISTED BELOW ARE SOME

SUGGESTIONS OF PLACES TO VISIT WITH YOUR CHILDREN.

Kid

s

24

26 27

The english TheATRe CluB

The English Theatre Club was launched in 1990

as a theatrical workshop for teaching English

through drama and has since performed over

a hundred plays in theatres, parks and schools.

Since 2004, the English Theatre Club has also

had an acting ensemble of international actors

and experienced teachers which produces

plays and puppet shows for children of all ages.

This year’s play is The Cambridge Art Gallery,

an original comedy about an art gallery where

the portraits come to life.

For more information,

call: +30 210 3631217.

iCe sKATing RinK in glYFADA

Glyfada ice skating rink is definitely one of the

venues where you can have a great time with

your kids. Ice skating is one of the best sport-

ing activities for children, providing them with

an opportunity to exercise and lots of fun for

the whole family. If you are worried your chil-

dren may be too young, worry no more – ice

skating is a suitable activity for kids of all ages

as long as they can walk.

Known for its plethora of youthful activities,

hotspots, bars and cafes, the cosmopolitan and

international district of Glyfada has added a

certified ice skating rink to its offerings. Built

on the basketball court located at the indoor

swimming pool, Palais de Sport, and surround-

ed by green, the ice-skating rink, named “Gly-

fada on Ice,” will be open daily through mid-

May from 11 am until midnight.


visit www.onice.gr.

The MuseuM OF gReeK ChilDRen’s

ART

The Museum of Greek Children’s Art, a non-

profit cultural association, is the only one

of its kind in Greece and one of the very few

worldwide. It was founded in 1994. The paint-

ings and the three-dimensional art works

exhibited in the museum have all been cre-

ated by children up to 14 years of age from

all over Greece and are renewed regularly.

The museum aims at presenting, preserving

and promoting children’s art, developing

their aesthetics and creativity, and cultivat-

ing children’s love for all forms of art. It is

definitely a museum worth visiting in Ath-

ens.


call +30 210 3312621.

AFRiCA FARM

Africa Farm on the Lambrou Park Estate was

opened in 2000 in Melissochori Thivas. It

houses a large number of exotic and rare

animals from around the world. It’s a haven

for kids and it is also a learning studio for

children and adults alike. Away from the noisy

urban rush, you will find a real oasis surround-

ed by green, as though you were in magical

Africa. It is located in Thiva, just one hour

outside Athens. African species like zebras

and monkeys, along with some Greek species,

are enough to make kids go wild.


call +30 22620 98000.

sunshine exPRess

Sunshine Express is a passenger city train

that offers regularly scheduled sightseeing

tours around the historical centre of Athens

and through the picturesque streets of the

old city and the Plaka area. It is a fun and

imaginative way to introduce the city of Ath-

ens to kids. They climb into the train and

discover all the amazing places of Athens:

Monastiraki, Thission, Plaka and of course

the area that surrounds the Acropolis.

Aboard the Sunshine Express, children and

adults will have the opportunity to tour the

major ancient and contemporary sites and

monuments of the Athens city centre in one

single trip. The train departs every hour and

the tour lasts about 40 minutes.


call +30 210 8819252.

2928

Grand Resort Lagonissi:The Elegant & Exciting Escape

THE FAMOUS GRAND RESORT LAGONISSI IS ONE OF ATHENS’ TOP

DESTINATION RESORTS. OVER THE YEARS, IT HAS SET HIGH STAN-

DARDS FOR PREMIUM SERVICES AND EXCEPTIONAL FACILITIES. IT IS

LOCATED ON THE BEAUTIFULLY LUSH 72 ACRE PENINSULA OF LAG-

ONISSI, SOUTH OF ATHENS, AND IT COMBINES THE MAGICAL GREEK

SANDY BEACHES WITH THE CRYSTAL CLEAR BLUE WATERS OF THE

AEGEAN SEA. THE HOTEL OFFERS NATURAL BEAUTY WITH ALL THE

ADVANTAGES OF MODERN LIVING.

ho

tels

It is perfectly designed for leisure visitors seeking a

relaxing holiday but also for business travellers who

appreciate comfort and luxury. The resort is only 40

minutes drive from the heart of Athens, 20 minutes

away from Athens International Airport and just 15 min-

utes away from the fashion-conscious suburb of Gly-

fada.

The Grand Resort Lagonissi is the crown jewel of Helios

Hotels & Resorts S.A., a company with decades of ex-

perience in luxurious destinations in Greece. It was ac-

quired a few years ago and after significant renovation

and expansion, it opened its doors to welcome its guests

with a high standard of service.

30 31

The Grand Resort Lagonissi welcomes its

visitors all year round and is the perfect des-

tination for any time of the year for both busi-

ness and leisure travelers.

For the comfort of guests, a choice of lavish

hotel rooms or suites, bungalows on the wa-

terfront, villas with private pools and suites

with gardens or balconies are available as

outstanding options for accommodation or

even for hosting private meetings or busi-

ness events. Organised in seven distinct cat-

egories, each suiting specific requirements,

a guest can find everything from basic to

the decadently luxurious without compro-

mising on comfort. Visitors can enjoy the

sunrise and sunset from the balconies of

one of the rooms or suites of the Comfort

Club, while the bungalows and suites of the

Premium Club are ideal for families. If keep-

ing fit is important to you, choose your ac-

commodation from the Grand Sports Club

or Zen Club or raise the stakes on luxury

with the suites of the Exclusive Club and

Golden Club.

But if you want to feel like royalty, the best

option is to choose among the eight villas

of the Platinum Club with their private heat-

ed pools, patios, gardens, private access to

the beach, butler service and many more

luxuries. The Dream Suite with its retract-

able glass ceiling in the bedroom is the ide-

al romantic getaway for newlyweds. Forbes

and Elite Traveler magazine have named the

Royal Villa, with its indoor heated pool, pri-

vate gym, vast garden graced by an outdoor

heated pool and private sea-level deck, as

one of the most exclusive in the world.

For the shrewd business traveller, state-of-

the-art services and facilities are to be found

in the brand new conference centre, the

Grand Hall. With its pioneering architecture,

the Grand Hall provides indoor and outdoor

conference spaces with modern high-tech

equipment. The Cosmos Ballroom, able to

accommodate up to 1,600 delegates, fea-

tures a stage, outstanding acoustics and un-

hindered visuals and, last but not least, a

breathtaking view of the Aegean. A further

10 satellite meeting rooms, an open-air ex-

hibition area and two foyers surrounded by

waterfront terraces and with capacities

ranging from 25 to 250 delegates provide

facilities for conferences, meetings, exhibi-

tions, galas or social events.

In order to tame your appetite, a gastro-

nomic haven awaits with many different

types of restaurants offering a choice of tra-

ditional, fusion or gourmet cuisines from

Greece, Italy, Polynesia, Japan and the Med-

iterranean region. The thrice awarded ex-

otic “Kohylia,” with its oriental atmosphere

and mouth-watering sushi bar, “Captain’s

House,” with its maritime theme and popu-

lar Italian dishes, and “Ouzeri,” for those

wanting to feel they really are in Greece, are

only few of the choices to send your taste

buds to heaven. A visit to “Veghera,” the

brand new club-restaurant resembling a

cruise ship, is the absolute must for the com-

ing summer.

The luxurious spa centre situated on the Med-

iterraneo beach, has created luxurious treat-

ments and earned its place among the Leading

Spas of the World for the second year running.

