Rafting in Lousios river, Peloponnese, Greece

The anniversary of the Greek revolution

Agia Lavra- The raise of the revolution flag

“It’s better to live one hour as a free man, than forty years as a slave”

Rigas Feraios- Greek writer  (1757-1798)

The 25^th March is a national celebration in Greece. On this day, we honor the heroes of the Greek revolution in 1821, who with courage and patriotism gave their lives for the freedom of our country. From 29^th May 1453, after the fall of the City, and for four centuries, the Greeks lived under the Ottoman yoke. Many Greeks could not withstand the Ottoman yoke and took refuge in the mountains. These were the pioneers of the Greek revolution.

On 25^th March 1821, at the monastery of “Megisti Lavra” in Kalavryta, the bishop Palaion Patron Germanos raised the revolution banner. It was then, that officially the revolution had started and led the Greeks after many fights and sacrifices to the liberation and recognition of the Greek state in 1830 with the treaty of London.

Two years later, in 14 August 1832were defined the borders of Greece. In December of the same year the Ottoman Empire accepts this decision and starts the course of the New Greek State. The celebration of the 25^th March as a national holyday was established by decree in 1838 and the same year were made the first official celebrations.

That year a thanksgiving celebration took place in the temple of Agia Irini in Athens, where a great number of people had gathered and between them were many fighters of the revolution, who were deified. After the thanksgiving a feast begun in the Klathmonos square in Athens and in the evening they lighted fires at the Acropolis. Since then the 25^th March is celebrated each year as a day dedicated to the heroes of the 1821 revolution.

Acropolis Museum

Stringed instruments in ancient Greece.

 Music was an important part of the daily life of Greek people. Greek people loved music and thought that it was a gift from the Gods and they thought that it was a way of honoring them. Let's have a look at some of the stringed instruments of ancient Greece: The symbol of Apollo the Lyre: 

The Kithara (Guitar) an instrument of the Lyre family that took a great deal of skill to play:

The epigonion (Harp),
the ancient instrument with the largest number of strings, maybe forty: 

The Pythagoras (single-stringed, monochord), was an instrument that was used to study musical intervals:

There are many more ancient Greek stringed instruments, each one with different and unique characteristics and versions. We just mentioned some of the most popular instruments of ancient Greece.

"Tsiknopempth" and the tradition behind it.

"Tsiknopempth" is called the Thursday of  the second week of "Triodio" and is a day when people celebrate by eating meat that is fried or grilled. 

The word "tsikna" which is the first synthetic of the word "Tsiknopempth" means smell of burning food due to the way that the meat is prepared. 

At the same week Orthodox people will fast on Wednesday and Friday and a forty day fasting will begin in about ten days after "Tsiknopempth" .

The promotion of Discover-Peloponnese.com portal in the tourism exhibition Fiets en Wandelbeurs in Utrecht, Netherlands.

The owner and general director of the Discover-Peloponnese.com portal Christos Panagiotopoulos, attended the tourism exhibition Fiets en Wandelbeurs, which took place during 20-21st of February in Utrecht , Netherlands. This exhibition was an ideal chance for Christos to promote the holiday packages that his portal offers and meet new possible cooperators. The concept of the exhibition is to bring people to a personal contact, in order to discuss about their holiday plans, learn information about their holiday destinations and get acquainted to tour operators such as Christos and his team.