Through technology and innovation, Anytime gives drivers the ability to travel with confidence Plan your Athens food experience with Dimitris.
Through technology and innovation, Anytime gives drivers the ability to travel with confidence.
Morning light had just begun to bathe Athens's avenues when I headed toward Syngrou Avenue. The city was waking slowly, with the familiar rhythm of daily life, but that day there was something different in the air: a promise of escape from the urban landscape, destination snow-covered Kalavryta, where Anytime (part of the Interamerican Group) awaited us to present its new #StaySafe initiative, a strategic collaboration with the Kalavryta Ski Center, focusing on road safety on the route to and from the ski center, as well as informing visitors about travel conditions and weather forecasts.
Our meeting was set at Anytime's central offices (part of the Interamerican Group). Within the framework of its strategic collaboration with the Kalavryta Ski Center, Anytime implements the #StaySafe Powered by Anytime initiative, aiming to improve road safety and timely inform visitors about road network conditions. This was the occasion for our visit: to get to know firsthand how innovation in insurance can make our winter escapes even more enjoyable.
Days earlier, Myrto had asked me on the phone what coffee I drink. I hadn't given it emphasis then, but since she always prepares something lovely and detailed, I answered and then forgot! Indeed, arriving, a freddo espresso without sugar awaited me, a small detail showing attention to the personal element, something characterizing the company in every aspect.
With our coffees in hand, we boarded the minivan. The group was lively and cheerful, with conversations and laughter immediately creating an atmosphere of familiarity, despite the morning hour. During the journey, Anytime's team informed us about the strategic collaboration with the Kalavryta Ski Center, which offers drivers information about road network conditions and accurate weather forecasts, in collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens. Through the Anytime App, visitors can access this information in real time, so they can safely plan their movement. Our journey began on the Athens-Patras National Highway, with landscapes quickly alternating outside our windows. Gradually, we left the national highway to take the provincial road toward Kalavryta. "On such routes, especially winter months, road safety is critical," Anytime's representative explained, referring to the Standard Drive, Short Drive for occasional drivers, and Smart Drive insurance programs, which reward safe driving, offering solutions for different needs. The journey itself was part of the experience: each turn revealed a new image, a new perspective of the Greek landscape, while the safety Anytime provided through its app made the trip even more enjoyable, without anxiety about the unexpected.
We passed through the martyrdom site, a brief but shocking reminder of the history this place carries, before we began climbing toward the ski center. Gradually, snow began appearing on the roadside and mountain slopes. It was like entering another world, a white, clean, serene world.
Reaching the parking lot, although it was a weekday (a Wednesday in winter), we were impressed by the number of cars. It seems we weren't the only ones who chose to escape from daily life to enjoy the snow's magic. As we walked toward the slopes, the spectacle was enchanting. Young skiers in colorful jackets sliced through the slopes with speed and grace, zigzagging across pristine snow. We observed the distinct signs with #StaySafe Powered by Anytime, which inform visitors about road safety's importance, as well as weather forecasts helping them plan their outings with greater confidence.
A group of teenagers laughed loudly as one of them lost his balance and tumbled down, becoming a snowman without harm. Further away, a middle-aged couple, obviously experienced in the sport, moved with an almost hypnotic harmony, as if dancing a powerful waltz with the mountain. Even beginners had their own space, with a patient instructor guiding them in their first steps into the skiing world. Some fell, got up, laughed, and tried again, a lesson in persistence and joy that only winter sports can offer with such immediacy.
Our visit to the chalet was the next stop. There, Anytime's team presented in detail its strategic collaboration with the Kalavryta Ski Center. With the slogan #StaySafe Powered by Anytime, the company provides information about weather conditions and the road network, while through the Anytime App visitors can access all necessary information for their movement, call Roadside Assistance in real time, and easily manage their payments. We also learned about Anytime's particular emphasis on road safety, with awareness campaigns and educational programs for safe driving in difficult winter conditions, as well as the app that provides warnings about dangerous route points.
After the presentation, it was time for an unforgettable cable car ride. As we climbed higher, the view became increasingly impressive. Below our feet spread a vast white carpet, while in the distance Chelmos's peaks emerged imposing, like guardians of this snow-covered paradise. The sensation of hovering above this magical location was indescribable, a moment of serenity and awe before nature's grandeur.
In the afternoon, with the ski center's experiences still vivid in our memory, we headed a bit below Kalavryta to Orias Guesthouse & Farm. There, a gastronomic surprise awaited us that would complete our day in the most authentic way. In an environment exuding warmth and tradition, they served us authentic Greek food, cooked in pots with love and passion. Each dish was a journey into the flavors of the Greek countryside, traditional recipes with local ingredients highlighting the region's richness. And to complete the experience, we had the opportunity to taste Tetramythos's excellent wines in a wine tasting that revealed local varieties' uniqueness. Because, as we learned that day, taste is an inseparable part of the experience, it's the way a place speaks to our heart and senses.
As the sun begins to set behind the snow-covered peaks, I realized that this escape to Kalavryta reminded us that beauty is everywhere around us, as long as we take a step beyond our daily life to discover it. And that the best experiences combine adventure with safety, nature with taste, the past with the present.
Returning to Athens, with images of snow still dancing in my mind and the wine's taste remaining on my lips, I knew this day would remain etched in my memory as a perfect escape. For a deeper dive, join a private food tour of Athens. Through technology and innovation, Anytime gives every driver the ability to enjoy their journeys with greater confidence, whether on winter outings or in their daily commutes.
Common Questions
Where do Athenians actually eat?
Not where you think. The best spots are in Koukaki, Kypseli, and Exarchia — neighborhoods with no famous landmarks, just honest tavernas where the owner's mother is probably still in the kitchen. Stay away from anything with photos on the menu within 300 meters of the Acropolis.
Should I book a food tour in Athens?
If it's your first time, yes — and not just any tour. I run a private food walk that covers Monastiraki, the Central Market, and Psyrri with 10+ tastings. But even if you don't do mine, do one. Athens food culture is layered and a good guide saves you days of figuring it out alone. See my best Athens food tours comparison.