It offers the quality, purity and integrity of nat-

ural ingredients in all products, combined with

the progressive therapy techniques to ensure

outstanding results. A team of highly skilled

and trained therapists will select a sequence

of therapies and programs to suit specific and

individual needs.

The unique combination of luxury, location,

service and facilities make the Grand Resort

Lagonissi a top destination for business or for

pleasure, side by side with the cultural treas-

ures of Greece and the privileged Mediterra-

nean ambiance of its idyllic location where

every visitor can find true harmony and

peace.

32

Semiramis HotelFocus on positive energy

33

ON FIRST ENTERING THE SEMIRAMIS, YOU IMMEDIATELY BECOME

AWARE OF ITS OTHERWORLDLY ATMOSPHERE. IT IS A SPACE THAT

WINS YOU OVER, OFFERING EVERY CONVENIENCE YOU CAN CON-

CEIVE OF. ExCLUSIVELY DESIGNED BY ACCLAIMED DESIGNER KA-

RIM RASHID AND LOCATED IN THE AFFLUENT AND LEAFY SUBURB

OF KIFISSIA, SEMIRAMIS IS IN THE HEART OF EVOLVING ATHENS,

SURROUNDED BY HIGH-END BOUTIqUES, RESTAURANTS AND

CAFéS, JUST 20 MINUTES FROM THE AIRPORT AND 30 MINUTES

FROM THE CITY CENTRE.

ho

tels

Hotel Amenities

• Rooms designed and furnished by Karim Rashid

• Semiramis Bar – Restaurant

• Originally designed swimming pool with sun deck, umbrellas and lounge chairs

• High-speed wireless Internet connection throughout the hotel

• Art exhibitions

• Gym with personal trainers

• Beauty centre and hamam – face and body treatment

• Underground parking

• 24-hour room service

• 24-hour concierge service

• Free CD and DVD library

• Conference space – 180-person capacity

• Laundry and dry cleaning service

• Multi-lingual staff

• Secretarial service

• Baby-sitting

• Car rental service

• Turn-down service in all rooms

• Early-bird complimentary breakfast

• Unpacking service

• Non-smoking rooms

• Smoke detectors and sprinkler system throughout the hotel

34 35

Room Facilities

• 4 standard rooms, 38 superior rooms

5 pool bungalows, 3 penthouse studios

1 penthouse suite

• Balcony with pool or park view

• Direct telephone line with voice mail in every room

• Electronic in-room safe

• Air Conditioning

• Plasma TV (satellite and local channel connection)

• Pay TV and movies on demand

• DVD and CD players with free lending library

• LED signage

• Art work by Karim Rashid in every room

• Variable lighting

• Completely sound-proof

• Electrically operated light-proof draperies

• Choice of king-size, queen-size or two double beds

• Maxi bar (snacks, beverages and accessories)

• Luxury natural bath products

• Choice of pillows

• Cordless phones

38

Sakis Rouvas

inte

rvie

w

39

WE MET WITH SAKIS ROUVAS, ONE OF

THE MOST POPULAR GREEK SINGERS,

WHO SPOKE TO US ABOUT THE ATHENS

HE KNOWS AND LOVES.

You grew up in Corfu. When did you come

to Athens for the first time and what do

you remember most clearly?

I was very young, not more than 8 or 9

years old. I had come as a member of

the gymnastics team. The most impres-

sive thing I remember was the Acropolis.

I also remember how impressed I was

with the wide streets of Athens and of

course, the many trolley wires high

above. It was an unfamiliar sight for me.

This was particularly true in the area near

Amerikis Square. There were so many

trolley wires that I could hardly see the

sky!

Which part of the city would you take a

friend of yours from abroad to who was

visiting Athens for the first time?

I would certainly take him to Plaka.

If you were Mayor of Athens for one day,

what would you do for the city?

I would make everybody remember and

pay attention to the glory of Athens. I

would make them see that they deserve

much more than what they have got.

If you only had one day to spend in Ath-

ens, where would you go?

I would go to the same place I said I would

take my friend: Plaka.

Could you describe Athens in three

words?

To me, Athens is Classical Athens. The

power, the energy of the place, and also

the light, the spirit...

Is there something you would like to have

done in Athens that you have not done

yet?

At some point, I must get myself a nice

loft in Plaka with a view of the Acropo-

lis.

SAKIS ROUVAS IS TAKING PART IN

THE 54TH EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

WITH THE SONG “THIS IS OUR NIGHT.”

What to mark on your map

The Roman Library of Hadrian (near the Metro Station, Ar-

eos Street); the Roman Market (Areos Street); the Tower of

the Winds (Aiolou Street); the Mosque (1 Areos Street), the

building at 22 Panos Street (part of the Museum of Greek

Folk Art), where you can see the permanent exhibition Men

and Tools: Aspects of labour in pre-industrial societies; and

the renowned monument Loutro ton Anemon (Bath of the

Winds) (8 Kirristou and Lysiou Street), the first Turkish pub-

lic bath built during the time Greece was part of the Ottoman

Empire. This public bath was repaired during the reign of

King Othon in the 19th century and remained open until the

early post-war years.

Anafiotika – A Touch of the Aegean

Anafiotika is the most magical part of Athens; it is indeed an

island situated just below the Acropolis, a place that links

the Greek history and culture of the past with that of the

present. It is situated at the point where Plaka approaches

the Acropolis on its north-east slope and is a settlement of

whitewashed houses built into the rock of the Acropolis hill

in a Cycladic style. This place was initially built by migrant

workers from the island of Anafi who came to the Greek

capital in 1840 to find work on the excavations of the vari-

ous archaeological sites around the Acropolis. Being very

experienced builders, they had little trouble constructing

their new houses below the Parthenon, taking advantage of

every nook and cranny of the steep hillside and using stones

that had rolled down from the sacred rock. Today, this set-

tlement is made up of 60 houses which make you think you

are actually on the island of Anafi, with its narrow streets,

its small whitewashed houses with their courtyards filled

with pots of basil and all kinds of flowers. Twenty houses in

this area were demolished around 1970. Later, the whole area

was reclaimed by the state, though some people continue to

live there, standing guard over their homes as if to symbol-

ise the long history of the Greek people.


The Metochi of the Panagios Taphos (the Monastery of the

Holy Sepulchre) (18 Erechtheos St.) belongs to the Brother-

hood of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. It is a church char-

acteristic of the Ottoman period which was built at the be-

ginning of the 17th century and is dedicated to the Agioi

Anargyroi. The church plays a prominent role in the Easter

celebrations, as it is where the Holy Light first arrives from

Jerusalem on the evening of Holy Saturday. You may also

want to visit Aghios Nikolaos Ragavas (Stravonos Street), an

11th century church that is considered one of the most im-

portant Byzantine monuments of the city and which offers

a panoramic view of Athens and Lycabettus Hill.

40

Monastiraki, Anafiotika,

PlakaThe Other

Side of Athens

MONASTIRAKI, ANAFIOTIKA, AND PLAKA ARE PLACES WHOSE

REPUTATION HAS ACHIEVED INTERNATIONAL FAME. AND YET,

EVEN THOSE WHO KNOW THESE PLACES WELL NEVER FAIL

TO DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW EVERY TIME THEY WALK

THROUGH THE NARROW STREETS. ATHENS IS AN EVER-

CHANGING CITY!

Monastiraki - the Heart of the City

Going down Ermou Street, you are bound to see the historic

church of Kapnikarea. At the point where Ermou Street inter-

sects with Athinas Street, you enter Monastiraki, part of the

district of Plaka. In the middle of it you can see Monastiraki

Square, which has been recently restored and opened to the

public allowing everyone to admire the extraordinarily beautiful

mosaic that adorns it while exposing a part of the riverbed of

the Iridanos River. The area was known as Monastirion because

of the small Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary which

is situated at the intersection of Ermou Street and Athinas Street.

