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https://www.youtube.com/embed/SFvdHvlAZGo 2020-04-22 5 The graffiti that changed the world - a virtual tour that will blow you away

Did you hear they opened the sky? That you can fly wherever you want ?! Have you been to Brazil before? in Paris? In London? Because if you too are tired of the situation and your mind burns at home and you want to visit the hottest destinations we invite you to tour the 5 graffiti works that changed the world through a tour - a virtual game with puzzles that will leave you with a taste of more. Click here to hear more

Read More 2020-03-12 Food tour of the Old City of Jerusalem

Join us for an authentic tasting journey, between different times and religions, through the Old City of Jerusalem between the walls. We will hear about the rich history of the place, which made it sacred for the three religions, we will walk through the different districts, we will see all kinds of people, we will taste an abundance of foods and we will hear the most interesting stories. We will start with a local original coffee, taste a pastry in a bakery that has existed for over 400 years, visit an old and hidden tahini factory and taste black tahini, find out what makes chickpeas the best, smell spices with special qualities, hear about a business that goes on for generations. The ancient, the only institution agreed upon by all as the best in its field. We will take you through the narrow and lesser known alleys, visit beautiful views and together we will open our mouths and hearts to all the abundance that the Old City has to offer.

2020-03-12 A graffiti tour in the center of the Jerusalem scene

10 Thongs you should know before visiting ATHENS – FROM THE EYES OF A LOCAL!

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Have you ever visited a city and thought: “I could live here!” or “I love the culture!”? In my opinion one of the things that makes a city worth visiting is going prepared! So either you visit Athens for a few days, or you have decided to spend some more time at the Greek capital, it is always a good idea to know better some things before you do, that will make your visit amazing!

 

People in the streets drive like… crazy!

Perhaps you have been in other cities where people drive without respecting the rules, but you wouldn’t expect that to happen in a European city, such as Athens. The truth is that Greece is between East and West and even though it belongs to united Europe, things can get a little crazy in the road: cars parked illegally, drivers who don’t respect pedestrians, pedestrians who are not road literate and a guy can block one whole road because he didn’t find where to park so he just left the car to get buy some cigarettes and get back! The Athenian jungle can get quite upsetting but is also a characteristic that makes the city alive and vivid! Sometimes, a little too much!

Taxi… in a heart BEAT!

Do you want to roam the city center with a taxi? Do you want to go from one neighborhood to the other without walking? Do you want a cab to come and get you exactly from your address and take you to another with the best conditions possible? Then BEAT is your application! Download it from Play Store or App Store and order a taxi whenever, wherever with no extra charge. You can choose whether to pay with cash or a credit card (you should have already given to the app prior to your moving) and also see the plates, name, rating and services (pet friendly, air conditioner, baby seat etc) provided by the car that is automatically chosen according to proximity. Women choose it for safety and generally it is a great choice for quick transportation!

Greeks and Athenians can be loud… this is normal!

Greeks are a little bit like Italians or Israelis…They speak with their hands and most of the times in a high tone! They are not arguing, they are just very passionate! Well, Greeks are known for their hospitality and they can be quite scary for people coming from Scandinavia or central Europe where body is socially confined. We can get loud, but that’s liberating! Start exploring the limits of your body language in Athens!

Avoid restaurants that have food on their vitrines!

Since Athens is a sunlit capital, food that gets exposed to the sun can be dangerous to consume. So, avoid places that have their food on vitrines exposed to the sun. I would personally suggest to also avoid places that have their plates on a picture or use a guy or a lady to lure in customers. Perhaps their food is not that bad, but their aesthetics is… well… off! You can learn more about Greek culinary traditions by joining one of our food tastings tours!

Airport transportation can be easy! 

Many hotels offer airport transportation from and to the airport. For the ones who don’t, three are the available options: a taxi, a bus or the metro. A taxi would cost you approximately 35-40 euros during daytime and around 50 (taxis have a double tariff from 00:00 until 05:00) and you would need from 25 minutes to an hour depending on traffic, the metro costs 8 euros and gets you to Syntagma in exactly 40 minutes. The bus operates also during the night, it costs 5 euros and gets you to the center in about an hour depending again on traffic.

Choose to visit off season!

Better prices, less tourists, better weather and less queues in museums is what you’ll get if you visit Athens from October to November and from January to April. The summer things get quite busy and you could also choose to walk around the city on August, when things are pretty empty in the capital –everyone sails away to the islands- but you have to handle the heat! Temperatures in Athens during the summer and especially in August can get as high as 38 Celsius degrees!

Bring your sunscreen along!

Temperature in Athens may vary but most of the days are sunny here! So, a walk in the city or a picnic can get your white face red in zero time! Pack your sunscreen before your journey to Athens or get one in the duty free section at the Airport. Sun is boosting our mood, makes our walks even better and helps our bodies produce necessary vitamins for our psychological stability. The sun can get a bit too friendly and in the long run damaging for the skin, so be prepared and wear your sunscreen and sunglasses!

Schedule to spend an afternoon at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center!

SNFCC is Renzo Piano’s masterpiece in Athens! Located just a few minutes away from the busy center, it hosts the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece, with an amazing park, where you can stroll around and discover some exquisite sea views that will blow your mind! Why visit? You can either join a free tour in the buildings or at the Park, watch a show at the opera or even walk to the Lighthouse and surrender to that beautiful sea view. A totally “green” building, amazing in many ways, both architecture and environmental wise. Fun fact: In the summer, an open air festival takes place in its premises with many different events taking place at the same time on different locations!

Be prepared to taste some different drinks!

Athens is full with amazing bars and restaurants where tasting our amazing drinks is a must! So, be prepared to drink ouzo (scented with anise), raki & tsipouro (a 40% alcohol produced by grapes that is quite similar to grappa), house wine (red and white) produced in Greece, masticha liquer (a liqueur scented with masticha), rakomelo (a mix of raki together with honey and spices brewed), Greek beers and other amazing drinks you can pair your mezedes (small dishes like tapas) with! Mix and match is never good with spirits, so choose wisely everyday!

Yes, the Acropolis is worth it!

Visit the amazing temple of goddess Athena, at the top of the city; it’s really worth it! Schedule one of your mornings to climb that special rock and visit one of the oldest and best sights in the world! You will discover that the air is different there and the energy quite special. Avoid weekends as it gets super crowded, especially on Sundays. Put your raining shoes on, as stairs can get slippery. Taxis can get you until a certain point if you don’t want to climb all the way up, but then you should walk to reach the peak.

I hope that I gave you a good reason to visit amazing Athens and prepared you about some important things. Last but not least, book a tour with a local! If you want to join a graffiti tour or a food tour with me, I would be super happy to take you to the places I love the most. Tours take place every day with a local guide. You can order it here if you would like 🙂 If you want more recommendations on things to see and do in Athens you can visit my other posts in this link. Hope you liked my post, if you did you are welcome to share it!

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