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Greece travel guide - Greece
holidays, flights & hotels.
Top destination guides for Greece holidays;
Athens
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Thessaloniki
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Greece Holidays, Greece Holiday Packages Overview
The Olympic Games were spawned in
ancient classical Greece, along with democracy and the fundamentals
of philosophy, science and mathematics. Modern Greece is better
known as a great place to vacation rather than a centre of learning
and culture. Today the country attracts by offering simple
pleasures: delicious food at reasonable prices, local wine,
beautiful beaches, sunshine, quaint villages, a seemingly endless
lacework of coastline and little islands full of scenic
surprises. The country exudes traditional charm,
particularly on its ever-popular islands, which cling to their
stereotypical architecture and way of life despite being often
over-run by tourists. Black-clad women still deliver vegetables to
island tavernas on panniered donkeys, while bronzed, lined
fishermen sit in the sun, drink thick coffee, and play dominoes or
dice. The tourist infrastructure has intruded in many respects, but
the timeless aspect of whitewashed buildings clustered on hillsides
around narrow pebbled alleys has been retained. The myriad islands
in the Aegean Sea are easily accessible from Piraeus, the historic
harbour of Greece's mainland capital, Athens, by ferry or
hydrofoil, offering a unique chance for 'island-hopping'. Many of
the larger islands also have airports with connections to Athens or
seasonally with major European cities. On the
mainland the city of Athens in the south is sprawling, overcrowded
and polluted but nevertheless enthralls visitors, while
Thessaloniki in the north is vibrant and modern with a Byzantine
flavour. Athens is dominated by its major landmark, the Parthenon:
the remains of other wonders of the ancient Greek classical world
are to be found mainly on the Peloponnese Peninsula, south of
Corinth, the gateway to a veritable treasure trove of
history. Greece and Greeks welcome with open
arms the thousands of visitors that flock to admire their national
assets every year - no-one leaves without having been warmed, both
by the sun and the hospitality.
Tourist Offices - Greek Tourist Office: +30 210 3310392 or
www.gnto.gr
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Entry Requirements
The borderless region known as the Schengen
area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark,
Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The
Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these
countries issue a standard Schengen visa that allows the holder, in
principal, to travel freely within the borders of all. Travellers
to Greece must hold visible means of support. It is recommended to
hold return/onward ticket. If arriving with a one-way ticket,
passengers may be asked for proof of sufficient funds for the
return/onward journey.
- For Australians -
Australians require a passport valid at least three
months beyond period of intended stay. A visa is not required for a
stay of up to three months.
- New Zealand citizens require a passport (must be valid
at least three months beyond period of intended stay). No visa is
required for a stay of up to three months, provided coming for
touristic purposes.
- US citizens require a passport valid for at least
three months after the end of their stay. No visa is required for a
stay of up to three months, but a return ticket and proof of
sufficient funds are advisable.
- US citizens require a passport valid for at least
three months after the end of their stay. No visa is required for a
stay of up to three months, but a return ticket and proof of
sufficient funds are advisable.
- UK nationals require a passport valid for the intended
period of stay, but a visa is not required.
Greece Holidays - Currency of Greece
The Euro (EUR) is the official currency, divided
into 100 cents. Banks and bureaux de change are widely available
and travellers cheques and major credit cards are widely accepted.
ATMs are widespread and are generally the cheapest and most
convenient method of obtaining euros.
Greece
Telephone Access Codes and Communications
The international access code for Greece
is +30. The outgoing code is 00 followed by the relevant country
code (e.g. 0044 for the United Kingdom). The city code for Athens
is 21. There are often surcharges on calls made from hotels and it
is generally cheaper to use OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications
Organisation) offices for local and international calls. Calls can
also be made from public card phone booths and cards can be bought
from kiosks or OTE offices. The local mobile phone operators use
GSM networks and have roaming agreements with most international
operators. Internet cafes are available in the main towns and
resorts and are cheaper than accessing the Internet from
hotels.
Greece
Duty Free Allowances & Restrictions
Travellers from non-EU countries do not pay
duty when entering Greece for 200 cigarettes, or 100 cigarillos, or
50 cigars, or 250g tobacco; 1 litre of spirits with alcohol volume
over 22%, or 2 litres of dessert wine not exceeding 22% alcohol
volume and sparkling wine, and 2 litres of table wine; 50g perfume
or 250ml eau de toilette; and other goods for non-commercial value
to the value of EUR175 for adults and EUR90 for children under 15
years.
Greece
Holidays & Packages- Tipping Information
The tip is often included in the bill in a
restaurant. If not, leave between 10 to 15 percent. For drinks at
cafes, round the bill up to the nearest euro. Taxis expect change
as do cloak room attendants and porters.
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