Very close to the square you can see the mosque that was built

by the Turkish official Tzistarakis in 1759 with materials taken

from the oldest nearby buildings. Today, it is part of the Museum

of Greek Folk Art and houses the ceramics collection of Vassilis

Kyriazopoulos. From the square, one enters the flea market,

famous for its antique shops and especially for the Sunday crowd

that gathers there (the place is also known by its old name,

Youssouroum). The bargain hunters and collectors who descend

upon the area have raised it to urban legend status.

str

olli

ng

th

rou

gh

Ath

en

sPlaka - the Past Alive in the Present

Plaka during the spring is a totally different place

from the one the visitor sees in any other sea-

son. In every courtyard you see and smell the

jasmine and the honeysuckle, the night is filled

with intoxicating scents and serenades reverber-

ate through the narrow streets. Without a doubt,

spring is the best season to visit Plaka. Its neo-

classical mansions, its stone-paved narrow

streets and its many historic buildings all shine

under a starry sky that highlights the long, un-

broken history of the city. Plaka embraces the

east side of the sacred rock of the Acropolis,

while in the south it borders on the Makriyianni

district, Olympieion, Zappeion, Monastiraki and

the central shopping areas at Aiolou Street and

Ermou Street. Most of Plaka’s buildings are list-

ed and any significant structural change is for-

bidden by the Greek state. It remains the only

place in Athens where you can see what the city

looked like 100 years ago. Lanterns, flowers and

stone-paved alleys are all part of an Athens that

existed next to history and some of the most

significant archaelogical sites. Even today, the

entire electricity and water infrastructure is built

underground so nothing can spoil its historical

image. Indeed, the fact that the streets are so

narrow that cars are forbidden to enter the his-

toric centre makes exploring the area on foot a

delightful experience. Plaka’s main street is Adri-

anou, which begins at Hadrian’s Gate and ends

at the Thissio metro station. Excavations in that

area have provided ample proof that this is in-

deed the oldest street of the city in continuous

use more or less for the same purposes from

Classical times to the present. The whole quar-

ter of Plaka is in fact a historical monument,

where in every corner the visitor can see rem-

nants from the Classical period co-existing with

fragments from later periods (Roman, Ottoman

and Modern Greek). In this historic neighbour-

hood, there are many galleries and museums

which offer a comprehensive survey of each pe-

riod. Since anyone who explores the cultural

treasures of Plaka needs some time to pause for

a rest, it is always good to know that there are

many small taverns (many of them built below

street level) that offer a glimpse of what old

Athens was like, with the songs and the tradi-

tional fried cod that are typical of a Greek Lent-

en meal.

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sThe new FACe OF AThens On The weB

www.athensconventionbureau.gr

www.breathtakingathens.com

Enjoy the best of Athens with us

All you need to know about your business trip in Athens


The Museum of Greek Folk Art (17 Ky-

dathinaion St.), a superbly rich collec-

tion of artefacts from Greek folk tradi-

tion; the Hellenic Children’s Museum (14

Kydathinaion St.) is supported by the

Municipality of Athens and is one of the

best in Europe; the Museum of Greek

Children’s Art (9 Kodrou St.), a museum

unique in its kind; and the Museum of

Greek Popular Instruments (1-3 Diog-

enous St.), which offers the visitor the

chance to see every aspect of the musi-

cal tradition of Greece. There are also

many listed buildings with a long his-

tory, such as the Second Primary School

of Athens (106-108 Adrianou St.); the

Archontiko Benizelon (Benizelos Man-

sion) (96 Adrianou St.), one of the very

few surviving monuments from the Ot-

toman period; the Centre for Asia Minor

Studies (11-13 Kydathinaion St.), one of

the first private buildings of post-Inde-

pendence Greece; the Theodoridi Man-

sion (9 Aiolou St. and Pandrossou

Street), from the end of the 19th cen-

tury; and the Kallimasioti Mansion (49

Mitreopoleos St. and Kaprinareas

Street) which is, at the moment, pro-

tected with aluminium bars for safety

reasons.

How to get there

Plaka is served by the following metro

stations: Acropolis, Syntagma, Monas-

tiraki and Thissio. You can also find the

two tram stations, Syntagma and Zap-

peion. There are also a lot of bus and

trolley lines which cross the centre of

Athens. However, the best way to enjoy

the area is to put on your best hiking

shoes and start walking toward the sa-

cred rock of the Acropolis.

ATHENS WOULD HARDLY BE THE CITY

IT IS WITHOUT ITS CROWN JEWEL. IN

THE CENTRE OF THE CITY, BUT HOLD-

ING A UNIqUE PLACE IN THE CENTRE

OF THE WHOLE WORLD AS WELL,

THERE IS SOMETHING ExTREMELY

PRECIOUS, A CULTURAL MONUMENT

THAT CONNECTS THE PAST WITH THE

FUTURE IN THE MOST PROFOUND

AND DECISIVE WAY.

Imagine a sunny day in spring. Now try

to also imagine a magnificent warm sun

that leaves nothing untouched, awaken-

ing an exquisite scent of flowers growing

in the gardens of the houses of Plaka.

The place you are imagining is the area

around Acropolis, a place that seems to

be frozen in time. The houses there have

not been converted, at least not yet, into

apartment blocks; the streets lead to-

wards the sacred place that is the Par-

thenon. A walk through this area makes

one feel as if time has graciously stopped

progressing at such a furious pace. Now

put on your hat, your sunglasses (Ath-

ens, you need to remember, is almost

always sunny), comfortable flat shoes

(the area lends itself to very satisfying

walks as most of it is paved), and gather

your friends to explore the places where

the inhabitants of Classical Athens

walked 2,500 years ago.

WALKING SIDE BY SIDE WITH HISTORY

The route that starts from Dionysiou Ar-

eopagitou Street is by far the most beau-

tiful as it follows a path parallel to the

sacred rock of the Acropolis. You could

start from the bust of Melina Merkouri,

the woman who contributed the most

to the new Acropolis Museum located

opposite Hadrian’s Gate. This “grand

promenade,” as Athenians call the

three-kilometre pedestrian walkway

from the Makriyianni district to Kera-

meikos, was by far the greatest gift the

people of Athens could offer their city.

You will see a great many people opting

to stroll along this wide paved walkway.

As you are enjoying your walk, you have

the chance to gaze at the Acropolis, this

masterpiece of the 5th century BC, and

marvel at the Parthenon, which seems

to be just a stone’s throw away. Right

across the Acropolis, at the opposite side

of the street, you can see the new Acrop-

olis Museum, glittering in the Attica

sun.

As you walk uphill, you can see the ruins

of the Theatre of Dionysus, the Odeon

of Pericles and the Asklepieion on the

south face of the Acropolis. The steps

that lead to the Odeon of Herodes At-

ticus, built in 161 AD by Herodes Tiberius

Claudius Atticus in memory of his wife,

begin just next to these monuments.

AT THE CROSSROADS OF CIVILISA-

TIONS

Moving further ahead, you reach the en-

trance of the west side of the Acropolis

on your right, while on your left you can

see the entrance to Philopappou Hill.

Here you will find the “Dora Stratou”

Greek Dances Theatre, named for the

woman that has made traditional Greek

dances world famous. The rustic chapel

of Aghios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris, built

in the 9th century AD, is also located

here. You can also see the so-called Soc-

rates’ prison on the nearby footpath.

