Sunday Brunch Boutique Hotel St. George Lycabettus

Is it too late for breakfast, too early for lunch while in Athens? Try Sunday Brunch on top of Lycabettus hill between noon and 4 pm at the St. George Lycabettus Boutique Hotel’s (2 Kleomenous st.) La Suite Lounge on the sixth floor with the panoramic view. It started on Sunday November 3^rd and continues successfully. There’s buffet and a la Carte menus to satisfy all tastes, all at the modest price of €18 per person.

 

La Suite: Up high on Lycabettus hill

Begin with a Welcome Energy Boosting Smoothie and choose between Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon or Bacon French Toast with Banana and  Chocolate chips, ‘golden eggs in Love,’ La Suite juicy burger and much more.

 

Continue the gastronomic itinerary with fresh salads from the buffet, bagels, pancakes with Maple syrup, a variety of juices while ogling the impressive fountain of chocolate. All this, while renown radio hostess Effie Maltezou of Galaxy FM entertains. For information and reservations call 210-723-4435.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Travelogue… with Bob Nicolaides.

Skeletal remains found in Thessaly field

 

Skeletal material and artifacts ostensibly dating to the Byzantine period were found by a farmer in the greater Kalambaka area, Trikkala district, over the weekend as he was plowing his field. According to the Thessaly prefecture police in Larissa, bones, four bronze bracelets, five earrings and four rings of unknown material were found at a depth of 30-50 cm.

According to an archaeologist of the 19th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities, the objects are dated to between the 11th and 12th centuries AD and are considered antiquities. Following an on-site examination, the archaeologist identified a pit grave that contained a ring and two sections of earrings, all made of bronze, along with three fragments of a ceramic vase. The objects will be sent for examination at the Ephorate, while the bones will be sent to the University of Athens Forensic Lab. The Trikkala police are also investigating the find.

Worst tourists of the globe list updated

 

Australian news publication IB Traveler, recently identified the 4 worst tourists in recent history. Here they are:

1. The Colombian Annoying a British Guardsman

Most Annoying Tourists

Stone-faced British Guardsmen are known for not reacting to anything. These trained soldiers, aside from having served in the British military, can keep their cool even in front of giggling tourists. But one guardsman lost his cool as a Colombian tourist started mimicking him. It did not occur to the Colombian that Guardsmen deserve respect.

2. British Tourists Stealing a Penguin

The British are very polite most of the time but three tourists from the UK broke into Sea World Australia and decided to steal a penguin. They stole Dirk, a fairy penguin. According to sources, they also swam with dolphins. Their escapades were posted on Facebook. What happened to Dirk? He was found in a  beach nearby and was returned to Sea World the next day.

3. 15-Year-Old Chinese Who Scratched His Name on a Hieroglyph

Ding Jinhao and his parents went to Egypt to see temples and hieroglyphics including a 3,000-year-old ancient carving. The carving that survived 3,000 years of the elements, earthquakes, and wars took a bit of damage courtesy of Ding Jinhao's idea of scratching his name on it. Written in Chinese, Ding Jinhao etched "Ding Jinhao was here." Ding's mother told a paper in Nanjing, China that she would like to "apologize to the Egyptian people."

4. The Drunk Norwegian in Rome

A drunken Norwegian was on his way back to Oslo when he passed out at the Fiumicino Airport. The 36-year-old tourist reportedly passed out right on the luggage belt and slept for a bit. He did not stir even when he passed through an X-ray scan, according to Thrillist.

 

Restoration of Sparta’s Ancient Theatre 

 

The biggest ancient theatre and a great technological achievement of Sparta, which was designed to fit 17,000 spectators, will be restored according to an announcement. The project will be funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, which also paid for the initial study for the restoration work.

Despite its importance in antiquity, the Ancient Theatre of Sparta cannot be viewed currently because of its disrepair. A big part was destroyed by scavengers for the building of Byzantine and post-Byzantine buildings and many of its marbles were removed for the construction of the modern city.

