Activities

Thessaloniki was always a multicultural, multiethnic and multilingual city with a lot of customs, religions, and recipes. For centuries, mainly Jews, Christians, Muslims, but also people from the Balkan peninsula and Europeans from nearly every corner of the continent used to live one next to the other sharing traditions and a lot of flavours. Many of these multicultural flavours and products still survive today. What can we discover with a walk in the city center? What is hidden in the old markets? What flavours can we try? What do these flavours tell us about the history of the city? We are walking through the old traditional markets of Thessaloniki, among the narrow alleys of its center, where even today people do their shopping and we discover incredible stories that reflect its multicultural past. We are communicating with locals, listening to their personal stories that are lost in the depths of the centuries and discussing with them about the eating habits of the old inhabitants of Thessaloniki, the special products of their recipes and their importance for each culture. We are tasting a lot of flavours, pieces of the history that is revealed alive in front of our eyes. We are getting to know herbs, spices, vegetables, meats, fish, sweets, drinks and a lot of fascinating narrations. We are exploring the gastronomic wealth of our city through an exciting guided tour with our specialized and certified guides. We are learning how to use the necessary vocabulary as we come into contact with grammar and syntax issues with our specialized and certified teachers. We are walking through the old neighborhoods of the city with our amazing colleagues Dot2dot discovering the secrets of Thessaloniki. We learn Greek our way!

What do you know about the Byzantine Empire? Did you know that Thessaloniki was part of the Byzantine Empire for 1.100 years and became its second most important city? Can you imagine how many secrets are hidden in these 1.100 years? Who were the Byzantines? How was their life? What did their houses look like? What were their jobs? What did they eat? What were they wearing? Have you ever played educational games inside a museum while learning history and a different part of art? The “Byzantine Empire”, also referred to as the “Eastern Roman Empire”, or “Byzantium”, was the continuation of the Roman Empire in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinople. It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and continued to exist for an additional thousand years until it fell to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. During most of its existence, the empire was the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe. Thessaloniki was, for much of the existence of the Byzantine Empire, its second largest city. Evidence of this history can still be seen in the 15 Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessaloniki that are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Thessaloniki was a multicultural city that a prosperous yet tumultuous history from the Roman era to the Ottoman era. A “trip” in Thessaloniki of Byzantine years: the temples, the houses, the streets, the markets the baths, the food and the daily habits. We construct and deconstruct the narrative of everyday life in this important Byzantine city, which enjoyed a strategic geographic location, was a powerful commercial hub and experienced intense economic activity. We discover together all these aspects of the Byzantine Empire, while learning how to utilize the necessary vocabulary, practice our daily communication skills and come into contact with grammar and syntax issues. We visit the really interesting Byzantine Museum of Thessaloniki with its important collection, while having an exciting day with a lot of fun thanks to our amazing specialized colleagues at Dot2dot and our highly educated teachers!

What do you know about the Greek Contemporary art? Have you ever played educational games inside a museum while learning history and a different part of art? Today we visited Teloglion Foundation of Art A.U.Th, we admired the work of Alexis Akrithakis, we talked about his life and his special drawing techniques. We discussed about the art in Greece and abroad and we discovered the language that is hidden behind all of that! Alexis Akrithakis was a Greek contemporary artist renowned for his paintings and wooden constructions. His works have been described as “speaking an unmistakable language. They stand on their own and are original, but are yet influenced by the particular Zeitgeist – between Arte Povera and Actioninsm” (Skulima 2003). Born in Athens (Greece), he lived and worked in Athens and Berlin (Germany). Throughout the ’70s he collaborated extensively with the prolific gallerist Alexander Iolas who exhibited his work in shows organized in Geneva (1971), Milan (1973), Turin (1973) and Athens (1971,1977). Alexis Akrithakis has created drawings for publications of key figures of Greek literature, poetry and philosophy such as Nanos Valaoritis, Kostas Tachtsis, Elias Petropoulos and others. In 2018 this aspect of his work was celebrated in an exhibition organized by the Municipal Gallery of Athens in the framework of the Athens 2018 World Book Capital. His work has been included in major institutionally organized exhibitions such as the 12th Biennale of Alexandria held in the Alexandria Museum of Fine Art, Alexandria, Egypt and Europalia1982 at the Bozar, Brussels, Belgium. In Greece his work has been included in major shows organized by the National Art Gallery–Alexandros Soutzos Museum such as “Metamorphoses of the Modern. The Greek experience” in 1992 as well as at the founding exhibition of the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art in Thessaloniki in 1984. After his death in 1994 both Greek museums organized large scale retrospective shows (Thessaloniki, 1997 and Athens, 1998) of his already recognized and critically acclaimed work. In 2003 The Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin honored him with a large scale retrospective show that ran at the same time with an exhibition of works of Pablo Picasso in the same museum. We discovered together several aspects of the Greek Contemporary Art, while learning how to utilize the necessary vocabulary. We practiced our daily communication skills and came into contact with grammar and syntax issues. We had an exciting day with a lot of fun! That’s the way we learn Greek at Peek at Greek in Thessaloniki! Be part of our school! Contact us!

