Greece

The information that can be useful for your travel.

Cities Greece  
Country information country code: GR
continent: Europe
capital: Athens
languages: Greek

EU membership: yes
NATO membership: yes

GSM: 900/1800
GPS: 39 00 N, 22 00 E
electricity: 220V/50Hz

currency:
European Union Euro: EUR
1EUR = 1.2656 USD


phone code: +30-210

Travel advices and warnings Greece
Tourism Greece mainland and the Greek islands are one of the favorite holiday destinations in Europe. In fact, Greece comes in the 15th place in the world rating of tourist destinations, since, according to the National Statistical Service of Greece, it receives more than 15 million tourists every year, after countries such as the USA, China, Spain and Great Britain.
Climate Greece is perfect for those who enjoy the sun, as for over two thirds of the year the country basks under clear, sunny skies. Temperatures do vary, however. Winters are mild and rainy, with temperatures sometimes dropping to freezing point, especially in the north. Summers are long and dry, with extremes of 37°C (99°F), making the yearly mean temperature about 17°C (63°F). For those not overly fond of the heat, the mountainous areas offer some respite as they receive more rain in summer, and even snow in winter.
Cuisine Greek cuisine (Greek: Ελληνική Κουζίνα) is a Mediterranean cuisine, [1] sharing characteristics with the cuisines of Italy, the Balkans, Turkey, and the Levant. Contemporary Greek cookery makes wide use of olive oil, vegetables and herbs, grains and bread, wine, fish, and various meats, including poultry, rabbit and pork. Also important are olives, cheese, aubergine, courgette, and yoghurt. Greek desserts are characterized by the dominant use of nuts and honey. Some dishes use filo pastry.
Mezés (μεζές) is a collective name for a variety of small dishes, typically served with wines or anise-flavored liqueurs as ouzo or homemade tsipouro. Orektika is the formal name for appetizers and is often used as a reference to eating a first course of a cuisine other than Greek cuisine. Dips are served with bread loaf or pita bread. In some regions, dried bread (paximadhi) is softened in water.
Traditons Greece is a country of a great interests and diverse cultures, influenced by its location, at the junction between the East and the West and by the many occupations endured by the Greek people throughout history.

In general, the Greeks are particularly proud of their culture and speak of their country with an intense passion, feeling that their Greek culture is a definition of their national and ethnic belonging. Traditions, religion, music, language, food and wines are the major composites of the Greece culture and constitute the base for those who wish to visit the country.
Language Greek (Ελληνικά IPA: [eliniˈka] or Ελληνική γλώσσα, IPA: [eliniˈci ˈɣlosa]) is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history; other systems, such as Linear B and the Cypriot syllabary, were previously used. The alphabet arose from the Phoenician script, and was in turn the basis of the Latin, Cyrillic, Coptic, and many other writing systems.
Shopping All over Greece you will be able to find shops and shopping centers where you can purchase a whole range of items from clothing to jewelry to CDs and videos. There are also many shops where you can purchase a fantastic selection of Greek Products, such wines, pottery, religious icons and embroidery.
Costs Greece used to be one of the most affordable destinations of Europe, but after the country joined the Euro prices have soared and are now on par with all the other European destinations.

In the sixties and seventies when the currency exchange rate and prices in Greece were favorable to travelers from Western Europe and the US, Greece was a favorite destination for budget-conscious tourists.

Prices in Greece vary from place to place, but this guide should give you a good idea of what to expect if you are planning to travel to Greece.
Currency Greece adopted the Euro as the main form of currency in 2002, replacing the Drachma. Notes come in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins come in the shape of €2, 1 and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents. All banks, savings banks and bureau de changes are available to change currency in, with rates differing from place to place. Currency can also be exchanged at any number of places in the UK, with many travel operators offering no commission services.

Athens, Greece

Thursday 28, March

From wikipedia about Greece

Greece, also known as Hellas and officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία, Ellīnikī́ Dīmokratía,), is a country in southeastern Europe.

Greece has land borders with Albania, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the twelfth longest coastline in the world at in length, featuring a vast number of islands (approximately 1, 400, of which 227 are inhabited), including Crete, the Dodecanese, the Cyclades, and the Ionian Islands among others. Eighty percent of Greece consists of mountains, of which Mount Olympus is the highest at.

Modern Greece traces its roots to the civilisation of ancient Greece, generally considered the cradle of Western civilization. As such, it is the birthplace of democracy, Finley, Moses I. (1985). Democracy Ancient and Modern. 2d ed. London: Hogarth Press. Western philosophy, Copleston, Frederick. History of Philosophy, Volume 1. the Olympic Games, Western literature and historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, university education, the first coin, and Western drama, Brockett, Oscar G. (1991) History of the Theatre (sixth edition). Boston; London: Allyn & Bacon. including both tragedy and comedy. This legacy is partly reflected in the seventeen UNESCO World Heritage Sites located in Greece, ranking Greece 7th in Europe and 13th in the world. The modern Greek state was established in 1830, following the Greek War of Independence.

A developed country with an advanced, high-income economy and very high standards of living (including the 22nd highest Human Development Index in the world as of 2010), Greece has been a member of what is now the European Union since 1981 and the eurozone since 2001, NATO since 1952, On 14 August 1974, Greek forces withdrew from the integrated military structure of NATO in protest at the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus; Greece rejoined NATO in 1980. and the European Space Agency since 2005. It is also a founding member of the United Nations, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, and the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation.

Athens is the capital and the largest city in the country (its urban area also including Piraeus, Greece's most significant port).
Description above from the Wikipedia, licensed under CC-BY-SA full list of contributors here.
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Greece, Athens