A walk to the Tatoi Royal Palace - Estate

Last Sunday, while having our morning coffee and reading newspapers one of my friends suggested we walk around the Tatoi Royal Estate - and what a walk it was!  Set in an area of about 11,000 acres, it is the perfect place for biking, jogging, or to simply walk around and enjoy the scenery.  The estate is open to the public from sunrise until sunset and there are two main entrances - either from Varimbobi (by Leonidas tavern) - this is the long route or from Lefka (this entrance is much closer to the main buildings).

The Greek Royal Family obtained the estate during the 1870's with many great historical personalities such as the czar of Russia Nicholas II and Jackie Kennedy having visited during its glorious days. The Tatoi Estate now belongs to the Greek government.

If you want to read further about the history of Tatoi Estate or simply to obtain more information as well as maps of the area you can visit the Tatoi Friends Associaton website at www.tatoi.org.  

Below you will find some pictures from my visit:  

 

Tatoi Estate Map

Pathway to the main buildings

Guard's booth by the entrance

The Palace

Statue of a Kozak hunter in front of the Palace by Yevgeny Lanceray

 

Hidden paths

November foliage

Walking towards the exit

Everything is Bigger in Texas

This past weekend I traveled (for the first time) to Dallas, Texas for a good college friend's wedding. Needless to say the expression that "everything is bigger in Texas" definitely holds true! Texas is the second largest US state (following Alaska) with population of about 25.7 million and an area of 696,200 km². One tip for anyone traveling there: RENT A CAR!!! I am not kidding - you need it to get around. Even in the downtown area of Dallas - you need a car. 

Given that I was only there for three days I didn't get to do much but I highly recommend the following:

City view of Dallas from my room at the Hyatt Regency Downtown

 

 HOTEL

I stayed at the Hyatt Regency Downtown Dallas. The hotel has just been renovated (in fact some of the floors are still undergoing refurbishment) and it's conveniently located on Reunion Boulevard in Downtown Dallas. The rooms are very spacious with modern designs - try asking for a city view room.

SHOPPING

For one-stop shopping head out to NorthPark Center - an upscale shopping mall located by the North Central Expressway. There are more than 200 stores in the mall to please even the most demanding shoppers! Aside from all the boutiques and retail stores you will also find bigger department stores such as Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom. 

DINING 

When you think of Texas cuisine you immediately think barbeque, Tex-Mex, chicken friend steak, chili, and biscuits with gravy.  The Texan cuisine is influenced from a wide range of cultures, including Mexican and German among others. Unlike other regions in the U.S. Barbeque relies heavily on beef (brisket is very popular) and smoky flavors combined with spice. Typical Texas chili is actually beanless(!) made basically with meat and hot chili peppers.

If you want to try good barbeque go to Smoke (http://smokerestaurant.com). We actually went there for brunch which was delicious, but it's highly recommended for lunch and dinner as well. If you end up going for brunch I suggest ordering the Pulled Whole Hog BBQ Eggs Benedict with Goat Cheese Potato Cakes, although everything we ordered was mouthwatering! 

Scrambled Farm Eggs with Thick Cut Pork Belly Bacon,
Handmade Biscuit and Cheese-Grits  @ Smoke Restaurant

Pulled Whole Hogg BBQ Eggs Benedict with Chese Potato Caakes @ Smoke Restaurant

SIGHTSEEING

In all honesty I did not have time to go sightseeing in Dallas other than stroll through the Grassy Knoll / Dealey Plaza in the West End - the location of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. 

Some other attractions and sights include: 

The Sixth Floor Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Reunion Tower, Dallas Cowboys Stadium, and The Dallas Zoo. 

I wish Y'all to have a great time when you go and remember - Don't mess with Texas ;) 

Dining in Hamburg

I've been to Hamburg quite a few times and usually I go around this time of the year, hence today's post. Aside from being the second largest city in Germany it is also considered an affluent city and a major transportation hub boasting a beautiful port. 

One of my favorite things about Hamburg is the excellent dining choices this city has to offer. Therefore, in this post instead of writing about where to go and what to see, I will share with you some of my favorite restaurants. 

The EAST RESTAURANT (www.east-hamburg.com) is located inside the East Hotel and offers a fusion of European and Asian dishes on its menu. The ambiance is spectacular featuring high ceilings and huge pillars, and includes a bar where you can go to for delicious cocktails after dinner. One of my favorite dishes there is the tuna tartar, but make sure you also try their asian beef salad as well as have a look at their extensive sushi menu.

