• Reading,  Traveling

    My 7 (+1) favorite books

    Today is the World Book Day. A few months ago, I was nominated by my friend Haris to list my 7 favorite books in 7 days. At first, I was so excited about the prospect of looking back to the books I’ve read and reflecting on my favorite ones that I eagerly accepted the challenge. But then I realized that I had read so many books that I had a lot more than 7 favorites. Which ones to choose? To help make up my mind, I started reflecting on the reasons why I love reading books. Truth be told, I’ve not always been a bibliophile and an avid reader. As…

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  • Traveling

    10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic

    Last Saturday, the Guardian featured twenty pieces written by authors, travel writers and journalists on the places they were longing to go. Inspired by their reverie, I started daydreaming about the places I am longing to go. The realist in me quickly took charge, so I focused my reverie on those places in Europe that I would like to visit (or visit again) once the pandemic is over. So, here is the list of my top 10 places in Europe to visit after the pandemic: Skyros (Greece) Skyros is my favourite Greek island, which I last visited last summer, and I hope to visit again this summer (COVID permitting of…

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  • Culture,  Italy

    10 Greek covers of Italian songs

    It’s been 40 years since my home-country Greece became the 10th member state of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor to the European Union (EU). The EEC was created by the Treaty of Rome of 1957; the six founding member-states were Belgium, France, West Germany, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The first enlargement was in 1973, with the accession of Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (which sadly left the EU on 31 January 2020). Greece joined on 1 January 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal five years later. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Hellenic entry into the European family, I curated a playlist, which…

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  • Culture,  France

    Voilà: 9 Greek covers of French songs

    Earlier this week, it was announced that the 65th Eurovision Song Contest would not take place ‘as normal’ this year. The organisers are currently considering 3 alternative scenarios. Either way, the event will definitely take place on 18, 20 and 22 May. A total of 41 countries will participate in the contest, five of which have already chosen the song that will represent them this year. Among these countries is France. Last week, Barbara Pravi was (rightly) chosen out of 12 participants and will now go on to represent France with her beautiful song ‘Voilà’. Since then, I have been listening to French artists, as well as to Greek covers…

  • London & UK

    A weekend break in Norwich

    It’s been almost a year since I visited Norwich, a beautiful medieval city located 100 miles (161 km) north-east of London. With a population of 143,000, Norwich is a relatively small city; yet, it used to be England’s second-largest city after London up until the 18th century it was. Norwich is the most complete medieval city in the country. Elm Hill, a historic cobbled lane located in the city centre is lined with buildings dating back to the Tudor period. Not far from there, there’s the imposing 11th-century Norwich Cathedral. The River Wensum flows through the city centre, towards the  castle; founded soon after the Norman Conquest (in 1066), the castle is now a museum.…

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  • Austria

    6 Classical Music Festivals in Burgenland, Austria

    Every year on the New Year’s Day, I enjoy watching the Vienna Philharmonic New Year’s Concert, broadcasted live from the Golden Hall of the Musikverein. In 2021, due to the ongoing high rates of COVID-19 infection, the concert took place without an audience, under the baton of the Italian conductor Riccardo Muti. Listening to the beautiful music of Johann Strauss II and other Austrian composers, I learned that, in 2021, the state of Burgenland would celebrate 100 years from when it became part of the Republic of Austria. This beautiful landlocked Alpine country is bordered by a total of eight countries: Germany to the northwest, Czechia (Czech Republic) to the…

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  • Greece

    Kos: the island of Medicine

    One of the best known Greek islands, Kos is a popular destination for the European holiday-makers. Yet, Kos has a rich history that is often overlooked; this is where Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine, was born (around 460 BC) and also began his medical career. As a doctor myself, I have a soft spot for Kos, which I have visited many times since I took the Hippocratic Oath. Today, I would like to share my top 9 tips, but first, let us remember an ancient Greek myth. The myth According to an ancient Greek myth, Asclepios was the first baby to have been delivered via -what centuries later came to…

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  • Greece

    A weekend in Athens: top 7 tips

    Although I’ve never lived in Athens, I’ve always enjoyed visiting the Greek capital, usually for a weekend break. Known as the cradle of the Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, Athens (or Athina, in Greek) has a rich and diverse history spanning over three thousand years. Nowadays, Athens is the largest city in Greece, and is home to more than three million people.  Here are my top 7 tips for a weekend (or a couple of days) in Athens: Tip 1: Visit the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum If there was only one image associated with Athens, that would definitely be the Parthenon, the iconic ancient temple on the…

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  • Greece

    Traveling around Thessaloniki with a local

    I was born and raised in Thessaloniki (also called Thessalonica), the largest city in the Greek region of Macedonia and the second-largest city in Greece. Since I moved to England at the age of 23, I come back to my hometown several times a year, and each time I’m pleasantly surprised, as there’s always something new to discover. Today, I would like to take you to a tour around the city, including some of my favorite hangouts as well as new hotspots. About Thessaloniki Thessaloniki is a coastal city located on the Thermaic Gulf, at the northwest corner of the Aegean Sea. Founded over two millennia ago, the city has…

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  • Greece

    Traveling around Skyros with a local

    Hello! I am back from Skyros, my favorite Greek island. During my 10-day stay, I reconnected with my family, swam in the crystalline waters of the Aegean, relaxed by the sea reading novels and poetry, savored Skyrian delicacies (see below), and sipped cocktails. This was the fourth time I visited Skyros as an adult, and it certainly won’t be the last. In fact, I’m already making plans to visit again next summer. There are quite a few reasons why Skyros is the island I have visited the most; I have highlighted those in my post ‘Skyros: the island of wellness and wellbeing’, published in January 2019. Today, I would like…