Greece Travel Facts & Tips

ATM Availability	Available

Captial City	Athens

Dialing Code	(00) 30

Emergency Numbers	Ambulance 166; police 100; fire 199

Weather	Greece’s climate is Mediterranean. There is generally plenty of sunshine, mild temperatures and only a limited amount of rainfall. The dry hot summer days are cooled by seasonal winds (Meltemi); in the mountainous regions the temperatures are generally much cooler and arguably more pleasant in the height of summer. Winters are mild in the lowland areas and it's not uncommon to experience snow and ice; mountains are usually snow-covered. The country's geographical position is the reason for the great variety in it's climate. Different climactic conditions during the same season (for example, mild heat in coastal areas and cool temperatures in mountainous regions) are common.

Tourist Board website	http://www.gnto.gr/

Most Famous For	Ancient ruins, ouzo, moussaka

Useful Phrases	Yasas (hello); andio (goodbye); parakolo (please); efharisto (thank you).

Accommodation	Small, family-run guesthouses are a nice alternative to hotels, hostels or similar types of accomodation. Staying there, you get the chance to get to know local traditions and the charming, unhurried way life. Owners and staff in these guesthouses are generally friendly and open, and unlike in large hotels it is very easy to get to know people. If you can afford it, there is also the possibility of renting one of the many small houses/cottages, which are often near the beach. These give you a lot more space for your money and usually a wonderful view.

Business Hours	From Monday to Friday offices are generally open from 9am until 5pm, although some are closed around mid-day. Most stores are open from 9am until 6pm; in bigger towns shops might stay open longer. This applies to most other than shops in train/petrol stations, which are generally open 24hours. Banks are open from 8.30am until 2pm (1.30pm on Fridays).

Visas	If not staying for longer than 90 days, EU citizens and nationals of the following countries do not require a visa (although they do need a passport that is valid for at least 3 months from the date of return from Greece): Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Honduras, Hong Kong (holders of passports Hong Kong Special Administrative Region), Israel, Japan, Macao (holders of passports Regiao Administrativa Especial de Macau), Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Romania, South Korea, San Marino, Singapore, United States, Uruguay, The Vatican and Venezuela.

Tipping	Check if service charge was included, if it was, you don’t have to tip, but if you feel like you received an excellent service, leave 10-15% of the price. In traditional Restaurants service charges are often not included, just check to see whether it is or not.If you want to leave a tip, leave between 10 and 20 percent of the total bill on the payment tray or give it to your waiter.

Back to All European Country Guides