source/read more: official website

Parnassos is one of the most attractive mountains in Greece, densely green, full of Cephallonian fir trees and of an exceptional physical beauty that charms every visitor. Each year between December and May, Parnassos Ski Center, the largest and best organized ski center in the country, which is located at an altitude of 1600-2.200m, welcomes winter sports fans at two locations,

KELARIA

and FTEROLAKKA

(photo Fterolaka: a natural snow park for tree skiing, off piste, etc)

In total, there are 13 lifts available:
Six aerial, six tow lifts and one four-seat telecabin. Two learner baby-lifts are available for beginners to assist them in their first skiing or snowboarding attempts. There are 18 ski runs totaling 22 kilometers. The ski runs vary between 320 meters to 4 km in length, and cover all levels, from beginners to advanced skiers and snowboarders.

For adventure seekers there are 12 off-piste routes

(photo: route Kalliopi)

with deep snow and lots and lots of adrenaline. The Ski Center is distinguished for its quality operation and the high standard of safety with lifts and machinery.

http://www.parnassos-ski.gr/webtop/modules/_repository/documents/xartis_parnassou.jpg (ski routes-map)

ski bus to Parnassos

And now, some special tips from “livin lovin” to help you enjoy your access and stay in Parnassos ski center  more !

We STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you visit Kalavryta ski resort as well as Parnassos ski resort, on week days if possible, as at weekends they are packed with people because there are close to Athens

1) For the drive up and down you will surely need SNOW TIRES or, if you don’t have any, be prepared to use SNOWCHAINS (which you should have tested beforehand)

3) GOING UP: The shortest and more popular road up is through ARACHOVA. However, it’s the most crowded as well so we recommend the road through AMFIKLIA (a little longer, but smooth and well-trimmed).

4)TICKETS (the English version is  NOT updated, the Greek one is: http://www.parnassos-ski.gr/page.aspx?itemID=SPG7

Unfortunately, during weekends there are long queues for the purchase of SKI-PASSES (unlike weekdays), however, planning ahead, you will be able to avoid them if you:

a) renew the ski pass at the end of the day for the next time (with open dates)

or: b) purchase multi – day passes the first day you go. There are 6, 10, 20, 40, 80 unit cards ( 2 units are spent daily each weekend and holiday, 1 unit on weekdays)

or: c) charge your ski-pass card through the internet,

Please NOTE: If one day some lifts are not working due to bad weather conditions, and there is a day-pass discount, don’t use your pre-paid day-pass. Buy a NEW one only for that day, instead. You will pay less!

5)  12:00 to 13:30, 14:00 are the rush hours at the ski center with long queues at the lifts. It’s better to take your break then, and continue  after that. Tip: during these hours and whenever Kelaria is crowded, take the connecting lifts to Fterolakka which is always quieter!

Connecting lifts: ERMIS – through DIAS to SAHARA, or: ODYSSEAS to SAHARA, or: ERMIS to ski-run No 6 of Fterolakka

Very Important Note: Make sure you’ve got the connecting lifts’ closing times right, so that you are not left at Fterolakka with your car parked in Kelaria and vice versa

Normally, the closing times are: 15:30 for connecting lifts

16:00 the rest

17:00 the telecabin

You can always stay and eat at Kelaria  Chalet-restaurant-cafe (1st. floor), or at the outdoors BBQ,  but if you decide to go down,

6) GOING DOWN: You can take the road to ARACHOVA (everybody else will be doing that as well). However,  if you do go, don’t miss Panagiota (a tavern next to Agios Georgios church), or Kaplanis (Platani), or Oistros at the small square of Arachova. Otherwise try  the road to AMFIKLIA (where you can eat at Merenditis on the village square),

or POLYDROSSO (beautiful drive through the fir trees, top quality dairy products at Martha, great tavernas at the square, Petrino for a cup of coffee before you go !)

or AGORIANI (beautiful village with great tavernas, we recommend Griza Arkouda)

There are a lot more things to see and do in the region of  Mt. Parnassos and Mt. Oiti which you can enjoy at weekends or longer. Don’t forget that DELPHI is very close, as well as picturesque seaside towns. We’ll give you tips about nearly everything ! (places worth seeing /visiting, best places to eat, accommodation, activities, etc.)

contact us to help you plan !!

we would like to thank all friends from www.snowclub.gr for sharing  their tips & beautiful photos with us.

.

