Latest news with #Attica
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Helma marks 40 years in business and 5-year Hitachi partnership
Helma SA is celebrating two significant milestones in 2025: its 40th anniversary and five years as the official dealer for Hitachi Construction Machinery (Europe) NV (HCME) in Greece. According to a company press release, since joining the HCME dealer network in 2020, Helma has played 'a vital part' in increasing the visibility of the Hitachi brand in Greece. The company has also contributed to the growth of the Hitachi Premium Rental programme in the country, most recently supplying ten ZX350-7 medium excavators on a rental contract. Describing the Greek market's response to the brand, Helma CEO Iris Tsouma said, 'I truly believe we've succeeded in making Hitachi products not just known, but genuinely loved by the Greek market.' Headquartered in central Athens with a service and after-sales department in Magoula, Attica, Helma employs 42 staff and serves a wide customer base — from large contractors to independent machine owners — primarily in road construction, quarrying, general construction, earthmoving and recycling. The company was founded in 1985 by Iris Tsouma's father, Dimitris Tsoumas, who had a background in the used equipment sector. Iris joined the company in 2019 after completing her studies, noting in the release that she "always knew" she would follow in her father's footsteps. HCME President and CEO Francesco Quaranta offered congratulations, saying, 'We appreciate Helma's commitment to quality and the dedication it has shown in providing excellent after-sales service to our customers.' Looking ahead, Helma is preparing for expansion. 'We are creating a dedicated Hitachi showroom for stock machines, renovating our existing facilities, and growing the Helma family,' Tsouma said. "Helma marks 40 years in business and 5-year Hitachi partnership" was originally created and published by Leasing Life, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
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Travel + Leisure
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Travel + Leisure
How to Spend a Perfect Long Weekend in the Athenian Riviera—Where to Eat, Shop, and Stay
In the 1960s, the stretch of coastline just south of Athens—beginning at the port of Piraeus and sprawling some 40 miles along the western shore of the Attica Peninsula—was the place to see and be seen. Brigitte Bardot, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Frank Sinatra, and other celebrities vacationed there, camping out at the Astir Palace—the grande dame of Riviera elegance and a fixture in films, fashion shoots, and society pages. In the 1970s, however, once travelers could reach the Greek islands directly by air, the area's fortunes began to fade. From left: A guest room at the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; the property's façade. Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens But the tides are changing once again. In 2019, the Astir Palace reopened as the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens , kicking off a renaissance that, in the past two years, has included the arrival of more stylish hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs. Related: How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Athens, Greece, According to Travel Experts Like Rick Steves The suburb of Vouliagmeni, where the Four Seasons sits, saw the opening last year of the Astir Marina, with 50 berths for yachts and mega-yachts. There's also a shopping complex, with boutiques for Greek fashion brands like Zeus & Dione and Karkalis. Oven Manufactory, a bakery and coffee shop in the heart of Glyfada. In the upmarket neighborhood of Glyfada, 10 minutes north of Vouliagmeni, the Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens has been generating buzz since it opened in the fall. The brand's first European outpost is housed in a Modernist building from the 1970s, which has been given an update by the French design firm Ciguë and has a swim club where guests can stretch out by the pool on retro-striped loungers. Related: This Clifftop Sanctuary Was Just Named the No. 1 Resort in Greece—With Glittering Aegean Sea Views All Around New restaurants are diverging from traditional taverna fare. Among them is Bungalow 7 , where chef Dinos Fotinakis—who made his name at Mykonos's acclaimed Beefbar—has crafted a menu that elegantly blends classic Italian dishes with Asian flavors, such as carbonara with Wagyu bacon and matcha tiramisu. Also worth a stop are Sofi's Eatery, a café and deli that's become a popular brunch spot in Vouliagmeni, and Oven Manufactory, a sceney bakery and coffee shop in the heart of Glyfada. From left: A niçoise salad from Sebastian, the restaurant at Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; Sofi's Eatery, a deli and café in Vouliagmeni. From left: Ace Hotel & Swim Club Athens; Thomas Gravanis Sandwiched between these two glamorous neighborhoods is the One&Only Aesthesis , set within 50 acres of forest reserve overlooking the Saronic Gulf. There are 95 bungalows spread across the grounds—some tucked among olive trees and bougainvillea, others right on the water—each with wood paneling, floor-to-ceiling windows, and expansive outdoor spaces with showers and fireplaces. Nearby is 91 Athens Riviera , which was opened last June by Greek hospitality brand Domes. Accommodations take the form of futuristic tents, with canvas strung across domed structures, and include all the trappings you'd expect on a luxury safari, like canopy beds and private plunge pools. A version of this story first appeared in the August 2025 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Age of the Aegean ."
