Members of the Delian League

The sustainability of tourism on the Greek islands is being questioned as the number of tourist beds is as much as three or four times greater than the number of permanent residents.

Luxury cruise guests seek out of secret gem destinations with unique human and sustainable experiences, last week's Posidonia Sea Tourism Forum heard.

"Going to homes of local people or spending time with a local chef are just a couple of examples," said Constantine Venetopoulos, director of communications and PR at Variety Cruises.

In the latest twist in the Mykonos saga, a new Environment Ministry legislative provision stipulates that if the Principote and Nammos bars on the island demolish all of their illegal structures by early May, they will pay a minuscule fine of just 500 euros instead of the millions first envisaged.

Greece and Turkey will have the opportunity to reassess what unites them after the elections that are scheduled to take place in both countries in May, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday, during a visit to the island of Imvros in Turkey. 

The Holy Fire, flown to Greece each year from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, is set to arrive on a special Aegean Airlines flight on Saturday evening, in time for Easter midnight mass.

Accompanying the Holy Fire on the Aegean aircraft will be a small diplomatic mission and the plane is expected to land at Athens international airport at approximately 6 p.m.

Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias will visit the island of Imvros in Turkey on Holy Friday.

The minister is scheduled to visit the Metropolitan Church of Imvros & Tenedos upon his arrival, before going to the village of Agoi Theodoroi where he will meet with Greek expatriates.

Three associations issued a joint statement on Wednesday calling on the Culture Ministry to strengthen the service responsible for protecting antiquities on the islands of the Cyclades from rampant illegal construction and other violations.

Ferryboats leaving the capital's port of Piraeus for the islands of the Aegean reported occupancy rates of as high as 90% on Tuesday, in the runup to Easter, the biggest religious holiday on the Greek Orthodox calendar.

Expressing its deep concern "about the destruction of its cultural heritage," the Municipality of Sifnos has become the first in the Cyclades island chain to ask the state to stop the construction of cave houses, ban private swimming pools and enforce stricter measures to protect it from dizzying tourist development.

A vast wall erected by a bar/restaurant is seen on Panormos beach on Mykonos. Kathimerini traveled to the popular Aegean island to investigate allegations of out-of-control building violations after the brutal attack on an archaeologist opposing such rampant construction.