Storm Alerts, A €50M Greek Island For Sale, and Carnival Fever 🎭

👋 Hey there expats,

In this week’s newsletter, we’re sharing with you our weekly roundup of news in Greece, concerning bureaucracy, immigration or administration, as well as a new article featured by our collaborating partner, Berlitz Athens spotlighting the upcoming the Greek Carnival season, “Apokries”.

Did you know? You Can Buy an Island Next to Mykonos

Did you know that a private, uninhabited island just a few miles from Mykonos is currently on the market? Known as Tragonisi (or Dragonisi), this 617-acre gem is for sale with an expected price tag of €50 million ($54 million). While the island is characterized by its rocky terrain and lack of greenery, it is a hidden paradise for adventurers, with spectacular sea caves and turquoise waters.

Tragonisi is also home to the small chapel of Panagia, which hosts an exclusive festival every June 11th, traditionally attended only by men. Despite its seclusion, the island’s proximity to Mykonos makes it an alluring prospect for luxury development, offering a rare opportunity to own a private sanctuary within reach of Greece’s most cosmopolitan nightlife and high-end amenities.

Read here.

In the news

⛈️Three Waves of Severe Weather to Hit Greece — Read here.

🎬 Brad Pitt set to visit Hydra for filming of new movie ‘The Riders’ – Read here.

⛰️ Walking Ymittos: A mountain at the edge of Athens – Read here.

On the blog – a guest post by Berlitz Athens

🎠 Apokries in Greece: The Greek Carnival Explained for Expats

Greece’s Carnival season, known as “Apokries”, is the festive season preceding Lent, a period of masquerading, eating, drinking and dancing, which reaches its peak with extravagant parades of giant floats and colorful street groups. Traditionally, it begins ten weeks before Greek Orthodox Easter and culminates on the weekend before “Clean Monday,” (Ash Monday) the first day of Lent. “Apokria”, literally means “goodbye” to the period of meat-eating, or abstinence from meat (Apo-kreo, meaning away from meat).

The first week of the carnival is typically free from fasting up to Meatfare Sunday, the last day of meat consumption until Easter. The Thursday preceding Meatfare Sunday kicks off a long weekend of celebration that gives everyone the perfect excuse to get the meat out of their freezers and refrigerators, and is also another excuse to have a party; this Thursday is known as Tsiknopempti – literally Charred, Smoky or Barbeque Thursday – because of the all-pervading scent of grilled meat in the air, as family and friends gather at taverns or backyards to consume generous quantities of meat and celebrate before the beginning of Lent.

Read more about the Greek custom here.

That's it for this week's newsletter! As always, feel free to reach out with any questions, suggestions, or if you'd like to be featured.

Wishing you a fantastic week ahead filled with Greek adventures and memorable experiences.

Yassas!

The “My Greek Expat Journey” Team

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