Greece | Travel | Accommodation | Tours

Greece | Useful Info

USEFUL INFORMATION:

HOLIDAYS & FESTIVALS:
The following are national public holidays:

New Year's Day - January 1
Epiphany - January 6
Otrhodox Christmas - 7 January
Shrove Monday (First day of Lent) - movable (February 19 in 2007)
Independence Day and The Annunciation - March 25
Good Friday - movable (April 25 in 2008)
Easter -movable (April 27 in 2008)
Easter Monday - movable (April 28 in 2008)
May Day / Labour Day - May 1
Pentecost Monday - movable (June 15 in 2008)
Assumption of Our Lady - August 15
WWII Day / "OXI Day" - October 28
Catholic Christmas - December 25
Saint Stephen's - December 26

GETTING AROUND:
BY BUS & TRAIN:
Intercity buses are a very popular option for domestic travel. KTEL is the national government-subsidized network of independent businesses which cooperate together to form a dense route system serving almost the entire country. The system is efficient, reliable, and relatively inexpensive. It serves both long and short distances, including routes from major cities to islands near the mainland, such as Corfu and Cephalonia (in such cases, the ferry crossing is included in the price of the bus ticket). Trains are another inexpensive way to get around, but the national rail system (OSE) is extremely limited. This is due to neglect after the arrival of large scale automobile use and air travel, and also due to past technological difficulties in surmounting the country's difficult terrain. The importance of rail travel is now being rediscovered, and the national rail network is currently under major renovation. The project's completion is still a long way off, but visitors can already benefit from the first sections of the modernized rail system that have been inaugurated. An entirely new suburban/regional rail system, the Proastiakos, has been opened in 2004 for Attica and adjacent regions and is under further expansion. There has also been extensive (and continuing) modernization of the Athens-Thessaloníki corridor, with travel times being slashed.
BY CAR:
Exploring the country by automobile can be an extremely rewarding experience, allowing you to explore the incredibly scenic and varied terrain of the country's coastlines, interior, and islands, at your convenience. However, Greece does have a relatively high road fatality rate, among the highest in the European Union. Many Greek drivers tend to drive aggressively, and the nation's topographic reality poses challenges by forcing many narrow roads in mountainous regions to take several twists and turns. On the plus side, the road fatality rate has been steadily declining as a result of government campaigns, tougher policing, and lawmaking. Roads are usually well-marked and well-maintained, and billions of Euros are being poured into expanding the nation's network of multi-lane freeways. Because of the rapid expansion and improvement of the nation's road system, it is advised to have the most updated road map(s) possible. Many of the newer motorways are toll roads, and fees can be expensive. Road signs in Greek are usually repeated with a transliterated version in the Latin alphabet.
BY FERRY:
To get to the islands you will mostly have to take a ferry. There are extensive connections from Athens and in-between islands for "hopping." Ferries are about the one thing in Greece that leave on time so BE PROMPT. In August, ferries fill up due to the National Holiday (Aug 15) so plan ahead. New "fast ferries" are cutting distance times in half but prices are slightly more expensive. Sometimes, it is more practical to fly, especially to Crete or Rhodes. However, flights are usually more expensive. Santorini is 8 hour slow boat from Athens but the entrance view from the boat is spectacular. There are two ports in Athens: the main port Piraeus and outlying Rafina. These serve all islands, but northern islands such as Lesvos, it is better to leave from Rafina. Typical travel times, slow boat from Piraeus: Athens-Paros = 4 hours, Athens-Mykonos = 5.5 hours, Athens-Santorini = 8 hours, Athens-Heraklion = 9 hours.
BY PLANE:
The nation's domestic air travel industry is dominated by state-owned Olympic Airlines and its growing competitor, Aegean Airlines. Both airlines offer an extensive route network within the country, including service connecting several islands to the mainland. Aegean Airlines and more recently, Olympic Airlines offer E-tickets, which only exist as an e-mail or a web page with booking confirmation. It should be provided printed at the check-in desk at the airport (no need to visit airline office).
BY TAXI:
There are many taxis in Greece, but in the large cities, Athens in particular, getting one can be quite a challenge! Taxi drivers are known for being quite rude and not taking you if they feel like it. You hail taxis like in any other large city, but in Athens many taxis will refuse to take you if they don't like your destination. If you need a taxi during rush hour, it can be next to impossible to find one going outside the perimeter of Athens (they all say they are going home, or worse, they ignore you). Go to a hotel and get them to get a taxi for you.

