Plaka is built under the Acropolis rock, in the "heart" of Athens. It is a traditional district that was thankfully spared during the first "wave" of residential development in Athens. Athenians visit Plaka everyday but especially during the weekends. They never seem to get enough. They photograph the houses and the paved alleys and post the images online. There are pages on social media, with thousands of followers, dedicated to Plaka. Everyone, from teenagers to the elderly, have something to say about Plaka.

The "Art Athina 2018" International Contemporary Art Fair took place at the Conservatory of Athens from the 21st to the 24th of June. This fair is an annual event in Athens and is highly anticipated by many. Aside from the exhibition the fair also had a parallel program which consisted of speeches, workshops and special tributes. The artwork presented in this article is just a small sample of what was showcased and in random order. Photographs don’t do the artwork justice as the pictures were taken with non-specialized equipment, during a tour of the fair. The exhibition areas were comfortable for the visitors. Artists and visitors engaged in vigorous artistic discussions. Even the kiosks were artistically set up. Most of the visitors were young at age.

Anafiotika in Plaka is a Cycladic neighborhood in the centre of Athens, situated right under the Acropolis. It was created in the second half of the 19th century by residents of the Island Anafi, who had come to the capital in search of work. The houses are all whitewashed, with colored windows and small yards filled with bougainvilleas. The maze-like alleys between the houses are so narrow that one person can just barely fit through.

In the awful morning of the 29th of May 1453, Hagia Sophia was crowded with women, children and elder people, who were watching their life's last service. When the Ottomans arrived shouting outside the church the heavy door was bolted. At first they tried to open it by clanking their swords on it and pushing it with their bodies, but it was strongly resisting. Then they were rushing and striking it with heavy wooden beams.

According to the tradition, on May 29th 1453, a monk of Baloukli Abbey in Constantinople was frying fish beside the holy water gushing at the foundation of the monastery, when someone informed him that the city was conquered. "Only if the fish jump out of the frying pan and get into the Holy Water shall I believe you", the monk answered. He hadn't finished his word when the half-fried fish jumped into the water. That is how the Zoodohou Pigi's monastery took the name Baloukli, coming from the Turkish word "balik", which means fish.

A couple of years ago, a new Acropolis Museum was constructed to house the Parthenon Marbles. It’s a world class architectural structure, located opposite the Acropolis and with a stunning view towards the cultural gem of Athens. The Museum was designed by architects Bernard Tschumi and Michael Fotiadis.

In Spring, Ioannina resemble an outdoor impressionist painting workshop. A walk by the lake shores can work as a healing experience; however, one can find corners in the city where nature flourishes and colours are offered in plenty. Ioannina is beautiful during all seasons of the year. This is why photographers love it.

The ruins of ancient Dion, Pieria are sprawled at the foot of Mount Olympus. The ancient city which flourished in the 5th century B.C. was one of the most famous Macedonian cities. Excavations revealed the ancient city with all of its commodities along with statues, pottery, mosaics and inscriptions of immense historic and artistic value. During the era of Alexander the Great, Dion was an important city and it was the place from where the general marched off to battle in Asia. Besides rich history, the village offers its guests beautiful landscapes. The modern village -close to the ancient ruins- is well maintained, has an impressive archaeological museum and good tourist service infrastructure.

When the sun sets, the arcades around Aristotelous Square in Thessaloniki are almost deserted. One by one, the shops close and only the tavernas remain open. The old and the new coexist harmoniously in Thessaloniki, just a couple of meters apart.

"The songs about Kolokotronis touched my soul without me noticing it. Everyone used to sing in my village and in my home too. My mother used to say: In the evening we'll go visit your uncle and you can sing for us. I’ll pay you five cents for your performance. If my silence and embarrassment didn't go away she would tell me again: You better sing, otherwise I will have to give you ten cents".

"On the 29th of August we go to Limpovissi, for the celebration of St. Ioannis church outside the house of the Greek hero Theodoros Kolokotronis. At six o' clock in the morning we are very proud to put on our costumes and go to the church and have our arms blessed by the priest. Then we bring around the icon and have a memorial service at Kolokotronis's house. And then what? We begin to sing about Kolokotronis and the echo of the gorges gets really creepy".

A scenic town situated at an altitude of 970m on the slopes of Parnassos mountain. It’s not very far from Athens (180km) and is very close to the archaeological site of Delphi (12km) and the Parnassos Ski Resort (25km). It has excellent hotels, many of which seem to be hanging off the edge of the mountain. The scenery is magnificent and visitors seem to think they are on an airplane looking down. Cliffs and mountainous terrain all around and in the distance one can see the blue of the Corinthian gulf. An environment of absolute calm interrupted only by the distant sounds of sheep bells and axes chopping wood for fireplaces. At the local tavernas, visitors can taste local meat and cheeses as well as heavenly syrupy desserts, which they will never forget. The tourist infrastructures are plenty and of good quality and promise to satisfy the preferences of all visitors, regardless of age.

Greece offers extremely beautiful scenery, tropical beaches on one hand and high, snowy mountains on the other. Thousands of Greeks are passionate about gliding on the snow and, every chance they get, they go up to the mountains in order to confront the elements of nature. Parnassos Ski Resort is always a surprise for those who visit it for the first time. Huge installations that reach the altitude of 2,260m and giant lifts, which lead to 23 slopes totaling 34km. While gliding on the snow, skiers see amazing landscapes unfolding in front of their eyes, as if they were on a plane.

The Archaeological Museum of Nicosia houses magnificent exhibits, through which the Greek roots of the island magically unfold.