Electric Current
The standard in Greece is 220V AC (50Hz). Appliances from North America require a transformer and British ones an adaptor.
We recommend that you pack one together with your electrical appliance, so that you do not have to spend valuable time looking for adaptors and transformers during your stay.
Time
Greek time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, an hour ahead of Central European Time and seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time. Along with the rest of continental Europe, the clock is advanced one hour during summer -from the end of March to the end of September- almost a month earlier than the UK, the US and Canada. Therefore keep in mind that the time difference with these countries is one hour greater for some weeks in April and October.
If you want to find out what is the exact time call 141 (recorded message in Greek).
Public Holidays
New Year's Day: January 1st
Epiphany: January 6th. The seas around Piraeus are blessed. A Cross is thrown into the sea and young men dive to retrieve it.
Ash Monday: 41 days before Easter. Lent begins. On Ash Monday, Greeks fly kites, eat lenten food and celebrate the koulouma.
Independence Day and the Feast of the Annunciation: March 25th , Military parade.
Easter: Good Friday-Easter Monday. Vesper evening is on Good Friday and every church decorates an Epitaphios (bier). The Epitaphios processions, followed by people holding lit candles and chanting hymns, fill the streets of every city, town and village in the country.
Anastasi (Resurrection): celebrated with fire-works and lit candles at midnight, on the eve of Easter Day. Pascha (Easter): on that Day Greeks traditionally eat lamb, spit-roasted on charcoal. The festivities include singing and dancing through the day.
Labour Day: May 1st . Many Flower Festivals take place all over Greece.
Whit Monday: 50 days after Easter.
Dormition (Assumption) of The Virgin: August 15th .
October 28th: rejection of the Italian ultimatum in 1940. Military parade.
Christmas: December 25th -26th.
Telephone
OTE (the Hellenic Telecommunications Organization) offices are the cheapest way to make local or international calls. To do so, just walk in and wait for a booth to be free.
At the end of the call, the desk operator will present you with a bill. OTE offices are open from 08:00 to 14:00.
Local and international calls can also be made from public cardphone booths and kiosks (periptera) equipped with meters.
Telecards can be purchased from kiosks and OTE offices.
Postal Service
Signs denoting post offices are usually bright yellow, as are post-boxes.
If you need to send a letter there are stamp vending machines and post-boxes outside all central post offices. Parcels sent abroad must be inspected, so do not wrap and seal them beforehand. Brown paper, soft padded envelopes and cardboard boxes can be bought at the post offices themselves.
bussines hours
Banks: 8:00. to 14:00. daily, Friday 8:00. to 13:30. ,
closed Saturday, Sunday , and most holidays.
Shops are open Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 9 am-3 pm and on Tuesday and Thursday 9 am-8 pm
Many tourist shops are open 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Gas stations are open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m Some are open 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.
Government offices : 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, closed Saturday, Sunday and most holidays.
What to Wear
You are expected to dress in a respectable manner when visiting churches and monasteries: long trousers for men, sleeved dresses and no miniskirts for women.
FOR E. U. CITIZENS
Travel documents :
Passport is not a compulsory requirement for E.U. citizens travelling from or to Schengen countries. (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Portugal).
Currency :No limit
Customs Formalities :None
Forbidden substances :
Drugs, explosives etc. Travellers in possession of codeine-based medication are subject to severe penalties, unless they declare their possesion.
Health :
Vaccins are not required for E.U. citizens.
FOR NON E.U. CITIZENS
Normally, for all non E.U. citizens willing to travel to Greece, valid passport if required. Visa formalities are required for visitors from certain third countries. For their convenience, regarding the currency, custom formalities etc., all eventual visitors, are advised to contact the nearest Greek Embassy or Consulate.
ANIMALS TRAVELLING TO GREECE
Animals require health and rabies inoculation certificates issued in the country of origin before being allowed into the country. The certificate must be issued not more than 12 months before arrival in the case of dogs, 6 months in the case of cats and no less than 6 days before arrival. Birds must have a certificate stating that they are free from psittacosis.
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