GREECE:
The official name of the country of Greece is HELLENIC REPUBLIC.. The current population is approx. 11,5 million. The capital of the country is ATHENS, with a population of 4,5 million.
FORMALITIES FOR ENTERING GREECE:
A valid passport is required by all entering Greece for a period of less than 3 months, except EC nationals who may also enter only with a valid ID card. For some nationalities, a visa may be required. For more information please contact the nearest Greek Embassy or Greek Consulate office with regard to visa requirements.
CLIMATE:
Greece has a warm Mediterranean climate, that tends to be cooler in the inland and the mountain areas. In summer dry and warm days are often relieved by a system of seasonal breezes called “ Meltemia”. Winters are mild in the southern and coastal areas, and cold and snowy in the most mainland and mountain areas. Generally the rain season is between November and March. In Athens, which enjoys a mild and rather warm climate, the average temperature in January is 10 C (50 F) and in July 30 C (88 F), with alot of sunny days even in winter.
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS 2019:
Jan 1: New Year’s Day
Jan 6: Epiphany
March 4: Shrove Monday
March 25: Independence Day
April 26: Good Friday
April 28: Orthodox Easter
April 29: Easter Monday
May 1: Labor Day
June 10 : Orthodox Pentecost
June 10: Whit Monday
August 15: Assumption Day
October 28: National Holiday
Dec. 25-26: Christmas & Boxing Day
Currency:
The EURO is the currency used in Greece. Notes are in denominations of EURO 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500. Coins are in denominations of EURO 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents and EURO 1 and 2. Diners Club, Visa, American Express, Mastercard and other major credit cards are widely accepted in hotels, shops and restaurants.
BANKS:
Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Fridays 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.,
Saturdays & Sundays closed.
Most banks and major hotels have 24-hour ATMs accepting major credit cards.
POST OFFICES:
All post offices are open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The main post office on 100 Aeolou Street is open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and on Saturdays 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The main post office on Syntagma Square and at the Acropolis Kiosk are open Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. The post office at the Athens Airport is open Monday-Sunday, 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
SHOPPING:
In Athens and other major cities, shopping hours on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday shops are 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. On the other days, they are open until 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. and then 5:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. Sundays only souvenir shops are open until 20:00, but during Summer on the islands they stay open until late at night. The most famous shopping areas of Athens are Ermou Street, Panepistimiou Street, Stadiou Street and the fashionable Kolonaki district where you can find famous brands like Armani, Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Cartier, etc. Gold, museum copies and local handicrafts are what someone should look for in Greece.
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION:
Public transport in Athens is well organized, cheap and efficient. Public transport is mainly served by local buses, trolley buses, metro and tram and ticket costs currently € 1.40 for 1hr 30min. You can also use it for the suburban to station Magoula. From the Athens International Airport you can take bus X95 to Syntagma Square and bus X96 to Piraeus port. The current price is € 5.00. From the airport you can also take the Metro directly to Syntagma, Monastiraki or Larissa train station in Athens (€ 8.00).
For further information: http://www.oasa.gr
MUSEUMS:
Greece has a big variety of museums of all kinds and Athens only has over 44 museums, in which you can find masterpieces from archaeological sites around Greece. Among the most famous are the National Archaeological Museum, the Cycladic Arts Museum, the Benaki Museum, the Byzantine Museum and the new Acropolis Museum.
DINING:
The Greek-Mediterranean cuisine is well known in the whole world for being both very tasty and healthy. The most popular restaurants are the tavernas, which can be found everywhere in Athens, and especially in the Plaka (old town) district, serving mainly appetizers, salads and meat dishes. Don't hesitate to try the famous "souvlaki". The prices vary from € 20.00 to € 40.00 per person. If you wish to eat fresh fish, try the tavernas in Piraeus (the biggest port in Greece and the 4th largest in Europe) or on the coastal area linking Athens with Cape Sounion. Fish restaurants tend to be more expensive than the tavernas. There is also a big variety of international restaurants, such as: Italian, French, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Polynesian, Mexican, etc.
ENTERTAINMENT:
Greek people, and specifically the Athenians, have the reputation that "they never sleep". All the major cities and towns in Greece offer a variety of Bars, Night Clubs, Discos and Restaurants with Live Show. In Summer, the open-air cinemas give a pleasant note, as Greece is one of the few countries to have these. The Athens Festival in Summer (June-September) and the Epidauros Festival (July & August) offer great cultural events of all kinds. The Theater of Dora Stratou in Athens presents a Greek folk dancing show, on a nightly basis May-September, with authentic customes from all around Greece.
TIPPING:
In Greece a service charge is usually included in your bill. However a 10-15% tipping is expected.
DON'T FORGET:
Your sneakers or comfortable shoes for climbing up to the Acropolis and the other archaeological sites. In the Summer months a hat is necessary.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION you can also visit www.visitgreece.gr