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READ ABOUT: Culture and Family Activities & Athens from Above
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CULTURE Thirty Seconds to Mars
CULTURE
at Terra Vibe, Malakasa
Thirty Seconds to Mars (commonly stylized as 30 Seconds to Mars) is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California, formed in 1998. The band consists of Jared Leto (lead vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboards), Shannon Leto (drums, percussion) and Tomo MiliÄ?ević (lead guitar, bass, violin, keyboards, and other
instruments). On Wednesday, September 30 th 2015, the well known band visits Athens and gives a one-night performance at Terra Vibe stage at the area of Malakasa.
Book your live concert tickets online >
Athens International Film Festival 2015 The Athens International Film Festival Opening Nights was founded by the Athens Film Society (a Non-Profit Organization) with the intention of highlighting lesser-known aspects/genres of independent cinema, introducing audiences to some of the best productions of the year and establishing itself as the ideal opening of the upcoming movie season.
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The Festival was launched in September 1995 and continues successfully until now. This year’s edition of the Athens International Film Festival - Opening Nights is scheduled to take place September 16-27, featuring over 100 feature films from all over the world, two competition sections, special tributes, documentaries and more than 60 homegrown shorts in its special
additional competitive section with Greek short films. It’s worth noting that Opening Nights is one of the few festivals in the world to feature a “Music & Film” competition section.
Explore the Athens International Film Festival 2015 >
“Coming Out” The story of Greg Louganis
CULTURE
Lecture at Megaron The Athens Concert Hall
Gregory Efthimios “Greg” Louganis is an American Olympic diver, LGBT-rights activist and author who won gold medals at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games on both the springboard and platform. He is the only male and the second diver in Olympic history to sweep the diving events in consecutive Olympic Games. In 1984, he received the James E. Sullivan Award from the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) as the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Louganis, after he was tested positive for HIV in 1988, he recounted his story in a best-selling autobiography, Breaking the Surface, co-written with Eric Marcus. He will be visiting Athens and the Megaron Concert Hall in September 16 th 2015.
Book your Lecture tickets online >
Jo Nesbø Lecture at Megaron The Athens Concert Hall
Nesbø is primarily known for his crime novels about Inspector Harry Hole, but he is also the main vocalist and songwriter for the Norwegian rock band Di Derre. In 2007 Nesbø
also released his first children’s book, Doctor Proctor’s Fart Powder. The 2011 film Headhunters is based on Nesbø’s novel Hodejegerne. The renowned author visits the city of Athens and speaks at the Megaron Concert Hall in September 18 th 2015. Book your Lecture tickets online >
CULTURE
Jo Nesbø is a Norwegian author and musician. As of March 2014 more than 3 million copies of his novels have been sold in Norway, and his work has been translated into over 40 languages, selling 23 million copies.
Dimitra Galani in the Concert Hall Garden
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Dimitra Galani is one of the most renowned Greek singer/performer. For 40 years she has been distinguished for her creative contribution to song, music and culture in general. For over a thousand songs, she has been a radiant presence in music, forging new paths for the Greek song since 1969. For one night, she is performing in the Concert Hall Garden of Megaron. This is a music event not to be missed if visiting Athens in September 11th 2015.
Book your Concert tickets online >
Mamma Mia! at Badminton Theatre
The world’s No. 1 musical comes home! Live the experience!
Explore the Mamma Mia! performance in Athens >
CULTURE
The ultimate famous and feel-good musical, the global phenomenon that after London conquered Broadway and then the world, comes in Athens, for a few performances only! A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads. And a marriage in a Greek island you’ll never forget! Over 54 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make MAMMA MIA!
FAMILIES Aegina Fistiki Fest
FA MILIES
Seven years ago in 2008, a group of people with vision and enthusiasm created the Fistiki Fest, the major festive event to take place in the Saronic Gulf.
The main aim of this event is to promote and support the cultivation of the unique pistachio known internationally as the “Aegina Pistachio”. The Aegina Fistiki Fest was the dream of a group of people who believed that the pistachio tree, the nut and its farmers, could and should, get the recognition they deserve for their contribution to Aegina’s development. The Aegina Pistachio festival offers a big variety of events for young and old!
This year is its seventh consecutive year and takes place on 17, 18, 19 & 20 of September. The aim of the gastronomic team of Aegina Fistiki Fest is the quest for, and creation of, new tastes; the promotion of traditional and local products; the organizing of gastronomic seminars; and the melding of Greek cultures and folklore; as well as delicious interactive games of taste with children. Explore the Aegina Fistiki Fest >
Goulandris Museum of Natural History Goulandris Museum of Natural History is a public welfare institution, devoted to study, conservation and protection of natural environment.
