Sunlight on the deck, a soft breeze moving through the rigging. The ship is back at sea. Sails begin to fill, and the course is set. Across the captain’s table, the charts remain open, lines extending beyond the familiar into routes not yet taken. The Greek Expedition is underway – the journey has already begun.

And already, some routes are no longer distant. Some of them are within reach.

Secret Athens – discover it at your own pace

Are you among the lucky ones visiting Athens this spring? With our tour Secret Athens in your headphones, you’ll slip past elegant avenues and discover the quieter corners of the city that most visitors never notice.

▶️ A glimpse of the route:

🎧 Check out the entire tour here:
https://voicemap.me/secretathens
(In Virtual Play mode, you can also follow the tour from anywhere in the world)

Athens – walk the lesser-known city with us

If you prefer to step ashore with us, you’re welcome to join our guided walks through Athens this season. We explore the city in small groups, moving beyond the obvious and into places that rarely make it into guidebooks.

The tours are available in both Swedish and English.

See dates and secure your spot:
https://greekexpedition.com/en/guided-tour-in-athens-lesser-known/

New entries in the log

Along the way, new ports continue to appear in the journal of Greek Expedition:

Further routes taking shape

A new audio journey along one of Athens’ hidden rivers , by Greek Expedition on Voice Map, is nearing completion.

Beyond that, upcoming explorations will take us to Northern Greece, Meteora, and onward to Ioannina, with a closer look at its silver-craft tradition.

At the same time, we’ll explore the atmosphere of Greek Easter as it unfolds across the country.

In the days leading up to it, the rhythm of daily life begins to shift. Bakeries fill with the scent of tsoureki, preparations intensify, eggs get colored red, and shops – especially butcheries – see their busiest days of the year.

On the evening of Good Friday/Megáli Paraskevi, the Epitafios procession moves slowly through the streets, carried by candlelight and silence, as communities gather to the sound of familiar Orthodox hymns echoing softly and stirring memories that reach far back into childhood.

The next night, on Saturday, the Anastasi/Resurrection takes place. People gather outside churches holding unlit candles. At midnight, as the priest proclaims “Christós Anésti” (Christ is risen), the flame is passed from one to another, the bells ring out, the darkness suddenly gives way to light, and fireworks begin to burst across the night sky.

By Sunday, everything changes. Fires are lit early, food is prepared outdoors, and the air fills with smoke, music, and conversation, as families and friends gather around long tables. It is a celebration that is both deeply rooted and widely shared, felt across cities, villages, and islands alike.

The Greek Expedition will be be on the ground during the celebrations, reporting directly from where it all unfolds.

Back on deck – setting a new course

As the days grow longer, the work continues on deck – charting, adjusting, and setting our course for the journeys now unfolding. We look forward to sharing them with you along the way. Until then, thank you for sailing with the Expedition!

Stay connected

If you’d like to follow along more closely, you can join our newsletter and receive updates as new routes, stories, and journeys take shape. It’s completely free, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Sign up here:

❄️ Frost on the railing, lanterns swaying in the cold November breeze – the Greek Expedition lies in dock for the winter. The crew is busy mending the hull and setting new sails for the journeys ahead.

Winter is softly settling around the shipyard. The timbers creak with each gust, and the scent of tar, hemp, and wet planks drifts through the stillness.

Below deck, hammers ring faintly against the ribs of the vessel as old fittings are replaced and new ones take their place.

Are you still not connected to the Expedition? It’s free, and it brings our monthly newsletter, early field notes, special offers, and updates directly to your inbox.
Join us here: https://greekexpedition.com/en/connect-to-the-expedition/

Across the captain’s table, charts lie open with pencil lines tracing routes not yet taken. Every corner of the ship hums with quiet preparation – a season of repair, reflection, and renewal. It is a time when sails are folded and the mast stands bare, yet the promise of distant shores stirs beneath every bolt and beam. The Greek Expedition rests, yes – but it rests only to gather strength for what is to come.

But while the ship lies in harbor, you don’t have to be idle. There are still journeys to embark on, waiting just beyond the horizon of your screen.

Explore the Secret Athens from wherever you are!

