Tourism in Greece

Eight migrants - five of them children - drowned in two separate boat accidents off Turkey's Aegean coast early Dec. 18.

Four Iraqi migrants, including two children, drowned after a Greece-bound boat capsized off the Turkish resort town of Bodrum early Dec. 18.

The Hellenic Republic Asset Development Fund (TAIPED) signed contracts with Fraport AG Frankfurt Airport Services Worldwide and its Greek partner Copelouzos Group for the 40-year concessions to operate, manage, develop and maintain 14 regional airports in Greece.

Olive trees whose ages span from 700 to 1,500 years were “rescued” from Aigio in the Peloponnese and are being transplanted around central locations in Athens as part of a project funded by Greek railways subsidiary ERGA OSE SA.

Shopkeepers and sales staff held protests in Athens and Thessaloniki to mark the first of three Sunday opening days for shops during the Christmas season. Protests were held at Athens’ main shopping area at Ermou Street and at the corner of Tsimiski and Agia Sofia streets in Thesslaoniki. Traffic in Thessaloniki was brought to a standstill.

The announcement that Greek and American archaeologists had found the ancient Mycenaean Kingdom’s throne was discussed intensely.

Some 220 migrants, who were left on the deserted Greek island of Kalolimnos instead of the nearby island of Leros, have been rescued by Greek soldiers. 

The migrants were left on Kalolimnos, a small island in the Dodecanese, by the human traffickers who told them that it was Leros. 

Twelve dead bodies were pulled from the sea in northeast Aegean, off the coast of the island of Farmakonisi, after their wooden dinghy capsized shortly after midnight. It is believed that there were 50 migrants on board the vessel, risking the unsafe journey to Europe. Among the dead are reportedly six children, four men and two women. A search is now on to find the other missing people.

The Alonissos tourism committee is inviting couples to get married underwater in the turquoise waters of Alonissos. The initiative is part of an effort to attract more visitors to the island.

Famous photographer and cinematographer Wolf Suschitzky visited Greece in 1960 and captured scenes from everyday life, rural habits and traditions of Greeks in ’60s.

The photos were taken mainly on the island of Skiathos, whereas some are taken on Hydra and Athens.

A proposal by Greek telecom company Cosmote to provide free Wi-Fi at 19 major archeological sites and museums around Greece was approved by the Central Archaeological Council (CAC), Greece’s highest advisory body on the country’s cultural heritage.