Greece Tours - About Greece

Greece is situated in Southeastern Europe, with an area of 131,957 sq.km. and a population of 10,964,020.

Athens is the capital of Greece with a population of 3,192,606.

Local time is GMT +2 hours.

Greece is the only European Country  today whose main industry is tourism.

The only  reason for such a preference, since tourism existed in this geopolitical area from prehistory, is due to many different factors ...  Altitude, climate and environmental convenience, commerce and  strategic positioning between 3 continents.  Africa-Asia -Europe.... 

A voyage in Greece is like a travel back in time, as far as you wish to  stay away from the facade and search the contact.

Go in Greece to feel rather than see, to learn rather than to give or take anything else.

This is a diverse country that has much to offer the tourist.  You want history?  Greece certainly can offer you that.  You want romance?  Greece has many beautiful islands that offer gorgeous beaches.  You want to party?  There are islands that are non-stop party places.  You want to snow ski? Northern Greece has some great skiing in the winter. Greece has something for everyone.

Flying into Greece is easy.  The relatively new airport is quite a distance from downtown Athens, however, so having transportation to your hotel already arranged is recommended.

Greek people are very friendly, and are highly interested in getting to know visitors from other countries.  The people of big and small cities, alike, will stop what they are doing to help visitors and have endless amounts of time to chat with people.  They are very proud of their history, wear their hearts on their sleeves, and have a wonderful sense of humor.

The Greek people are proud.  They are also very helpful and like it when one tries to speak their language.  A simple "efharisto" (thank you) or "parakalo" (please) go a long way when dealing with Greeks. 

Greece is a mingling of old and new.  A fantastic country that's easy to navigate.  It has the sea, the mountains and everything in between.

The currency is euro.

Electric Current

The standard in Greece is 230V AC (50Hz). Appliances from North America require a transformer and British ones an adaptor.

Time

Greek time is G ΜΤ +2 hours
 

Public Holidays 2008

1 January: New Year's Day
6 January: Epiphany
10 March: Ash Monday
25 March: National Holiday
25 April: Good Friday
27 and 28 April: Easter
1 May: May Day
16 June: Whit Monday ( Holiday only for public sector)
15 August: Dormition (Assumption) of The Virgin
28 October: National Holiday
25 and 26 December: Christmas

Shopping

Greece is the ideal destination to shop for a wide variety of products, catering to everybody’s tastes and wishes.  Prices are very reasonable in relation to product quality and visitors will be able to find something for every budget.
Shops are open Monday through Friday from 09.00 till 14.30 and on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday also from 17.30 through 20.30.  On Saturday shops open from 09.00 till 15.00, while they are closed on Sunday.  Supermarkets and kiosks may stay open till 22.00.
More specifically, in the centre of large urban areas as well as in tourist areas, tourist shops and kiosks are open from early in the morning till late at night, seven days a week.

Taxis

Greek taxis are very cheap by European standards. All licensed taxis are equipped with metres (the fare is charged per km) and display a card detailing the latest valid tariffs and surcharges. In certain tourist areas, you may be asked to pay a predetermined (standard) amount for a ride to a specific destination; thus, before boarding a taxi make sure to seek information from another source on the exact fare for the journey. Before using a taxi, you should also be aware of the following:

Charge per km

	For taxis throughout the country : € 0.32 (Tariff 1) and € 0.60 (Tariff 2). Also € 1 for initial charge (flagdown rate)
	For rural taxis throughout the country : € 0.28 per km if the passenger is to return to the point of hire (Return trip Tariff 1) and € 0.56 per km in case he does not return to the point of hire (Single trip Tariff 2)

Other surcharges

	For taxis throughout the country : € 0.32 (Tariff 1) and € 0.60 (Tariff 2). Also € 1 for initial charge (flagdown rate)
	For rural taxis throughout the country : € 0.28 per km if the passenger is to return to the point of hire (Return trip Tariff 1) and € 0.56 per km in case he does not return to the point of hire (Single trip Tariff 2)

Late night surcharge: € 0.60 Tariff 2, applying from 24:0005: 00 hrs

Surcharges from airport, ferry, railway or intercity coach terminals

	From railway, port and intercity coach terminals: € 0.80
	From/to “ Eleftherios Venizelos” Athens International Airport 3 euro, “ Macedonia ” Thessaloniki Airport : € 2.50 and other airports 2 euro
	Radio taxi extra charge: € 1.50 (simple call), € 2.50 (appointed time & place)

Minimum charge: € 2.50 for Athens and Piraeus, € 2.70 for the rest of the country

To get to the many islands that are a part of Greece,

 use of the ferry system is standard practice even for the Greeks.  There are shops all over Athens where ferry tickets can be purchased.  The ferries themselves can be like cruise ships with cabins for overnight accomodations.  Many islands are far apart and having your own cabin is definitely a plus.  However, if money is tight there are those who hunker down on the decks with their sleeping bags.  You can also sleep in an airplane type seat inside. 

 A word of caution.  In the busy tourist time of July and August there are bad winds that can whip up at a moments notice that make ferry travel impossible.   When the Meltemi start to blow, be prepared to have your ferry departure cancelled. Another word about the ferry system.  It can change from day to day.  Trying to pin down a schedule, especially over the internet is not a good idea.  Contact a reliable travel agent in Greece that can get your schedule taken care of once you arrive.

 

The best time to visit Athens and the Islands begins in May (when the mean temperature is 69 °F (21 °C) degrees and rainfall less than 0.6" (1.5 cm) and continues on through June (mean temperature 77 °F (25 °C) and rainfall less than 0.2" (0.5 cm)), July at a mean of 82 °F (28 °C) and rainfall less than 0.2" (0.5 cm) and September, with a mean temperature of 76 °F (24 °C) and less than 0.4" (1 cm) of rain.

The first two weeks of June have perfect, sunny and warm 80 degree (27 °C) weather, with little clouds or rain. Children are not yet out of school, so places are open and not crowded.

Do your best to avoid traveling in August, since Athens, like Paris, belongs to the tourists: Some 60% of all Athenians take their summer holiday between the 1st and 15th of August. Stretches when it's well over 100°F (38°C) are not uncommon in August, when anyone with health problems such as asthma should be wary of Athens's nefos. The city can be very hot and exhausting -- and most tourist locations include lots of steps over dry, hilled areas.

Most rain falls between November and February, when Athens can be colder and windier than you might expect. Average daytime temperatures range from 52°F (11°C) in January to 92°F (33°C) in August.

Hop Tours and Travels Pvt Ltd (Mumbai, India)
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Tel. : +91-22-40582000/02/04/06, Fax : +91-22-67255210