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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Greek etymology, is something we often use in our Greek lessons.
But this time, we will use it to explain you a bit more about why we chose the name « omilo » or » ομιλώ ».
« Omilo Greek Language and Culture » was founded in 1996, so we are around for many years 🙂 Even longer than « google » ! 🙂
And …in case you were wondering…
“Omilo” or « ομιλώ¨, actually is a verb and means “I speak”!
Because at Omilo, we really try to focus on « speaking Greek »!
If you already know some Greek, then you now might wonder: Why “omilo » (ομιλώ) and not “milao” (μιλάω)?
Well, both verbs mean « I speak », but the latter is more used in the everyday Greek language, so you will hear it more.
Careful; when you pronounce « omilo », make sure you stress the LAST O, since also there is the stress in the verb; ομιλώ
In May 2019 the Greek Easy Reader was published at Omilo, and since then proved to have made Greek language learners very happy!
The ‘Λυδία: Ένα καλοκαίρι στην Ελλάδα!’ (Lydia: A summer in Greece!) is written for students at the Beginner levels in Greek.
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How to travel to Syros island, from Athens or Mykonos? Because Omilo organizes Greek Language and Culture courses on the island of Syros during the summer months, this is a question many Omilo students are asking us frequently.
First of all, if you looking for a 1- or 2-week course during summer, then click below and check out the dates and availability
For all the details and course dates of the 1-week courses, click here
For all the details and course dates of the 2-week courses, click here
Second, here below you find details, tips and useful information on how most students travel from their country to the course location on Syros island.
The Greek alphabet is unique and special. It has survived thousands of years without significant changes. From the times of Omiros and Platonas, in Byzantine and Kavafis, it ended up in our times with barely any changes to it.
The Omilo teachers are happy to help you learning this beautiful Greek Alphabet!
By the way, it is much easier than it might look.
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What a period it was! Here can read some of our Corona Updates from Greece, written between 202o and 2022 and listen to a Greek Song About… Staying At Home!
In the meantime, 2022 started with some sunny days here in Greece, as well as some snow as well…
Our daily walks in the Athens streets and parks continued, just like in 2020 and 2021. However, since now there is no corona curfew anymore and we are allowed to go further than our municipality, we can also go for daily trips towards the snowy mountains again…something which was not possible last winter.
In the meantime, the world news seems once again taken over by ‘corona’, or « omikron ». The positive news; we are honored Greek letters are used for a pandemic :-), and the entire world gets the chance to learn the Greek alphabet. We realized many non-Greeks have no clue that the viruses are named after letters of the Greek alphabet, but fortunately, our dear students are very well aware 🙂 .
Do you remember the days you were learning the Greek alphabet? Do you remember how many Greek letters come before the omikron, and what is the difference between omikron and omega?
In 2021 we already heard of the « alpha » (referring to the « British » variant), the « beta » ( « South African » variant), the « gamma »( the Brazilian variant), and the « delta » (the « Indian » variant).
But how did we get to « omikron », and why 10 letters of the alphabet are left out?
Staying at home is still very important given the COVID-19 circumstances but it doesn’t have to feel dull. This is why we would like to introduce you to a funny and upbeat Greek song about – what else? – staying at home and relaxing!
#menoumespiti – #westayathome
Accommodation on Syros island; where to stay?
If you only intend to visit Syros for just a night or two, we’d suggest choosing a hotel in Ermoupoli, the island’s beautiful capital. You’d want to spend at least a day in Ermoupoli, doing sightseeing, and exploring this fascinating city. Also, Ano Syros is a great location to spend two days, but far from beaches, and be prepared to walk a lot of steps.
However, since Omilo organizes
1- and 2-week courses on Syros island, in Azolimnos, (4 km south of Hermoupolis)
we, therefore, suggest mostly accommodation close to the course location in the village of Azolimnos.
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Accommodation which is not online
Students usually do not have or rent a car, so we suggest accommodation at about 500 meters from the course location, and easy to walk to from the bus station or course location.
The suggested accommodation below are places where students stay regularly every year, and are at easy walking distance from the course location.
The Galaksi Pension.
When you are registered for a Greek course with Omilo in Syros (village of Azolimnos), we can book a room for you in the Family pension “Galaksi”.
The Galaksi pension is located on a small hill and has a beautiful sea view and a common garden/terrace. The hotel owners are also living there, so you will have a lot of contact. The owners do not speak foreign languages, so you will have the chance to use and practice your Greek!