After an initiative by the "DIAZOMA" association and former President Ioannis Varvitsiotis, the Ancient Theatre of Sparta will be restored, now that the study has been completed. The study, conducted by architect Wilhelm Orestides and a multidisciplinary team of architects and archaeologists, antiquities conservators, surveyors and civil engineers, cost 110,000 euros. It started in July 2012, was completed by July 2013 and approved on October 15th 2013 by the Central Arcaeological Council.

The Ancient Theatre of Sparta is located to the north of the modern city and on the south slope of the Acropolis. It was a benchmark for ancient Sparta and was constructed in about 30-20 BC, during the early Roman era.

The theatre stands out for its size, quality and construction using domestic white marble. The slope's diameter measures 141 meters and it  was probably the biggest theatre in Greece. It is often compared with the Dodoni Ancient Theatre, with a slope diameter of 136 meters and Megaloupoli's Theatre with a diameter of 131 meters. The theatre's capacity surpasses the Great Theatre of Epidaurus

 

Five secrets only good travelers know

 

The best travel experiences are always the ones that almost didn't happen. That bar you found around the corner, down the alley and up the lane, or the city you got stuck in because you missed your flight. Well, now you can cultivate a serendipitous experience with these hidden gem-finding tools. Here are five tech tools to help you put the ‘plan’ in your ‘unplanned’ travel moments.

NearMe

Near Me!

NearMe is a mobile app guide to help you get the most out of ending up in an unplanned city. Featuring location services, NearMe can find out where you are, give you a run-down of the bars, events, gigs and restaurants in your vicinity and then help you get there – all with handy map functionality. With global support ticked off, it’s perfect for when you miss your flight and end up in Hong Kong for an extra day. Just add Wi-Fi.

TripGems

Every would-be traveller should have an oft-tripped friends who can drop restaurant recommendations for London at the same time as they give you the best hotel for a New York stay. TripGems takes travel recommendations up a notch by giving you access to a database of the personal recommendations of well-travelled folk the world over. That café that took Anita from Auckland three years to find? You can hit that in a weekend trip and live to tweet to about it!

TravelMate

Here’s one for the domestic traveller. TravelMate is online trip planning tool that helps you get you from start to destination. Want to drive from Sydney to Broome? Add in your details and TravelMate will generate a list of alternate routes and schedules for you. And if you want to take a detour, just update your trip to get an updated itinerary. With New Zealand supported and Asian destinations on their way, it’s never been easier to get off the beaten path.

Tourcaster

There’s nothing quite like a local guide to help you navigate the tourist traps to find the authentic gem in a foreign city. Tourcaster gives you access to the local perspective with a database of podcasts and downloadable audio guides split out by destination and interest. There’s a guide to suit all tastes – everything from a driving tour of Cape Cod, through to a walking tour of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter.

Pintrip

More of a best ticket gem finder, Pintrip is a Google Chrome extension that takes the pain out of finding the best price for your next overseas trip. Enter a proposed itinerary; your destination and Pintrip will search the web’s best travel aggregator sites for you. Best of all you can set up a travel alert for your departure date and destination and Pintrip will send an email alert when a sale pops up. Safari and Firefox support are on their way.

 On The Heels of Something Big

Kalliope Papakosta with Alexabder's statue

Calliope Limneou Papakosta who conducts the research for The Hellenic Research Institute for Alexandrian Civilization may have something big to report soon, after the ground on which her crew was conducting studies collapsed, a sure sign that something is buried underneath. The ground where Ms Papakosta was conducting studies is located at the park with the falls in the center of the city of Alexandria.  It must be noted that Ms Papapakosta, the head of the Hellenic Research Institute is the one who unearthed such as the Hellenistic period statue of Alexander the Great, dating from the 3^rd century BC, which already is on view at the Alexandria National Museum.