If you want to know more about the trips, consult us, give us details about the hotel you prefer, (there are more beautiful & economical places where you can stay except Arahova on the other side of Parnassos, just ask us) your budget, your likes and preferences and we’ll plan your trip together at the best possible prices

http://www.kalavrita-ski.gr/el/provlepsi-kairou (Snow Forecast)

http://www.kalavrita-ski.gr/el/live-snow-cams (snow cams)

Kalavryta ski centre is situated on the North West side of mountain Helmos in Peloponissos, at an altitude of 1,700 meters (base) to 2,340 meters (summit).

.

Something unique about Greece is the fact that you can ski and see the sea at the same time. (Kalavrita  & Pilion ski resorts)

Gulf of Corinth (photo by KSpecial)

As you can see in the photo it’s buried in snow !

© photo by alcatraz

It has been operating since 1988 and consist of 7 lifts, 12 ski runs ,spacious free parking, cafeteria, restaurant, ski rental shop, ski school and First Aid Station.” INO” (photo) is considered to be one of the steepest runs in Greece

It is located 14 kilometers from Kalavrita and only 203 Kilometers from Athens.

The ski centre is open daily throughout the ski season (December to April) from 09:00 to 16:00.

(from the official web site)

It’s really one of our favorite ski resorts in Greece.  Helmos is a beautiful mountain, you can see the sea while skiing (only Greece can offer that!), offering nearly everything a winter sports fan can ask for:

on and

© photo by alcatraz
off piste

© photo by alcatraz

tree skiing,

snowboard park,

(new) Tubes park,

(new) FunBAG area

(photos from official web site)

mountain and hiking trails using snowshoes, 4×4 off road driving, etc.

There are two cafes, one at the entrance and another one at the upper plateau,

Vathia Lakka,  in case you want to grab a bite

Combined with all the things you can see and the places you can visit in the area, it turns out to be an ideal suggestion not only for  one day, but for a weekend or longer. (we STRONGLY RECOMMEND that you visit Kalavryta ski resort as well as Parnassos ski resort, on week days if possible, as at weekends they are packed with people because there are close to Athens)

* There is a Van that takes you from the end of the parking lot to the ticket booth

* You can hire Ski/Snowboard  equipment either in Kalavryta or at the Ski Centre

Its’ definitely one of our favorite destinations, and people whose trip there we’ve organized agree with us !

Some TIPS to make your life easier:

1) drive VERY CAREFULLY on the national road from Korinthos to Patra (under constuction – one lane/direction and without barriers) and avoid driving at night, as it gets even more difficult and dangerous.

2) if the aerial lift Achileas is packed with people, use Dafni tow lift,( lower plateau – on your right) , and then turn left to go to the upper plateau Vathia Lakka

3) if the triple aerial lift Styga is crowded, use the anchor Artemis, the view from up there is beautiful so are the runs whether you go left or right. On your right is Avgo a whole slope for off-piste tree-skiing

©

and

©

it’s really Pelloponissos in Greece !

temperate climate as we have written elsewhere !

all 4 photos ©  by alcatraz

4) visit 2.3 telescope “Aristarchos”.

Named after Aristarchos of Samos, the first reported person pondering about heliocentrism, the brand new Greek telescope with a primary mirror diameter of 2.3 m and a final focal ratio f/8 is the pride of the Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics (IAA) of the National Observatory of Athens (NOA), being the largest one in the southeastern Europe.

5) (new) snow-bus Kalavrita (Gr)

We would like to thank Alcatraz (alcatraz@mail.gr /G.Kandris), as well as all friends from www.snowclub.gr for the info. and these  beautifull photos

.

If you want to know more about the trips, consult us, give us details about the hotel you prefer, your budget, your likes and preferences and we’ll plan your trip together at the best possible prices

The Athens Classic Marathon Organizing Committee and the Marathon Office would like to inform all runners that we are in the last stage of our preparation for the big day.Given that the registration department of the organization is getting ready for the opening of the Registration Centre at Zappeion Megaro, you may get touch with one of its representatives at the following numbers: +30 6909092893 & +30 6909092894.

The Registration Centre will be open for the public the following days and hours: Thursday 10 November at 13.00-20.00, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 November at 09.00-20.00. This time schedule should be strictly followed by everyone and therefore we ask all runners to be there in time in order to collect their bib numbers and race packages.

ΝΟ BIB NUMBERS will be available the day of the Race

You would also like to remind you that NO REGISTRATION IS POSSIBLE AT THE REGISTRATION CENTRE.

