Spring Walk in Anafiotika

It's March and Spring has arrived in Athens. What better way to spend the day than walk through the streets of old Athens, and more specifically through the streets of Anafiotika. 

Anafiotika is a tiny picturesque neighbourhood, forming part of the greater neighbourhood of Plaka, lying on the northeast side of the Acropolis. 

In 1840 construction workers came to Athens from the island of Anafi in order to help build King Othon's palace (today it is the Greek Parliament building). The construction workers built the first houses in the the neighbourhood according to typical Cycladic architecture, and even today as you walk through the neighbourhood you feel that you are on a Greek island. The houses are typically white with different shades of blue and grey decorating the windows and doors, and bougainvillea flowers are lined around the entrances.

In 1950, archaeological researchers partially destroyed the neighbourhood and in 1970 the Greek state started buying the houses. Today about 45 houses remain unaltered through time, on the unnamed streets. Walking through the neighbourhood you can still see many elements from the past such as ceramic tiles on the steps forming part of the artwork. 

The easiest way to access this unique small neighbourhood situated on the North of the Acropolis, is by the steps right next to "Ai-Giorgis of the Rock". When you start climbing them you will think that they lead to a dead end - keep going up and you will be rewarded with the best view of Athens! 

Photos follow below!

View of Athens and Lycabettus Hill from the top of Anafiotika

Anafiotika #5 - one of my favourite houses in the neighbourhood

The colourful entrance to Anafiotika #4

Walking through the houses

Detail of Marble Drawing

Afternoon siesta by the doorstep

Home entrances...

...and more home entrances

Home garden

And yet another entrance with tiles and plants

Grey vs Terra cotta shades

Day trip to Nafplio

Nafplio is a picturesque seaport town located in the eastern Peloponnese. It was the capital of the First Hellenic Republic between 1823 and 1834. According to mythology the town was founded by the Greek god Poseidon's son, Nafplios. The town's architecture is strongly influenced by the Frankish, the Venetian and Turkish conquerors.

It is about an hour and a half drive away from Athens, making it very accessible for a nice day trip away from the city.

Strolling through the streets in the Old Town

What to see: 

- Walk around the old town, between the narrow streets and head to the Plateia Syntagmatos (Constitution Square) where you will be able to see well preserved neoclassical buildings.

- the Palamidi Castle, which in order to reach it can you either walk 999 steps(!!) leading to it, or you can drive to it. The views from the castle of the town and port below are simply breathtaking. Theodoros Kolokotronis was held prisoner in the castle. 

- the Bourtzi, is a small Venetian fortress on a tiny island right across from Nafplio. You can access it by boat - there are regular departures from the port. 

View of Nafplio and Bourtzi from the top of Palamidi

Where to eat: 

- Savouras Tavern is excellent for fish and seafood.
Bouboulinas St. 79 (by the promenade)
Tel: +30 27520 27704

- Vasilis Tavern is known for its traditional fare ranging from lamb in the oven to many vegetarian dishes.
Staikopoulou St. 22-24
Tel: +30 27520 25334


- Antica Gelateria: for dessert head over to this gelateria which is famous for its authentic Italian gelato.
Farmakopoulon 3 & Komninon St.
Tel: +30 27520 23520

Visit to the Dragon's Cave in Kastoria

The Dragon's Cave was discovered by a local resident in the early 1940's and it is located by the Kastoria lake on the north side of the city. The entrance resembles that of a dragon's mouth and legend has it that the cave was a gold mine which was guarded by a dragon that spewed fire from its mouth to protect the mine. 

The inside of the cave is beautifully decorated with stalactites and stalagmites spread throughout ten different rooms, and there are seven underground lakes making it one of the most unique caves in Greece! A state of the art air recycling and temperature maintenance system has been installed allowing the cave to have a stable temperature of 16-18 degrees Celsius and humidity reaching 90%.

There is a guided tour which last approximately 20 minutes and the trail is about 450 meters. 

