Travellers usefull tips

Things to know about Greece

Capital: Athens

Religion: the main religion is Orthodox Christianity, 98% of the population profess it. Catholics, Muslims and Protestants live in border areas.

Language: Greek. English and German are used for communication with tourists.

Climate
The subtropical Mediterranean climate is dominated in the country. January and February are the coldest months of the north part of the country. During this season, the temperature is 0°C at night, by day it doesn’t exceed +8 - +10°С. Summer is the hottest time. The period from July to September is very dry. The south region of the country is warmer. During winter, the average temperature is +12 - +13°С, in summer +30 - +33°С. The swimming season begins in May. At this time, the water temperature is already +19°C. The water warms up to +25°C in the summer months.

The average temperature: 

Currency: Euro (symbol – €). 1 Euro is equal to one hundred euro cents. Circulated banknotes are in denominations of 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 and coins of 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 cents and 1, 2 euros.

Means of payment: You can exchange your money only at exchange offices and banks, as well as at post offices. The credit cards of international payment systems Visa, American Express, MasterCard, Diners are accepted in large shopping centres, hotels and restaurants with commission. Traveller’s cheques should be exchanged at the company representative offices or banks.

Currency exchange: Banks work from 8:30am to 2:00pm, on Friday till 1:30pm. In some large tourist centres, banks are open from 3:00pm to 9:00pm, except days off and national holidays.

Calls to Greece from other countries: for making a call on landline, you should dial +30 (a dialling code) X-XXX-XXX;
For example: +30 (25) X-XXX-XXX.

Calls from Greece to other countries: There are many public phone boxes in Greece. They are available from 7:00am to 7:00pm every day, except Sunday. To make a call from a landline phone from Greece, you should dial a country code, an area code and a phone number. In Greece the telephone rate is the highest in Europe, that’s why calls abroad are quite expensive.

Useful phone numbers in Greece:
Police: 100
Ambulance: 166
Fire station: 199
Emergency roadside assistance: 154
After-hours pharmacy and hospitals: 1434
Ellas Service (road assistance): 1057
The exact time: 141
Information about long-distance transport: 1440
OTE telephone network (information): 134

Time zone:
UTC / GMT +2 hours
Time zone in summer: UTC+3
Daylight saving time in summer: the last Sunday of March at 1:00am
Daylight saving time in winter: the last Sunday of October at 1:00am

Customs:
You can bring into the country duty-free:
1) a block of cigarettes or 50 cigars
2) up to 2 litres of alcohol beverages
3) gifts that cost less than € 150
To visit the country, you are advised to have currency at least 50 € for a person per day. Sometimes the currency is examined by Greek customs, but you can also use traveller’s cheques and credit cards.

Shopping
Shops are open every day, except Sunday, from 9:00am to 2:00pm. On Tuesday, Thursday and Friday they are open from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Large supermarkets and department stores work without break till 9:00pm.

Transport:

1) public transport

1. Taxi is not very expensive in Greece, but at night and during the holidays you can expect a double rate. You can order taxi by phone, at parking place or catch it on the road. Payment is identified by a taxi meter. The approximate rate is about €0.5 per kilometre.

2. Subway
Athens has only 2 metro lines. You can buy tickets in the automatic machines at each station. At the entrance, there are special ticket machines, in which you should punch your ticket. The limit of such ticket is within 90 minutes, the value is about €1.40.

3. Bus is a widely used kind of transport. The fare ranges between € 0,6 and 1,4, it depends on the city. You can buy daily or weekly tickets at the ticket offices. All tickets should be punched inside of the carriage. Public transport stops only at bus stations, for the request of passengers or by pressing a button "STOP", which is located on the handrail or door.

4. Bicycle: in Greece many companies offer bike renting. The rent is about €5 per day.

2) long-distance transport

1. Buses: long distance services are provided by buses. The only public bus company – KTEL – operates in Greece. It has its own separate independent department in every region. Ticket price depends on the distance of the trip.

2. Plains
There are internal flights between Athens, Thessaloniki, Kavala and Mytilene, the northern part of the country and between the largest Greek islands.

3. Trains
Due to the mountainous area, the train system is almost undeveloped. The most popular route is Athens–Thessaloniki. You’d better buy tickets in advance.

4. Water transport
Sea transport provides transportations to all big cities and islands of Greece. Many transport companies located in ports offer a wide range of services. Boat rental (with a driver or without) is widely used either. The approximate cost of such rent is about €40-60.

Car rental is very popular in Greece. The value depends on the time of the year and the number of tourists in the country. For renting, you should have an international driving license, be over 21 and no more than 70, and also have a driving experience of at least 3 years.

Hotels differ from the level of stars. Almost all the hotels offer excellent service and good conditions. Instead of the European star-system, Greek hotels are marked by literal signs. Five stars corresponds to Category De Luxe, four stars – category A, three – and two stars – category B, category C and D. Apartments, villas and other types of accommodation, that are not included in the hotel sector, are officially not classified. The price depends on the season, the quality of the hotel and its location.

Tipping is appreciated. However service is always included in the bill (10% of the total amount).

National Holidays in Greece:

1 January – New Year

6 January – Epiphany

25 March – Independence Day

1 May – Labour Day

15 August – Dormition of the Holy Virgin

28 October – The "Ochi day"

25 December – Christmas

26 December – Boxing Day

Traditions and behaviour rules in the country: the Greeks have a siesta time. From 3:00pm to 5:00pm many shops, cafes and restaurants are closed. It’s the rule to pay cash in Greece. If you are going to visit churches or cathedrals, you are supposed to have appropriate clothes covering your shoulders and knees.

Visa: Greece is in the Schengen area, so it is necessary to have the Schengen visa to visit the country. The citizens of these countries DO NOT NEED a visa for visiting Greece: Albania, Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Austria, Australia (including the Cocos Islands, Norfolk Island, Christmas Island), the Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Bermuda, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile , Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France (including French Guiana, French Polynesia, Guadeloupe, Martinique, New Caledonia, Reunion, Saint Pierre and Miquelon), Germany, Guatemala , Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Macedonia, Malaysia, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Monaco, Montenegro, the Netherlands, New Zealand (including the Cook Islands, Niue, Tokelau), Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain (including the Spanish territories in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla), Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (including the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and Bermuda), the USA (including the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico), Uruguay, Vatican City, Venezuela.