 Roman Tomb Found During Road Works

 A well-preserved and ornately decorated underground Roman tomb, complete with vaults and wall paintings, was found in Corinth during during works to extend the Corinth-Patras national road, archaeologists said. Calling the find an extremely important one, the Central Archaeological Council said it belongs to the same Roman cemetery overlying an Archaic one that had yielded a similar ornately decorated tomb in 2012. The tomb has been initially dated to between the 1st and 2nd centuries AD, but may be earlier.

The monument, 3.30m by 2.63m, was entered from the south through a staircase decorated on either side with two ceramic tiles in deep relief, one showing a quadriga (four-horse chariot), and the other depicting a chariot pulled by dolphins next to a sea creature. Inside, there were vaults over niches where ash urns were placed, and three larnaces (terracotta coffins) containing bones, oil lamps, bronze coins and pottery shards. One of the coffins was painted to depict bed covers. The interior of the tomb also contained very well-preserved wall paintings, depicting garlands, fruit and three figures, two men and a woman. Archaeologist Anna Karapanagiotou, Council member, said that the tomb "may possibly be that of a Roman citizen, possibly an official or Romanized Greek, who had a close relationship to Rome."

The ancient cemetery has yielded other artifacts of importance, such as troughs for offerings between burials, which have so far only been found at the Kerameikos ancient cemetery in Athens. The richness of the finds at the site prompted the Central Archaeological Council to set up a seven-member committee to conduct an on-site inspection, which will also help in the decision to keep the monument in place or remove it.

Egypt tour Operators Back in Business

 

Egypt operators are busy reinstating their full programs after the Foreign and Commonwealth Office decided to lift its ban on Cairo, Great Cairo, Giza and the Giza Pyramids. Philip Breckner at Discover Egypt says it already has customers lined up wanting to go back. "It will take time to rebuild consumer confidence and yet we've already finalized travel arrangements for those who had been impatiently waiting for the FCO advisory to be lifted," he said.







Recently, Breckner met with Tarek Saaad El din, the new Governor of Luxor, who outlined some immediate initiatives, including rebuilding pavements and installing 150 additional security cameras to safeguard artifacts and visitors. Luxor is also looking to attract more investment in tourist infrastructure longer term and is to set up study and research groups with workshops and forum to look at ways of improving it.

Red Sea Holidays will be resuming excursions and multi-centre tours from January 2014, which include Cairo and the Nile. Sales director Jason Hilton said: ""Over the last four weeks we have sent more than 50 agents on resort visits to the Red Sea with a further 40 departing in January, to see for themselves that it's business as usual in this guaranteed winter sun destination. "We have received nothing but positive feedback from visiting agents and have seen a dramatic uplift in sales volumes of late. We are very optimistic about forward sales in the New Year, when we also hope to recommence our Nile Cruise and Cruise & Stay operations."

Back in July Egypt operators had been forced to cancel trips and suspend operations in most parts of Egypt, except for the Red Sea  resorts, after weeks of political protests and violent clashes in Cairo and in other parts of the country.

 

Excavations inThessaloniki yield 104,000 objects

The results of seven years' worth of excavations for a Metro in Greece's largest northern city include over 104,000 artefacts of various materials including glass and silver, according to a lecture by the director of the 9th Ephorate of Byzantine Antiquities of Thessaloniki, Despina Makropoulou, at the city's Archaeological Museum on Monday night.

Makropoulou gave an overview of the finds from four future station locations of the Thessaloniki Metro that include objects dated to Roman and Byzantine times, and she described the unearthed parts of a major Roman roadway, which preserve the grooves of carriage wheels on its much-travelled route.

