After a strict six-month lockdown, Greece opens its doors to tourists.
In addition, the country has established a safe travel corridor with the UAE that allows fully vaccinated travellers to move freely between the two countries. Under the agreement, passengers holding vaccination certificates can now travel to Greece without having to quarantine on arrival. From May 18, the same rule will apply for travellers flying from Greece to the UAE.
While most tourists will be hot-footing it to the islands, Athens – close to the port of Piraeus – is currently abuzz with energy, following a winter in which all bars, restaurants and cafes remained closed, so it is well worth lingering in the city for a few days.
Where to stay in Athens?
Athens is sprawling and hotels are dotted across the valley that the city inhabits – you can opt for views of the Acropolis, proximity to the city's hipster neighbourhoods or, if you prefer, take a bit of a breather from the summer heat in the northern and coastal suburbs.
If you want to feel the pull of the city’s nightlife and prefer to stroll home after an intense meze, Monastiraki, Plaka and Syntagma are the spots to stay in, while those wanting an escape from the hum of the inner city might want to head to the suburbs.
In the north, the fancy Kifisia neighbourhood boasts Semiramis, an art hotel that's akin to a Wes Anderson set. Or, get some serious beach time by staying on the coastline towards Vouliagmeni. The options are seemingly endless, but here’s a few of our favourites in the white city.
For a cultural hub in the heart of Athens: Shila
A treat for the senses, "hotel particulier" Shila sits tucked into a pedestrianised street. Built in the 1920s as a private residence, Shila has only six suites, offering a taste of what it might have been like to have lived in Athens of old. Original details such as the terrazzo floor, sweeping staircases and impossibly high ceilings are a world away from the 1960s apartment blocks that now dominate downtown Athens.
Add to that thoughtful design flourishes in the form of dreamily draped textiles, custom-made industrial furniture and light fixtures (now also being sold from the hotel) and the works of local artists. With its roof-top bar and regular pop-up events, Shila is more than a boutique hotel, it serves as a cultural hub for the city’s artistic community.
Stay here for pause, reflection and tranquility in the heart of the capital. The garden suites are best for those wishing to immerse themselves in a spot of greenery.
For the best food: Ergon House
A self-professed foodie hotel, Ergon House is a five-minute stroll from the central square and houses of parliament at Syntagma. It offers its own restaurant and an organic deli stacked full of Greek produce.
Above the industrial-feeling "marketplace", with its open deli counter, olive tree centrepiece (a symbol of Greek hospitality) and vertical orchard of basil, rosemary and oregano, the hotel comprises four floors and 38 rooms. There’s also a kitchen for cooking up whatever you fancy from the deli and an olive tree-lined terrace with panoramic views to enjoy your lunch from.
Marrying old and new in this lofty neoclassical structure, the hotel's designers – made up of native architects, engineers and interior designers – have injected traditional Greek design into elegant and contemporary rooms. The Penteli marble sinks in each room are actually repurposed steps from old Athenian staircases, while the low beds with mattresses set onto an elevated section of floor nod to traditional village homes in which beds would be placed on a mezzanine to make room for an entire family.
For architectural clout: Hilton Athens Hotel
Arguably the most famous hotel in Athens, the Hilton, designed by famed Greek architect Emmanouil Vourekas, stands as a testament to the architecture and design boom that swept through the city in the 1960s.
It’s one of Athens’ first "high-rise" buildings and remains one of the city's tallest at 65 metres high. Hailed as the building that brought modernism to Athens, it takes on a V-shape and was crafted from Greece’s native Penteli marble. On either side of the hotel are works of art by Greek visual artist Yannis Moralis – symbols of Ancient Greece that act as a contrast to the otherwise modern structure. Head to the hotel’s Galaxy Bar on the roof for impressive views over the city and a chance to rub shoulders with Athens’ movers and shakers.
For the best Acropolis rooms: Perianth Hotel
Located in a square where locals pour out of kafeneons and bars well into the night, Perianth is a hotel with a strong design vision. Works from contemporary Greek artists can be found dotted around the hotel and the interior is composed around a main "avenue", with rooms set off side alleys to represent the layout of the city. The marble and velvet dotted dining room and lounge, along with the wellness centre, have been designed to represent neighbourhood squares – communal spaces to relax in with an iced coffee in hand.
