This week we’ve a collection of Greek news, a meze if you like, or even a smorgasbord. We start with a follow-on from last week’s newsletter about Greek property, as the UK’s Express newspaper has reported that the island of Samos is the ideal place in Greece to retire to. They give lots of reasons, but forget one very important one - Samos makes great wine, and has a fascinating wine museum. How better to spend your pension?
Samos is a Wonderful Place to Retire
Golden Visas
And as a follow-on from that follow-on, if you’re thinking of taking advantage of the Greek Golden Visas scheme then you’d better get a move on. This is the scheme that gives foreigners buying property in certain parts of Greece automatic five-year residency rights. In some places you’re soon going to have to buy property worth at least €800,000. You can read more here:
5-Star Hotels
The American Forbes Travel Guide has published its 66th annual list of the world’s best hotels. It covers over 2,000 hotels, so the fact that only twelve of them are in Greece is a little surprising. What’s not surprising is that the leading Greek hotels are in Athens, Mykonos and Santorini. You can find out which Greek hotels merit the coveted 5-Star Forbes rating here:
Forbes Travel Guide: 12 Greek Hotels Receive ‘Star Awards’ for 2024
Nettle Pie
In one part of our garden in England, we always have a healthy crop of nettles. Last year Donna tried making nettle shampoo from them, with… er, mixed results. But this year we’ll have a new challenge when the stingey thingies start to emerge. We came across a recipe for a Greek dish we’d never heard of before: Nettle Pie. It includes feta and some wild fennel - so we’d better get planting fennel soon!
The Peloponnese for Foodies
Staying with the subject of food, a really good travel piece appeared in the British newspaper The Independent this week. Travel writer Clare Hargreaves takes us on a foodie tour to her favourite places in the Peloponnese, and this is a story we’re definitely going to digitally cut out and keep, for when we make our own trip to the Peloponnese later this year. We’re updating the excellent Bradt Guide to the Peloponnese, and some of these restaurants definitely need checking out in person. We just have to have that roast suckling pig in Kalamata.
Greece at the Forefront
And finally, well done to Greece for becoming the first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex marriages, against the wishes of church officials.
Greece becomes first Orthodox Christian country to legalise same-sex marriage
Till next time
Mike and Donna