 

As the World Churns
By Bob Nicolaides

 

Huffington: Talking to Randi  Cats: Coming down on Urlich?  Surely Randi Zuckerberg,  and whose new children’s book, Dot, urges kids to “look up from the screen,” had much to discuss with another woman whose last name has become synonymous with a certain segment of the Internet, Arianna Huffington, at November 7th’s  discussion and book signing for Ms. Zuckerberg’s Dot Complicated: Untangling Our Wired Lives, which she promises “isn’t for the techies—it’s for you.” This event was free, but purchasing a copy of the book got you priority seating…..John Catsimatidis, the grocery store billionaire who lost a hard-fought Republican primary for mayor in September, is targeting one of the city's few remaining GOP elected officials. Campaign records show that Mr. Catsimatidis, a Republican who was once a Democrat, had spent nearly $15,000 through October on campaign mailers bashing Republican Councilman Eric Ulrich, who is running for his second full term in eastern Queens against Democrat Lew Simon…. George T. Orfanakos is now Director of Development Cardiac and Vascular Institute, HJD and Rusk Rehabilitation at NYU Langone Medical Center…Nicholas Papandonis, the president of the League of Hellene Scientists of Alexandria (Egypt) Ptolemeos I  has passed away at the age of 85…….. Vasileios Katsardis of London, UK, a Freelance Editor, video-journalist and Producer joined as a free lance journalist AP, BBC, NBC and Al Jezeera....Remember the manager at New at New Jersey's Tick Tock diner who tried to pay $20,000 for a hit man to kill his uncle so he could take over the business? Well, the scheming nephew has officially been been indicted. Charges include first-degree conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder, and robbery, plus a bunch of weapons offenses, and despite the overwhelming evidence — he met with a cop posing as a hit man and presented him with a gun, two photos of his uncle, a map to his house, and $3,000 — he is pleading not guilty. .. The International Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA) extend their heartfelt sympathies to the family of the former President of the Republic of Cyprus. Glafcos Clerides passed away Friday, November 15 at the age of 94.

Jewels by JAR at The Metropolitan Museum of Art will feature through March 9 2014 more than 400 works by renowned jewelry designer Joel A. Rosenthal, who works in Paris under the name JAR. The exhibition will be the first retrospective in the United States of his work and the first retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum devoted to a contemporary artist of gems. The exhibition is made possible among others by Phaidon Press Ltd and Mr. and Mrs. George S. Livanos….. The company "Arsinoe de Thrace" based in Alexandroupolis announced the presentation of the aesthetics and culture of Thrace in Munich, through a fashion show called "Thrace meets Bavaria" on December 16th.  The organizers of the event are "Arsinoe de Thrace" in collaboration with the Academy of Fashion and Design (AMD) in Munich. Eight haute couture dresses made entirely of silk will be presented at the Munich Glyptotek amongst the Greek sculpture collection of the Bavarian King Ludwig I who lends his title to the exhibition. The dresses are part of the  company's 2014 collection and the colors represent the elements of the Thracian Land: the blue of the sea, the white of the clouds, the red of fire and the green of the forests. The clothes are inspired by the historical monuments of both Thrace and Bavaria, such as the tunics and ethereal dresses of the ancient sculptures and Roman artifacts of the Munich Glyptotek.

 

Lady Gaga reached an out-of-court settlement with her former assistant who sued for unpaid overtime, according to a court filing. Details of the deal were not revealed in a document filed in court last week asking the clerk to close the case.The lawsuit, which sought $350,000 in back pay from the singer, had been set for trial in New York starting next week. U.S. District Judge Paul G. Gardephe ruled last month against Gaga's lawyer's request that the case be dismissed. In her lawsuit, Jennifer O'Neill says that she worked "24/7" as Gaga's personal assistant. O'Neill was employed in early 2009, and again from February 2010 to March 2011. After she was rehired, she was told her annual salary would be $75,000. "Every day is a work day for her, so every day is a work day for the rest of us," O'Neill said, according to court documents. "There is no, we're going to stay in, we're going to sleep. There is no, let's put on sweatpants and go out to the movies and be girlfriends. It doesn't work like that." Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Germanotta, testified that O'Neill "deserves every one of her $75,000 that we agreed to. But she does not deserve a penny more."….



Koteas; Dream House



Theroux walking out on Jen?