CAFE PARIS (www.cafeparis.net/en/home.html) is a vibrant brasserie set inside a converted old slaughter house and is a great place for lunch or early dinner, especially after you are spent from all your shopping! Make sure you take a look at the stunning tiles and the art nouveau ceiling. You can get classic french dishes here like croque-monsieur but my personal fave is their steak tartare dish. Try getting a seat by the bar which is quite the social place.

FISCHEREIHAFEN (www.fischereihafenrestaurant.de) is considered to be among the city's most traditional and classy fish restaurants. Set in a converted warehouse by the port and overlooking the Elbe River it attracts sophisticated clientele. If you are a fish lover, Fischereihafen is definitely the place for you to go and make sure you also order some sumptuous oysters from the oyster bar before your main course.

 

DIEBANK (www.diebank-brasserie.de)

Imagine eating inside a bank vault - well this is what this restaurant is all about. This late 1890's built building served for over 100 years as a bank, after which it was sold and converted into a restaurant. The lavishness is evident - from the 20 meter long bar with leather seats to the marble columns reaching the ceiling you can feel the "richness" everywhere! 

The bar at Die Bank

Wishing you all a happy month with many travels!!

Koufonisia - Forgotten Island or Not?

Italida Beach at Upper Koufonisi - August 2012

Upon arriving in Koufonisia you forget that you're in one of the typical "touristy" Cycladic islands - it seems that time has stopped here. Let me begin by telling you that Koufonisia is a cluster of three islands - Ano (Upper) Koufonisi, Kato (Lower) Koufonisi and Keros. Although Ano Koufonisi is geographically the smallest of the three, it is also the only one that is inhabited. Kato Koufonisi is almost uninhabited and Keros is an archaeological site from which many ancient Cycladic artifacts have been excavated. 

You can travel to Koufonisia either by boat from the Port of Pireaus or by local boat from Naxos Island. 

Koufonisi has started tourism development in the past ten or so years so don't expect five star hotels on this island. In fact, make sure you book well in advance because the "rooms to let" and small hotels fill up fast especially during the peak month of August. If you fall into the category of travelers that absolutely can't stay in a "rooms to let" then I suggest you book a room at the Koufonisia Hotel Resort which is located about 200 meters from the main port - just make sure you ask for one of the renovated rooms. 

Pool area at Koufonisi Hotel Resort

Otherwise, you can choose to stay at a place such as Fanos Family Studios located right next to the beach of Fanos. Tip: if you're a group of 4-8 people traveling together I recommend checking options for house/villa rentals on the island.  

Getting around: The island is quite small (3.5 sq.km.) so you can either walk, rent a bike or take one of the small boats from the main port to get to the more distant beaches. You don't need a car but should you choose to bring one keep in mind that gas is limited on the island so come with full tank! 

Map of Upper Koufonisi Beaches

Beaches: As I mentioned the island is quite small thus you can easily walk around everywhere. The most beautiful and easiest to access beaches are located on the eastern side of the island where the gold sandy beaches are complemented by aqua and turquoise waters. The first beach you will find is Finikas followed by Fanos, Italida and a little further out you will find Pori. Pori has two small taverns which you can choose to eat at in the afternoon and Fanos has a small beach bar which also offers food. Please note that none of the beaches on the island are organized in terms of offering umbrellas or beach beds so don't forget to bring your own! 

Food/Entertainment: Any tavern/restaurant you choose to go to you will find a big variety of fresh fish and seafood along with many other delicacies. I recommend trying Kapetan Nikolas, Remezzo, and Atairiastoi. Make sure you also stop for a Souvlaki at Strofi - simply delicious especially after a night of drinking!! 

Do not expect to find clubs on this island. Start off early with an aperitivo at "Kyma" cafe, and make sure you also try their exquisite homemade loukoumades dessert. Then head over to Sorokos bar to continue drinking right on the beach. For those who want to continue partying into the early hours En Plo is the place for you to go. 

Tips: 

- Most places including the hotels do not accept credit cards and there is only one ATM machine on the island so make sure you bring plenty of cash with you. 

- Some hotels offer their guests beach umbrellas which they lend out so make sure to ask

- If you decide to bring a car with you make sure you check the ferry schedules and book  your return in advance as well because space on the ferries is very limited. 