From there, the road (Apostolou Pavlou)

continues downhill where it leads to the

Pnyx. On the left side, the Pnyx spring

is visible inside the grey rock. From there

you can enjoy a spectacular view of the

Propylaea, the Parthenon, the Erech-

theion and the Temple of Apteros Niki

(Wingless Victory). The Parthenon was

dedicated to the goddess Athena, the

patron of the ancient city of Athens. See-

ing the Acropolis from this vantage point

will certainly remind you of often-seen

images of this great monument. The

road here runs parallel to an olive grove

in the foothills that protect the ancient

monument. If you walk further on, you

will reach the pedestrian walkway in the

Thissio district, which is full of coffee

houses affording a spectacular view of

the ancient sites around them and where

you will encounter the most multicul-

tural assembly of people in the whole of

Athens. There you can also see a flat

area from which you can marvel at the

Areios Pagos, the oldest courthouse in

the world. It was at this very place that

Saint Paul preached to the people of

Athens, a decisive event that was crucial

in the adoption of Christianity by the

Greek people.

In and Around Acropolis

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NARROW STREETS AND LOW HOUSES

The road continues around a large pine-filled

park where the monuments of the Ancient

Agora can be seen: the Temple of Hephaestus

or the Hephaestion, the Stoa of Zeus Eleuth-

erios, the Temple of Apollo Patroos, the Bou-

leuterion, the Altar of the Twelve Gods, the

Odeon of Agrippa, the Stoa Vasileios (Royal

Stoa), and the Tholos (Round Temple). Fur-

ther down the road, near the Thissio metro

station, you will come to Asomaton Square,

where a small 11th century church stands, and

where Adrianou Street with its magnificent

neoclassical mansions begins. There are a lot

of shops and coffee houses here and you will

be able to marvel at the architectural perfec-

tion of the Temple of Hephaestus. Adrianou

Street is the oldest roadway in continuous

use from antiquity to the present day. Going

uphill, you will see the Roman Agora, which

was built around 19-11 BC. The Tower of the

Winds, or Orologio Kyrristou, stands outside

the eastern boundary of the Roman agora.

Although there used to be a hydraulic clock

up in the tower, it is called Aerides (Winds)

because it was constructed in the shape of

an octagon whose eight sides each had a

carved depiction of the eight winds: Boreas

(north), Sciron (southwest), Zephyr (west),

Apeliotis (east), Livas (south), Notos (south),

Evros (southeast) and Kaikias (northeast).

The surrounding neighbourhood has taken

its name from this monument. Moving east-

wards you will have the chance to see the

Anafiotika quarter, with its small white-

washed houses built in the Cycladic architec-

tural style. From there, you can see the sacred

rock of the Acropolis towering above the area.

Winding further through the narrow streets,

you inevitably reach Adrianou Street and

Hadrian’s Gate, from where you originally set

off.

AN ALTERNATIVE ROUTE

An equally enticing route often preferred by

many people is through the commercial

streets starting from Syntagma Square, then

following Mitropoleos Street to reach the

Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. From

there, you can take Pandrossou Street, which

will lead you to Adrianou Street. You gradu-

ally leave the busy centre behind you, as you

approach the foot of the Acropolis and begin

your walk from the Plaka area.

A TOUR AROUND THE MONUMENTS

If you wish to learn more about the monu-

ments around the Acropolis, you may book

a place on the guided tours offered by the

City of Athens Cultural Organisation every

Sunday and certain Saturdays starting at

10:30 am (excluding summer months). These

guided tours are free, although you still have

to pay the entrance fee to the various ar-

chaeological sites, wherever this is applica-

ble.

Information: City of Athens Cultural Centre,

50 Akadimias St., Athens, and the Office of

the Municipal Art Gallery and Museums of

the City of Athens Cultural Organisation, 51

Peiraios St., Koumoundourou Square,

2103231841 and 2103240762.

HOW TO GET THERE

Depending on your preferred route, you can

go to one of the following metro stations:

Acropolis, Syntagma, Monastiraki and This-

sio. You can also use the two tram stations

at Syntagma and Zappeion. Many bus and

trolley lines also pass through the centre of

Athens, making the area around the Acropo-

lis accessible from virtually every part of the

city.

48

NUEVO BALLET ESPAñOL - SANGRE FLAMENCA COMES TO

ATHENS

May 5 - 10

Can jazz be combined with gypsy dance rhythms? Can the

flawless movement and synchronisation of classical ballet mix

with the spontaneity of flamenco? In their new production,

Sangre Flamenca, choreographers Angel Rojas and Carlos Ro-

dríguez, the founders of Nuevo Ballet Español, present a pas-

sionate panorama of flamenco rhythms incorporating modern

and traditional artistry. Don’t miss this celebration of flamen-

co at the Badminton Theatre in Athens from 5 to 10 May.

INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART ExHIBITION: COMING

FROM...”MILAN-ATHENS”

March 6 - April 6

The non-profit organisation Centre for Applied Industrial De-

sign Science and Society is staging an international exhibition

of digital art titled “COMING FROM…Milan-Athens.” The exhi-

bition calls for young voices in art, particularly the art of vid-

eo, to come together in harmony as they forge the film aes-

thetics of the future, offering new, impulsive, challenging and

revolutionary visions. It will take place from 6 March to 6 April

at the CAID Centre.

This initiative, under the supervision of Professor Diego Es-

posito from Brera in Milan, is an effort to create a connection

between the two cities of Athens and Milan: two poles in art

and history, two locations for study and culture, science and

technology.

KARITA MATTILA AND THE BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA OF

LONDON FOR ONE UNIqUE PERFORMANCE IN ATHENS

April 24

Karita Mattila, one of the most famous sopranos in the world

today, will appear alongside the BBC Symphony Orchestra of

London under the direction of Jirí Belohlávek on April 24 for

a unique performance that is expected to captivate all opera

lovers. Mattila is recognised as much for the magnificence and

versatility of her lyric voice as for her amazing stage ability.

The programme of the concert in Athens will include Four Last

Songs by Richard Strauss, the Prelude, Act I and Good Friday

Spell from Richard Wagner’s Parsifal and the Symphony No.

9 “From the New World” by Antonín Dvořák.

LES BALLETS C. DE LA B. PRESENTS APHASIADISIAC IN

ATHENS

May 5

Based in Ghent, Belgium, Les Ballets C. de la B. is a collective

of choreographers renowned for presenting powerful, theatri-

cal performances of startling, anarchic beauty. Focusing on

issues of communication and human relationships and featur-

ing a cast of five performers who each represent a member

of his own family, Aphasiadisiac sees Ted Stoffer exploring the

private languages and politics of love. Enjoy this unusual and

exceptional ballet at the Pallas Theatre in Athens May 5.

49

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YOussOu n΄DOuR


ART AThinA_FAliRO PAvilliOn

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AC/DC

May 28

AC/DC, who are famous worldwide for their magnificent shows

and their sold-out appearances which galvanize the crowds in

big stadiums round the world, are bringing the “Black Ice World

Tour” to Athens! This is the first worldwide tour of the elec-

trifying hard rock band, AC/DC, since 2001, and it is the first

time in their long-running career they will appear in Athens.

Exactly seven months after the start of the “Black Ice World

Tour,” on 28 October at the Wachovia arena in Wilkes-Barre,

Pennsylvania, we welcome AC/DC on 28 May at ΟΑΚΑ in Ath-

ens.

