Greece Travel Guide

Greece — Country and Tourist Information

Browse the Greece Photo Gallery

Country Facts

Location: Southeast Europe.
Language: Greek (Ellenika). Most people connected with tourism, and much of the younger generations generally speak some English, French, German or Italian.
Area: 131,957 sq km (50,949 sq miles).
Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 230 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used.
Population: 11.306.183 (2010).
Population Density: 85.7 per sq km.
Capital City: Athens.
Government: Republic.
Head of Government: Prime Minister George Papandreou since 2009.
Head of State: President Karolos Papoulias since 2005.
Religion: 98% Greek Orthodox, with Muslim, Roman Catholic and Jewish minorities.

Recent History

The birthplace of ancient civilization has had to deal with some very modern problems recently. Georgios Papandreou has faced an unprecedented financial crisis since becoming Prime Minister in October 2009, leading the Panhellenic socialist movement party (PASOK) to victory, and for many Greeks the heady days of hosting the Olympic Games in 2004 must seem like another age.

While in recent times Greece may have been reliant on its neighbors for assistance, for much of its history it has been very much in the ascendency. The Mycenaeans were the first Greek speaking tribes to arrive in Greece between 1900 and 1600 BC. At once time Greek Civilization stretched from Egypt to the Hindu Kush of Pakistan and Greek minorities can still be found in many of the locations over which it used to preside.

The routes of Greece’s conflict with Turkey go back to the Byzantine and Ottoman eras. However, Greece’s support of Turkey’s recent attempts to join the EU may signal a new period of relations between the two countries.

Communications

Telephone

Country Code: +30.

Mobile Telephone

Roaming agreements exist with most international mobile phone companies. Coverage is excellent.

Internet

Internet cafes are available in the main cities, including Athens, Thessaloniki and the islands of Crete, Kos, Mykonos and Rhodes.

Media

A free press operates in Greece, although material deemed offensive to the president or religious beliefs can lead to the prosecution of editors and publishers. It was only in the late 1980s that the virtual monopoly of state-run broadcasters came to an end, with the introduction of new commercial TV services. Peak-time TV schedules are dominated by news, domestically made variety programs, comedies and game shows. The country hosts about 1,700 private radio and TV stations, many of which are unlicensed, since broadcasting in Greece is relatively unregulated by European standards. An attempt made in 2001 to regulate the FM dial in Athens resulted in a political row. There are numerous daily newspapers in Athens including Eleftherotypia, Kathimerini and Ta Nea; Athens News is published weekly in English.

Post

All letters, postcards, newspapers and periodicals will automatically be sent by airmail. Airmail to Europe takes five days; six to North America; seven to Australia.Mon-Fri 0730-1400, Sat 0800-1400.

Public Holidays

Below are listed Public Holidays for the January 2011-December 2012 period.
2010
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day

2011
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Jan Epiphany
25 Mar Independence Day
22 Apr Orthodox Good Friday
25 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
13 Jun Orthodox Whit Monday
15 Aug Assumption
28 Oct Ochi Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day

2012
1 Jan New Year’s Day
6 Jan Epiphany
25 Mar Independence Day
13 Apr Orthodox Good Friday
16 Apr Orthodox Easter Monday
1 May Labor Day
28 May Orthodox Whit Monday
15 Aug Assumption
28 Oct Ochi Day
25 Dec Christmas Day
26 Dec Boxing Day

Contact Information

British Embassy in Greece

1 Ploutarchou Street, 106 75 Athens, Greece
Tel: (210) 7272 600.
Website: www.ukingreece.fco.gov.uk
Opening hours: Mon-fri, 0830-1300.

Embassy of Greece (Hellas) in the UK

1A Holland Park, London W11 3TP, UK
Tel: (020) 7229 3850 or 020 73135601/17 (visa section) or 09065 508 983 (24-hour visa information line).
Website: www.greekembassy.org.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1300.

Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) in the UK

4 Conduit Street, London W1S 2DJ, UK
Tel: (020) 7495 9300.
Website: www.gnto.co.uk
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1100-1500.

Embassy of Greece (Hellas) in the USA

2217 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008, USA
Tel: (202) 939 1300/6 (consular section).
Website: www.mfa.gr/washington
Opening hours: Mon - Thurs 0930-1300, 1400-1700; Tues, Wed and Fri 0930-1300.

Greek/Hellenic National Tourism Organization (GNTO) in the USA

Olympic Tower, 645 Fifth Avenue, 9th Floor, Suite 903, New York, NY 10022, USA
Tel: (212) 421 5777.
Website: www.greektourism.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 1000-1600.