A must see: Payne's Nebraska



NBC has ordered thirteen episodes of a new sitcom from Tina Fey and 30 Rock co-mastermind Robert Carlock, the network announced today. The Office's Ellie Kemper is set to star as a woman who moves to New York upon escaping from a doomsday cult. The still-untitled show will debut in the fall of 2014, which is plenty of time to light candles at a variety of Liz Lemon shrines and altars and pray for a good show. Please, television gods, let this be even half as good as it sounds…Elias Koteas has a role in the movie Dream House starring Daniel Craig…Rex Reed says: In today’s frenzied atmosphere of zombies, vampires and people floating aimlessly through outer space, the deceptive simplicity of Alexander Payne’s Nebraska, the measured pace and the fact that it was filmed in glorious black-and-white, are possible reasons why it might not be every moviegoer’s cinematic bromide. But woe be the fool who misses it. Bruce Dern won the Best Actor award at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, and it’s easy to see why. As Woody Grant, a grizzled vestige of a fading era of calloused, pioneer American spirit that has all but vanished, he is focused, three-dimensional, fully realized and mesmerizing. …..This isn’t the first time these two have pushed the date for their big day back. Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have reportedly postponed their wedding again so she can focus on her career.  And somehow we doubt it will be the last as Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux have reportedly put their wedding on hold once again. According to People magazine, Jen, 44, has decided to put off her wedding to Justin, 42, in a bid to focus on her career despite being seemingly enthused by planning the celebration. A source told the magazine: "She had included her friends and seemed excited [about the process]." However, the insider went on to reveal that "Jen said she needed to focus on work" recently instead.



Costas: Advice on football



 In this week’s special live edition of Slate’s sports podcast Hang Up and Listen, Stefan Fatsis and company welcome Bob Costas for a conversation about his broadcasting career, role as NBC’s Olympics host, and his recent Sunday Night Football commentaries on gun control and the not-so-awesome nickname of the Washington football team. Costas also answered an audience member’s question about whether he’d advise parents to let their sons play football

 

 

 



St. george Lycabettus' La Suite



Is it too late for breakfast, too early for lunch while in Athens? Try Sunday Brunch on top of Lycabettus hill between noon and 4 pm at the St. George Lycabettus Boutique Hotel’s (2 Kleomenous st.) La Suite Lounge on the sixth floor with the panoramic view. It was launched Sunday November 3^rd and continues successfully. There’s buffet and a la Carte menus to satisfy all tastes, all at the modest price of €18 per person. Begin with a Welcome Energy Boosting Smoothie and choose between Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon or Bacon French Toast with Banana and  Chocolate chips, ‘golden eggs in Love,’ La Suite juicy burger and much more. Continue the gastronomic itinerary with fresh salads from the buffet, bagels, pancakes with Maple syrup, a variety of juices while ogling the impressive fountain of chocolate. All this, while renown radio hostess Effie Maltezou of Galaxy FM entertains. ..…The year was 1996 when entrepreneur George Mandilaras decided to open his restaurant on Ditmars Boulevard. He intended it to be a seafood haven where you could have a great variety of excellently prepared fish and crustaceans at humble prices. He named his restaurant Kyclades Taverna and soon his establishment had an unbelievable impact in the neighborhood. Guests poured in not only from the immediate area in this part of northwestern Queens, but from the rest of the boroughs in New York City, from Long Island, and New Jersey as well. Equipped with the know-how and past successes, Mandilaras is now ready for a comeback with the new Kyclades Taverna, this time in Englewood, NJ at 51 East Palisades Avenue Englewood, NJ. Just like the original Kyclades tavern, this new establishment across the Hudson river from New York City, will be a seafood sanctuary with Greek/Mediterranean influences. It will seat about 80 guests and will feature a bar that will introduce a great variety of Greek wines among its gallery of international spirits. Target date for the new restaurant’s opening is January 2014.