For more than three decades, the Young brothers have enjoyed

the highest level of success. With songs such as Back in Black,

Hell’s Bell, Highway to Hell and For Those about to Rock, the

most important guitar duo in the history of rock has succeed-

ed in entering for good the music conscience of millions, re-

gardless of their music preferences. Their basic characteristics

are their unique energy and eccentric rock ‘n’ roll stage pres-

ence. Huge bells, the inflatable Rosie, loud canons and of course

the band’s trade mark, restless Angus Young in school uni-

form.

BODIES...The Exhibition

February 7 - June 28

The human body - a fascinating experience!

BODIES...The Exhibition showcases meticulously dissected real

human body specimens that have been preserved through an

innovative process and respectfully presented, giving visitors

the opportunity to view the beauty and complexity of their

own organs and systems.

BODIES...The Exhibition displays real human bodies and allows

visitors of all ages to view themselves as never before. More

than 200 organs and complete body specimens are on display

in nine galleries showcasing the complexity of the body’s many

bones, muscles, nerves, blood vessels and organs.

BODIES...The Exhibition is a stunning display of human anat-

omy, arriving in Athens following its huge success in cities

such as New York, London, Washington, Mexico City, Amster-

dam, Prague and Budapest. More than 11 million people have

already had a chance to discover all there is to know about

human anatomy.

The exhibition opened in Athens February 7 and continues

until June 28 at Technopolis.

ART-ATHINA 2009

May 21-24

Launched in 1993 by the Hellenic Art Galleries Association,

Art-Athina stands today as one of the longest-lasting contem-

porary art fairs in Europe, attracting over 10,000 visitors an-

nually. Art Athina has witnessed a burgeoning growth in the

number of art collectors, art dealers, curators, artists, critics

and other art enthusiasts from around the world visiting the

event, establishing Athens’ reputation as a vigorous, vibrant

art scene.

The fair will welcome a showcase of selected international

galleries, a wide range of international collectors and art pro-

fessionals through the VIP guest programme, unique parallel

events, talks, exhibitions and art projects. Newly located near

the seashore in the Faliro Bay, Art Athina presents a unique

opportunity to discover and enjoy international contemporary

art in Greece.

YOUSSOU N’DOUR IN ATHENS

April 22

One of the most important African artists-activists in the world

and most beloved by young people internationally, Grammy

award-winner and ambassador of the United Nations Youssou

N’Dour and his 12-member band will give only one concert on

22 April, at the Olympic Velodrome at OAKA, Athens, as part

of a fundraising effort in support of Action Africa.

Youssou N’Dour and his band, Super Etoile, will give a great

concert, supporting the causes of Action Africa and the build-

ing of an orphanage that cares for more than 1,000 children

whose parents have dies of AIDS.


BODies

AC/DC

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THEATER

53

THE RED EGGS, THE EASTER BREAD, THE

SPIT-ROASTED MEAT, THE KOKORETSI,

AND OF COURSE, THE TRADITIONAL

EASTER WISHES CHRISTOS ANESTI

(CHRIST IS RISEN)... THERE IS NO DOUBT

THAT EASTER, AS CELEBRATED IN

GREECE, IS SOMETHING UTTERLY

UNIqUE.

LENTEN FOOD

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, Lent

lasts for 40 days (hence the name given

to it by Greeks: Sarakosti, meaning 40),

from Clean (Ash) Monday until Easter Sun-

day. During Lent, normal food is not al-

lowed for those who observe the Eastern

Orthodox customs, and since virtually

every piece of food contains one or other

of the forbidden ingredients, it is easy to

see that eating can be quite a challenge.

However, the truth is that these restric-

tions only provide a wonderful opportu-

nity to explore other Greek culinary cus-

toms, a bit on the vegetarian side to be

sure, but equally mouth-watering as any

of the traditional, well-known dishes fa-

mous the world over. These Lenten dish-

es are mainly based on vegetables, pulses,

greens, potatoes, pasta, oil, and all kinds

of sea-food plentiful throughout Greece.

For a culinary treat during that period,

there are the Lenten sweets, loukou-

mades (pastry made of deep fried dough

soaked in sugar syrup or honey and cin-

namon), semolina halva, fruit preserves

called glika tou koutaliou (spoon-sweets)

Easter in the Country and

in the City

in Greek, chocolates, sesame paste cakes,

and skaltsounia (Lenten cookies) filled with

walnuts, a sweet that you can find all over

Greece and one that is prepared by adding

a small quantity of ouzo, for that extra

touch. The fast starts in earnest with the

coming of Holy Week and on Holy Wednes-

day there are two separate Communion

services, both of which begin at dawn. As

for Holy Friday, the day commemorating

the burial of Jesus Christ, even water is

proscribed due to the solemnity of the com-

memorated occasion. Most children are not

very keen on observing these customs and,

as soon as the Paschal Vigil is over on Holy

Saturday evening, they rush to secretly

help themselves to the traditional tsoure-

kia, (sweet Easter breads) and the red-dyed

eggs adorning the serving platters laid out

in the dining room.

If you want to sample some of these dish-

es yourselves, then go to: Kallisti Gefsis,

137 Asklipiou St., Athens, 210-6453179 and

Miniature, 21 Romvis St., Syntagma, 210-

3233459. If you want to enjoy the tradi-

tional Lenten sweets, the places to go to

are: Fresh, 21B Loukianou St., Kolonaki, 210-

7293453, Ktistakis (famous for its loukou-

mades), 59 Sokratous St., Omonoia, 210-

5240891 and Karavan, 11 Voukourestiou St.,

Athens, 210-3641540.

THE NIGHT OF HOLY SATURDAY

The preparations for the festive meal that

takes place after the Midnight Mass of the

Greek Orthodox Easter beginon the morn-

ing of Holy Saturday. Greek housewives put

their best efforts into preparing the

mageiritsa, a traditional Easter soup made

of the lamb’s finely chopped internal or-

gans in rice and egg-lemon sauce (in certain

areas they use tomato sauce instead) and

fresh seasonal herbs. This late-night meal

is meant to prepare the stomach after the

long Lenten period for the huge feast to

follow on Easter Sunday. The meal starts

with the ritual knocking of the eggs, which

have already been dyed red – a symbol of

the death of Christ – on Holy Thursday. This

day is also known in Greece as Red Thurs-

day. The first tsourekia (sweet Easter

breads) and the Easter cookies are also

made during that day. Many women also

prepare gardoubakia, a gourmet appetiser

that is made with plaited lamb intestines

and egg-lemon sauce, but roasted in a pan

in the oven, along with kokoretsi (a tradi-

tional and very popular dish, typical of

Easter celebrations in Greece, that is made

of chopped intestines and organs marinat-

ed in lemon, olive oil and oregano or thyme,

seasoned with salt and pepper and roasted

over an open fire). Right after the exchange

of the wish Christos anesti (“Christ is ris-

en”) at the church, the whole family gath-

ers around the table and, with one candle

still burning (this candle never goes out

during the entire meal) all the family mem-

bers start filling their plates, while exchang-

ing wishesr. Wine flows freely and the tra-

ditional foods of the day are served with

all kinds of salads and fresh cheese.

If you want to sample some of these dish-

es yourselves then go to: Butcher Shop, 19

Persephonis St., Gazi, 210-3413440 and

Nea Diagonios, 14 Lycavittou St., Kolonaki,

210-3617821).

