Crete, the island of miracles

Crete, land of Daidalos and Ikaros, is the largest island of Greece, separating the Aegean from the Libyan Sea and marking the boundary between Europe and Africa. On Crete, the scenery is constantly changing.

Majestic mountains rise in its centre –the Lefka Ori, Psiloritis, Dikti– full of legends and history, while its plateaus are split by deep gorges, ending up in lush valleys.

This island’s fertile soil and towering peaks witnessed the development of one of the most important civilizations on earth, the Minoan (2800-1150 B.C.).

With its clear, warm sea, boundless beaches lined with tamarisks and mild starry nights, Crete is an idyllic place for vacation but for living as well, in bustling Iraklio, cosmopolitan Aghios Nikolaos, picturesque Rethymno or enchanting Chania.

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)

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Christmas in Greece

 (Greek News Agenda) Xmas: A Word Of Greek Origin

Where did “Xmas” come from? Some transliterations of Greek spell Christos as Xristos.
The “X” stood in for the first letter of the word Christ (ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ). “Xmas” has been used for hundreds of years in religious writing, where the X represents the Greek letter X (chi).

While in modern times Xmas is regarded as a kind of slang, it was originally considered to be a perfectly respectful abbreviation, especially as it included a form of the cross in the shape of the “X”.

Christmas (“Χριστούγεννα”), the Feast of the Nativity of Jesus is one of the most joyful days of the Greek Orthodox Church.

Christmas Elves

Kallikantzari are little creatures that live deep down inside the earth and together with the legends of Greece, play an important part in the customs and traditions of this holiday.
From Christmas until the Feast of the Epiphany, residents in Epirus place twelve spindles in front of the fireplace so that the kalikantzari see them and do not climb down the chimney.
On Christmas Eve, in the town of Grevena, the followers place a large log in the corner of the house and set it alight.
As the fire burns, lasting until the Feast of the Epiphany, it protects the family from the kalikantzari.

A Natural Wonder in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA) The waterfall of Trachoni or Livaditis in northeast Greece is a picturesque and almost mystical waterfall, as it is surrounded by myths and legends lost in the mists of time. In fact, there is a dispute over the name of the waterfall between two neighbouring municipalities: the residents of Paranesti Municipality in Drama Perfecture call it Thrachoni, while the residents of Stavroupoli Municipality of the adjacent Prefecture of Xanthi call it Livaditis.  Whatever the name is, Trahoni or Livaditis is a magnificent 40 meters high waterfall, the tallest one on the Rodopi Mountain Range in Thrace.  During the winter, when temperatures drop below zero, the landscape is spectacular with the waterfall turning into a huge ice sculpture.  You Tube: The Waterfall of Leivaditis-Xanthi-Greece