1. Chocolate Museum

2. New Luxury Accommodation in Greece

3. Corfu Beer festival 8-12 October

4. Parkour in Santorini 4 October

5. Stolen manuscript on display in Athens Byzantine Museum until 30 October

6. Athens to get 27 km bike lane

7. Military airfield in Tripoli, Peloponnese, to operate civil airport in 2015

8. Revenue per available room rates in Athens

9. Greece anticipates increase in visitor numbers following new burial tomb find in Amfipolis

10. Spetses mini-marathon 10-12 October

1. Chocolate Museum

The only Chocolate waterfall in Europe is now open at the 'Choco Factory and Museum' for six months as part of the 79th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) and is housed in TIF-HELEXPO in the city. The Choco Factory and Museum contains educational as well as recreational content and includes the 'journey of chocolate,' a gallery with a chocolate map and Greek historical monuments made of chocolate, chocolate workshops and chocolate face-painting. The creators are considering to extend its six-month operation period and may transport the “Choco Factory and Museum” project to other Greek cities. For further information: http://chocofactory.helexpo.gr/chocofactory/?lang=en

2. New Luxury Accommodation in Greece.

Some stunning properties opened their doors in Greece this summer including the Agalia Luxury Suites in Ios, a luxury eco-resort on the island of Ios. Mixing modern art and luxury, natural heritage with environmental commitment, this resort opened in August. The Nikki Beach Resort in Porto Heli on the Peloponnese also opened in August. All the hotel's 66 rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the gulf and luxurious amenities. The new Eiriana Luxury Suites on Milos have panoramic views of the island and are situated near traditional windmills near the Catacombs and the Ancient Theatre where the famous Venus de Milo was found. Earlier in the season, the luxurious Santa Marina Resort & Villas on Mykonos reopened after a three-year renovation. For further information: http://www.agaliahotel.com; http://www.eiriana.com;

http://www.nikkibeachhotels.com/destinations; http://www.santa-marina.gr;

3. Corfu Beer festival 8-12 October

Five evenings of entertainment, as well as exceptional beers and food from both Greece and the UK will be exhibited at the Corfu Beer Festival in Arillas on Corfu each evening from Wednesday 8 to Sunday 12 October. Tours of the Corfu-Beer microbrewery, cookery demonstrations, dancing and live music including rock, pop, folk and blues bands will all be on offer for visitors.  For further information: http://www.corfubeerfestival.org

4. Parkour in Santorini 4 October

This autumn, some of the best free running athletes of the world will gather on Santorini Island in Greece and participate in a competition. The event – Red Bull's Art of Motion parkour competition – will take place on 4 October and some of the world's top parkour athletes from France, Sweden, the United States, the Netherlands, Russia and Greece will perform impressive stunts on an epic course setting, against the beautiful Caldera. Although parkour has become a recognized sport with competitions, events and official teams around the world, it is still relatively unknown to Greeks. For further information: http://www.redbull.com/uk/en/events/1331591841166/red-bull-art-of-motion

5. Stolen manuscript on display in Athens Byzantine Museum until 30 October

A beautiful 12th century 'bible' of the four gospels, which was stolen in Mount Athos in 1960 and was sold to the Getty Museum in California has been returned to Greece under an agreement made with the Museum. The manuscript will be on display at the Athens Byzantine Museum from 15 September – 30 October 2014. For further information: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/11/return-of-byzantine-manuscript-to-mount-athos/

6. Athens to get 27 km bike lane

By the end of 2015, a 27-kilometer bicycle lane should be running through the streets of Athens, according to a recent announcement by Greek Environment Minister Yiannis Maniatis and Athens Mayor Giorgos Kaminis. The environment minister said the bicycle lane will start from the northern suburb of Kifissia, pass through the city center and end in Faliro in southern Athens. The first phase of the bicycle lane will start with the construction of an 11-kilometer section between Gazi and Faliro. A contract has already been signed for the creation of the Gazi-Faliro section under a budget of 2.2 million euros. Further information: http://news.gtp.gr/2014/09/17/athens-greece-to-get-bicycle-lane/

7. Military airfield in Tripoli, Peloponnese, to operate civil airport in 2015

The Greek Civil Aviation Authority will have partial use of the military airfield in Tripoli (Peloponnese), according to a joint ministerial decision signed on 16 September by the ministers of Defense and Infrastructure. The conversion of the military airfield into a civil airport is expected to take the strain off Kalamata Airport in the southern Peloponnese, which this year recorded a 54 percent increase in passenger traffic. For further information: http://news.gtp.gr/2014/09/16/tripoli-military-airfield-operate-civil-airport-in-2015/

8. Revenue per available room rates in Athens

Room revenue and occupancy increased in Athens hotels during July 2014. According to STR Global, Athens experienced a 31.2 per cent increase in revenue per available room rates to 86 euros and occupancy rates increased by 14 percentage points to 78 per cent. Further information: http://news.gtp.gr/2014/08/22/strong-july-revpar-growth-hotels-athens-greece/

9. Greece anticipates increase in visitor numbers following new burial tomb find in Amfipolis

Archaeologists are slowly uncovering treasures from a complex tomb structure at Amfipolis dating from the 4th century BCE and the GNTO anticipates renewed interest in Greek antiquity which will lead to a further increase in visitors to archaeological sites and museums. So far archaeologists have discovered, two sphinxes guarding the entrance of the tomb, two sculptured female figures called Caryatids, a marble floor, valuable architraves, and most recently a third chamber and Ionic-style marble lintel gate. For further information: http://greece.greekreporter.com/2014/09/15/amphipolis-tomb-timeline-what-we-know-until-now-ancient-greek-monument-updates/

10. Spetses mini Marathon

The Spetses Mini Marathon - an international annual sporting event, held over three days on the Greek island of Spetses – is taking place between 10 and 12 October this year under the auspices of the GNTO. More than 3,000 athletes in total will take part in all the events which include a 5, 10 and a 25 km run, swimming races of 2.5 km and 5 km, as well as children's running and swimming races. Fees for entry start at €20, and participants can be Greek or foreign, professionals or amateurs. For further information: http://spetsesmarathon.com/

-Ends-

For further press information, please contact: Frances Tuke, Lotus UK, T: 020 7953 7470 E: frances@lotus-uk.co.uk or George Tziachris, Greek National Tourism Organisation, GNTO UK & Ireland Office, T: 020 74959310, E: media@gnto.co.uk