Since the hotel owners are used to local Greek tourism and do not have a website, we can book the room for you and take care of the reservation. You find the prices on our website, and you can indicate your arrival and departure dates on the registration form. Info
https://www.omilo.com/course-locations/accommodation-in-greece/#syros
However, there are only 6 rooms, so rooms are usually quickly fully booked.
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Of course, there are many other options as well, for every taste and budget. See below
2. Accommodation in Azolimnos, which you can book online
If you prefer to book your own accommodation in Syros, you are very welcome to do so.
Here below you will find an easy search tool to see what is available in the village of Azolimnos and go ahead with booking your accommodation
Note:
a.You’ll find that hotels sometimes remove their listings in the off-season.
b.There will be more complete listings of hotels in Syros between April and October.
c. There are more available hotels and airbnb rooms than we mention below. You can search yourself with the form below
Below are some extra links and suggestions for accommodation in the village of Azolimnos, all at walking distance (between 5 and 10 minutes) from the beach and the Echo House, where the course takes place. So for all the options below, you do not need a car. You can walk to the course location, and use public transport to visit Hermoupolis and other villages/beaches.
Many Omilo students have stayed in those places during previous years and were all happy.
Convenient studios or rooms, all close to the beach,
and at easy walking distance to the course location.
(we only mention some hotel below, which our students have stayed often, and from which it is possible to walk without traffic or on small roads to the beach, bus stop and course location. you do not need to walk on the main road)
Pension Cohili
studios with separate bedroom – behind a tavern and mini market, 100 meters from sea and bus stop, bus sea view for rooms on 1st floor
Pension Kois
studios with separate bedroom – and exactly next to Cohili, see above
Rooms Oasis
Located next to the Galaksi Pension, on the same hill.
Rooms, in different sizes. Some are with kitchenette and others without. Some rooms have a sea view, others do not…so make sure you know which room you book. Located at 300 meters from the beach and course location, on a hill. Beautiful sea view from the terrace, as well as from several rooms.
Very quite, since the road stops there, so no noise of any traffic.
Aegeo Studios and Rooms
(Note; Do not confuse this name with the other places mentions below; Aegean paradise and Aegean View Studios. This name is pronounced in Greek ; « aegeo »)
Located next next to the Oasis and Galaksi Pension, on the same hill, but a bit higher than Galaksi, so you need to walk up,
Rooms, in different sizes. Some are with kitchenette and others without. Very quite, since the road stops there, so no noise of traffic.
Located at 350 meters from the beach and course location, on a hill. Beautiful sea view from the terrace, as well as from several rooms.
Dias Studios
Convenient studios, exactly opposite to the beach, above a tavern, and opposite to a bar. Nice rooms, but you are at the corner of a street, where also busses pass.
If you are sensitive to traffic noice, or tavern noice, then this is maybe not the best option for July and August.
However, many students have stayed here, and they were all satisfied. Some rooms have sea-view, others not.
Aegean View Studio 1 and Studio 2
Convenient studios, exactly opposite to the bus stop, beach, and above the mini-market. Balcony overlooking the sea and seaside road. During summer it could be noisy, since it is in the heart of the village, and the bus stops in front, but convenient since you have everything you need within 100 meters, with a beautiful view.
Many students have stayed here and were very happy.
Aegean Paradiso
In case you prefer a bigger and more luxurious hotel, with a swimming pool , reception desk and breakfast buffet, then this is a good option. They are located about 150 meters from the beach and behind a minimarket and some houses. It is about 500 meters away from Echo House (where the lessons take place). Rooms are all different, with garden view, or swimming pool view and some with sea views.
(Note from our students; Very nice hotel, very good breakfast, but during July and August, the swimming pool is also often visited by guests and children not staying in the hotel, so it can get sometimes crowded and noisy.)
Vivianna’s view
Recently renovated hotels, with luxurious studios, at a quiet location in front of the sea. 500 meters walking distance to the Omilo school, along the sea-side road.
Villa Anemona
4 studios with separate bedroom and kitchenette – quiet, at the end of the road, so no traffic and in front of the sea. The Greek owners are also living there, so you can practice your Greek.
(if you do not find them on booking, then more info on their website at https://www.anemonavillas.gr/ Let them know you are an Omilo student, and you probably will get a reduction (for booking at least 1 or 2 weeks)
Below a map with some more info about the locations of the hotels, although you can also find it on booking.com of course
map of Azolimnos
azolimnos map
Hermoupolis
Hermoupolis is a great location to stay some days before or after your Greek course.