For more information as well as visiting hours you can visit the website: 

http://www.spilaiodrakoukast.gr/index.php 

Tsukiji Fishmarket - a post midnight visit

The Tsukiji Market is the biggest wholesale fish and seafood market in the world, located in Tsukiji, central Tokyo - very close to the Ginza shopping district. It consists of the inner market which is restricted to visitors, and the outer market which consists of restaurants and supply store and is a major attraction.

For me (as for most tourists) there were two main reasons to visit the market - first to go watch the famous Tuna Auctions which take place before sunrise and the sushi breakfast after!

The opening hours to get tickets are at 3:30 am, but I suggest you get there at 3 am if you really want to go get in, because there are only two sets of 60 people allowed to watch the auction and it's on a first come first served basis.

No visit to the fish market would be complete without a sushi breakfast at one of the local shops after you watch the tuna auction. There are a number of places to eat in the market, but since all the signs are all written in Japanese, it is safe to assume that the place with the longest line is the one you should go to. My favorite was Daiwa - Zushi, but Sushi Dai is also quite popular.

Finally, to complete your visit to the fish market there are many small stalls in the outer market, as I mentioned above, selling everything from fresh and dried seafood to plates, cutlery and other specialty items. You can find great gifts there for friends and family as well as for yourself.

Restaurant Locations:

1. Daiwa-Zushi

 Tsukiji Market Part 6 Bldg. 5-2-1 Tsukiji-shijo, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3547-6797

2. Sushi Dai

Tsukiji Market Part 6 Bldg. 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, Japan; 81-(0)3547-6807

 

Specialty items on display in the market stalls

More market stall displays

Crowds waiting for an early sushi breakfast

New Travels in 2015

So it's been a little over two years since my last post, but in the last three months I have traveled so much that I thought I would share my travel experiences with you. I started in the beginning of October with what was supposed to be a "long weekend trip" to Chicago that quickly turned to a 15 day trip to the United States with stops in Miami, Chicago and New York. After that came a long weekend in Rome for my friend's bachelorette weekend, and finally one week after I left to go to Asia for work and visited Shanghai, Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore.
I am finally back home (in time for the holiday season!!) and ready to share my adventures with you!!

Day trip to Melissani Lake in Kefalonia

Even though Kefalonia is one of the islands I visit every summer, this was the first time I went on a tour of Melissani - and I have to thank my friend Regina for taking us there! 

For those of you who may have never heard of it before, Melissani is located in Karavomylos, approximately 2km from the town of Sami and it is a unique cave structure with stalactites and a lake inside going down 39 meters in depth. A large section of the cave roof has collapsed allowing the sunlight to permeate and transform the water into the most enchanting turquoise hues. 

 

The cave is open daily from 9 am to late afternoon and you can take a guided tour inside the cave/lake on one of the small row boats - I suggest going there early in the day in order to avoid possible waiting time due to its popularity with the tourists!

Here are some pictures from our boat tour inside the cave - although they don't do much justice to the "live experience!" 

International Museum Day - May 18th

Since 1977 every year on May 18th International Museum Day is organised worldwide. 

Participating museums usually have free admission on this day, are open until late in the evening and have various tours and activities organized in an effort to raise awareness on the importance of  museums in the development of society.

If you happen to be (or live) in Athens and haven't already visited the Acropolis Museum (www.theacropolismuseum.gr) I highly recommend you take the opportunity to do so.

It will be open from 8 am until 12 midnight with free admission for all visitors and at 9 pm there will be a performance by the Orchestra of the Center of Arts and Culture of Dion in the Museum's courtyard by the entrance.

For more information on the day's events you may visit the museum's website:
http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en/content/international-museum-day-acropolis-museum-celebrates

Furthermore you can visit the Museum of Cycladic Art (www.cycladic.gr) which is participating for its 6th consecutive year in International Museum Day and will be open from 10 am until 12 midnight with free admission.

You can find a complete program of the museum's tours and events below:
http://www.cycladic.gr/frontoffice/portal.asp?cpage=RESOURCE&cresrc=3271&cnode=22&clang=0

Enjoy!!

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!!