23.06.2023
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.
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.
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.
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.
28.09.2026
Two important changes were recently announced at the Hellenic Cadastre, which that property owners in Greece should be aware of. The first one involves properties that are listed as “owner unknown” and claimed through adverse possession. And the second one is about properties that have been registered with the wrong area, boundaries, shape, and/or location (also known as “διόρθωση γεωμετρικών στοιχείων”).
24.09.2026
Getting to Greece is becoming even easier, with Transavia expanding its connections from Belgium and France, with new routes to Crete and Thessaloniki and more options for travelling outside the traditional summer season.
08.09.2026
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced series of housing measures affecting property buyers and owners at the Thessaloniki International Fair.
05.09.2026
Greece is entering a new era of property and inheritance regulation. For the first time in over 80 years, the government is preparing a comprehensive reform of the Inheritance Law, designed to simplify procedures, ensure fairness, and modernise how estates are managed.
07.08.2026
Greece is taking an important step in environmental protection, becoming the first country in the world to deploy a national satellite system for wildfire detection and monitoring. First launched in May and expected to become fully operational in September 2026, the new Hellenic Fire System brings advanced space technology to Greece's efforts against wildfires.
06.08.2026
If you own a home in the Peloponnese or have been quietly thinking about buying one, there is some news you should be aware of: At the end of June, a 40-year concession for Kalamata International Airport "Kapetan Vasilis Konstantakopoulos" was signed by a consortium led by Fraport, together with the Kopelouzos Group's Delta Airport Investments and the Konstantakopoulos Group's PILEAS. According to the National Development Fund, which retains a 10% stake in the new company, the initial concession payment is 45 million euros, and the planned investment programme is expected to exceed 125 million euros over time.
In short: Kalamata's airport is set to roughly double its traffic by 2030, with a new terminal three times the size of the current one. For anyone with a house in the region, or an eye on one, that matters.
03.08.2026
A new regulation regarding the calculation of ENFIA (Eniaios Phoros Idioktisias Akiniton/annual property tax) was announced by the Greek Ministry of National Economy and Finance. The purpose of this regulation appears to be to address cases where property owners were previously taxed on more square meters than their property actually has. The new regulation, which is expected to take effect in the 2027 tax year, introduces the Electronic Building ID as a key factor in determining taxable floor area.
28.07.2026
As UNESCO recently announced, Mount Olympus – also known as the Home of Ancient Greek Gods, or Greece’s highest mountain – has been added to the list of World Heritage Sites. Of course, Greece welcomed the news with a wave of euphoria, as Mount Olympus is widely recognized for its cultural and natural significance.