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The Museum works for the preservation of our natural environment, by: ‣ Daily teaching hundreds of visitors, mainly children of school age. ‣ Distributing knowledge into society through meetings, conferences, publications and exhibitions. ‣ Developing high-technology workshops focusing on research of the life-giving natural resources: soil, water and air, in relation to nutrition and health. ‣ Cooperating with other scientific centres and institutes in Europe and the USA, in the field of biotechnology, soil ecology and analytical chemistry.
Founded in 1965, the Goulandris Natural History Museum is home to zoological, botanical, marine, rock, mineral and fossil specimens. The Gaia Centre for Environmental Research & Education, founded in 2001, provides the unique opportunity to the visitor to get acquainted with Earth, the diversity of its landscapes, flora and fauna, via new interactive technologies, and understand the impact of human activity on the environment. 13 Levidou street, 145 62 Kifissia | T: +30 210 8015870 Operating Hours: Μondays to Saturdays: 9 a.m. – 2.30 p.m. Sundays: 10 a.m – 2.30 p.m. | Public Holidays: CLOSED
The Goulandris Museum of Natural History >
Foundation of the Hellenic World
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The city of Miletus on the western coast of Asia Minor, one of the most important cities in Ionia, comes to life again in the Virtual Reality production; “A Walk through Ancient Miletus”. This production, in the special environment of immersion of “Tholos”, uses some new technical characteristics, which allow the development of multiple directions of digital life in the virtual space and not a predetermined course.
city and learn about the most important public buildings. Starting from the gate at the Port of the Lions, they enter the sanctuary of Apollo Delphinios. Then, they visit the Ionian Stoa, which housed the stores of the city, the Hellenistic Gymnasium, the North Agora and the Bouleuterion, being able to see even the details of the buildings’ architecture. They can “fly” over the city for one last panoramic view of the perfect city planning design, or even “dive” into its port.
At the Virtual Reality programme there is a tour at the peninsula and the city of Miletus, as it was 2,000 years ago. Visitors can explore the virtual
Cultural Center “Hellenic Cosmos”: 254 Pireos st., 177 78 Tavros, Poulopoulou 38, 118 51 Athens T: +30 212 254 5000
Take on the 360 Virtual Tour and learn more >
Children’s Art Museum at Plaka
Interactive corners
A programme of 5 art workshops for families with children 2,5 to 4,5 years old experiment with various materials and drawing techniques, aiming to develop creativity and imagination. With the guidance of an educator all participants create “family” artworks.
Bilingual activities offer in playful way, to visitors of all ages, a further acquaintance with the artworks on display. The interactive corners are related to each exhibition’s topic and are specially designed by the Museum’s Educational Department. All activities are designed for all family members. Parents have the supervision of their children, while they participate in all activities with them.
Duration: 1 hour Number of participants: 20 individuals Day and time: Friday 17.30-18.30 Participation fee: One adult with one child: 85 € /
Tuesday - Saturday 10.00-14.00 & Sunday 11.00-14.00,
One adult with 2 children: 150 €
with the individual ticket for the Museum 2 €
Prior telephone reservations needed at: +30 210 3312 621, +30 210 3312 750
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FA MILIES
Families drawing together
Athens Happy Train Athens Sightseeing with the Athens Happy Train.
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If you want to enjoy an amazing sightseeing tour in the historical center of Athens and the capital’s most famous ancient sights and monuments, hop-on the Athens Happy Train. The Athens Happy Train is a toy-like street train that starts its sightseeing tour from the Constitution Square (also known as “Syntagma”) and Monastiraki Square and follows an amazing route through the historical center of the city, the old neighborhoods and the hill of Acropolis. The tour has a 60-minute duration and takes in Athens’s most famous sights and monuments including Acropolis, Plaka, Temple of Zeus, Thission, Monastiraki Square, Ancient and Roman Market, Zappeion, Panathinaiko Stadium, Theatre of Herodes Atticus, Hadrian Arch, New Acropolis Museum etc. Enjoy fantastic views from the openstyle train carriages, hop-on hop-off as you please and see Athens in your own time and at your own pace, in safety and comfort.
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Athens from above King George, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens respects its position in the very center of the vibrant city and offers its guests a unique destination discovery. Hosting one of the most exclusive suites of the historic city, the Penthouse Suite with its private outdoor pool, King George brings to life a ‘virtual city tour’, a ‘tour from above’ based on: The city of Athens.
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
MOUNT HYMETTUS
PARLIAMENT
Situated in the eastern part of Athens, the mountain stands at 1,026m height and is visible from most places in Athens.
Initially, the building served as the palace of King Otto and King George I. It became the Parliament and Senate building a hundred years after it was constructed and still houses the Hellenic Parliament.
The natural beauty of mount Hymettus is extraordinary while it has a unique biodiversity which is amazingly rich despite the mountain’s proximity to the city of Athens. Many walking trails start from here, for example Kalopoula trail, and run into the forest. The mountain flora includes over 600 plants. A walk up this mountain provides panoramic views of the city.
