Blumovo

25/03/2025

Who is this handsome lad and what on earth is he wearing?! 🤯

He is a traditional Evzon.💂 His garb reminds us the Greek celebration of March 25 - a double holiday: a historical 📖 and a religious one 🎚.
On one hand, the Greeks celebrate the war of independence against the Ottoman Empire 🇹🇷 on this day, a successful war waged by Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1830.
On March 25, the Greek Orthodox Church also celebrates the Annunciation of the Archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she was to become the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
The country celebrates the double holiday with two things: parades and Bakaliaros (stockfish).🇬🇷
The strange thing about this story is that we celebrate the beginning and not the end of the war.⚔️

22/03/2025

If you have ever been to Greece 🇬🇷, you are familiar with this instrument: it is the traditional Greek guitar, the so-called Βouzouki. It was used in Greece and Turkey 🇹🇷 in a music genre 🎼 called “Rebetiko”, an urban popular music of the poor Greeks in the early twentieth century. Apart from the type of singing 🎤, Rebetiko was also a kind of lifestyle associated with illegal traits and behavior.
Markos Vamvakaris, one of the most famous figures of Rebetiko, recorded the first song with bouzouki in Greece, in an album with only two songs, titled "Markos Vamvakaris – To Rebetiko".

Provided to YouTube by Universal Music GroupFragosiriani · Markos VamvakarisSinthetes Tou Rebetikou℗ 1935 Minos - EMI SAReleased on: 1997-11-15Associated Pe...

17/03/2025

Ouzo and Τsipouro are often mentioned when it comes to Greek spirits. 🇬🇷 Do you know the differences?🕵️‍♀️
- Tsipouro is made from grapes 🍇, from the solids that remain after the wine-making process 🍷. Ouzo, on the other hand, is made from ethyl alcohol, water and aniseed for flavor.
- Tsipouro is produced by distilling the fermented grape pomace, which results in a clear spirit, while ouzo undergoes a two-step distillation process. First, a fermented mixture of ethyl alcohol and water is distilled to create a high-proof base 🔬. Then aniseed is added and the mixture is distilled again, allowing the anise flavors to infuse into the spirit.
- Tsipouro originated in mainland Greece. By contrast, ouzo is strongly associated with the Greek islands.
Yamas! 🥂 🇬🇷

13/03/2025

Some of our guests were definitely fish 🐟 in a previous life and now they have the chance to prove it! 🏊‍♀️
☀️

27/02/2025

Have you ever heard of the small and picturesque island 🏝 of Spetses, southwest of Athens🏛?
In ancient times, the island was called Pityonissos, derived from the ancient Greek word pitys, which means pine🌲. The name Spetses comes from the Venetians, who called it Isola di Spezzie, which means “island of spices”. And nomen est omen: the whole island smells of a wide variety of herbs!
Are you ready to explore the island by bike 🚵‍♀️ and enjoy the breathtaking view🌅?

18/02/2025

Once upon a time, the Titan gods Ito and Nightmare had a falling out. The Titans were deities born of Gaia and Uranus. The quarrel between Ito and Nightmare escalated into all-out war, and they dug up huge chunks of land and hurled them at each other. Some of these chunks were scattered in an erratic or sporadic pattern in the sea, hence the name of the group of islands now known as the Northern Sporades.

Sporades means 'the scattered ones' and they consist of 24 islands, four of which are permanently inhabited: Alonnisos, Skiathos, Skopelos and Skyros.

In 2007, the tranquility of the Sporades was briefly interrupted when the cast and crew of “Mamma Mia!” came to the town of Skopelos to film some of the most memorable scenes of the movie. The film's huge success put the Sporades on the world map, but they have retained their traditional character.