The curved lines of the balconies that wrap themselves into Perianth’s original exterior are mirrored on the inside of the hotel with streamlined walls that curve into doors. Terrazzo floors lend each room a lightness and nod to classic Athenian apartments, while American walnut furniture and soft pink velvet fabrics add an element of luxury.
Our favourite room is the Perianth penthouse, which has its own pool and jacuzzi, and offers panoramic view of Athens. And if the heat of the city gets to be too much, you can always zone out in the Zen Centre, with yoga and meditation inspired by Socrates.
For time on the beach: Astir Palace
If a rooftop pool does not quite hit the spot when it comes to your sun-soaking needs, the Astir Palace hotel in the city's southern suburb of Vouliagmeni is a good bet. It's a 25-minute drive out of the city centre but the newly renovated hotel (another work of modernist architecture) is worth the taxi ride.
It’s Greece’s first Four Seasons hotel and offers a lux stay on its own beach, complete with a beach-side infinity pool for the best of both worlds. It's the ultimate spot for down-time after an archaeological tour of the city’s ancient Acropolis.
For proximity to the Acropolis and Ancient Agora: Inn Athens
Upon entering this boutique hotel, with its pretty neoclassical facade and grand atrium, you might expect a traditional Athenian townhouse accented with 19th-century artwork and antique furniture. In fact, clean, modernist lines and contemporary details welcome visitors in each of the rooms at Inn Athens. The subtle grey of the exterior's original doors is carried through into the colour palette of each of the 20 rooms, but that's about all that marries the outside with the fully renovated interior.
Linking tourist-trundled Plaka with the cool, calm interior of Inn Athens is a creamy marble arcade leading to a quiet courtyard. Breakfast is taken here, with the courtyard’s tables circling a lush, bitter orange tree, a world away from the traffic of central Athens. Inside, the rooms feature textured poured concrete walls and beds set on marble slabs for a contrast of industrial and classic materials.
The hotel adds a contemporary edge to Plaka's otherwise traditional architecture and it is conveniently located between the ancient ruins of the Acropolis and the Olympian Temple of Zeus. We'd plump for a deluxe room offering a view of Inn Athens' best asset, its ultra zen courtyard.
For something a little less traditional: Semiramis
Deviating from the traditional washed-out-whites and sea blues of Greece, Semiramis pops with acid pinks and fluorescent tones. Yes! Hotels group isn’t one to bend to tradition and this hotel in Athens’ northern suburbs is no exception.
Its candy-coloured palette and sci-fi touches (we love the futuristic Do Not Disturb messages that you can programme yourself to flash from the floor outside your room) are a reflection of owner Dakis Joannou’s bold art collection. Joannou is one of Greece’s most prolific contemporary art collectors and his hotels benefit from the irreverent works in his collection. Semiramis hosts regular art exhibitions from the hotel and works by artists such as Jeff Koons, Tim Noble and Sue Webster hang from the halls and foyer. Stay here to experience life in Athens’ leafy northern suburbs as well as the best sushi in the city.
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
If%20you%20go
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Children who witnessed blood bath want to help others
Aged just 11, Khulood Al Najjar’s daughter, Nora, bravely attempted to fight off Philip Spence. Her finger was injured when she put her hand in between the claw hammer and her mother’s head.
As a vital witness, she was forced to relive the ordeal by police who needed to identify the attacker and ensure he was found guilty.
Now aged 16, Nora has decided she wants to dedicate her career to helping other victims of crime.
“It was very horrible for her. She saw her mum, dying, just next to her eyes. But now she just wants to go forward,” said Khulood, speaking about how her eldest daughter was dealing with the trauma of the incident five years ago. “She is saying, 'mama, I want to be a lawyer, I want to help people achieve justice'.”
Khulood’s youngest daughter, Fatima, was seven at the time of the attack and attempted to help paramedics responding to the incident.
“Now she wants to be a maxillofacial doctor,” Khulood said. “She said to me ‘it is because a maxillofacial doctor returned your face, mama’. Now she wants to help people see themselves in the mirror again.”
