Jaunted - gr

Good Luck With That: U.K., Greece Aim to Curb Booze Tourism

Victor Ozols — 2009-07-25T13:13:11-05:00

When it comes to getting 'housed on holiday, few nationalities do it better than the British, whose reputation for expatriate debauchery is legendary. Turns out, though, that such extreme inebriation has a downside, ranging from fights to sexual assaults to automobile and scooter accidents. Officials in the U.K. and Greece, a popular holiday destination for young Brits, are fed up with the embarrassing actions of a few hardcore lager louts and are doing something about it. As Reuters points out, Britain urged "Grease" on Thursday to ban bar-hopping tours in which patrons visit so many bars in an evening that even having one drink in each would put you well out of touch with your senses.

New Acropolis Museum Reopens Age-Old Debate Over Elgin Marbles

Victor Ozols — 2009-06-20T12:41:57-05:00

Today's a big day in the world of Greek antiquities, as the massive New Acropolis Museum in Athens opens its doors to the public for the first time. The fancy new building was designed by architect Bernard Tschumi, and incorporates classic and contemporary elements to display 4,000 artifacts, more than ten times the number of the inadequate old museum it replaces. The New York Times has a nifty article and slide show of the $200 million museum, which it calls "one of the highest-profile cultural projects undertaken in Europe in this decade."

Tour Athens With Nia Vardalos in 'My Life In Ruins'

cmb — 2009-06-05T14:37:06-05:00

My Life in Ruins, a new rom-com in theaters today, stars Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as a tour guide in Athens who accidentally falls in love. The plot is as dull as it sounds, but Vardalos' character's chosen profession does provide some great vistas of the city. Taking a cue from Nia, here is our guide to the best of all that Athens has to offer:

Greece Says Leave Your High Heels At Home

amandak — 2009-05-22T11:51:58-05:00

If you've decided that this is the summer you're going to party in Greece, you'd better check your packing list and take out your high heels.

Officials in Greece are trying to get stiletto heels banned at important archaeological sites because these evil heels are damaging the ancient stuff. To quote Eleni Korka, a director taking care of such ancient sites:

Female visitors must wear shoes that do not wound the monuments. These monuments have a skin that suffers and people must realise that.

Too many tourists is a bit of a problem at many of the ancient sites in Greece - a few years ago they did a big clean-up of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus theater in Athens and removed 59 pounds of chewing gum stuck under the seats in the process. For some reason they haven't thought of banning chewing gum a la Singapore, but the anti-stiletto movement is growing strong.

Related Stories:
· Women Banned From Wearing Stilettos at Ancient Greek Sites [Daily Mail]
· Will This Be The Summer You Party in Greece? [Jaunted]
· Greece Travel Guide [Jaunted]

[Photo: **Mary**]

Will This Be The Summer You Party In Greece?

Omri — 2009-04-16T17:01:41-05:00

Last week we asked you if you're going to Europe this summer, and for the most part the wanderlust of Jaunted readers appears to be recession-proof. Many travelers who are intent on getting away are considering Eastern Europe, which tends to be cheaper and more accessible and just a little bit stranger than the standard London-Paris-Berlin itinerary.

If you're still deciding on an Eastern European destination, it's worth noting that some of our posts on summertime in Greece have included the phrases "oral sex competition" and "out-and-out degeneracy." The country is insane during the summer, whether you're close to Athens or you're gallivanting around the all-Spring-Break-all-the-time islands.

Declaring Our Independence in Greece

egw — 2009-03-18T13:36:40-05:00

On March 25, Greece celebrates its independence as won from the Ottoman Empire as won between 1821 and 1829. The occasion is typically celebrated with military parades; New York's Greek population is even having one, albeit not until April 26th.

In the Athens airport, you can celebrate your independence every day with free WiFi via the Wiz portal. We hear you're limited to 45 minutes, though, so make sure to take full advantage (or wait to log on if you've got a long layover).

Feel free to share your airport WiFi experiences.

Related Stories:
· Independence Day in Greece [ExploreCrete.com]
· From Bengal to Nepal, Happy Diwali [Jaunted]
· Airport WiFi Map [Jaunted]

Pure Greek Nightclub Decadence at Akrotiri

Omri — 2009-02-13T16:01:04-05:00

One of the hottest nightclubs in Athens isn't so much "in" Athens as it is a 20 Euro cab ride from the center of the city.

Akrotiri - opened in 2008 in nearby Aghios Kosmas - is where the young, beautiful, and occasionally famous of Greece's glitterati come out to see and be seen. The parking lot is filled with polished BMWs and the rope line is overflowing with tall, busty blondes.

It's not the least expensive place to dance away the night. But if you're looking for an evening of out-and-out degeneracy you'd be hard-pressed to do better.