Greek Mythology Combined With Halcyon Days

Greek Mythology combined with Halcyon days! You might wonder what this means, but as in every country and season, there are natural phenomena.

A Greek winter can be cold and in the mountainous areas, it always snows. However, every year there are also some very warm days with a lot of sunshine. They are called the “Halcyon days” or “Alkionides Meres“. Unfortunately, we never know on which days exactly those calm bright days will come. Usually, it is the period after Christmas until the end of January when there is a non-interrupted period of days with clear blue skies and warm temperatures, which at least in the Athens region can reach more than 20°C during day-time.
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The Athens Classic Marathon

The Athens Classic Marathon is one of the most important sports events hosted by the city of Athens. Thousands of runners from all over the world participate in every year’s race. Apart from the sportive event, they have the chance to enjoy Greek hospitality, to discover the fascinating landscape and to explore a city which is constantly improving its standards.

Read this article in Greek

Of course, nowadays the Marathon race is held in many major cities around the world, but there is only one “Authentic Marathon”, in Greece 🙂
It takes place every year in Attiki, from the village of Marathon till centre Athens, beginning of November.

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Naxos – The largest island of the Cyclades

Naxos island is the largest island of the Cyclades island group in the Aegean Sea.
It is known for its beautiful beaches, ancient ruins, and rich history, as well as its production of marble and agricultural products. Naxos is a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors with its scenic landscapes, traditional villages, and vibrant culture.
At Omilo, we are teaching our summer courses on the island of Syros, since 2005, from where we can see Naxos island, with clear weather.

 

Note: The Naxos course will take a little break in 2026 and it won’t take place that year.
We’re not yet sure about 2027, so stay tuned!
For the latest updates on all current courses and locations, please visit the page below.
The information here remains useful for your reference or for future Omilo courses.
https://omilo.com/greek-language-courses/year-overview/
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Syros island and amazing Hermoupolis

Syros island and Hermoupolis town, are locations our students love deeply.
Every Summer, since 2005, Omilo organizes Greek Language and Culture Courses on the Cycladic island of Syros.
After all those years, the island feels like a second home to the Omilo team, as well as to many returning students.
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The Island Of Lefkada (Lefkas)

Lefkada, also called Lefkas, is a beautiful Greek island in the Ionian Sea on the west coast of Greece; south of Corfu, and North of Kefalonia island.
The island is connected to the mainland by a long causeway and floating bridge.
Because Omilo organizes every year a  Greek Language and Culture courses on Lefkada island, during the month of May / June,
we love to introduce you to some facts as well as to the rich mythological tradition of this Greek island.

Click here to read this article in Greek and listen to the AUDIO

The Myth Of Lefkada

Almost every place in Greece has a mythical tradition. Ancient Greeks always wanted to associate places with stories about Gods or famous heroes. Read more

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The Greek Traditional Christmas Boat | Omilo

The Greek Traditional Christmas Boat is very popular again since the last decade.

Do you prefer a Christmas tree or a Christmas boat?

(Greek text below)

The decoration of the Christmas tree is not a Greek habit. It is said that the first Christmas tree in Greece was introduced and decorated by the Bavarian king Otto in 1833. In Greece, according to tradition, we decorate a boat, mainly on the islands. The boat symbolizes the maritime identity of the country. Greeks, a seafaring nation, of course, combined the celebration of Christmas with the sea. The decoration of the ship was also a kind of honor and welcome to the sailors returning home to celebrate Christmas with their families.

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Mikis Theodorakis, The Legendary Greek Composer

Already several years have passed, without Mikis Theodorakis…

Mikis Theodorakis, the beloved and internationally known Greek composer,
whose music and political life are also well-known abroad, died on September 2nd, 2021. He was 96.

Theodorakis’ career, which started in his early years, produced a hugely varied body of work.
He has not only composed symphonic music, music for operas, ballet, chamber music, but of course a great number of Greek songs.

Apart from his musical career, he is also remembered by Greeks for his stubborn opposition to postwar regimes and dictatorships.

He will be never forgotten.

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The Temple of Poseidon, in Sounion, Attica

When you visit Athens , not only you can explore the capital of Greece, but at the same time you can also make several one-day excursions to nearby coastal villages, beaches and archaeological sites within the prefecture of Attica. One of the trips we believe is really worth it to add to your “list”, is to visit the “temple of Poseidon” in Sounion, at about 60 km from centre Athens. You can combine it with a swim in the clear waters of the Aegean sea or a nice dinner/lunch in one of the fish taverns nearby.

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The Town Of Nafplion And Its History | Omilo

The town of Nafplion is  a beautiful Venetian town with ancient Greek roots and a lot of history.
It is located in the Peloponnese, at 2 hours driving from Athens.

Read this article in Greek

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Accommodation In Nafplion, Peloponnese, While Learning Greek

Where to stay in Nafplion?

If you only intend to visit Nafplion for just a night or two, or for a longer time, we always suggest choosing a hotel or room in the old town of Nafplion. However, if you are coming by car, and you want to park your car close to your hotel, then you might look a bit out of the old town, since there is nearly no availability to park you car in the old town

However, since Omilo organizes a course in Nafplion,  and most of our students do not come by car, but by bus from Athens, we suggest looking for accommodation in the old town, and at walking distance from the school location.

Accommodation options in Nafplion 

Students usually do not have or rent a car, so we suggest accommodation within 500 meters from the course location, and easy to walk to the bus station and beach.

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