08/02/2025

The first contact of the Greeks with coffee ☕️ goes back to the years when Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire 🇹🇷. As in other parts of the Ottoman Empire, traditional coffee-making spread to Greece in the 19th century, or perhaps even earlier. 🕰️🎞️

If you want to make Greek coffee yourself, you should have a briki, a long-handled Greek coffee pot. The process requires low heat and a lot of stirring until an outer foam ring forms (the traditional way: the coffee is slowly roasted and prepared over heated sand). The most important part of making Greek coffee is the foam, known as “kaimaki”, and it takes attention to detail and care to get it right! Greeks serve traditional coffee with Turkish delight! 🤤

30/01/2025

The Greek national flag 🇬🇷 has a 200-year history: it was initially conceived during the Greek War of Independence ⚔️ declared against the Ottoman Empire 🇹🇷 on 1821.
Throughout its history, the flag has been subject to alterations, mostly reflecting the political and constitutional developments of the Greek state.

Today, the Greek national flag features equal horizontal stripes of blue & white 🇬🇷, a reference to the color of the sea and the spume of the waves, while the horizontal lines are nine echoing the number of syllables in the phrase “Eleftheria I Thanatos” (“Freedom or Death”). In an upper left canton a cross as a symbol of Orthodox Christianity ✝️.

Greek flag day is celebrated on 27 October, on the eve of Ohi Day (“No” Day) – one of the two Greek national holidays, which commemorates the rejection of Italian fascist leader 🇮🇹 Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum by Greek prime minister Ioannis Metaxas on 28 October 1940, and the subsequent counterattack against the invading Italian forces on the Greek northwestern front.

21/01/2025

One of the most and unique touristic attraction in Pelion is the steam train named “Moutzouris”, the Smudgy 🚂!!

Is a historic narrow-gauge railway 🛤️ that runs through the stunning landscapes of Mount Pelion in Thessaly ⛰️ and connects the picturesque village of Ano Lechonia to Milies, offering a nostalgic journey through lush forests 🏞️ , charming stone bridges , and quaint villages and providing an intimate travel experience through the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Pelion!!

⌛️ Dating back to the late 19th century, when the Italian engineer 🇮🇹 Evaristo de Chirico, father of the famous painter 🎨 Giorgio de Chirico, took the decision to design one of the most famous steam trains around Greece 🇬🇷.
Are you ready to take a ride? 🚂

17/01/2025

Meteora. A fairytale place in Greece, not only for cats. 🐈🐈‍⬛

16/01/2025

On many of our trips ⛵️ we often hear the question🤔: «WHY ARE GREEK ISLAND HOMES BLUE AND WHITE?».

💡 The answer is pretty simple!

There are several reasons behind this iconic characteristic of Greek island architecture, and these reasons were mostly practical:

🔘 First of all to keep the interiors cool 🌬️ - the white rejects the heat.

🔘 The cheapest color available to fishermen and sailors was blue. 💙

🔘 Greece suffered from a cholera epidemic 😷 during the dictatorship of Ioannis Metaxas. To curb the disease, he ordered citizens to whitewash their homes.

🔘 It is also said, that during the military dictatorship 🪖 that occupied Greece in 1967, the regime believed, that the colors inspired patriotism and reflected Greek nationalism.

Although these regulations have now been relaxed, the blue 🔵 and white ⚪️ colors of the Greek islands have become a massive attraction for travelers 🧳 📸!

19/09/2024

Syrup, honey, nuts, filo dough and spices – these are the ingredients for Greek desserts! Greeks love to bake and eat sponge cakes soaked in syrup. Ravani, baklava and orange pie (portokalopita) are just a few of. Don't forget that a dessert is not just a meal... It's a moment, and life is a collection of such moments!
Yummy 🤤🥧🍮🍰🍦🍯

🎥

12/09/2024

💪HIKING, RAFTING, KAYAKING & CANYONING ON THE PELOPONNESE🏞️🛶


Are you ready for an ACTIVE TRIP🔥on the Peloponnese?

We wanted to craft ✂️✏️ a package in the southern Greek mainland with lots of variety so that your days are filled with different outdoor activities🤸‍♂️

To start with, you will experience a relaxing roadtrip 🛣️🚐 and explore different towns and villages in the Peloponnese!

You will emerge into the history and listen to fascinating stories during museums’ and fortresses’ visits🏰✍️

👆One day you will choose an activity among:
1️⃣canyoning in the river while abseiling waterfalls
2️⃣hiking through the gorge
3️⃣kayaking in Navarino Bay

But during the next days the activities are set for everyone!!!