We wish you ALL THE BEST!

course info, map, useful info

useful info

source: athensclassicmarathon.gr

Come and enjoy the Rugby World Cup Final match between the All Blacks (New Zealand team for those that are challenged by everything Rugby) and France at:

O’ CONNELL’S Irish Pub in Piraeus, Akti Miaouli 79, Piraeus 18538, tel.: 210 428 1110

FINAL: SUNDAY 23rd October 1100 hrs

SPECIAL Breakfast Baguette prepared for the occasion PLUS usual Pub food.

Via the National Road is only 30 min away from Kifissia.

Children are more than welcome.

2.    Adventure Park

3.   Allou fun Park & Kidom

4. “AIDONAKIA” FUN FAIR

It is said to be  one of the best for the whole family
.
α) at “THE MALL ATHENS”

On the  ground floor there is a “baby parking” where your children can either play or can be occupied making their own toys, constructions or painting
ages 3 – 8. There is also a snack-bar
On the 3rd. floor there are many new inflatable toys ,board games for all ages
89 Kifisias ave. & 35 Andrea Papandreou str.

b) at the Escape Center www.escape-center.gr
(open air fun fair)
67a Dimocratias ave.- Ilion

Following the successful organisation of the first Bike Festival last year during the European Mobility Week, it became evident that Athens is a city with a growing cycling culture and that an annual cycling festival in the heart of the city is a must for the increasing number of cyclists.

This year, the Athens Bike Festival will take place from 16 to 18 September in «Technopolis», an industrial museum of incomparable architecture that has been transformed into a multipurpose cultural space whose special atmosphere charmed the festival’s visitors last year as well.

The event will be organised during the European Mobility Week – an awareness raising campaign aiming at sensibilising citizens to the use of public transport, cycling, walking and at encouraging European cities to promote these modes of transport. In 2011, the European Mobility Week focuses on alternative mobility and wants to support the transition towards a resource-efficient transport system by promoting clean, fuel efficient modes and human-powered travel.

Organisers aim at offering visitors the opportunity to see and test the latest bike models, to discuss with the market experts and to experience an alternative lifestyle through the parallel activities that will present a different and active culture worth discovering.

All the major brands of the cycling market are expected to participate in the exhibition part of the Festival making the most of the opportunity to have direct contact with the end consumers

Cycling will improve the everyday quality of life of Greeks. This statement will be substantiated and defended against any objections by Jeff Risom, urban planner, member of the experienced and famous Ghel Architects; they have advised cities throughout the world, including New York City, Mexico City, Los Angeles and currently San Francisco on how to improve conditions for cyclists and pedestrians.

The one-day conference “A bikable city is a livable city” will take place on Sunday 18 September at 11:00 am, in the Amphitheater “Athens 9.84” at “Technopolis” of City of Athens in Gazi, during Athens Bike Festival. The conference is organised by the MBike magazine and the Royal Danish Embassy in Athens and the Danish Foreign Ministry.

Schedule of events

The program of the Bike Festival includes a series of activities that aim to inspire everyone to get back on their bikes. Visitors will get the chance to discover the cycling culture and explore a different way of living.

Friday 16 September

Take a ride with COSMOTE
(Test rides every half hour)
18.00-19.00

Αdiridas
18.00 – 19.00
20.00 – 21.00

Cycling lessons
18.00 – 20.00

Photo Exhibitions
Monumental Motion – D9
Bike Planet – D12
Bikes of the World – D6
18.00 – 21.30

Bike Art Exhibition-D4
18.00 – 21.30

Concert – Jumping Fish
Travel Mind Syndrome
Rous
21.30

Saturday 17 September

Take a ride with COSMOTE
(Test rides every half hour)
10.30 – 14.00
16.00 – 19.00

Adiridas
11.00 – 12.00
13.30 – 14.00
17.30 – 18.00
20.00 – 21.00

Cycling lessons
11.00 – 14.00
16.00 – 21.00

Create a bike
16.00 – 21.00

Basic Technical Guidelines for Bike Maintenance
12.00 – 12.30
18.00 – 18.30

Time Trials
19.00 – 20.00

Photo Exhibitions
Monumental Motion – D9
Bike Planet – D12
Bikes of the World – D6
10.00 – 21.30

Bike Art Exhibition-D4
10.00 – 21.30

Concert – Jumping Fish
Los Mujeros
A Des Potes
21.30

Sunday 18 September

Conference
A Bikable City is a Livable City
11.00 – 14.00

Take a ride with COSMOTE
(Test rides every half hour)
10.30 – 14.00
16.00 – 19.00

