The Day the World Turned Greek!
From landmark monuments to famous city icons, here’s how the world turned on the blue and white colours to fete Greece on its 200th anniversary. Sydney's ic...
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What you can expect at Athens’ new National Gallery
Greece’s National Gallery is home to some of the world’s most coveted artworks, yet it spent a better part of its 143-year existence homeless and abandoned. All that is about to change as the new National Gallery opens its swanky doors on March 24 in Athens’ Pangrati district. A bright and cheery triptych by Panagiotis Tetsis with vibrant...
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The Spirit of Philhellenism
“Byron shows us what Philhellenism is. It is quite simply a transformative love affair,” writes John Kittmer, who – just like Lord Byron – fell head over heels for Greece on his first visit as a young man. In this heartfelt paean to Greece, the former British ambassador distils the enduring essence of Philhellenism, past and present. ...
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Harley and the Holy Mountain: a Greece Travel Memoir with Heart, Soul and Humour
Why on earth would a 70-plus Englishman, who’s terrified of traffic, hop on a decrepit 50cc “papaki” bike named Harley and embark on a road trip from his village in Evia, all the way to Mount Athos? John Mole’s charming latest book, Harley and the Holy Mountain, is Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance with creaky knees, lashings of h...
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Remembering Major Sofia Vembo, the ‘Songstress of Victory’
Her haunting bass voice and rousing lyrics of hope and inspiration were wartime anthems for Greek troops. On the anniversary of her death, Insider celebrates the courageous chanteuse Sofia Vembo, who defied German orders to entertain young Greek soldiers - often undercover - and remains a national treasure for generations of Greeks; still...
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Manto: Profile of a Greek Heroine
Manto Mavrogenous was a freedom fighter from Mykonos who captained Greece to liberation. It cost this educated-aristocrat-turned-rebel her personal fortune and the love of her life. Mykoniot-resident Stacey Harris-Papaioannou profiles this captivating and tragic Greek heroine. [caption id="attachment_9583" align="alignleft" wi...
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Greece’s lockdown extended to March 16
Greece's Russian-doll like lockdowns within lockdowns now extended to March 16. Stricter measures to be reinforced starting Thursday, March 4 from 6am onwards. All schools and retail stores to remain closed. Only supermarkets, essential services and food take-away services to remain open. What you need to know: As throug...
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Farewell Pavlos Samios: An Artist in Love with Love
“Everything originates from love.” To artist Pavlos Samios, who lost his battle with illness last week, painting was merely “daily life seen in a metaphysical way”. His intimate canvasses oozed vitality and old-world elegance – much like this prolific and treasured artist himself. Like his large...
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The Forgotten History of the Jews of Thessaloniki
For more than twenty centuries, Thessaloniki gave shelter and a new sense of home for the persecuted Jews of Europe. During the Holocaust, more than 80 per cent of this vibrant Jewish community were exported and slaughtered. Insider revives the rich legacy of a forgotten people. As the city of Thessaloniki remembers and mourns...
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Greece bans single-use plastic from February 1
Greece aims to be one of the first EU countries to end single-use plastics, effective February 1. The current government has successfully managed to put a ban on smoking in public places and hopefully, the single-use plastic ban will have a trickle-down effect on plastic consumption by citizens too. The February 1 regulation p...
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January 2021 lockdown info
Lockdown measures to continue until January 7 but mandatory quarantine for all visitors to be reduced from 10 days to 3 days. All travellers visiting Greece until January 18 need to: fill their PLF form 48 hours before flying to Greece have negative results of a PCR test before flying to Greece undergo a rapid test on arrival and an ...
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What does Brexit mean if you’re a UK citizen living in or travelling to Greece
If we needed a coda to end this strange year, it would be in the form of a no-deal Brexit. Time is running out, so make sure you have your paperwork ready! 31 December 2020 is upon us, and while most of us will be celebrating the end of what has been universally voted as The Worst Year Ever, for British citizens travelling...
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