Elxis's team traveled a combined 1500 kilometers this month. With offices in Thessaloniki, Crete, and The Netherlands, and a network of properties spread over 50+ towns spread all over Greece, Elxis’s team is always moving around. Here’s where we visited in February.
George In Ioannina
George Gavriilidis is the head of the legal team at Elxis, managing a 6-person team of legal experts. In the scope of his work, George often coordinates external notaries, engineers, accountants and lawyers on behalf of clients. His recent day trip to Ioannina is a perfect example, where he traveled to sign a purchase deed on behalf of a client.
George traveled from Thessaloniki to Ioannina, one of the gems of Northern Greece. It is famous for its historical sights, stunning lake, and access to Greece’s picturesque northern mountains. George describes his day's travels:
Photo Credit: George Gavriilidis
“I left early in the morning, and had a nice drive of almost 3 hours through the beautiful, snow-covered mountains of Epirus to Ioannina. I met the developer, we had some discussion about the progress of the project and then both went to the notary's office, where we read and signed the purchase deed.
After the signing process was successfully completed, I took some time to visit the beautiful sights of Ioannina, and returned home in the evening.”
Photo Credit: George Gavriilidis
Kostas In Kos
Kostas Rakitzis, as one of Elxis’s most tenured legal experts, has worked with clients from all over Greece (and all over Europe!). As an avid cyclist and mountain climber, Kostas loves the opportunity to travel to different areas of Greece. On his latest trip to Kos, a small island in the Aegean that is popular among Dutch clients, Kostas relished his off-work hours.
“When I arrived, I walked around the harbour, where you’ll find the Castle of the Knights, the marina of Kos, and the Hippocrates' plane tree. It is said that Hippocrates taught medicine to his students here."
Photo Credit: Kostas Rakitzis
"Not far away, I admired the Muslim mosque of Loggia, and strolled to the centre of Kos town, where Kal Salom synagogue is located, as well as the Orpheus Cinema, which operates as a winter and summer cinema.”
Kostas then took a break at a small cafe - The town was quiet since the tourist season starts around the end of April, and the peace of the island was disturbed only by the comings and goings of the winter locals.
Photo Credit: Kostas Rakitzis
Izi in Pelion
Izi Revach, the newest member of the Thessaloniki legal team, recently visited an area that has fond memories for him- South Pelion. Pelion is popular among Dutch and Belgian clients for its sea views, traditional Greek food, and the commanding presence of Mount Pelion.
“I have been going to Pelion since I was a kid. This time, I stopped in Argalasti to conduct a legal check in the competent Land Registry of Argalasti. The Land Registry check includes the check of the previous deeds and land owners to ensure that the properties are free of encumbrances."
Photo Credit: Izi Revach
While not working, Izi enjoyed the culinary delights of the region, like a savory pie from a traditional bakery and a sweet orange pie for dessert - one of his personal favorites.
“What I loved the most was the weather. It seemed like spring. Pelion is a place that combines mountain and sea and that is why I love it. Not a lot of people were there so it was quiet and calm as well.”
Photo Credit: Izi Revach
Katharina Visits Vatolakko
As the newest member of the Elxis team in Crete, and an avid traveler who has lived in Germany and Australia in the past, Katharina thoroughly enjoys traveling around Crete for client needs. Crete is Greece’s largest island, and Elxis’s 5-person Crete team has traveled to its every corner. Katharina’s latest trips were to show properties around Chania and Rethymnon.
“On my most recent journey, I visited the Saint George Monastery. The nuns there gave us some olives and raki. I couldn’t imagine a more hospitable Cretan welcome! I was amazed by the monastery buildings and surrounding gardens. After this, we went for lunch to the beautiful village of Vryses to sit by the river and eat pancetta - one of my personal favorites!”
Photo Credit: Katharina Rienets
On a separate leg of the journey, Katharina did some cultural exploring at Vatolakko, where the area is known for a river walk with a scenic treehouse and a life-size statue of a woman carved out of wood. The walk starts in the town of Vatolakkos from the Olive and Oil Museum.
“The path is really beautiful, especially in the winter months along the river. You pass avocados, mandarins, and oranges on the right side, and to the left you have the river and a jungle-like terrain."
Photo Credit: Katharina Rienets
Is Elxis Visiting my Area Soon?
To find out if Elxis will be in your area next month, connect with our team at [email protected].
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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