The alluring combination of history and ravishing beauty that has made Greece one of the most popular destinations on the planet always seems to beckon. Within easy reach of magnificent archaeological sites such as the Acropolis, Delphi, Delos and Knossos are breathtaking beaches and relaxed tavernas serving everything from ouzo to octopus. Hiking trails criss-cross Mt Olympus, the Zagorohoria and islands like Crete and Corfu. Wanderers can island-hop to their heart's content (each island has its own character), while party types can enjoy pulsating nightlife in Greece's vibrant modern cities and on islands such as Mykonos and Santorini. Add welcoming locals with an enticing culture to the mix and it's easy to see why most visitors head home vowing to come back. Travellers to Greece inevitably end up with a favourite site they long to return to – get out there and find yours.
COUNTRY FACTS
Currency Euro (€)
Language Greek
Money Cash is king, ATMs are common except in small villages, and credit cards only sporadically accepted.
Visas Generally not required for stays up to 90 days. Member of Schengen Convention.
Population 10.7 million
Area 131,944 sq km
Capital Athens
Country Code 30
Emergency 112
MONEY
ATMs are everywhere except small villages.
Cash is widely used and your best bet, especially in the countryside; credit cards are not always accepted in small villages.
Service charge is included on the bill in restaurants, but it is the custom to ‘round up the bill’; same for taxis.
AIR
Most visitors arrive by air, mostly into Athens. There are 17 international airports in Greece; most handle only summer charter flights to the islands. There's a growing number of direct scheduled services into Greece by European budget airlines – Olympic Air (www. olympicair.com) andAegean Airlines (www.aegeanair.com) also fly internationally.
ESSENTIAL FOOD & DRINK
Nutritious and flavourful, the food is one of the great pleasures of travelling in Greece. The country's rich culinary heritage draws from a fusion of mountain village food, island cuisine, flavours introduced by Greeks from Asia Minor, and influences from various invaders and historical trading partners. The essence of classic Greek cuisine lies in fresh, seasonal home-grown produce and generally simple, unfussy cooking that brings out the rich flavours of the Mediterranean.
Savoury appetisers Known as mezedhes (literally, 'tastes'; meze for short), standards include tzatziki (yoghurt, cucumber and garlic),melitzanosalata (aubergine dip), taramasalata (fish-roe dip), dolmadhes (stuffed vine leaves; dolmas for short), fasolia (beans) and oktapodi(octopus).
Cheap eats Gyros is pork or chicken shaved from a revolving stack of sizzling meat and wrapped in pitta bread with tomato, onion, fried potatoes and lashings of tzatziki. Souvlaki is skewered meat, usually pork.
Taverna staples You'll find mousaka (layers of aubergine and mince, topped with béchamel sauce and baked) on every menu, alongsidemoschari (oven-baked veal and potatoes), keftedhes (meatballs), stifado(meat stew), pastitsio (baked dish of macaroni with minced meat and béchamel sauce) and yemista (either tomatoes or green peppers stuffed with minced meat and rice).
Sweets Greeks are serious about their sweets, with zaharoplasteia (sweet shops) in even the smallest villages. Try variations on baklava (thin layers of pastry filled with honey and nuts). Or go simple: delicious Greek yogurt drizzled with honey.
Top Tipples Legendary aniseed-flavoured ouzo sipped slowly, turns a cloudy white when ice or water is added. Raki, the Cretan fire water, is produced from grape skins. Greek coffee, a legacy of Ottoman rule, is a favourite pastime.
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