You will do KAYAKING in the Blue Grotto 🛶,
a natural cave, whose waters shimmer ✨in multiple shades of blue!

You will HIKE through the Lousios Gorge🥾

And finally get excited for some RAFTING!🏞️

Unlock 🗝️your passion in adventure with blumovo💙

For more info, click here:
ADVENTURE HOLIDAYS PELOPONNESE
👉 https://blumovo.com/tour/adventure-holidays-peloponnese/

This 8-day trip is available in October 🌤️🍂 , but we also offer individual dates for groups of 12 or more!

Suitable also for children aged 12 and more👦👧🧒

Copyright: blumovo, Cycling Greece

04/09/2024

LET’S HAVE A CUP OF COFFE☕️


Abroad it is common to drink beer🍺 or wine🍷but in Greece, we love to have a warm cup of coffee☕️ (Greek Coffee, Espresso, Filter, Frappe, Cappuccino, Latte) or an iced🧊 coffee like Fredo Espresso and Fredo Cappuccino.

Especially now, that the weather is hot🌞☀️🌞☀️, Greeks tend to relax on the beach🏖️ or a cafeteria, take walks and always hold either a fredo espresso or a fredo cappuccino.

Lots of young people, when they want to meet up🙋‍♀️🙋‍♂️ with a friend during the day and even late in the evening, the say:“pame gia kafe“ which means let’s have a coffee ☕️ and catch up.

Interestingly, when Greeks are in a restaurant or a taverna and have finished their meal, they might also order a small espresso ☕️ to end their eating experience with even more satisfaction😌

🍽️However, at the beginning and during their meal, they prefer to drink ouzo or tsipouro🥃 (and sometimes beer or wine) accompanied by some mezedes (shared starters) on the table.

If the taverna provides live music 🎤🎼🪕🎵🎻and entertainment, it is possible that people will start dancing, smashing plates and saying OPA!

🧐Did you also know that…
a typical Greek thing to say before drinking is
YA MAS (cheers) with your glass lifted!🥂

In fact the toasting tradition started from Ancient Greece🏛️

The Ancient Greeks poured wine🍷 during ceremonies, honoring the gods and hoping for good health and answers to prayers🙏

Well now, we’d like to say CHEERS TO YOU🥂and may you have the best time during your vacations in Greece🇬🇷!

Follow us for more insights😍

Copyright: blumovo, pixabay

02/09/2024

The 88th TIF-HELEXPO (ΔΕΘ) in Thessaloniki starts in just a few days. If anyone is still looking for a centrally located hotel accommodation in Thessaloniki between 6.9.-10.9.24, please contact us.

Σε λίγες ημέρες θα ξεκινήσει στη Θεσσαλονίκη η 88η ΔΕΘ-HELEXPO (ΔΕΘ). Αν κάποιος εξακολουθεί να ψάχνει για διαμονή σε ξενοδοχείο σε κεντρική τοποθεσία στη Θεσσαλονίκη μεταξύ 6.9.-10.9.24, παρακαλώ επικοινωνήστε μαζί μας.

21/08/2024

TURTLES ON MOUNT YMITTOS🐢🐢🐢


Turtles can be found in many places of Greece, on mountains, villages and even in towns, if there is enough greenery🍃🌿🌱

Also, it’s not unusual for Greeks to find a turtle in their garden🥬 🪴. They move slowly, but steadily and if you count the rings on their shell, you can estimate how old they are😉

Should you like the idea of combining urban and nature vibes, look no further as we have the best half-day tour in Athens, available all year round!
🍂❄️🌸☀️

Just click here:
👉HIKING MT. YMITTOS
https://blumovo.com/tour/hiking-mt-ymittos/

🤗And join us on a hike on Mount Ymittos⛰️!