Word of the Month: Anarchist: A person who does not obey any authority. Gr. Αν-αρχος

‘Aesthetics’ Reveal An Elite

Part Of Our (Partying) Life

Aesthetics in Motion is a title as successful as one can find for an event such as the one splashed the night of Thursday, November 7^th in Soho’s COCO-MAT, which allowed guests to indulge in the beauty of both Hellas and Cyprus and I might add with the senses of beauty in sight and sound-not to forget that of taste.  All the above, notwithstanding the sponsor’s philosophy which is ‘indulging in the finer things in life for a deep appreciation of humanity and nature.’

Having divulged their philosophy, might as well reveal that the event was offered by the Orpheus Luxury Collection, the portfolio of which introduces the pinnacle of ways in which to have the most pleasurable sightseeing of the two countries mentioned above.  The attractive and young Georgia Nomikos is the president of Orpheus Jets and Yachts.

The space were the partry was held was aesthetically in harmony with the purpose and the guests who attended.  There were presentations of the travel products. A bevy of beauties milling around the immaculately white large space, many of them introducing their own view of Hellas and Cyprus in speeches made, some of them ending in poetry, a segment of violin piece executed by white-gowned Maria Manoussaki in rhythmic moves and being followed by two drummers, augmented the elegance of the event attended by a set of high profile guests. A video on the virtues of the two respective countries which Orpheus Luxury Collection focuses as the special itineraries was also shown to the delight of those attending.

But in highlighting the two-nation destinations, the speakers also promoted these lands as fabulous luxury leisure or corporate objectives and in doing so not only did they underscored their wares, the fleet of luxury yachts and jets, but also the work of the Greek Tourist Organization, the Cyprus Tourist Board, as well as the Greek Press and Communications office, representatives of which were in attendance.   

Even if the sights and sounds did not move one, there was food by some of the most exclusive establishments to tap everyone’s epicurean inner desires. There were samplings of gourmand morsels from the cuisines of at least three major New York City establishments, Christos Christou’s Yefsi Estiatorio on York Avenue, The Thirsty Koala Australian Artisan Cuisine at Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria and Ethos 51^st Gallery on the East side of Manhattan. Naturally the wine, white and red, flowed non-stop during the evening as did other regional drinks from the two lands.. The desserts, courtesy of Artopolis, the pieces de resistance for many, were devoured in no time at all.

Orpheus yacht plying the Aegean

In essence, by promoting the nations of Hellas and Cyprus, the means by which to see these lands were the products being highlighted. More specifically, the discoveries that night were summed up in the Ethos and spiirit of the two lands, the exprerience of the art of yacht cruising, and the art of Hellenic Gastronomy as an offshoot. The luxury travel by the Orpheus yachts and Jets is an all year-round affair which has to be experienced to realize its full impact. It is the only way to relish a relationship in private or have a blast among friends collectively

This is not however to say that jets and yachts are not available, which in fact are, worldwide. There are yacht cruises for leisure, corporate and also for special events and the selection as well ranges in motor yachts, motor sailers and sailing yachts. Services include Exclusive Honeymoons, Destination Weddings, private yacht Honeymoon cruises, Exotic Destinations, and Culinary and Wine adventures. There are customized itineraries with full on-board state-of-the-art facilities. It also must be emphasized that the company’s Yachts and Jets are equipped with the highest possible safety standards and specifications. Furthermore, they meet all required regulations in the countries of operation.

All this was explained in lofty terms and in good taste. The Program presented by Master of Ceremony Christos Alexandrou and Program Director was Lefteris Giovanidis. Moreover, as guests left  this memorable party, they received a bag full of goodies. 

Travelogue… with Bob Nicolaides.

Archaeological Study On in  Zakynthos

Zakynthos: Archeological finds

Authorities of Zakynthos island and the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities have bagan the mapping and archaeological study of the submerged archaeological site discovered off the Alikanas beach on northeast Zakynthos island.

The site covers about 3 hectares and lies 2 to 6 metres deep. According to the Ephorate of Underwater Antiquities it contains a visible courtyard, dispersed building material and at least 20 circular column bases, with a 34cm hollow in the centre where a wooden column may have been inserted.

