Author: Celeste

Gialova with kids Gialova was first settled at the beginning of 1900. Raisin and wine exports led to this area’s commercial development. Witness the former agricultural industry in the two abandoned wine factories in Gialova and stone warehouses formerly used to store raisins, carob and lemons. Gialova’s population nowadays is about 300 people.  Gialova has two parts: the beach/port part of the village with a beautiful boulevard overlooking the bay and the town of Pylos. Here are some (wine) bars, restaurants, a few quality shops and a small hotel. Where the two streets meet there is a quay used by…

Moms are tired. Dads are tired too. We cannot always go on a vacation to refuel. But we should regularly dedicate a few quality hours to ourselves. Some moments – alone or with a companion – to surrender and to detox mind and body. A spa or hammam is the perfect place for that. This is about my experience at Polis Hammam. What is a hammam? The word for “bathhouse” in Arabic is AA HAMMAM. The hammam or Turkish steam baths find their origin in the invention of the Roman thermae or hot baths. The hammam is probably the…

Greece ranked second on the Blue Flag list! The Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature (EEPF) has this week announced that Greece has ranked in second place among 47 countries that were listed for Blue Flag awards for beaches and marinas in 2017. A total of 486 Greek beaches and 12 marinas have been awarded. Most of these beaches are in the region of Halkidiki. This part of Greece collected the majority of 71 Blue Flag awards. The list of beaches The complete list of all the beaches and marinas in Greece can be found in English and Greek on the…

Greece is increasingly becoming a popular destination for wine tourism. The most interesting regions for wine tours and wine tasting in Greece are Santorini, Crete, Athens, and Nemea. In this post, you will read more about wine tours in Greece. Wine Tours in Greece Greek wines are getting more recognition and popularity abroad. That is why more wine-loving visitors to Greece, want to visit the wineries and taste quality wines from Greek varieties. Wine-tasting day trip in Nemea The Peloponnese is one of the most well-known wine-producing regions in Greece. In May 2017, I joined Travel Bloggers Greece for a day trip from Athens…

Family Lunch in Athens update April 2022: The Athens Hilton has closed for reconstruction. The building is set to reopen under the name Conrad Athens at the end of 2024. Athens Hilton Restaurant It was during Easter in 2016 that my family and I enjoyed an Easter Brunch at the Athenian Hilton Byzantino Restaurant.  The Easter brunch was very good. It made me return to the place in the same year to do a review of the Hilton Athens Sunday Family Lunch. We also had a dip in the large outdoor hotel pool afterward. The Hilton Athens Sunday Family Lunch is…

The Grecotel resorts For years Cape Sounio Grecotel Hotel and all other Grecotel kid-friendly hotels and resorts in Greece have been creating unforgettable luxury vacations for families, from grandparents to newborns. There is something at Grecotel resorts for every member of the family and specially designed programs, kids clubs and first-class amenities make a stay at Grecotel resorts a true family-friendly holiday. The Easter 2017 celebrations at Cape Sounio Grecotel Exclusive Resort follow the same philosophy. While parents can relax, children are involved in Easter activities. Everything is planned in detail and the only demand during this holiday is to…

Nafplio (also called Nafplion/Greek: Ναύπλιο) is a beautiful town in eastern Peloponnese in mainland Greece, only 2-hour drive from Athens. This beautiful town offers everything that you need for a fun day trip from Athens, a weekend escape, or a winter or summer vacation! In this post, we will describe where to stay and what to do in Nafplion with kids! Nafplio with Kids Nafplio is the first capital of Greece and has played an important part in history. That is why Nafplion offers many historic monuments. Nafplio is a mix of castle walls, museums, galleries, green parks, and a historic old town.…

I first met her when my daughter brought her home from kindergarten a couple of years ago. In her Greek class, she had made a Kyra Sarakosti, translated ‘Lady Lent’. Traditionally Kyra Sarakosti is crafted on Clean Monday. There are several versions of Kyra Sarakosti, in this post, you’ll find a recipe for baking and printable coloring pages. Related posts: Greek Carnival and Clean Monday Laganas or Clean Monday Bread Kyra Sarakosti or Lady Lent Lady Lent has seven feet. They represent the seven weeks of Lent. Each passing week, on each Saturday, children get to break off one foot. This is a great…

The sweet smell of hay brought me right back to my childhood. I grew up in a small village in the Netherlands. Farms were always around. And so were farm animals. My dad was an amateur horseman and my sister excelled in dressage. We spent a large part of our childhood at horse riding clubs and meadows. Later on, my father kept horses at home. These beautiful creators were often the first thing I saw when I opened the curtains of my bedroom windows in the morning. Imagine my excitement when I found myself at a horse riding club last…

Children often use art to help them process their experiences and deal with overwhelming emotions. Art provides kids with critical sensory input and can help children express their feelings in a multidimensional way even if they lack the vocabulary to describe their feelings with words. This post is about creative workshops and art in Athens for kids. They are held in SGA Art Gallery in Kolonaki. Art in Athens for Kids The goal in this interactive workshop called ‘Faces’ is to approach art in a cognitive, emotional and aesthetic dimension. Kids will release their imagination, they will be able to express themselves physically and artistically. Creative activation, sensory perception…

Bridges Athens Art Workshop organizes workshops for children from 5 – 12 years olds. This coming Saturday, 11 March 11:00 – 13:00, children will have the chance to discover the aspects of bridges in time via creative play and crafts. They will create their own bridge with a variety of materials in the SG Art Gallery and a contest will be held to see who made the strongest and most esthetical modern bridge. The workshop is facilitated by visual artist Nina Panagopoulou. For more information and enrollment: Athens Art Workshops offer children aged 5-12 years old interactive educational programs and artistically creative…

I love cosmetics that are organic, baby-friendly and practical. I prefer products that can be used by both myself and my children. It saves time and cupboard space. Multi-purpose products for the whole family are also practical during traveling. Soap bars are my favourites (no liquids during travelling!) and products based on Greek olive oil too. Multi-functional creams, such as creams for hands and face, are very practical and I love ointments that have many purposes. Bioselect Recently, I was introduced to the products from Bioselect, a collection of certified organic cosmetics from a company in Crete. Crete has one…