Athens apart from lots of hills (Lykabettus Hill, Philopappou Hill, Pnyx Hill), it also has mountains⛰️⛰️⛰️⛰️

Mount Ymittos is popular for its numerous walking trails!🥾🥾

On our tour, you’ll see beautiful monasteries, stunning views of the whole city of Athens🏙️ and even a glance of the Saronic Gulf🌊

As you follow the paths and observing the beautiful nature, look closer 👀 and you might also see some turtles😉

SEA-TURTLES
In Greece there are 🌊🐢SEA- turtles 🐢 🌊 as well, with the most famous ones being the endangered species of Caretta caretta in protected nesting sites on Zakynthos Island🏝️and Kyparisia Gulf.

Did you know that you can swim with them🤿??
There are many organized tours and the same applies with swimming with dolphins!!🐬

If you need more info, send us a message📧

Copyright: blumovo, Attika Paths

13/08/2024

🎉HAPPY 15TH OF AUGUST☀️☀️☀️


Astypalea is part of the Dodecanese island group.

It is common in Greek islands to name their capital Chora. Astypalea’s Chora is a very beautiful town with white🤍 houses with blue💙 doors and windows.

Another beautiful landmark are its 8 🌬️windmills 🌬️and ecclesiastical museums!

There is also a castle on the highest top of the town and below lies the famous and most beautiful church of the Dodecanese islands🔝🔝🔝:

🔔The Church Panagia Portaitissa🔔

The BIGGEST 🎊🎉festival of this island is on the 15th of August, when the Greek Orthodox church celebrates the Assumption of Virgin Mary.

For this reason, locals will gather for a 3-day long celebration 🎉 🎶🍷🐑🥗at the church of Panagia Portaitissa⛪️

Its pebbled floor churchyard is set up with violins🎻🎻🎶and people of all ages dance in circles on the 14th and 15th of August.

These dances last until dawn🌅

On the 16th of August the traditional “koukania”take place! These are various competitions such as races, swimming and 🐓“catching the rooster”🐓

In general, the 15th of August is celebrated by everyone in Greece!

This is why most people take vacations 🧳during August and visit🚗🚉✈️🚢🛳️ their families in the villages in the mainland or on the islands🏝️!

They have big feasts 🍗🥗🥩🧀🎶🎉🍻🍷at home in their yard or at their balcony. Some also take their friends and family and go to eat in a restaurant or taverna!

After this celebration the 🌞summer🌞 is almost over…

🎧Here you can listen to one of the most famous Greek summer songs :
🎶summer rendezvous🎶: https://youtu.be/3vreBJPhsE0?si=3oa6jo7YU1v8fsz5

Even though the summer is coming to an end don’t worry!! In Blumovo we have packages all year round🍂❄️🌸☀️

Visit Greece anytime😉

Follow us for more tips and insights!

Copyright: blumovo
📸 Daphne Melitsi

11/08/2024

HIKING WITH THE VIEW OF 💙BLUE & WHITE🤍


Do you wish to see up close the picture-perfect white cube houses of the Cycladic Islands?

We have created a FANTASTIC 8-day hiking tour experience taking place on Naxos🏝️, Koufonisi🏝️ and Amorgos🏝️!

During our hikes…

🥾On Naxos, we pass through archaeological treasures: marble stones, Venetian fortress, castle and a mountain cave, which allegedly was Zeus’ birthplace.

🥾On Koufonisi, we explore everything on foot as it is a very small car-free island with incredible beaches!

🥾On Amorgos, we pass through traditional villages, visit cliff-side monasteries and whitewashed churches.

Of course, on every island we will satisfy our hunger with the most delicious Greek food!
🥗🧀🫒🧅🥘🍋🥩🍗

Book this tour for September!🌤️
As the sun is lower on the horizon and a refreshing breeze🌬️ will help us enjoy our hikes even more!

Also, the sea temperature is ideal when we dive into the crystal clear waters🪸🤿

For groups with 4+ participants, more available dates can apply😌

For more info,click here:
HIKING ON NAXOS, KOUFONISI AND AMORGOS
👉https://blumovo.com/tour/hiking-cyclades-naxos-koufonisi-amorgos/

Copyright: blumovo, Trip in Greece