What’s this famous Mussakàs that everyone is talking about? What are the eating habits of the Greeks? Mussakàs is an eggplant and/or potato-based dish, often including ground meat, which is common in the Balkan Peninsula and the Middle East, with many local and regional variations. Many versions have a top layer made of milk-based sauce thickened with egg (custard) or flour (béchamel sauce). In Greece, the dish is layered and typically served hot. The versions in Turkey and the Middle East are quite different. In Turkey, mussaka consists of thinly sliced and fried eggplant served in a tomato-based meat sauce, warm or at room temperature. In the Arab countries, it is often eaten cold, but occasionally hot as well. Mussakàs is maybe one of the most famous Greek dishes and one of the tastiest Mediterranean flavours. We cook together and we discover at the same time the language that is hidden in our recipes! We explore the gastronomic wealth of Greece through an interactive cooking class along with a distinguished chef. We are learning Greek while getting to know flavours, scents and recipes. We are chatting with the locals and exploring the Greek eating habits while tasting delicious dishes. We are learning Greek through the most creative and imaginative ways! Thanks a lot to our lovely colleagues Ammon Express and Le Palace Art Hotel! Thanks a lot to our  specialized teachers! That’s Peek at Greek! That’s how we learn Greek!

Greek dance is a very old tradition, mentioned by writers such as Plato, Aristotle, Plutarch and Lucian. There are different styles and variations from all the islands and the surrounding areas of the mainland. Each area created its own choreography and its own sounds that best match its temperament. There are over 10,000 traditional dances that come from all regions of Greece. There are also some dances that have been adopted throughout the whole Greek world. These include syrto, hasapiko and hasaposerviko. Traditional Greek dance has mainly a social function. It unites society in important holidays and activities during the year, such as Easter, grape harvest or festivals but also in important events in the lives of people and families, such as weddings. We get to know the culture and tradition of Greece! We discover the rhythms, the different types of dance and the Greek way of entertainment! We practice the necessary vocabulary and our everyday communication skills. We learn the Greek language in the most imaginative and creative ways. Teachers and students, we have a wonderful time! Thank you very much our partners of Chorodentro for this unique experience! Contact us! Be part of our school! Gepostet von Peek at Greek am Donnerstag, 1. August 2019

Visiting Rotonda it’s not just another cultural activity. It’s a journey through the multicultural past of the city. It’s always a chance to teach Greek. It’s a cool and enjoyable stop when you drift into the city during the summer, as well. Rotunda, built in the early 4th century, is an ancient impressive roman monument inscribed in the World Heritage List of Unesco. The exact reason why it was built is not known to us today. Maybe it was first constructed as a mausoleum for the Emperor Galerius, who had his seat at Thessaloniki at the end of the 3rd century and the beginning of the 4th, or as a temple dedicated to the gods. It was part of the impressive building complex which included the Galerius Palace (Navarinou Square), the Hippodrome, the Arch of Galerius (Kamara) and other buildings in Thessaloniki. In the end of the 4th century, the Emperor Theodosius the Great (379-395), was baptised as Christian in Thessaloniki and converted this monument into a Christian church. During the Ottoman period, it was turned into a mosque and the minaret, which stands in front of it, was built in 1591. The name Rotunda prevailed due to the cylindrical shape of the monument. We learn the Greek language together, discussing every element of the history and culture of our country, while enjoying a fascinating tour through the most central streets of the city, getting to know some of its most famous monuments. With us are always our specialized, certified guides of Dot2dot and our highly educated teachers.

