Former President Barack Obama visited famous actors Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson on the island of Antiparos earlier this week. Obama's touched down on a private flight to the island of Paros. Former President Obama did not come without an entourage - Supposedly, he was accompanied by 35 security personnel. The Civil Aviation Authority, the Police and the Coast Guard were busy preparing in Athens and Paros.
What did Obama and Tom Hanks Eat?
The stars dined together at a local taverna. Among the local plates the Obamas sampled along with Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were fava bean crepe, dusky grouper carpaccio, marinated mullet from the open sea, grilled rockfish and trahanas with local lobster.
Former President Obama departed on June 20th, and set a course for Athens and the SNF Nostos Conference 2023. On June 22, he discussed ways to strengthen democracy and took part in the Obama Foundation Leaders program.
Antiparos
Tom Hanks: A Greek Citizen
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson are now honorary citizens of Greece. They received their citizenship back in 2020, accompanied by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his wife. The movie star couple was granted citizenship because they helped bring attention to a devastating fire near Athens in 2018. Wilson has Greek heritage and the couple has been visiting Greece for years. They have come to love the Greek way of life, and Hanks later converted to Orthodoxy.
Hanks says "Greece is a haven... I've been around the world, I've been to the most beautiful places in the world, none of them tops Greece. The land, the sky, the water, it's good for the soul, it's a healing place."
High-profile visitors usually like visiting in June because there are fewer people and fewer privacy and security issues to deal with. Still, it’s likely that the former president tried to travel with as much secrecy and discretion as possible. He was, however, caught walking through the streets of the island of Sifnos wishing a good evening to passersby as they went to dinner.
Obama's Last Visit in 2016
Obama's Speech in Athens
Former president Obama also visited Athens on June 22nd to deliver a speech at the SNF Nostos Conference, which was organized by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. It’s the first time he will deliver a speech at this conference since he was in Greece in 2016.
Obama’s visit to Athens is also motivated by a chance to meet leaders from the Obama Foundation Leaders program, which features 105 leaders from Africa, Asia-Pacific and Europe who represent 75 nations and territories. Obama’s tour in Athens is set to finish on June 23rd.
For many people who own, or plan to buy, a home in Greece, the journey is part of the experience. Some fly directly to Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, or Chania. Others prefer slower travel, combining trains, ferries, buses, and regional routes across Europe. Until now, however, planning a cross-border trip by train has often required patience, several booking platforms, and a healthy tolerance for uncertainty. A new proposal from the European Commission aims to make that process much simpler. The plan introduces a more unified system for booking cross-border journeys across Europe, especially train journeys involving more than one operator. The goal is clear: travellers should be able to search, compare, and book a complete journey through one platform, even when different transport companies are involved. For international buyers, second-home owners, and regular visitors to Greece, this could become an important step towards easier, more flexible travel across Europe.
A third Cretan beach, Falassarna, also appears in the global top 20, ranking 11th. Alongside them, Paleokastritsa in Corfu takes 14th place, giving Greece one of the strongest national showings in the ranking. At the very top of the list is Isla Pasión in Mexico, praised for its tropical scenery and distinctive natural shape. But while Mexico may hold first place, Greece clearly dominates the podium, with Crete claiming two of the three highest positions.
Law 5293/2026 introduces a framework that redefines the role of the notary in property transfers in Greece. The notary is designated as a “one-stop shop” for the completion of transactions involving the transfer of property rights. The provisions apply to transfers arising from sale, donation, parental gift, or inheritance.
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