With our brand new tour on VoiceMap, you can explore the city through your phone, tablet, or computer, right from your home, for less than $10.
Just sit back, press the Virtual Playback button, and follow the journey as if you were walking through the streets yourself 👇

You can test, preview, and buy the tour here 👉

More about the tour from our blog here>>

❗ ❗❗ Note: If your company or organization would like to distribute the tour to a larger group, we offer special pricing for bulk orders of ten or more. Reach out to us here: contact@greekexpedition.com, tel +46 722 029786 (Swedish), tel +30 698 000 9616 (Greek)

🧩 Quiz about Greece -advanced

And if you’d like a small challenge while waiting for the next journey, try our latest quiz. This time it is a trickier one, to keep the mind traveling while the sails are down. Step into the Greek quiz labyrinth – click the image below to begin:

❗ Note: The quiz above is in Swedish. English version here 👉

Support the Greek Expedition

🧭 The Expedition is expanding – but needs more wind in its sails 🌊

For two years, Greek Expedition has explored and shared a different Greece – through stories, guides, and insights created without ads, sponsors, or paywalls.

Everything you see has been created through personal funding, powered by curiosity and a passion for exploration, discovery, and sharing. That’s how we’ve stayed true to our course: in-depth, personal, and uncompromising in quality.

If you feel our work brings value, help the wind fill our sails and carry the Expedition further – toward new shores.

🙏 Every contribution, large or small, truly helps:

Swish: 0722 029786 – Georges Xyftilis, expedition leader (for Swedish users)
PayPal: paypal.me/georgesxyftilis
IBAN (NORDEA): SE98 3000 0000 0058 0828 9473

Autumn deepens around the harbor, and as the lamps dim for the night, the ship settles into its quiet rhythm. From the deck comes the faint creak of timber in the breeze. Outside, the frost thickens on the railing and the lanterns sway with the tide’s slow breathing.

But life on board never truly sleeps. We stay at work below deck, where plans are drawn, ideas tested, and stories gathered and retold as we chart the course toward the horizons waiting in the spring light. The crew keeps preparing, mending, dreaming — shaping the new great journeys soon to come. We can hardly wait to share them with you.

Until then, thank you for keeping the Expedition afloat! ⛵

Older newsletters from the Expedition here (Swedish) >>

Older newsletters from the Expedition here (English) >>

📣 The mainland has caught sight of the Expedition

It’s a joy to see that the wind has carried our voices to the Greek mainland. Our sails have been spotted on the horizon. Not like an armada – more like a solitary vessel carrying an uncommon cargo: unusual stories about the genuine Greece. And it wasn’t marketers or algorithms who took notice.

In recent months, Greek Expedition has been noticed from unexpected quarters – first in the culture section of Parapolitika, one of Greece’s most widely read news platforms, and more recently in the classic evening newspaper Apogevmatini.

We see it as a sign that our efforts are being recognised – not only for the content of our stories, but for the very choice to present a different Greece, beyond clichés and tired stereotypes. Read the full article in Parapolitika (in English) 👇

⛵ Before we set sail again

It’s been two years since we first raised anchor, and the journey has already brought more than we could have imagined. We’ve chosen a course that often moves more slowly, but leads deeper. Thanks to you, our fellow Greconauts, the Expedition has grown into a living logbook of a different Greece. 

Sharing our discoveries with an ever-growing number of curious travelers is a true privilege.

We’re tied to the quay for a while—not in rest, but in waiting. We’re shifting the cargo. New adventures are beginning to take shape out there in the haze. We sense their outlines and feel the wind turning.
Soon, we’ll raise the sails again, toward new horizons.

🌞 Until then: may the summer bring you fair winds, new horizons, and perhaps a dreamy detour from the beaten paths!

And perhaps, somewhere, you’ll catch sight of a sail on the horizon. Then you’ll know: it’s the Greek Expedition, once again in motion.

