INTERNATIONAL CHARTER YACHT SHOW @ POROS 2012

The 11th exhibition "Charter Yacht Show - Poros 2012" will be hosted on the island of Poros, from May 5th to 10th May, 2012. This International Exhibition provides the opportunity for Greek crewed charter yachts to be viewed by prestigious charter agencies and brokers worldwide. Luxury Yachts, their crews and many surprises, will be waiting for you. Every year exceptional yachts are presented to the most prestigious charter agencies and brokers worldwide. Furthermore a very wide range of activities is represented to the quayside exhibition. The exhibition is open to charter brokers, professionals of the yachting sector and media representatives. The Poros Charter Yacht Show combines beautiful spring weather and the luxury yachting sector in Greece.

SIFNOS INCLUDED IN NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TOP 10 LIST

One of the islands of Western Cyclades, Sifnos, a balance of beautiful beaches, nightlife, white Cycladic villages, low-impact tourism and maybe the best food in the Cyclades, is listed in the Top Ten Islands under the Sun. Sifnos Island, located in Western Cyclades, was included in National Geographic's "Top Ten Islands under the Sun" list, alongside destinations such as Bahamas, Seychelles and French Polynesia.

The Greek island came in 9th on the list, published in the luxury edition "Journeys of a lifetime – 500 of the World's Greatest Trips."The caption of the magazine featuring the island states "Bullets in the ocean, that are difficult to distinguish on the map. But if you are there, you will feel that there is no other place like this on earth". The journalist can't help remarking that Sifnos is one of his favorite islands in Greece, while he points out that riots often occurring in big Greek cities are extremely unlikely to take place in Sifnos and other similar peaceful Greek islands.

ATHENS CLASSIC MARATHON 2012 - ENTRIES OPEN

Greece has been getting a pounding from economists in recent months, but millionaires' magazine Forbes has named the Athens Classic Marathon as one of the must-run marathons abroad for its more energetic and time-rich readers. The Athens race, which begins in the town of Marathon and finishes inside the Panathenaikon "Marble" Stadium in Athens - whose history, as Forbes points out, is how the 42.195k event gets its name - is one of just ten marathons worldwide highlighted by the rich-list magazine.

Potential entrants for the Authentic Marathon, as it is known internationally, would do well to get online.

The race from Marathon to Athens is, of course the original marathon event, first run in 1896, initially a trial for the Greek Olympic team, then for the first Olympic Games of the modern era. The last 30 years the same course has been used for the Marathon event of the 1982 European Athletics Championships (where the legendary marathon runner Rosa Mota ran the first ever official IAAF women's marathon), for the 1997 IAAF World Championships, and of course, for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

In tandem with the race's 30th anniversary, it is also the 30th anniversary of the founding of the Association of International Marathons (AIMS), which opened its international office in Athens last year. The many invitees for this year's race will include marathon luminaries and legends of the past.

EASTER IN MONEMVASIA

Easter is the most important of religious holidays for the Greeks and Monemvasia provides many opportunities for you to have a good time and experience the unique atmosphere of Easter in Greece. Spending Easter in Monemvasia is definitely a spiritual experience, as the locals live the Passion Week in devoutness and deep contemplation. Delve into an overwhelming spiritual atmosphere and participate into sacred rituals, ancient-old traditions and joyful celebrations!

Monemvasia, founded by the Byzantines in the sixth century, is a breathtaking medieval tower town located on the south-eastern coast of the Peloponnese. Upon entering the castle, your journey through time begins. Peer into the history of the fortress –the so-called "Gibraltar of the East"–, which was occupied by the Byzantines, the Crusaders, the Venetians, and the Turks in the past and explore this mystical stone-built settlement, nestled at the edge of a big rock by the sea. The "Kastro" (castle) is divided into two parts, the lower and upper town. In the lower part of the town, explore the ruins of the historic buildings situated there – among which the Muslim Mosque, a preserved 16th century building housing the Archaeological Museum–, as well as the magnificent Byzantine churches. In the (uninhabited) upper part of the town, you will come across the remains of old Byzantine buildings. A rocky twisty path leads you to the Fortress of Youlas offering an outstanding view of the city!

Read more @: blog.visitgreece.gr

DESTINATION MEETS ONLINE CONGRESS @ CRETE

Destination meets Online Congress is organized this year in Crete, which will be attended by the most important and active heads of German tourism business, not to mention the primary keynote which will be held by Mr Buchy, the President of the German Travel Association DRV, among many others, associates of dynamic tour operators and major online travel companies. The state-of-the-art keynotes of selected speakers, incorporating newest ideas and the most up-to-date features on online travel market and social media, will reveal crucial secrets to our greek partners and help them understand the structure, functionality and the enormous benefits of connecting the online travel world with their destination. At the same time, all participants will have the chance to get to know and understand the destination better, find out and pick up key arguments for a better marketing and establish profound connections to key players of Greek tourism, not only in Crete.

For all the local participants, hotel associates, tourism managers, incoming- and transfer agencies, tourism investors, owners and other third parties the attendance to the congress is completely free of charge.

Read more @: www.destinationmeetsonline.com

THE ANTIKYTHERA SHIPWRECK

The National Archaeological Museum of Athens launched a temporary exhibition on April 6 headed The Antikythera Shipwreck: The ship - the Treasures - the Mechanism, to run until April 28, 2013. All antiquities recovered in 1900-1901 and 1976 from the legendary shipwreck off the islet of Antikythera, south of the Peloponnese, will be presented for the first time in this temporary exhibition.The recovery of the shipwreck itself was the first major underwater archaeological expedition. It was undertaken by sponge divers, with the assistance of the Greek Royal Navy (1900-1901). Correspondence, press, photographs and films will document the story of its discovery and recovery and the methods used. The second underwater research was carried out in 1976 by the Greek Archaeological service and J.-Y. Cousteau's oceonographic "Calypso".

The wreck is dated approximately in 60-50 BC, though its cargo from the 4th to the 1st century BC. The study of the cargo will deal with the circulation and trade in the East Mediterranean from the point of view of the aesthetic taste of the rising Roman elite in the end of the Hellenistic Era and the Rome's democratic period. According to current knowledge and based on the inscriptions which have been deciphered, the Antikythera mechanism could show the different cycles of the sun, the moon and (in all likelihood) the planets, relating these to the civil calendars of a Greek city (Corinth or one of its colonies), and showing the dates of the most prestigious games of the ancient world.

Read more @: www.namuseum.gr

"ALLIANCE FOR GREECE" GLOBAL INITIATIVE

The initiative "Alliance for Greece" under the auspices of GNTO and the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism has printed 7 million placemats featuring the work of 20 Greek visual artists, in a joint campaign. The collaboration of Greek Diaspora forces, through Greek restaurants, members of Pan Gregorian Enterprises and their 7-million customer base, is the main objective of a new initiative to promote Greek tourism to the United States. The initiative will be launched this month, in restaurants located in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, North and South Carolina, and Maryland. The 20 artists who granted the intellectual rights to their artworks are; Daphne Aggelidou, Maria Anastasiou, Chryssa Vergi, Erietta Vordoni, Maria Yannakaki, Tanya Demetrakopoulou, Sophia Kalogeropoulou, Rena Kana, Kalliroi Marouda, Maria Philopoulou, D. Andreadakis, S. Georgiadis, K. Georgiou, D. Koukos, S. Koursaris, P. Beldekos, C. Pallantzas, A. Razis, P. Samios and D. Sarasitis.

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