The pieces at initial assessment appear to belong to a large public building, possibly related to the ancient port, but dating is not possible yet as no pottery has been found on the surface. The size of the building however attests to the wealth of the community at Alikanas, archaeologists said.

Crystal Palace : Among Best 100 in RTK Group

Crystal Palace: Among best.

Crystal Palace of Crystal Group, opened in 2011, was voted among the global best 100 of RTK Travel Group of Germany. Millions of travelers voted the best 100 of the world through thousands of travel agencies operating under the organization of RTK.

RTK, among which the most influential and respected Travel Agents Corporation is, held its annual Congress in CCB of Berlin. Some 900 outstanding travel agencies, 120 tour operators, airlines, tourist offices, and executives of leading global hotel chains attended, and RTK was awarded First 100 Hotels among the 600 which it operates during the 4-day Congress held in October.

Crystal Palace Luxury Resort & Spa of Crystal Hotel Groups was among the best 1200 according to the votes of the travel agents and their customers. Primary criteria was Customer Satisfaction.

 

Santo Stafano: Near old Prison

Italian 'Unspoiled Paradise' Up for Sale.

 

Just days after it was disclosed that a New Zealand businessman had paid 2.94M euros for an Italian paradise isle, another of the country's gems is up for sale. The owner of Santo Stefano, part of the Pontino group of islands situated north-west of Naplesis 'open to negitiations' for the sale of about 25 acres out of a total of 28, according to an advertisment. The remaining three acres, belonging to the Government, along with the site of Borbonico prison where former Italian President Sandro Pertini was imprisoned during the fascist era are not for sale.

The seller reportedly has already received offers for the island described as 'unspoiled natural paradise,' though negotiations as well as price are confidential. The ad also boasts 'natural views, beautiful sea and a seabed rich in fish and marine flora, making it a unique setting for those who love the sea and water sports.'

The New Zealand businessman paid the above price for Budelli, part of the Maddalena group which lies between Sardinia and Corsica. Santo Stefano is known for Borbonico, the so-called 'celebrity prison' due to its notorious inmates who, besides President Pertini included writer Luigi Settembrini, the brigand Carmine Crocco, the anarchist Gaetano Bresci and the bandit Sante Pollastri.

Inaugurated in 1795, the prison was in use through 1965. 

 

Sex & The City Goes to Greece in Support of Tourism

 

It has been 3 years since  Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte since Carrie, Miranda headed to Abu Dhabi for the much publicized second Sex & The City sequel, but speculation grows that a third episode is in the pipeline, which could be shot in Greece. Lead actress and producer Sarah Jessica Parker has sparked rumors that she is scouting for filming locations after she spent most of August sailing around the Greek islands on a luxury yacht. 

Sex & City cast: Heading for Greece?

Her visit was followed by a SATC production team, which has been seen visiting several locations there in recent weeks with Messinia in southwestern Peloponnese projected as the most likely location to shoot the sequel according to the tourist organization marketing Greece.Local press has speculated that shooting could begin either September 2014 or May 2015.

Parker had previously expressed her vdesire to set one of the SATC episodes on Mykonos, the glamorous Cycladic island famed for its celebrity visitors. Back in May in fact, the actress portraying Carrie fueled rumors that a third episode was being considered despite the second installment being perceived as something of a flop. Parker admitted that there was still one story to tell and that if the time and place were right, "maybe we should tell it." However, both Cynthia Nixon who plays Miranda and Chris Noth who plays Carrie's love interest, Big, have previously poured cold water on the idea, saying they felt it was not needed.