Our blog

Here you can browse all the articles on our blog: https://greekexpedition.com/en/blog-page/

Latest posts

• 
  Greek Expedition, ready to sail, March 2026 [newsletter]
  Welcome aboard the Greek Expedition, ready to sail again! Sunlight on the deck, a soft breeze moving through the rigging. The ship is back at sea. Sails begin to fill, and the course is set. Across the captain’s table, the charts remain open, lines extending beyond the familiar into routes not yet taken. The Greek… Read more: Greek Expedition, ready to sail, March 2026 [newsletter]
• 
  Women of Rebetiko – 8 Voices that shaped the genre
  Today, we’ll take a closer look at some of the women of rebetiko who helped shape and spread the music far beyond Greece’s borders. The history of rebetiko is often told through its great male figures. But the genre was also shaped by women who lived and worked in the same world as their male… Read more: Women of Rebetiko – 8 Voices that shaped the genre
• 
  Photos from the 1944 Kaisariani mass execution – powerful memories revived in Greece
  In recent weeks, photographs from the Kaisariani mass execution on May 1, 1944, have circulated in Greek media and social media feeds on a scale few have been able to miss. The images show moments from an event that, in Greece, has long been part of the collective memory but has lacked known photographic documentation… Read more: Photos from the 1944 Kaisariani mass execution – powerful memories revived in Greece
• 
  Greek words difficult to translate, part 1 Filótimo.
  Greek words such as filótimo (philótimo), φιλότιμο, often prompt the question: what does it actually mean? For someone encountering the word for the first time, it is not immediately clear. Literally, it can be translated as “love of honor,” but as soon as one tries to translate it directly, it becomes apparent that its meaning… Read more: Greek words difficult to translate, part 1 Filótimo.
• 
  Kallikatzaroi, the malevolent creatures of Greek Christmas [updated 2025]
  The Kallikantzaroi, according to Greek folklore, are malevolent creatures that emerge from the underworld during the Greek Christmas period and cause trouble for humans. During the winter solstice, when the movement of the sun seems to halt, they creep out: the malicious, mischievous, ugly, and naughty creatures called Kallikantzaroi – Καλικάτζαροι. They might be likened… Read more: Kallikatzaroi, the malevolent creatures of Greek Christmas [updated 2025]

Connect to the Greek Expedition

Contact the Expedition

If you have any questions about the expedition or experience any issues with the website, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to answer any questions and clarify any uncertainties.

New Year’s Greeting 2025. The new year has just opened its doors, brimming with promise and new opportunities. The Expedition wishes all Greconauts another year of joy, discoveries, and inspiring adventures!

While winter still grips us with its icy chill, and snow in some places, we welcome you into the cabin. Here, we gather around the hearth with logbooks, maps, and compasses, ready to reflect on what has been and plan for what lies ahead.

Highlights from the past six months

📜 The notes from this year’s journeys again reflect Greece’s remarkable diversity – from mythical tales to encounters with creative souls.

• One of this year’s most memorable moments was meeting the bouzouki maker in Athens, where we gained insight into the craftsmanship behind this iconic instrument.
• On Amorgos, we captured the island’s unique character and the allure it holds for its visitors – a place that lingers in the heart long after the journey ends.
• We also ventured to the peculiar church of Agia Foteini in Mantineia, where the innovative architect shared his visions.
• Additionally, we spoke with director Periklis Hoursoglou, one of Greece’s most acclaimed filmmakers, about his latest movie, Promotion, showcased in Stockholm during this year’s Greek Film Days.

Want to dive deeper into this year’s journeys and discoveries? Explore our blog archive – you might find a new favorite among our unforgettable harbors 👇

This autumn, the guided tours into the hidden side of Athens became one of the Expedition’s most beloved endeavors. Participants had the chance to uncover the city’s lesser-known landmarks and fascinating stories.

⛵ But the journey is far from over.

Just as Athens never ceases to amaze us with its endless layers of history, Greece itself continues to invite us to new discoveries time and time again.

New and exciting horizons lie ahead

🌀 The future brings exciting opportunities for the Expedition.

In spring 2025, we return with expanded guided tours, varied routes, and new ways to uncover Athens’ hidden treasures.

If you’re planning to visit the city this spring, make sure to secure your spot in time. Bookings page reopens on March 1, 2025.