In front of the Parliament House, there is a Monument guarded by an infantry unit of the Greek army, the Evzones. This is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, honoring all the unknown soldiers who died or bled for their country. Evzones wear traditional Greek uniforms and their most distinctive part is ‘foustanella’, a kilt-like skirt. The changing of the guards takes place every hour and during their service, they are not allowed to talk or move at all.
The Kallimarmaron or Panathenaic Stadium is a classical, cultural and sightseeing monument of Greece as well as one of Athens’ landmarks. Being the only open air marble stadium in the world it’s also impressive capacity wise, with its 70.000 seats. Its rich history is directly connected to the Modern Olympic Games, from their revival in 1896 until the Athens Olympic Games in 2004. It is also the place from where the Olympic flame starts its journey to the cities of the Olympic Games.
NATIONAL GARDEN The National Gardens were commissioned by Greece’s first Queen named Amalia in 1838 and was completed by 1840. They were designed by the German agronomist Friedrich Schmidt who imported over 500 species of plants and a variety of animals. The National Gardens (also known as Royal Gardens) is a peaceful, green refuge of 15.5 hectares in the center of the Greek capital. It is located on the east and south wing of the Greek Parliament building (the former Palace) and continues to the south where the Zappeion Convention Center is located.
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
KALLIMARMARON STADIUM
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
ZAPPEION
SYNTAGMA SQUARE
In 1888 the Zappeion was inaugurated. Unfortunately its benefactor, Evangelos Zappas, did not live long enough to see the Zappeion built.
On the 3rd September 1843, the infantry led by Colonel Kallergis and the respected general of the Independence War Ioannis Makriyiannis, assembled in the square in front of the Palace in Athens, today the House of Parliament.
During the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the fencing events were hosted in its circular atrium; during the second International Olympic Games in 1906, the lack of infrastructure and facilities led to it being used as the “Olympic Village”. In addition, starting in 1936 and for the next 40 years, it hosted the country’s first state radio station.
Eventually joined by much of the population of the small capital, the rebellion refused to disperse until King Otto agreed to grant a constitution which would require that there be Greeks in the Council. Left with little recourse, King Otto agreed to the demands of the crowd. The square was named Syntagma (Constitution) Square to commemorate the events of September 1843.
THE NEW ACROPOLIS MUSEUM
ACROPOLIS Say “Athens” and people will say “The Acropolis”. Of course you should not leave Athens without having visited the Acropolis with its splendid Parthenon, Erechtheion, Propylaea etc.
In 1989, a large urban settlement on the Makriyianni site dating from Archaic to Early Christian Athens was discovered. This discovery now needed to be integrated into the New Museum that was to be built on this site. Today, the new Acropolis Museum has a total area of 25,000 square meters, with exhibition space of over 14,000 square meters. It houses more than 4000 artifacts.
One of the most important religious sites in Athens was the Temple of goddess Athena, known as the Parthenon, which stood atop the Acropolis. The construction of the Parthenon began in 447 BC, when the Greek Empire was at the height of its power. The Acropolis is a natural defensive location, which commands the surrounding plains.
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
In 1863, with only 800 square meters of floor space, the building was rapidly proven inadequate to accommodate the findings from the large excavations on the Acropolis that began in 1886.
NATIONAL OBSERVATORY OF ATHENS
The neighborhood of the gods! Its located right under the shadow of the Parthenon and the Acropolis Hill.
The National Observatory of Athens is a research institute built on the hill of the Nymphs.
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
PLAKA
It’s one of the most expensive residential areas in all Athens, where most late 19th and early 20th century mansions are protected as landmarks by the ministry of Culture and they all fall under the architectural category of Neoclassicism. Another part of Plaka, lower towards the bottom of the Acropolis hill, is more busy and crowded. That’s where you will savour your Greek coffee and stroll through plenty of elegant pedestrian areas.
Founded in 1842, it is the oldest research foundation in the country, as it was the first scientific institute built after Greece became independent in 1829, and one of the oldest in Southern Europe. The NOA was established by the Vienna-based national benefactor George Sinas. It carries out and applied research in collaboration with other world leading research centers.
ARGOSARONIC ISLANDS
In Ancient Athens, it was the assembly point of the city council.
Gems scattered in the sea. Aegina, Agistri, Spetses, Hydra, Poros, Salamina and the peninsula of Methana form the island complex of the Argosaronic Gulf south west of Athens.
ATHENS FROM ABOVE
THE HILL OF PNYX
Since the initiation of the democratic system of government by Cleisthenes (507 BC) it was the assembly place of the free citizens. The famous speeches by Themistocles, Pericles and other important orators and politicians were delivered here.
Sprinkled over the Argosaronic Gulf and steeped in ancient mythology, these islands are small havens in close proximity to Athens.
HOTEL GRANDE BRETAGNE A LUXURY COLLECTION HOTEL, ATHENS
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