Bloomberg
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Bloomberg
Wildfires Force Evacuations in Greece as Heat Returns to Europe
Fires raged across Greece amid hot and dry weather, forcing evacuations in an area near Athens as well as on the island of Thasos. Some parts of the North Aegean island remain without power, with the other fire in Attica causing devastation to a forest. Large parts of Europe are facing a return of heat wave conditions in the coming days, with Copernicus forecasting fire dangers for places as far north as Germany and the UK and flagging particular risks for Spain and southern France.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Climate
- Daily Mail
Greece evacuates civilians near Athens as it becomes the latest British tourist hotspot to be hit by wildfires
A new wildfire in Greece is threatening a town east of Athens as firefighters were finally able to bring under control a blaze on the island of Crete that forced the evacuation of 5,000 tourists and locals. The new wildfire broke out at Koropi, a town some 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of Athens, where residents received text messages from civil protection units urging them to evacuate the vicinity. That fire 'has reached the courtyards of the houses', Koropi mayor Dimitris Kiousis told public television channel ERT. 'The fire is ongoing. All residents (in threatened areas) have been evacuated,' Thodoris Grivas, deputy mayor of Koropi, told ERT. 'We do not yet know the extent of the disaster,' Grivas added. Early on Friday afternoon, at least two water bombers and two helicopters were battling flames fanned by strong winds blowing across Attica, the Athens region, and the capital itself. The fire was destroying olive trees and brushwood, ERT images showed. Hot dry weather in Greece - not unusual for this time of year - has heightened the risk of summer wildfires, and scientists say human-driven climate change is making them more frequent and more intense. Firefighters earlier managed to bring under control a separate fire which had on Thursday threatened the port of Rafina, around 20 kilometres northeast of Koropi, after some 300 local people were evacuated from their homes. Fire crews remained on alert, as the Rafina wildfire was not far from Athens International Airport and winds still posed a threat. The blaze destroyed several houses and vehicles, local mayor Dimitris Markou told ERT. It also disrupted ferries to and from tourist islands in the western Aegean, including Mykonos. On the island of Crete, around 230 firefighters, 48 fire engines and six helicopters remained at the scene near the resort town of Ierapetra, after a blaze that broke out earlier in the week and raged for several days finally began to recede. Some 3,000 visitors had been forced to leave their hotels and guest houses on Wednesday evening and 2,000 local residents were also evacuated, authorities said. 'The fire is retreating,' fire department spokesman Vassilios Vathrakoyannis told AFP. 'There are still fears of flare-ups but there is no longer a major front,' he added. Scattered hot spots still remained and firefighters were dealing with several smoke-filled areas from which flare-ups had restarted, the fire department told the ANA press agency. Weakening winds in the hard-to-reach area had improved the situation, firefighters said, although a fire brigade spokesperson had warned overnight of some 'difficult' days ahead. Greece had until now been generally spared the heatwave roasting parts of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and France over recent days. But starting this weekend, temperatures are forecast to rise, reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) in some areas of the country. Authorities said evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast as the inferno raged out of control overnight Wednesday into Thursday The blaze on Crete, which sparked in the mountains between the villages of Ferma, Achila and Agia Fota late Tuesday, was whipped up by powerful winds and tore through coastal areas. Authorities said evacuations were ordered at three sites outside the port of Ierapetra on the island's south coast as the inferno raged out of control. Around 230 firefighters were operating in the area on Wednesday into Thursday to try and contain the blaze. Yesterday morning, 10 water-dropping aircraft were dispatched to fly regular sorties over Crete, with reinforcements sent from Athens. Homes were reported damaged as flames swept through hillside forests, fanned by strong winds, and emergency services reported that several people were transported to hospital with respiratory issues. Despite the scale of the blaze, there were no immediate reports of serious injuries, though several residents and tourists are being treated for respiratory issues. The Fire Service and a civil protection agency issued localised mobile phone alerts for the evacuations. Residents have also been told not to return to their properties to try and save their homes as the fire began cresting ridgelines and edging toward residential areas overnight. The blaze sent clouds of ash into the night sky, illuminated by the headlights of emergency vehicles and water trucks that lined the coastal road near the resorts of Ferma and Achlia on the southeast of Crete. Members of specialised units - often only working with hand tools - were creating hillside fire breaks to try and slow the advance of the flames.
France 24
04-07-2025
- Climate
- France 24
New wildfire near Athens, Crete blaze 'retreating': firefighters
Hot dry weather in Greece -- not unusual for this time of year -- has heightened the risk of summer wildfires, and scientists say human-driven climate change is making them more frequent and more intense. The new wildfire broke out at Koropi, a town some 30 kilometres (20 miles) east of Athens, where residents received text messages from civil protection units urging them to evacuate the vicinity. That fire "has reached the courtyards of the houses", Koropi mayor Dimitris Kiousis told public television channel ERT. "The fire is ongoing. All residents (in threatened areas) have been evacuated," Thodoris Grivas, deputy mayor of Koropi, told ERT. "We do not yet know the extent of the disaster," Grivas added. Early on Friday afternoon, at least two water bombers and two helicopters were battling flames fanned by strong winds blowing across Attica, the Athens region, and the capital itself. The fire was destroying olive trees and brushwood, ERT images showed. Firefighters earlier managed to bring under control a separate fire which had on Thursday threatened the port of Rafina, around 20 kilometres northeast of Koropi, after some 300 local people were evacuated from their homes. Fire crews remained on alert, as the Rafina wildfire was not far from Athens International Airport and winds still posed a threat. The blaze destroyed a several houses and vehicles, local mayor Dimitris Markou told ERT. It also disrupted ferries to and from tourist islands in the western Aegean, including Mykonos. Winds abating On the island of Crete, around 230 firefighters, 48 fire engines and six helicopters remained at the scene near the resort town of Ierapetra, even though the blaze was receding. Some 3,000 visitors had been forced to leave their hotels and guest houses on Wednesday evening and 2,000 local residents were also evacuated, authorities said. "The fire is retreating," fire department spokesman Vassilios Vathrakoyannis told AFP. "There are still fears of flare-ups but there is no longer a major front," he added. Scattered hot spots still remained and firefighters were dealing with several smoke-filled areas from which flare-ups had restarted, the fire department told the ANA press agency. Weakening winds in the hard-to-reach area had improved the situation, firefighters said, although a fire brigade spokesperson had warned overnight of some "difficult" days ahead. Greece had until now been generally spared the heatwave roasting parts of Europe, particularly Spain, Portugal and France over recent days. But starting this weekend, temperatures are forecast to rise, reaching up to 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) in some areas of the country. © 2025 AFP