TALK:
Greek is the national official language and is the native tongue of the vast majority of the population. Foreign languages are widely studied, and most Greeks have some command of one or more foreign languages. English is the most widely studied and understood of foreign languages, followed by French, Italian, and German. Basic knowledge of English can be expected from almost all personnel in the tourism industry and public transport services, as well as most Greeks under the age of 40. However, learning a few Greek terms, such as "hello" and "thank you" will be warmly received. The Latin and Cyrillic alphabets were derived from the the Greek alphabet and about half of Greek letters look like their Latin counterparts, and most Greek letters resembles its Cyrillic counterparts. With a bit of study it's not too hard to decipher written names, and common terms such as "hotel", "cafeteria", etc. And you'll find that place names on road signs throughout the country are often transliterated into Latin letters (some signs, especially on the newer roads, are even outright translated into English). Other Balkan languages such can be useful, especially in the north; Serbo-Croatian, Albanian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Macedonian are widely understood, although most don't always give a warm reception, especially on those with vivid memories of the Civil War of the 1946-1949.

MONEY:

Greece's official currency is the euro (€), which replaced the drachma in January 2002. Currency exchanges are common particularly in larger cities and in any touristed area.
In addition to hard currency, they also accept traveler's checks. There are also automated currency exchange machines in some areas of the country, particularly at Athens airport. The National Bank of Greece NBG (Ethnikí Trápeza Elládos), the country's largest commercial bank, will also exchange euros for some currencies -such as the US Dollar and British Pound- often times at better rates than currency exchanges. Other commercial banks, such as Alpha Bank may also exchange currency, but only for account-holding customers.
You may get better exchange rates by using credit and ATM cards. Mastercard, Visa, and Eurocard are widely accepted across the country in retail stores, hotels, and travel/transportation agencies (including ferry, airline, and car rental agencies), but are not accepted at some restaurants. Local souvenir shops usually require a minimum purchase before allowing you to use your card and may not accept it for special sales or deeply discounted items. ATM machines are present almost everywhere, with Mastercard/Cirrus and Visa/Plus being the most widely accepted cards. Many ATM machines may not accept 5-digit pin numbers; ATM card-users with 5-digit pins are advised to change their pin to 4 digits before leaving home.
Value Added Tax is charged on most items, usually included in the item's price tag but some shops offer "Tax Free" shopping to non-EU residents. This means that non-EU residents can ask for a VAT refund at their port of exit in the EU. Be sure to ask for your voucher before leaving the store and show that along with your items to the customs officer upon departure from the EU.

STAY SAFE:

Greece is one of the safest nations in Europe and in the world.
Violent crime and theft rates are very low; public disorder is extremely rare, and public drunkenness is generally frowned upon. There has recently been a spike in theft -at least a perceived one- which some locals will not hesitate to blame on the influx of immigrants. Visitors should rest assured that this is an extremely safe and friendly destination, but it is always advisable for foreign tourists to exercise basic precautionary measures just as they would at home. Athenians hold negative perceptions for the areas from Omonoia Square to Karaiskaki Square and the area near Larissis train station (in the western areas of the city proper) and they will advise you to avoid these areas late at night. A string of crimes committed by drunk young Britons against locals and other tourists (ranging from vandalism incidents to public indecency and a handful of violent episodes) in areas popular with young British partiers (notably Faliráki in Rhodes and Kávos in Corfu), made national headlines in the summer of 2003. Authorities have since stepped up police presence in these areas to crack down on lewd behavior.
According to car rental agencies in Athens, you can safely leave luggage, car radio, and other belongings in a car anywhere in mainland Greece.
It is strictly forbidden to take photos of military installations or other strategic locations. Authorities will take violations quite seriously. Obey signs prohibiting photography.

