Athos Palace and Theophano Imperial Palace

the venue of the European Club Cup

Do you yearn for that unforgettable, carefree vacation to share with your loved ones in the special ambience of a luxurious hotel, situated on the most unique Mediterranean beaches, favoured by glorious sunlight and moonlight, surrounded by evergreen mountains leaving the impression of warm embrace........ and at the same time enjoy a strong chess event?! It will be more than possible this fall for a big group of chess players that will participate in the European Club Cup 2008.

The European Club Cup 2008 (24th European Club Cup for Men, 13th European Club Cup for Women) will be held from Thursday 16th until Friday 24th October. It will be in the G-Hotels complex (Athos Palace and Theofano Imperial Palace) in Kallithea (Greece) , where these days the Halkidiki Chess Open, the European School Individual Championships, and the World Amateur Open are taking place.

Athos Palace

The hotel is situated at 2 km distance from the lively and thriving town of Kallithea and 5 km from Kassandra, the heart of summer fun, shopping, clubbing and parties of the Western sleeve of the Halkidiki peninsula. From the moment of arrival you will find yourself surrounded by fabulous vibrant gardens belonging to the hotel grounds. This hotel offers a unique ambiance, Mediterranean spirit, set in exceptional natural beauty, offering infinite gastronomic tastes, all in a luxurious atmosphere with top quality service.. and lots of chess. For years the hotel has been the venue of important chess events, the last of which (currently going on) the Games Festival.

The hotel has been recently renovated to offer top comfort - variety of water sports such as banana, water ski, canoes, ringos, scuba diving and pedalos, night clubs, restaurants, swimming pools, tennis courts. Special organized events for the guests, such as Greek barbeque parties and live music beach parties, are held on a daily basis giving our guests the opportunity to experience and explore traditional Greek summer fun and tastes.

And right in the heart of the hotel is the playing hall of the ECC 2008 - a spacious room with sufficient lightning and comfortable space between the tables. Definetely, it is a professional setup for a chess event, and Mr. Theodoros Tsorbatzoglou, the new Marketing director of European Chess Union and chairman of E.C.C. Organizing Commitee, confirms it, "E.C.U Board is prepared to put new standards for chess events following all the principal rules in sports' marketing. In this direction we will move starting with some innovations in Club Cup. We will try to change our image to be more sporty and attractive for sponsors and media."

Theophano Imperial Palace

Theophano Imperial Palace 5* Hotel is a recently constructed natural extention of Athos Palace, where you can escape for a while from the fast track world and allow your dreams to become a reality. It is not easy to describe the comfort and facilities the hotel offers. Incorporating the highest standards, beautifully and elegantly decorated rooms with warm colours, all are appointed with balconies and views over the gardens and the Toroneos Gulf.

Probably the best part of the hotel is the first floor. The rooms have private swimming pools, each about 90 sq. meters. Imagine a typical chess player's day. Wake up, quick breakfast, preparation, chess game... and all day long relaxation in the private swimming pool! Now this is 5 stars chess event, the way every top level event should be organized - with all the comfort for the players and top conditions.