Do you know what’s the most famous monument of Thessaloniki? Do you know that Thessaloniki has a history of about 2.000 years? What’s the White Tower, why is it called white and what secrets does it hide? Have you ever played educational games inside a museum while learning history and language? We visit the White Tower, perhaps the most famous monument of Thessaloniki, symbol of the city and a favorite spot of its inhabitants. We discuss about the construction of this important monument, how it was used during the centuries and how it is used today. We learn important historical evnets from the foundation of the city to its recent historical past. We talk about wars, emperors, religions, revolutions and reforms. We walk through the beautiful area of Nea Paralia and discover the secrets that can be hidden there. We enjoy an amazing cycling by the sea while using the necessary vocabulary and grammar, practicing our daily communication skills. We come out of the limits of the standard class and we learn Greek in every corner of the city by chatting with the locals and exploring every element of our history and culture.

Do you want to get the inheritance your uncle left you? Of course you do! So, follow the route, go to the necessary monuments, find the hidden riddles, solve the riddles using the Greek you’ve already learned and discovering the history of the city! Are you ready? A special tour full of surprises thank once again to our lovely colleagues Dot2dot!

We discovered the gastronomic wealth of Greece through an interactive cooking lesson along with a distinguished chef. One of the most interesting activities during a trip, is to discover and in extend be a part of the gastronomic culture of the place you are visiting. Thessaloniki stands out as a crossroad of tastes, a gastronomic metropolis. We enjoyed a totally authentic cooking and cultural experience by preparing along with the chef and his team greek handmade delicacies. We prepared traditional tzatziki as a team and we learned to prepare the well-knowned dolmadakia yalantzi with herbs by having active part during the cooking process only to taste our creations later on. Thank to our colleagues Ammon Express!

We enjoy teaching by walking the streets of our city, learning the history and chatting with the locals. Today we visited the impressive Yeni Camii (New Mosque) traveling for a while in the past. The Yeni Camii is a historical mosque in Thessaloniki, Greece. It was built by Italian architect Vitaliano Poselli in 1902 for the city’s Donmeh community (Jews who had converted to Islam). However, when the Donmeh community left the city during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey, it was used to house the Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki in 1925 until 1964 consisting the first museum of Thessaloniki as part of the Greek state. Today it serves as cultural center and hosts temporary exhibitions. For centuries Thessaloniki was a multicultural and multilingual city, a mosaic of languages, traditions and religions, colored by Jews, Cristians, Muslims and people from every corner of the world. This multicultural image can still be seen in all over the city. ———————— At the same time we had the chance to enjoy the exhibition of Dimitris Tantanozis “Isolation” by the Municipal Gallery of Thessaloniki.

Our school took a delightful walk through the amazing district of “Exohes” in Thessaloniki, the first cosmopolitan suburb of the city. Walking, discussing and admiring, our way of learning greek! Thank you Dot2dot for another great tour! Get to know us better! Become part of our school!

Second stop: Goumenissa city- Wine tasting! We discover the greek wine qualities learning the local history and admiring the beauty of the nature! We would like to thank Ammon Express and Chatzivariti Winery for the hospitality!Get to know us better! Become part of our school!

At “Peek at Greek” you can learn Greek the way you want it. You can adjust the lessons to your interests and your personal needs. You have the ability to create your own dialogues. You can select the activities, the guided tours and the special trips that you will combine your lessons with. Discover the Greek culture, come in contact with other cultures, socialize and have fun! Get to know us better! Become a part of our school!

Eating, drinking, walking and discussing. Our way of learning!