Adiridas
11.00 – 12.00
13.30 – 14.00
17.30 – 18.00
20.00 – 21.00

Cycling lessons
11.00 – 16.00
18.00 – 20.00

Create a bike
11.00 – 16.00

Basic Technical Guidelines for Bike Maintenance
12.00 – 12.30
18.00 – 18.30

Time Trials
12.30 – 13.30
19.00 – 20.00

Photo Exhibitions
Monumental Motion – D9
Bike Planet – D12
Bikes of the World – D6
10.00 – 21.30

Bike Art Exhibition-D4
10.00 – 21.30

Athens Bike Festival opening hours:
Friday, September 16
18:00-21:30

Saturday, September 17
Sunday, September 18
10:00-21:30

The scheduled concerts will take place on Friday and Saturday after 21:00.

source: bikefestival2011

Special Olympics Hellas was founded in 1987 as a non-profit, sports and educational association for the integration of Greeks with intellectual disabilities in the Global Movement of Special Olympics, offering them the opportunity to bring out their special abilities and show them to the global community, through their participation in international sports events. At the same time, they undertook the responsibility to inspire the Greek society and the state to respect the diversity of people with intellectual disability, their special needs and the belief that they are useful and equal members of this society.

Special Olympics Hellas is under the High Protection of His Excellency the President of the Greek Republic and under the Auspices of the Greek Parliament. It is an associate member of the Greek Olympic Committee and officially recognized by the Deputy Ministry of Culture (General Secretariat of Sport), as a Sporting Association.

The activities of Special Olympics Hellas today rely on volunteers.
The costs of organization and participation of athletes in competitions are covered by private donators and public bodies, while a respectable amount is covered by the State.

So far, Special Olympics Hellas offer participation opportunities to people with intellectual disabilities in twenty-four (24) Olympic-type sports:
Athletics, Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics and Rhythmic Gymnastics, Basketball, Tennis, Football, Volleyball, Equestrian, Table Tennis, Bowling, Canoe-Kayaking, Cycling, Weightlifting, Golf, Judo, Handball, Sailing, and four winter sports: Alpine Skiing, Cross Country Skiing, Ice Skating and Snow Shoeing. From September to June each year, Special Olympics Hellas, in addition to training programs, organize Local, Regional, and Pan-Hellenic Games.

Greek Special Olympics athletes who have taken part in competitions, both in Greece and abroad, amount to about 12,000, are continuously involved in training, work hard throughout the year and demonstrate daily to Greek society and throughout the world that they fairly deserve equal opportunities with other Greeks, at all levels of social life.

Opening Ceremony – Closing Ceremony:

Lights, Camera, Action!!! The preparations for the Opening and Closing ceremonies of the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 are underway and everybody speaks about an Event where national pride will rise, since we are hosts of these remarkable Games organized for people with intellectual disabilities. The 7.500 Athletes from 185 countries that will march in the packed Panathenaic Stadium on June 25th and in the Panathenaic Stadium on July 4th , will shout to the whole world:

“Let me win! But if I cannot win let me be brave in the attempt”.

Fokas Evangelinos and his creative team was awarded the main concept of the by winning the open contest organized by the Organizing Committee for the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011.
Fokas Evangelinos’ creative team consists from the composer Stefanos Korkolis, production designer Ilias Ledakis, costume designer Elli Papageorgakopoulou and copyrighter Theodore Grigoriadis.
Furthermore, production consultants for the Ceremonies are Simon Graveling and Andrew Walsh, whose experience creating many of the world’s most memorable events includes the 2004 Olympic Games here in Athens. Fokas’ team is a mix of artists with international impact and with extensive professional experience in the organization of mega events.

PLEASE NOTE THAT:

Traffic changes will take place in the streets round Kallimarmaron Stadium, during the Opening (25/6) and Closing (4/7) Ceremony of the Athens Special Olympics 2011

These two days from 15:00 to the end of the Ceremonies, traffic will be banned in the streets and avenues:

Vassileos Konstantinou ave., Arditou, Vassilisis Olgas, Archimidous (from Eratosthenous to Herodou Attikou)

Schedule of the Games

From June 25th to July 4th 2011, in Athens, 7.500 Special Olympics athletes from 185 countries, from all ability levels, will compete in 21 Olympic-type sports.
To view the Special Olympics World Summer Games ATHENS 2011 competition Schedule please click here

source: http://www.athens2011.org/en/

With 57 years of history, the Acropolis Rally can be identified as anything except “old”. The Greek round of the World Rally Championship was, is and will remain one of the toughest tests in the WRC (World Rally Championship), perhaps the most popular form of motorsport worldwide.

read more/source: breathtakingathens.com

La Gastronomie française tout simplement !