The beautiful town of Ermoupoli is not only the capital of Syros, but also the administrative capital of all the Cycladic islands.
Founded during the Greek Revolution in the 1820s, it was for a time the main industrial and commercial center of the fledgling Greek state.
As Greece developed, Ermoupoli’s importance declined, but not before numerous neoclassical buildings were designed and built.
Today, visitors marvel at the town’s buildings and aesthetics as they walk the streets. It has a very different look and feel to other towns in the Cyclades. Take your time wandering around the main square and streets, you’ll enjoy it!
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT HERMOUPOLIS, CLICK HERE
Ready to travel to Syros island, and book your Greek course?
Then you might also be interested to read;
ferries from Syros to other islands – CLICK HERE
Syros island, its culture and music – CLICK HERE
Visiting Mykonos and Delos for a day trip – CLICK HERE
Τι κάνετε; ‘Oλα καλά;
We hope you are fine, healthy, and safe, after nearly 2 “corona years”. But even in those difficult years, time flew…
We also would like to wish you a nice month of November and a beautiful Autumn.
Ελπίζουμε να είστε καλά, υγιείς και ασφαλείς μετά από σχεδόν 2 « χρόνια κορωνοϊού ». Ωστόσο, ακόμα και σε αυτά τα δύσκολα χρόνια, ο καιρός πέρασε πολύ γρήγορα… Θα θέλαμε επίσης να σας ευχηθούμε να έχετε έναν καλό Νοέμβριο και ένα όμορφο φθινόπωρο.
καλό μήνα! – καλό Φθινόπωρο!
Greece celebrated its National Holiday and Oxi day celebration on October 28th, the time changed again to wintertime, we used our heating at home for the first time in 6 months, all the fruits on the weekly markets look very different from the summer (no melons or figs anymore, but now pomegranates, oranges, lemons, apples, mandarins…), so we now realized we are in the full Autumn season.;-)
Η Ελλάδα γιόρτασε την εθνική της επέτειο και την ημέρα του Όχι στις 28 Οκτωβρίου, η ώρα άλλαξε πάλι σε χειμερινή, ανάψαμε τη θέρμανση στο σπίτι μας για πρώτη φορά μετά από 6 μήνες, όλα τα φρούτα στις λαϊκές είναι πολύ διαφορετικά από το καλοκαίρι (δεν υπάρχουν πεπόνια ή σύκα πια, αλλά τώρα έχουμε ρόδια, πορτοκάλια, λεμόνια, μήλα, μανταρίνια…), οπότε τώρα συνειδητοποιήσαμε ότι είμαστε στην καρδιά του φθινοπώρου! 😉
Because also for Omilo a new season starts again, in Athens, we just wanted to give you a small update.Our last “general corona update #6” was written in April 2021, announcing that we finally were allowed to start the 2021 intensive courses in Greece, from May onward.
And indeed, that is what happened…
Τι κάνεις; Ελπίζουμε να είσαι καλά.
We hope you are fine, healthy and safe, and keeping up with all the corona changes in your country, legal measures, vaccines, etc…
Since our dear students are coming from all over the world and we regularly hear updates and stories, it keeps amazing us how differently every country is dealing with this health crisis.We hope you, or any of your friends/family, did not experience something very traumatic during the last months…
for all of you and us, things are difficult, but let’s try to stay positive, and keep up. The summer is nearly there, …and Greece will be always there 🙂
We hope you are fine, healthy and safe, and keeping up with all the corona changes in your country, legal measures, vaccines, etc…
Since our dear students are coming from all over the world and we regularly hear updates and stories, it keeps amazing us how differently every country is dealing with this health crisis.We hope you, or any of your friends/family, did not experience something very traumatic during the last months…
for all of you and us, things are difficult, but let’s try to stay positive, and keep up. The summer is nearly there, …and Greece will be always there 🙂
In 2021 Omilo celebrates 25 years! Unfortunately, a celebration in corona times is not ideal, so we will celebrate another year! 🙂
However, « the corona period » gave us some time to reflect, and write down history! There are so many memories and stories to tell.
Maya and Dimitris (founders of Omilo) as well as several teachers who were part of Omilo during the last 25 years, will participate in interviews, videos, and podcasts. Lire la suite