STAY HEALTHY:

Despite a loud call for health care reform from both the voters and the political establishment, the nation's health care system has received very high marks from the World Health Organization (WHO), a branch of the UN. However, many citizens prefer private health care for longer-term hospital stays. Depending on the age and nature of a particular hospital or clinic, services range from adequate to excellent. Health care is free and universal for all citizens, as well as for all EU nationals upon presentation for E111 form. For non-EU nationals, only emergency care is provided for free.
A network of helicopter ambulances serves the islands, transporting patients who need immediate attention to the nearest island or city with a major hospital.
The country's pharmacies and medications are of top quality, and pharmacists are highly trained experts in their field. Many medications that can only be acquired by prescription in the US and UK, can be purchased without prescription in Greece. When sick with a simple, common illness, a visit to the pharmacist will provide you with the medication you need. If you are looking for a specific medication, be sure to know its generic name, as brand names might be different. Most pharmacies close on Sundays, but a sign will be posted on the door indicating the nearst pharmacies that are open.
In late spring and summer, the government runs public service announcements on television reminding Greeks to wear their sunblock at the beach. The Mediterranean sun tends to get quite strong, and can burn skin that has not been exposed to the sun for a long time. Any excessive daily sun exposure can also cause long-term damage to skin. Sunblock and sunscreen are widely available throughout Greece at supermarkets, grocery stores, pharmacies, and special stores selling beach-related items.
During the hottest months, while visiting archaeological sites, wear tank tops, carry umbrellas, and carry water. Temperatures stay at about 95-100 F. The sun is merciless.
There are no required inocculations for Greece and the water is perfectly safe. The tap water on some of the islands is desalinated sea water, which may taste awkward; locals on such islands prefer to drink bottled water, which is widely available throughout the country at supermarkets, grocery stores, and kiosks.

RESPECT:

Greeks rate politeness with a person's behavior and not their words. Furthermore, there is an air of informality; everybody is treated like a cousin. They use their hands to gesture a lot. Have fun with this. Sometimes over-emphasizing politeness in spoken language will only make the person dealing with you think you are pretentious. It's nice to learn basic words like "thank you" (Ευχαριστώ: ef-khah-rees-TOH) or "please" (Παρακαλώ: pah-rah-kah-LOH).
Greeks take leisure very seriously; it is a work-to-live culture, not live-to-work. Don't take perceived laziness or rudeness harshly. They do it to everyone, locals and tourists alike. Rather than fight it, just go along with it and laugh at the situation. It can be very frustrating at times but also appreciate their "enjoy life" attitude. They do take politics and soccer very seriously.
Dress codes for churches include covered shoulders for women and knees covered for both sexes. This tends to be lightly enforced during the height of the summer tourist season, simply due to sheer volume!
Do not say that Greece is part of Eastern Europe; Greece was the only openly pro-Western country in a shore of Communist neighbours, both pro-Soviet and neutral. It is not geographically correct either. The Macedonian issue is considered a very sensitive topic: Greeks consider that the name "Macedonian" is stolen from them and used by Tito's partizans in southern Yugoslavia to adress themselves.
Also, be very careful when talking about the Byzantine Empire, which is a symbol of their national pride and splendour; however,most will say the polar opposite when talking about the miliatry junta of the late 1960s-mid 1970s. Many Greeks-- not just Communists and other left-wing groups-- have suffered severe repression and view its leaders with utter resentment. Likewise, be polite when asking about their relationship with the Turks, the Ottoman occupation and the Cyprus civil war of 1974, as these create passionate, sometimes agressive, debates.

RUDE GESTURES:
To "swear" at someone using their hands, Greeks put out their entire hand, palm open, like signalling someone to stop. This is called "mountza". Sometimes they will do this by saying "na" (here) as well. It is basically telling someone to screw off or that they did something totally ridiculous. "Mountza" is known to come from a gesture used in the Byzantine era, where the guilty person were applied with ash on his/her face by the judge's hand, in order to be ridiculed.

SMOKING:
Greeks smoke tremendously, and they see cigarettes as a birthright. However new laws are putting restrictions on smoking, and awareness is growing about the risks of second-hand smoke. Don't be afraid to tell a cab driver or someone to put out the butt if it is bothering you... but they might bite back!