Khulood’s son, Saeed, was nine in 2014 and slept through the attack. While he did not witness the trauma, this made it more difficult for him to understand what had happened. He has ambitions to become an engineer.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Kanye%20West
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PROFILE OF SWVL
Started: April 2017
Founders: Mostafa Kandil, Ahmed Sabbah and Mahmoud Nouh
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport
Size: 450 employees
Investment: approximately $80 million
Investors include: Dubai’s Beco Capital, US’s Endeavor Catalyst, China’s MSA, Egypt’s Sawari Ventures, Sweden’s Vostok New Ventures, Property Finder CEO Michael Lahyani
Company Profile
Name: JustClean
Based: Kuwait with offices in other GCC countries
Launch year: 2016
Number of employees: 130
Sector: online laundry service
Funding: $12.9m from Kuwait-based Faith Capital Holding
MATCH INFO
Quarter-finals
Saturday (all times UAE)
England v Australia, 11.15am
New Zealand v Ireland, 2.15pm
Sunday
Wales v France, 11.15am
Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
Pathaan
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Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
QUARTER-FINAL
Wales 20-19 France
Wales: T: Wainwright, Moriarty. Cons: Biggar (2) Pens: Biggar 2
France: T: Vahaamahina, Ollivon, Vakatawa Cons: Ntamack (2)
MATCH INFO
Rugby World Cup (all times UAE)
Final: England v South Africa, Saturday, 1pm
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Company profile
Date started: Founded in May 2017 and operational since April 2018
Founders: co-founder and chief executive, Doaa Aref; Dr Rasha Rady, co-founder and chief operating officer.
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: Health-tech
Size: 22 employees
Funding: Seed funding
Investors: Flat6labs, 500 Falcons, three angel investors
match details
Wales v Hungary
Cardiff City Stadium, kick-off 11.45pm
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Tour de France 2017: Stage 5
Vittel - La Planche de Belles Filles, 160.5km
It is a shorter stage, but one that will lead to a brutal uphill finish. This is the third visit in six editions since it was introduced to the race in 2012. Reigning champion Chris Froome won that race.
Company%20Profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Test series fixtures
(All matches start at 2pm UAE)
1st Test Lord's, London from Thursday to Monday
2nd Test Nottingham from July 14-18
3rd Test The Oval, London from July 27-31
4th Test Manchester from August 4-8
Jewel of the Expo 2020
252 projectors installed on Al Wasl dome
13.6km of steel used in the structure that makes it equal in length to 16 Burj Khalifas
550 tonnes of moulded steel were raised last year to cap the dome
724,000 cubic metres is the space it encloses
Stands taller than the leaning tower of Pisa
Steel trellis dome is one of the largest single structures on site
The size of 16 tennis courts and weighs as much as 500 elephants
Al Wasl means connection in Arabic
World’s largest 360-degree projection surface
Overview
Cricket World Cup League Two: Nepal, Oman, United States tri-series, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu
Fixtures
Wednesday February 5, Oman v Nepal
Thursday, February 6, Oman v United States
Saturday, February 8, United States v Nepal
Sunday, February 9, Oman v Nepal
Tuesday, February 11, Oman v United States
Wednesday, February 12, United States v Nepal
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
CHATGPT%20ENTERPRISE%20FEATURES
%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Enterprise-grade%20security%20and%20privacy%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Unlimited%20higher-speed%20GPT-4%20access%20with%20no%20caps%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Longer%20context%20windows%20for%20processing%20longer%20inputs%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Advanced%20data%20analysis%20capabilities%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Customisation%20options%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Shareable%20chat%20templates%20that%20companies%20can%20use%20to%20collaborate%20and%20build%20common%20workflows%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Analytics%20dashboard%20for%20usage%20insights%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%E2%80%A2%20Free%20credits%20to%20use%20OpenAI%20APIs%20to%20extend%20OpenAI%20into%20a%20fully-custom%20solution%20for%20enterprises%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
RESULT
Valencia 3
Kevin Gameiro 21', 51'
Ferran Torres 67'
Atlanta 4
Josip Llicic 3' (P), 43' (P), 71', 82'