THE EASTER TABLE

It is virtually impossible to imagine the

Greek Easter table without the spit-roasted

lamb and the kokoretsi. The lamb has been

prepared from the day before (Holy Satur-

day) – the intestines of the lamb from which

the various traditional Easter appetisers

are made must be cleaned thoroughly and

seasoned with salt. Then the lamb is skew-

ered on an iron rod, or spit, (souvla) ready

to be roasted. The roasting starts very ear-

ly in the morning as it takes at least 10 to

12 hours for the lamb to cook. Early on

Easter Sunday, every home prepares the

fire for the roasting of the lamb and in Rou-

meli (Central Greece) the custom is that

dozens of skewers are all lined up in a mas-

sive celebration that lasts until the next

day and where they offer free wine along

with roasted lamb and mezedes (appetis-

ers) to visitors. The kokoretsi, also prepared

from the day before, is roasted on a sepa-

rate spit.

The Greek Easter table also offers tiropita

(cheese pie), red eggs, a great variety of

regional cheeses, and christopsomo

(Christ’s bread - a kind of sweet Easter

bread). Whoever visits a Greek household

during Easter Sunday has to knock his egg

against the eggs of the members of the

family for good luck (it is believed that who-

ever is left with an uncracked egg will have

good luck throughout the year). Then

guests are treated to all kinds of hot ap-

petisers as everyone wishes Christos an-

esti and gets the reply Alethos anesti (“In-

deed, He has risen”).

If you want to sample these specialties for

yourselves, then go to: Mamacas, 41

Persephonis St., Gazi, 210-3464984 and

Vlassis, 8 Pasteur St., Mavili Sqaure, 210-

6463060).

EASTER SWEETS

There are certain sweets that are made

specifically for Easter Sunday (although all

sweets are welcome on the Easter table).

Sweet Easter breads, or tsourekia, special

biscuits and chocolate eggs are to be found

in every Greek household. In Greece, the

custom is for the godfather of every child

to offer them a sweet Easter Bread, a choc-

olate egg and, of course, the Paschal can-

dle with which the child will receive the

Holy Light at midnight of Holy Saturday.

You can try some of the Greek Easter

sweets in these places: Agapitos, 7 Voulis

St., Syntagma, 210-3258110 and Sarayli

Saray, 105 Aiolou St., Athens, 210-

3253463).

THE EASTER BASKET

This is by far the greatest pleasure for old

and young alike during the Easter season.

They are sold in every sweet-shop and con-

tain tsoureki, Easter cookies and chocolate

eggs. These sweet treats, along with the

fine spring weather, make Greek Easter or

Pascha, as it is called in Greece, a unique

religious celebration.

Foo

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Yellow Pages

BAnKsMajor international banking institutions,

credit card companies and ATMs in and around

Athens are plentiful and easy to access.

Banks are open to the public Monday through

Thursday 08:00 to 14:30 and Friday 08:00

to 13:30, except on public holidays. The

“Open24” Bank (Eurobank) is open mornings

and afternoons, as well as on Saturdays.

Foreign currency may be exchanged for eu-

ros at most Greek and foreign banks and at

exchange bureaus located in the city center.

Bring your passport when exchanging mon-

ey as you will need it for the transaction.

Traveler’s checks and credit cards issued by

major companies are also widely recognized

and an accepted means of purchasing items

in Athens.

ClOThes AnD shOe sizesFor an easier shopping experience, you can

check our list of the Greek equivalents for

American and European sizes.

ClOThes

GR USA UK IT

36 extra small (xS) 6 32

38 small (S) 8 34

40 medium (M) 10 36

42 large (L) 12 38

44 extra large (xL) 14 40

46 extra extra large (xxL)

16 42

shOes

GR USA UK

36 6 3.5

37 6.5 4

38 7.5 5

39 7/W 8.5 6

40 7.5/W 9 6.5

41 8.5/W 10 7.5

42 9/W 10.5 8

43 10 9

44 10.5 9.5

COsT OF livingAthens is a city that offers numerous temp-

tations as far as consumer products are con-

cerned. Below is a list with indicative prices for

a number of everyday products and services:

• Museum tickets €4-12

• Theater tickets from €20

• Cinema tickets €7-10

• Sandwich from €2

• Souvlaki from €1.80

• Big bottle of water €1

• Greek coffee “to go” from €1

• Cappuccino coffee at a café €3,5-5

• A refreshment at a kiosk €0.70

• Drink at a bar from €6

• Full meal (starter, main dish, dessert, not

including drinks) between €20-40 1.5

hour ticket for all means of transport (met-

ro, buses, trains) €1

shOPPingIf you come from a country outside the Eu-

ropean Union and spend a minimum of €120

on the same day in the same store, you can

benefit from a tax refund. Ask for your in-

voice or receipt and the tax-free receipt. Do

not forget to get your invoices or receipts

stamped at the airport.

You can also find duty free shops at Elefth-

erios Venizelos Airport and at the Port of

Piraeus.

eleCTRiCiTYTech Specs Voltage 220v

Frequency 50hz

hOliDAYsCalendar of Traditional and National Holi-

days in and around Athens

• October 28 - “OHI” Day commemorates the

day the Greek dictator Metaxas said OHI, or

“no,” to the Italian ultimatum which asked

Greece to allow Italian forces to use Greek soil

for military operations or otherwise face war.

• December 25 & 26 - Christmas

• January 1 - The feast of St. Vassilis

(Greek Santa Claus), New Year’s Day

• January 6 - The Epiphany

• Clean Monday (Ash Monday) -

movable feast

• March 25 - Greek Independence Day

• Orthodox good Friday - movable feast

• Orthodox easter - movable feast

• Orthodox easter Monday -

movable feast

• May 1 - Labor day and the Feast

of the Flowers

• August 15 - Assumption

of the Virgin Mary

hOsPiTAlsMany public hospitals and a few private ones

operate in Athens. The Emergency Depart-

ments at public hospitals work on a rotation

basis. To find out which hospitals are on duty

at any particular time, dial 1434. Treatment

in public hospitals is free of charge.

inTeRneT ACCessThere are numerous internet cafés in Athens

which are usually open all day long and are

very reasonably priced. You can also use the

public internet WiFi connections in Syntag-

ma Square, Kotzia Square and Theseion

(WiFi public hotspots). Athens wifi is a wire-

less hotspot based on 802.11b/g (WiFi). You

can easily connect to the Internet while you

are sitting on a bench or enjoying your cof-

fee. The connection is free provided that

you chose the wireless network (SSID) ath-

enswifi and type the number which appears

on your screen. The connection speed is

quite fast and the capacity is 4Mbps.

MOBile PhOnesUsually mobile phones automatically con-

nect with the Greek network. You can also

do it by yourself by choosing the option “net-

work selection” on your mobile to get man-

ually connected.

Your mobile phone operator will inform you

about charges for calls received from your

own country or for the ones you make while

in Greece (local and international calls).

TeCh sPeCs

GSM

Band 900Mhz

1800Mhz

Of course, a cheaper solution is to get a Greek

mobile telephone number as soon as you ar-

rive in Athens and use this during your stay.

You can buy a new SIM card even from the

kiosks on the streets and the cost is €5.

PhARMACiesPharmacies can be found throughout Ath-

ens. For overnight service, there are always

one or two pharmacies open in every district.

For pharmacies on call, dial 1434.