L’Institut français d’Athènes, la mission économique UBIFRANCE, et l’hôtel NJV Athens Plaza organisent, sous l’égide de l’Ambassade de France en Grèce, le 1er festival de la gastronomie française à Athènes, du 1er au 30 juin 2011.
Cette initiative s’inscrit dans le cadre de la campagne « So French, So Good », lancée par le Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de l’Industrie afin de stimuler l’exportation de produits agroalimentaires et arts de la table français, visant à « donner envie de France » à travers le monde.
Ainsi, En Grèce, durant tout le mois de juin 2011, la cuisine et les produits alimentaires français seront à l’honneur.

Les événements prévus sont les suivants :

Du 1er au 30 juin 2011, à l’hôtel N.J.V. Athens Plaza
Des menus français seront proposés à travers des recettes simples et traditionnelles au restaurant The Parliament mais aussi des propositions rapides et savoureuses au Plaza Lounges.

Le mardi 7 juin 2011, à 19 h 30, à l’Institut français d’Athènes – Auditorium
Entrée libre / Traduction simultanée
Table ronde
Que sont les chefs aujourd’hui : des cuisiniers, des écrivains, des voyageurs ou des hommes d’affaires ? Rencontre avec des chefs grecs et français

Le mercredi 8 juin 2011 à 20 h 00 à l’Institut français d’Athènes – Auditorium
Entrée : 6 €
CINEDOC : Projection du film Mondovino de Jonathan Nossiter

Le jeudi 9 Juin 2011 de 09 h 00 à 20 h 00 à l’hôtel NJV Athens Plaza salle « Pacific »
La mission économique UBIFRANCE organise une mini-exposition réservée aux professionnels.
Présentation de produits français aux professionnels et à la presse « Les saveurs et terroirs de France » et « Arts de la table »

Η γαλλική κουζίνα, έτσι απλά!

Tο Institut français d’Athènes, η οικονομική αποστολή UBIFRANCE, και το Ξενοδοχείο NJV Athens Plaza διοργανώνουν, υπό την αιγίδα της Πρεσβείας της Γαλλίας στην Ελλάδα, το 1ο Φεστιβάλ γαλλικής γαστρονομίας στην Αθήνα, από 1η έως 30 Ιουνίου 2011. Η πρωτοβουλία αυτή εντάσσεται στο πλαίσιο της εκστρατείας « So French, So Good », του Υπουργείου Οικονομικών και Βιομηχανίας της Γαλλίας, με στόχο την ενίσχυση των εξαγωγών των αγροτικών προϊόντων και τροφίμων και της γαλλικής Τέχνης του τραπεζιού, καθώς και την πρόσκληση παγκοσμίου ενδιαφέροντος για «ό,τι γαλλικό».
Έτσι, στην Ελλάδα, καθ’ όλη τη διάρκεια του Ιουνίου 2011, η γαλλική κουζίνα και τα προϊόντα διατροφής, θα έχουν την τιμητική τους.
Οι εκδηλώσεις που έχουν προγραμματιστεί είναι οι ακόλουθες:

Aπό 1η έως 30 Ιουνίου 2011, στο ξενοδοχείο N.J.V. Athens Plaza
Προτάσεις γαλλικών μενού με απλές συνταγές της γαλλικής παράδοσης, στο εστιατόριο The Parliament αλλά και γρήγορες γευστικές προτάσεις στο Plaza Lounges.

Την Τρίτη 7 Ιουνίου 2011, στις 19.30, στο Institut français d’Athènes – Auditorium
Είσοδος ελεύθερη / Ταυτόχρονη μετάφραση
Στρογγυλή τράπεζα : Τι είναι οι σεφ σήμερα: ταξιδιώτες, συγγραφείς ή επιχειρηματίες;
Συνάντηση με Έλληνες και Γάλλους σεφ.

Την Τετάρτη 8 Ιουνίου 2011, στις 20.00΄, στο Institut français d’Athènes – Auditorium
Εισιτήριο: 6 €
CINEDOC: Προβολή της ταινίας “Mondovino” του Jonathan Nossiter

Την Πέμπτη 9 Ιουνίου 2011, από τις 9.00΄ως τις 20.00΄στο ξενοδοχείο NJV Athens Plaza, αίθουσα « Pacific ».
Η Οικονομική αποστολή UBIFRANCE διοργανώνει ένα εκθετήριο τροφίμων και ποτών ειδικά για επαγγελματίες. Παρουσίαση των γαλλικών προϊόντων στους επαγγελματίες και στα ΜΜΕ: « Les saveurs et terroirs de France » και « Arts de la table ».