✨ NEW: We are planning a full-day tour centered around Greek music. This journey will include visiting a bouzouki maker in Athens and concludes with an evening at a carefully selected taverna featuring live rebetiko music. 🎶 Does this sound like something you’d enjoy? Feel free to reply to this email or reach out directly at contact@greekexpedition.com to share your thoughts and show your interest.

🌐 In spring 2025, we will also launch a new concept: the Expedition’s digital guided tours, allowing you to explore Athens at your own pace using your mobile phone. With GPS navigation, narration, and illustrative images, you’ll enjoy a personalized guided experience right on-site, whenever it suits you. 🔊

Perhaps more of our own stories and insights – personal memories, private reflections, and behind-the-scenes glimpses – will play a greater role moving forward. All to offer fresh perspectives on Greece.

🙏 Before we set sail toward new horizons, we want to thank all of you Grekonauts for your engagement and curiosity. Sharing the treasures of Greece with you means everything to us. With logbooks and new maps before us, we look forward to uncovering more of the country’s hidden gems in 2025 and sharing every step of the journey with you.

Happy New Year! 🎉

/The Greek Expedition

As daylight returns and the new year approaches, we welcome you back aboard the Greek Expedition. Let us retreat to the ship’s galley and rekindle our fellowship around the fireplace, reflecting on the journey since we last met.

We are eager to share highlights from the expedition’s recent fates and adventures. The past season holds many a tale worth recounting. So make yourself comfortable, and let us reflect together on the journey so far.

November – December 2023

• A mini road trip to the Peloponnese in November took unusual and exciting routes. A glimpse of the trip is provided on our social media: Instagram and Facebook. Full coverage is expected in January 2024.
• The extensive article on the silk town of Soufli, named one of the world’s best tourist destinations by UNWTO, was widely spread and highly appreciated, both in its English and Swedish versions.
• The opening of the Siden&Soufli exhibition in Stockholm was a success beyond expectations. A taste with photos and video on Facebook.
• In December, the experienced traveler Ulf Björkman took a nostalgic look back at his first trips to Greece in the late 1970s. The stories capture a wonderful sense of freedom and adventure, in both words and images. English version here >>
• Last but not least, right at the winter solstice, they emerged: the Kallikatzaroi, the malevolent creatures of Greek Christmas. Read about how you can protect yourself here >>

💫 But the new year won’t be long in coming. After this little retrospective, it is now time for the expedition to embark on new discoveries and adventures. Some of the planned ports of call in the near future 👇

⚓ Island hopping in the 1970s, Part 2. We eagerly await the second part of Ulf Björkman’s early trips to Greece. Soon he will discover the island that became his absolute favorite: Amorgos.

⚓ The character of Karagiozis, the great favorite of Greek shadow theatre, is about to make his entrance into the stage of Greek Expedition, performed by the popular and well-loved Spyropoulos ensemble. Probably for the first time with English and Swedish subtitles.

⚓ Athens – discover the city under the city. Embark on a fascinating journey through Athens’ bustling maze of secretunderground passages, crypts and catacombs, discovering the vaults hidden beneath the commercial streets of the city center.

New Year’s greetings

And so we conclude another newsletter, filled with memories of the past late autumn, as well as a first glimpse of all the exciting things that are on the horizon. We look forward to continue exploring the multifaceted Greece together with our followers in the year to come.

🙏 Before the Expedition once again sets sail and weighs anchor, we would like to express our sincere gratitude for your interest and commitment to our work. Sharing Greece’s treasures with a steadily increasing number of curious Greconauts and seeing our community grow each month, gives us great pleasure.

With these words, we wish you an eventful new year filled with joy, great experiences and new discoveries. Our reports from the Greek waters will of course never stop. Soon we will meet again to share new stories from our journeys.

Have a great 2024!  🎉

/Greek Expedition

The Blog

Our blog is a real goldmine of freely available material. Here you’ll find articles, reports, interviews, portraits, workshops, quizzes, lessons and many exciting surprises. Materials are published on a continuous basis.

Our handpicked posts cover everything under the Greek sun that can interest and inspire you as a lover of this amazing country.

Join us on exciting journeys into the enchanting world of Greek culture, history, music, folklore, traditions, modern era, ancient beauty, food, drink, nature, sights, and fascinating facts.