POliCe• Emergency call: 100

• Tourist police: 171 (information

available in English, French and

German)

• Tourist Police Headquarters:

+30 210 69 77 386,

+30 210 69 24 929

• Airport Police: +30 210 35 30 000

TiMeAthens is in the Eastern-European time-

zone, which means two hours ahead of Green-

wich Mean Time. Additionally, Athens has

daylight-savings time, meaning that during

spring and summer (from March to October)

the clocks are put forward one hour.

info

56 57

weATheR AnD CliMATe

Athens is an ideal year-round city destination with comfort-

able and favorable climate conditions for travel and sight-

seeing. Rainfall is minimal (estimated at just 40 cm or 16

inches per year) and Helios, the sun god in Greek mythol-

ogy, smiles upon its streets over 300 days a year. The sum-

mers (June through August) are dry and hot with temper-

atures ranging from 78° to 94°F, or 20° to 34°C, and are

recommended for diehard sun worshippers. Seasonal

winds, known as meltemi, may accompany some hot days

depending on the climatic conditions. September is often

considered the ideal month for both urban activities and

nearby island day trips with temperatures ranging from

70° to 83°F, or 20° to 28°C. The Mediterranean climate

makes for mild winters and even milder autumns in low-

lying areas (such as Athens) with the coldest temperatures

reported in January at a very temperate 41° to 55° F, or 5°

to 13°C. Christmas in Athens is a delight considering you

can take in the city’s lights and attractions at a relatively

comfortable 45° to 50°F, or 7° to 14°C. Snowy, icy days are

few but within reach atop the surrounding mountain peaks.

In Athens, sunshine and outdoor living is almost always a

given- no matter what time of the year.

Listed below is a month-by-month breakdown of average

temperatures and precipitation in Athens. (Source: world-

weather.org and Hellenic National Meteorological Service)

• Jan: 5.2° - 12.5°C / 41° - 54.5°F

5.69 cm / 2.2 inches rainfall

• Feb: 5.4° - 13.5 °C / 42° - 56.3°F


• March: 6.7° - 15.7 °C / 44° - 60.26°F 4.07cm / 1.6

inches rainfall

• April: 9.6° - 20.2° °C / 49° - 68°F


• May: 13.9° - 26.0 °C / 57° - 78°F


• June: 18.2° - 31.1 °C / 65 - 88°F


• July: 20.8 ° - 33.5 °C / 69 - 92°F


• Aug: 20.7° - 33.2 °C / 69 - 92°F


• sep: 17.3° - 29.2 °C / 63 - 85°F


• Oct: 13.4° - 23.3 °C / 56 - 74°F

5.26 cm / 2 inches rainfall

• nov: 9.8° - 18.1 °C / 50 - 65°F


• Dec: 6.8° - 14.1 °C / 44 - 57°F

6.91cm / 2.7 inches rainfall

weighTs AnD MeAsuResGreece uses the metric system, as do the

majority of European countries. The UK

and the U.S.A. use the imperial system.

The conversion table below may be

useful.

MeTRiC sYsTeM uK / usA (iMPeRiAl)- 1 gram (g) 0.0353 ounce

- 1 kilo(gram) (kg) 2.204 pounds

- 1 centimeter (cm) 0.393 inch

- 1 meter (m) 3.281 feet / 1.093 yard

- 1 kilometer (km) 0.621 mile

- 1 centiliter (cl.) 0.021 US pint /

0.0176 UK pint

- 1 liter (l) 0.264 US gallon /

0.220 UK gallon

- 1 liter (l) 2.1 US pints / 1.76 UK pint

UK/USA (IMPERIAL) METRIC

SYSTEM

- 1 ounce (oz) 28.349 grams

- 1 pound (lb) 0.453 kilo (grams)

- 1 inch (in) 2.540 centimeters

- 1 foot (ft) 0.304 meters

- 1 yard (yd) 3 feet-0.914 meter

- 1 mile (mi) 1760 yards-1.609

kilometers

- 1 US pint (pt) 0.473 liter

- 1 UK pint (pt) 0.568 liter

- 1 US gallon (gal) 3.785 liters

- 1 UK gallon (gal) 4.456 liters

Temperature in Greece is expressed in

degrees Centigrade. But if you come

from the United Kingdom or the United

States, you’ll find our conversion tables

useful.

DegRees CenTigRADe FAhRenheiT-10°C 14°F

-5°C 23°F

0°C 32°F

5°C 41°F

10°C 50°F

15°C 59°F

20°C 68°F

25°C 77°F

30°C 86°F

35°C 95°F

40°C 104°F

FAhRenheiT DegRees CenTigRADe10°F -12.2°C

20°F -6.7°C

30°F -1.1°C

40°F 4.4°C

50°F 10°C

60°F 15.6°C

70°F 21.1°C

80°F 26.7°C

90°F 32.2°C

100°F 37.8°C

110°F 43.3°C

info

58 59

Blue Buses OAsAThe blue bus network consists of more

than 320 lines connecting the city cent-

er to all the Athens suburbs and to Pi-

raeus. OASA provides information on

the best way to reach a destination by

dialing 185. Blue buses run daily from

05:00 to 00:15.


www.oasa.gr

AThens sighTseeing PuBliC Bus line nO. 400The Athens Sightseeing Public Bus Line

No. 400 makes stops at the city’s top

sightseeing spots. Schedules from

June to September are from 07:30 to

21:00, every 30 minutes. The duration

of the round trip is 90 minutes. The

ticket costs 6 euros and can be pur-

chased only on the bus. The ticket is

valid for 24 hours and provides for un-

limited travel by the Athens Sightseeing

Public Bus Line and all modes of public

transport.


call 185;

www.oasa.gr

TheRMAl Buses s.A. (eThel)The Ethel buses are the core lines that

connect the Athens and Piraeus city

center s to the centers of surrounding

municipalities. The renovation of the

core Athens bus system resulted in hun-

dreds of new buses, many of them pow-

ered by natural gas. There are several

express bus routes to and from Athens

International Airport. Thermal buses

run daily from 5:00 to 23:00.


call 185 or +30 210 88 36 076;

www.ethel.gr

TROlleY OR eleCTRiC Buses (ilPAP)The old yellow trolleys of Athens’ past

have been replaced by cutting-edge

purple and yellow trolley buses with

digital displays. The trolleybus is just

one more means of transport to take

you where you want to go in Athens.

Trolleybuses run daily from 5:00 to

00:30.


call 185 or +30 210 88 36 076;

www.ethel.gr

info

inTeRCiTY Bus COMPAnY OR AssOCiATiOn OF Bus OPeRATORs (KTel)The Greek bus companies, or KTEL, serve

destinations outside of Athens and have

a dense network throughout Greece. Al-

most every city and village has a local

KTEL with routes to main centers and to

Athens. There are two bus terminals: Ki-

fissou 100 serves the Peloponnese

(+302105124910) and western Greece;

the Liossion 260 terminal serves central

and northern Greece (+302108317109).


call 1440;

www.ktel.org

TRAM

Ecologically and environmentally friend-

ly, with a view of the Saronic Gulf, the

Tram connects the center of Athens with

the coastal neighborhoods of Glyfada to

the east, and Piraeus to the west. Three

station hubs along its routes connect

passengers with Metro Lines 2 and 3 and

one station connects to the Electric Rail-

way (ISAP), or Metro Line 1. Total waiting

time during peak hours is a mere 8 min-

utes. The Tram operates from Monday

to Thursday 5:00 to 00:15 and from Fri-

day to Saturday on a 24-hour basis


www.tramsa.gr

60

Jewellery Museum – Ilias Lalaounis

6 Karyatidon St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Acropoli

Telephone: +302109221044

Website:

www.lalaounis-jewelrymuseum.gr

Opening Hours: Thu-Sat 08:30-16:30;

Sun 11:00-16:00; Wed 09:00-21:00

Mon-Tue: Closed

Admission: €5

Jewish Museum of Greece

39 Nikis, Athens

Nearest Metro: Syntagma

Telephone: +30210 32 25 582

Website: www.jewishmuseum.gr

Opening Hours:

Mon to Fri 09.00-14.30;

Sun10.00-14.00;

Closed Saturday

Admission: €5

Museum of Islamic Art

22 Agion Asomaton St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Monastiraki

Telephone: +302103251311

Opening Hours:

Tue, Thu, Fri, Sat, Su 09:00-15:00;

Wed 9:00-21:00; Closed Monday

Admission: €5

Museum of Greek Children’s Art

9 Kodrou St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Acropoli

Telephone: +302103312621

Website: www.childrensartmuseum.gr

Opening Hours: Tue to Sat:

10.00-14.00; Sun: 11.00-14.00;

Mon: Closed

Admission: €2

Museum of Modern Ceramics

4-6 Melidoni St., Athens


Nearest Rail: Thissio

Telephone: +302103318491

Website: www.potterymuseum.gr

Opening Hours:

Mon to Fri 09:00-15:00;

Sun 10:00-14:00;

Closed Saturday

Admission: €3

National Archaeological Museum

44 Patision Ave., Athens

Nearest Metro: Omonoia

Nearest Rail: Viktoria

Telephone: +302108217724

Opening Hours:

Tue to Sun 08:30-15:00;

Mon 13:00-19:30

Admission: €7

National Art Gallery – Alexandros

Soutzos Museum

1 Michalakopoulou &

50 Vas. Konstantinou , Athens

Nearest Metro: Evangelismos

Tel.: +30 2107235857 -

+302107235937-8

Website: www.nationalgallery.gr

Opening Hours: Mon to Sat

09:00-15:00; Sun 10:00-14:00;

Closed Tuesday

Admission: €6.50

National Historical Museum

3 Stadiou St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Panepistimio

Telephone: +302103237617

Website: www.nhmuseum.gr

Opening Hours:

Tue to Sun 09:00-14:00;

Closed Monday

Admission: €3; Sunday: Free

Numismatic Museum

12 Panepistimiou Ave., Athens


Telephone: +302103643774

Website: www.nma.gr

Opening Hours:

Tue to Sun 08:30-15:00;

Closed Monday

Admission: €3

War Museum

Vasilissis Sofias Avenue & Rizari

Street, Athens

Nearest Metro: Evangelismos

Telephone: +302107215035

Opening Hours:

Tue to Sun 09:00-14:00;

Closed Monday

Admission: Free

MuseuMs

Archaeological Museum of

Kerameikos

148 Ermou St., Athens


Nearest Rail: Thissio

Telephone: +302103463552

Opening Hours: 08:00-19:30

Admission: €2

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus

31 Charilaou Trikoupi St., Piraeus

Nearest Rail: Piraeus

Telephone: +302104521598

Opening Hours: 08:00-15:00; Closed

Mondays

Admission: €3

The Railway Museum of Athens

4 Siokou St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Sepolia

Telephone: +302105126295

Opening Hours:

Tuesday-Friday 09:00-13:00

(Wednesday 17:00-20:00);

Saturday-Sunday 10:00-13:00;

Closed Mondays

Admission: Free

B&M Theocharakis Foundation for

the Fine Arts and Music

Vasilissis Sofias & Merlin Street,

Athens

Nearest Metro: Syntagma (Line 2 & 3)

Telephone: +302103611206

Website: www.thf.gr

Opening Hours: 10:00-18:00; Closed

Tuesday; Thu-Fri 10:00-22:00

Benaki Museum

Koumpari Street& Vasilissis Sofias

Avenue, Athens

Nearest Metro: Syntagma (Line 2 & 3)

Telephone: +302103671000

Website: www.benaki.gr

Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00;

Thu 09:00-00:00; Sun 09:00-15:00;

Closed Tuesday

New Benaki Museum

138 Pireos St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Kerameikos

Nearest Rail: Petralona

Telephone: +302103453111

Website: www.benaki.gr

Opening Hours: Mon-Tue Closed;

Wed, Thu & Fri 10:00-18:00;

Fri-Sat 10:00-22:00

Byzantine & Christian Museum

22 Vasilissis Sofias St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Megaro Moussikis

Telephone: +302107232178,

+302107211027

Website: www.byzantinemuseum.gr


Closed Monday

Admission: €4

Cycladic Art Museum

4 Neofytou Douka St., Athens

Nearest Metro: Panepistimio

Telephone: +302107228321,

+302107228322

Website: www.cycladic.gr


Thu 10:00-20:00; Sun 11:00-17:00;

Closed Tuesday

Admission: €7; Monday €3.50

Frissiras Museum for Contemporary

European Art

3 & 7 Monis Asteriou, Plaka

Telephone: +30 2103234678

Nearest Metro: Acropolis

Website: www.frissirasmuseum.com

Opening Hours:

Wed to Fri 10:00-17:00; Sat & Sun

11:00-17:00; Mon & Tue Closed

Admission: €6

Goulandris Natural History Museum

13 Levidou St., Kifissia

Telephone: +30 210 8015870

Nearest Train: Kifissia

Website: www.gnhm.gr

Opening Hours: Mon to Sat

09:00-14:30; Sun 10:00-14:30

Admission: €3.50

Greek Folk Art Museum

17 Kydathinaion St., Athens

Telephone: +302103229031


Opening Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-14:00;

Closed Monday

Admission: €2

Herakleidon Museum – Experience

in Visual Arts

16 Herakleidon St., Thission


Telephone: +302103461981

Website: www.herakleidon-art.gr

Opening Hours:

Tue to Sat 13:00-21:00;

Sun 11:00-19:00; Closed Monday

Admission: €6

“Technopolis” of the City of Athens provides: Access to the disabled, Coffee bar, 20 WC, nearby parking.

Operating hours: Weekdays and Weekends 10.00-22.00. (Operating hours may be modified without notice)

Access: Trolley: Line 21 (from Omonia Square),OASA Busses: 035, 049, 811, 815, 838, 914, B18, ?18, 731, 031.Train: Station “Thision”.Metro: Station "Keramikos".Contact:Technopolis City of Athens, 100 Piraeus Str., 11854 Gazi, AthensTel: 210-3461589 and 210-3467322, Fax: 210-3413228http://www.cityofathens.gr/dimotikoi-foreis/texnopolis-dimoy-athinaionMail: [email protected]

Technopolis hosted hundreds events from May 1999 to present such as:Visual Art - Photography - Technol-

ogy - Sculpture -Conferences - Seminars, International Festivals - Concerts - Theatrical and Dance

Events- Business Forums -Educational Programs -Product presentations

Concert Alkistis Protopsalti

Dance Festival

ARTS Exhibition Athens Video Art Festival

BABEL Comics Festival

Íikitaò Êaklamanis

CITY OF ATHENS

CITY OF ATHENS

CULTURE TO THE NEIGHBOURHOODS

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21x28 english.pdf 9/4/08 4:24:55 PM

Athens

The City to Share Your IdeasSome of humanity’s most exciting ideas were born in Athens, and from here they were shared with the world.

This could be due to the fine weather. Or the inspiring scenery. Or, if you prefer, the Athenian attitude towards life.

Whatever the reason, great ideas seem to have always reached the most distant places when coming from this unique

place of Europe. Enhanced by its state of the art venues and facilities, Athens today can meet the demands of any event

and always deliver an impeccable result.

Bring your meeting to Athens. Get inspired. Share your ideas.

T: +30 210 32 53 123

F: +30 210 32 16 653

E: [email protected]

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210x280_adv_final.pdf 9/18/08 4:16:18 PM

breathtaking mag 04

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