- For you snorkeling-lovers make sure you bring your gear with you because the water is crystal clear giving you great visibility of the sea bed. 

- For a day trip take a local boat (departing from the main port) to go swimming at Lower Koufonisi. 

- Despite its small size you will find plenty of shops in the main town to buy souvenirs and gifts for friends and family.

That being said, Koufonisia may still be an island less developed in terms of tourism but I am confident this will change in the near future as it is gaining increasing popularity. 

Rhodes - the Emerald island

Upon arriving in Rhodes the first thing you will see is the island's emerald color coastline. It is the biggest island in the Dodecanese with a population of about 160,000. Rhodes has choices for every type of traveler and it's suitable for a long vacation. I don't think I can even count how many times I've visited this island for vacation!

Rhodes' history is very rich with many different cultures having passed from the island and evidently influencing the island. We could go on forever but instead I will give you the very brief "one paragraph" version so you can get the basic idea. 

The city of Rhodes was formed in 408 BC and designed under the Hippodamian grid system. It has always been a very important economic and cultural center with many civilizations crossing through. In 1309 Rhodes was occupied by the Knights of the Order of St. John and the transformation into a medieval city was apparent. A prime example of this is the Palace of the Grand Master (which I will tell you about shortly). In 1523 the city is occupied by the Turks, forcing the Greeks to move outside the city walls, whilst in 1912 the city was seized from the Turks by the Italians. They too have left an obvious "mark" on the island visible even today in the buildings, the large streets and plazas. Finally, in 1948 Rhodes and the Dodecanese islands were formally united with Greece. Enough with history though - let's take a walk around the Old Town!

The Old Town is built within the city walls and has eight gates from which you can enter. In the west end you will see the Palace of the Grand Master - an excellent example of medieval architecture. In 1865 the Palace was destroyed from an explosion but the Italians later rebuilt it. Continuing on "Ippoton" Street (the street of the knights) you will stumble upon the archaeological museum which is housed in the old Knights' Hospital - worth a visit. Further down is Sokratous - a street filled with souvenir stores between the many cafes. You should take the time to stroll around the smaller side streets and explore the area. When you've finally worked up an appetite you should go have some fresh fish at "Alexi's" or at "Dinori's" - two of the most popular fish taverns in the Old Town. 

No trip to Rhodes would be complete without a visit to the town of Lindos (about 55 km away from the town of Rhodes) and a donkey ride to the Ancient Acropolis! The Acropolis stands emblematic above all the traditional whitewashed houses in the modern town. The best way to appreciate Lindos is to walk around the village. Admire the old Captains' houses and try knocking on one of the doors -  if you're lucky enough somebody might just open their door and give you a tour! If you want to take a small break for a coffee I highly recommend going to Gelo Blu for homemade gelato and other desserts. If you decide to stay for dinner in Lindos (although it is also open for lunch) I recommend heading to Mavriko's award-winning restaurant located in the central square and then for a drink to Yiannis Bar where all the locals hang out.

Other places you should visit while in Rhodes include: 

The Valley of Butterflies - a unique biotope of home to the Panaxia quadripunctaria butterfly 

The Kalithea Baths - an old spa built by the Italians boasting healing waters from the springs found there

The Village of Embonas - a traditional village found at the foothills of Attaviros (the highest mountain in Rhodes). If you are a meat lover then you should definitely visit this village and eat at one of the local tavernas.

Panagia Tsambika Monastery - legend has it that the icon was found by an infertile couple who later conceived a child. Since then the monastery has become a place of pilgrimage for women who can't get pregnant and come to pray to the icon of the Virgin.  

Prasonisi - located at the southernmost tip of the island this stretch of beach is ideal for windsurfing and kitesurfing when the winds are strong.

The list could keep going but I will leave the rest for you to discover!!

The Travel Aficionado! - Inaugural post

Welcome to my first post on The Travel Aficionado!

As much as I like to read other people's blogs I have never been one to sit down and write my own thoughts and experiences as such. However, having traveled to many remote and not places in the world I have decided to start sharing my travel experiences with others who enjoy traveling and exploring as much as I do.

Through this blog I aim to pass on various information & tips and perhaps provide some food for thought for your future voyages!

I hope you will enjoy reading this blog as much as I love to travel!!