| 1. What is the best
time of the year to travel to Greece ? |
| It depends on where you want
to go. The best months to visit the islands are May,June,early
July, late August, September and early October. Avoid
the dates July 20th to August 20th which are the busiest
of the tourist season, and late October because the weather
gradually deteriorates. If you want to visit the mainland,
then March, April,May, June, September and October are
suitable months. July and August are both very warm and
busy. |
| 2. Passports and Visas |
| What is required ? In general,
E.U nationals and US/Canadian citizens do not need a visa.
US/ Canadians visitors must have a valid passport that
will be in effect at least another 3 months after the
end of their trip. For more information,please contact
the appropriate consulate or embassy. |
| 3. Health requirements |
| No vaccinations or immunizations
are needed when travelling to Greece. |
| 4. Is an international
driver's license needed? |
E.U Nationals:No
US/ Canadians:Opinions vary. Up until recently, a valid
driver's license was sufficient but more and more car
rental companies require an international one. We suggest
you have one issued prior to your departure. Car Club
AAA can issue this license. One must be 18 years old and
have a valid drivers license. They will take 2 passport
size photos for the International license: $6.00 for Members
- $8.00 for Non-Members. The drivers fill out an application.
It costs $10.00 for the permit. This should take about
15-20 minutes depending on traffic at the AAA office. |
| 5. What is the voltage
in Greece ? |
| 220 V (pls. bring your transformer
with you). |
| 6. How can one spend
ones holidays in Greece during the Winter period (November-February)? |
| The winter months in Greece
are much milder than they are in Northern Europe,but still
we get heavy rains, low temperatures, strong winds and
snow (in the north). The majority of the tourist related
enterprises on the islands - hotels, shops, restaurants
- close down, the transportation to/from/between the islands
becomes irregular and weather dependent, the sights and
museums close earlier and many hotels on the mainland
close down for renovation and maintenance.Good destinations
are Athens, bigger islands with many permanent inhabitants
like Crete and Rhodes, and certain mainland areas inGreece
that offer Winter activities (e.g. ski centers) or can
be easily visited throughout the year like Delphi, Nauplion,
Meteora, Karpenissi, Mani etc... |
| 7. What should I pack
? |
| It depends on the time of the
year and the kind of holiday you have booked. Overall,
bring casual clothes with only a few informal pieces for
evening outings. If you go on a cruise, ask for the evening
dress code. In all cases, bring good, sturdy shoes and
your hat. |
| 8. Bus and train schedules
to the mainland |
Both these companies are owned
by the state. Tickets are sold almost exclusively through
publicly owned outlets. Recently the following sites have
been set up on the Net. We cannot guarantee their accuracy
but it will give you an idea of what is available:
Bus service: http://www.KTEL.org
Train service: http://www.OSE.gr |
| 9. Discounts on ferries,
hydrofoils and planes |
Domestic airfares:
A ge groups entitled to discounts are children until the
age of 12, youths between the ages of 12 and 24, and senior
citizens over 60.
Domestic ferries:
A ge groups entitled to discounts are children from age
4-10. Children under 4 are free of charge, when not occupying
a bed in a cabin.
Domestic hydrofoils/catamarans:
A ge groups entitled to discounts are children from age
4-10. Children under 4 are free of charge, when not occupying
a seat.
Eurail passes:
T hey are applicable on international sea routes only.
International airfares:
Here the cases are too many to be listed under a regular
FAQ list. |
| 10. How much should
a taxi cost ? |
| The taxis in Athens and big
cities have a meter that starts at EURO 0,75. The minimum
fare is EURO 1,50. There is an additional fee when taking
a taxi from airports and ports and for every piece of
luggage over 10kgs there is a supplement [please contact
us for more information.] After midnight the tariff is
double. You can only pay cash. Taxi drivers are not obliged
to issue receipts but may be able to provide you with
one upon request. |
| 11. Country codes you
need to be familiar with: |
GR = International
2-letter code of Greece
GRD = International 3-letter code for
the Greek drachma (also occasionally written DRS )
+30 = when calling Greece, dial 0030
and then the area code and the number.
E.g. for Athens, one dials 0030210 - and the number.
If you are calling Athens from the US or Canada, please
dial 01130210 - and then the number. |
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