 Sunday Brunch at Boutique Hotel St. George Lycabettus

La Suite at St George Lycabettus

Is it too late for breakfast and too early for lunch while in Athens? Then try Sunday Brunch atop of the Lycabettus hill at the St George Lycabettus boutique hotel's La Suite Lounge (2 Kleomenous St)  between noon and 4 pm. It's at the 6th floor with the panoramic view and was launched on nOvember 3rd and still going strong. There's a buffet and an a la Carte menu to satisfy all tastes, all at the modest price of 18 euros per person.
Begin with an energy boosting Smoothie and choose between Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon or Bacon, French Toast with Banana and Choocolate chips, 'golden eggs in Love' La Suite's Juicy Burger and much more.
Continue this gastronomic itinerary with fresh salads from the buffet, bagels, pancakes in maple syrup, and a variety of juices while all the time ogling at  the impressive fountain of chocolate. All this, while renown radio hostess Effie Maltezou of Galaxy FM entertains you. For information call 011-210-723-4435

 

Core Marine Cruise ship Operator to Transfer Home Port

Louis Cruises Chief K. Anastassiadis caption

Core Marine Ltd, the operator of Louis Cruises sea cruise vessels, expressed its interest in transfering its home port base from Piraeus port to that of Lavrio.  Company officials, speaking to ANA-MPA, said that the port of Piraeus was already considered to be congested and despite efforts made by the port's authority to promote new works, they would not be enough to avoid additional delays in sea cruise vessels' entry and exit from the port. The official noted that each day, from 5:00 to 9:00 am, sea cruise vessels are not allowed to dock in the port since priority is given to coastal shipping vessels and to larger containerships by COSCO.

 Core Marine officials also said that dozens of tourist buses were finding it difficult to transfer tourists to the Acropolis and other sightseeing locations around Athens due to increased traffic in the streets of Piraeus. Core Marine Ltd operates Louis Cruises' six sea cruise vessels. It currently operates two vessels in Greece using Piraus and Lavrio as its home ports.

 Commenting on Core Marine's plans, Stavros Hatzakos, managing director of Piraeus Port Organisation (OLP), said the Piraeus port cannot be compared with the Lavrio port since its installations are among the biggest in the Mediterranean, while he added that the organization's current investment plan included the creation of two more new generation-vessels docking stations.

 

Brest Fortress most-visited tourist attraction in Belarus

 

Brest Fortress is the most-visited tourist attraction in Belarus, Vadim Karmazin, Director of the Department of Tourism at the Ministry of Sport and Tourism of Belarus, told media

The Brest Fortress



Brest Fortress: Most visited fort

“The top three most-visited tourist attractions in Belarus also include Mir and Nesvizh castles. Gomel Palace and Park is fourth,” said Vadim Karmazin. Minsk is also a popular tourist destination. In 2013 Belarus was visited by tourists from 167 countries. Citizens who come for permanent residence or to work are not taken into account. In 2013, most of the tourists to Belarus were from Ukraine, Russia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, Latvia and Germany. These countries account for more than 93% of all arrivals in Belarus.

Commenting on reports that most frequent visitors in Belarus are Russians, Karmazin said: Russian tourists have become very demanding. The Russians can afford traveling to any destination.. We have found our niche for Russian tourists: excursion programs, farm holidays, health tourism, and this is a big plus for us,” he noted. “In tourism we need to start with the neighbors. If this turns out well, we can start exploring long-distance markets - China, India and other countries. Building on the theme of attracting tourists to Belarus,” Karmazin added: "in determining which regions can be promising, we focus primarily on the solvency of potential tourists.”

 

Hotel that Hosted Jen Aniston Named Africa’s Best

La Mamounia. Jen's Favorite

A luxury hotel in Marrakech which has hosted everyone from Winston Churchill to Jennifer Aniston and Vladimir Putin has been named the leading hotel in Africa. La Mamounia, with its royal, exotic gardens, hand-cut tiles and palatial grandeur, was given the crowning title over properties from the Four Seasons and Fairmont brands at the World Travel Awards Africa in Nairobi, Kenya this week, an event known as the Oscars of the travel world.

Most recently, Putin's daughter chose the lush hotel for her wedding nuptials last year. In 2009, to celebrate their grand re-opening following an extensive three-year renovation, the hotel threw a gala party that drew Hollywood A-listers such as Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow to Morocco.