University of Arkansas.
Summer Study Tour in Greece. Professor Daniel B. Levine, Mr. George P. Paulson.
http://www.uark.edu/campus-resources/dlevine/Greece2005.html
From Dimitri and Thalia Cocconi, Educational
Tours
USEFUL INFORMATION
IN GREECE
DOCUMENTS: Citizens from the
USA are allowed to enter Greece without a visa and to stay up to three months.
MONEY: Unit of Currency in
Greece is the Euro replacing the drachmae (Dr) 1 EURO = $ 1.34
( December 2004). CREDIT CARDS: Most hotels/restaurants, retail
stores, jewelry stores, etc. accept the American Express, Master Card, Visa,
Diners cards. You may withdraw cash 24 hours a day (from you personal account
in the US) in most ATM machines (check for the sign to make sure that the
bank accepts Visa, American Express or MasterCard transactions)
BUSINESS HOURS: Mon. &
Wed 8:30am-3:30 pm, /Tue., Thus., Fri. 8:30 am-2:30 pm & 5:30 pm -8:30pm.
Sat 8:30 am-3:30 p.m. Special holiday hours for Christmas
& New Year’s.
BANKS: National Bank on Syntagma:
Mon. Thurs. 8am-2pm and 3:30-6:30pm, Friday from 8am- 1:30pm and 3pm-8:30pm.,
Sat 9am-3pm, Sun 9am-1pm (extended hours are for foreign exchange only)
as usually banks are open Mon.-Fri. 8:00am -1:30pm (there is a EOT office
added to the National Bank on Syntagma where you may get information, maps
of Athens/Greece, etc.) Main office of AMERICAN EXPRESS is in Ermou St.2/
Syntagma.
CUSTOMS: Visitors from most
countries outside the EU may import up to 200 cigarettes, 50 cigars, 1 liter
of Alcohol or 2 liters of wine/liquor, 50 grams of perfume, 500 grams of
coffee and 100 grams of tea. Importation of plants with soil is prohibited,
cats and dogs may be brought into Greece with a health and rabies inoculation
certificate.
HEALTH: No immunizations necessary
for Greece. Tap water is safe to drink, milk is pasteurized, health services
are good. One can obtain a list of English-speaking doctors before dep.
from the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers (IAMAT)
at 417 Center St., Lewiston, NY 14092/ tel: (716) 754-4883). For such conditions
as epilepsy, diabetes, heart condition; please wear a Medic Alert ID tag.
Contact Medic Alert Foundation in Turlock, CA 95381 (tel: (800) 432-5378)
for further info.
WATER: Tap water is drinkable,
but you may also order a bottle of non carbonated mineral water.
If you like carbonated water, you should ask for it as ” SODA”.
WHAT TO PACK: Light casual
clothing is the best defense against Greece’s intense summer heat, lightweight
hat is recommended. Cottons and linens are far preferable to synthetics.
Skirts, sleeveless dresses, slacks, long shorts and T-shirts are acceptable
in any but the most formal situation. Men may want a short sleeve dress
shirt and summer sport coat for the fanciest resort restaurants. Although
topless and nude sun bathing are common on remote beaches you must cover
up when swimming near towns or religious buildings. Bring a light sweater,
wind-breaker, light jacket for cooler spring and fall and unexpected nigh
ferries. Most important are comfortable shoes for exploring Archaeological
sites and hiking the hills .
CLIMATE: Mild climate in general:
cool winters (that hover around 55-60 F in Athens and the south and 45-50F
in Thessaloniki and the north and “meltemi” breeze cooled summers
(about 85-95F throughout the country). The best seasons visiting Greece
are spring (late April-June) and fall (mid September to November) .
HOLIDAYS/ SPECIAL EVENTS:
NEW YEAR’Ss DAY January
1 EPIPHANY January 6
SHROVE MONDAY occurs 41 days before Easter INDEPENDANCE DAY March
25
GOOD FRIDAY – EASTER MONDAY MAY DAY May 1 (Labor Day)
WHIT MONDAY occurs 50 days after Easter ASSUMPTION TO THE VIRGIN
August 15
OCHI DAY October 28
CHRISTMAS December 25
On these days, government offices, banks, post offices
and most stores are closed. Various museums and attractions, however may
be open, as well as some restaurants. For further information, consult the
English language publications (such as weekly newspaper, “The Athens
News”).
MUSEUMS: Museums and sites
in Athens (Acropolis), Delphi, Crete, Mycenae and Epidaurus are open in
the winter from 8.00 am – 2.45 p.m and in the summer until 6.30-7.00 pm.
Most museums are CLOSED on Mondays but schedules might vary. Students with
International Student Cards receive a fifty (50%) reduction to most sites
and museums. On Sundays, sites and museums are FREE of charge (except guided
tours)
ELECTRICITY: Electric current
in Greece carries 220 volts at 50 cycles. Some of the larger hotels, deluxe
hotels have 110 volts outlets in the bathrooms for electric shavers.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Cameras, accessories
and film are readily available, but are rather expensive in Greece.
Be advised that you will have to pay a charge for photographs
taken with flash and video cameras inside the museums.
LANGUAGE: Greek is one of the
oldest languages in the world and belongs like English to the Indo-
European family of languages. The language of the New Testament,
the “Koine” , which became the “common” language for
many centuries in the eastern Mediterranean region derives from Ancient
Greek. Our language today is a simplified version of the “Koine”.
TRANSPORT: You may travel around
Athens by using public transportation, blue buses and yellow electric buses
or the subway. Tickets for the buses cost 0.45 Euro-p.person, one
way, and can be bought at most newsstands. The new subway system is very
efficient and practical around downtown Athens, Kiffisia and Pireaus. Closest
subway station from your hotel is the Acropolis station and the Syntagma
station. Tickets are bought at the station and cost 0.70 Euro for
one way, or 2.90Euro for a day pass. Introduced in December 2004, the “Combined
Ticket” that can be used within 1 hr. 30 minutes in all blue buses,
trolley, tram and subway, that costs 1 Euro and can be bought from
kiosks and the subway ticket counters. Not to be used for the airport
shuttle.
TAXIS: Minimum charge are 2 Euro-. There are very few taxi stands
on main streets, but usually you
stop the taxi by waving your hand. During rush hours, you
may have to share you taxi with other passengers going to the same destination,
paying full charge. You can also order radio taxi with an additional cost
from your hotel (usually around 2-3Euro). On Easter, Christmas and special
holidays there is a holiday surcharge. Luggage has also an extra charge
as well as there is an add-on fee for pick-ups or drop offs to airports,
port and bus stations.
STAMPS: An airmail letter/postcard
to the USA costs 0.65+ Euro, to Europe 0.65 Euro-.Parcels (more than
2 kilo) can be send from the parcel post office in Mitropoleos St. near
the Cathedral.. The nearest post office (yellow mail boxes) is located on
the Dionysos Aeropagitou Str on the way to the Temple of Zeus
TIPPING: Service is usually
included – but, if you were satisfied with the service, a tip of 5-10
% of your bill in restaurants, taverns, hotels, taxis is recommended. A
tip of 1 to 2 Euro for housekeeping and porters in hotels is suggested.
Tips for guide/tour-escort are $ 2-3 per day, and $ 2-3 per day for the
driver of your coach. Cab drivers usually 5/10 % tip is expected.
BAGGAGE allowed: On domestic
flights 15 kilos and 20 kilos on flight in Europe.
SHOPPING: Around Syntagma Sq.
in Voucourestiou & Panepistimiou St. for very expensive jewelry and
antiquities (“Zolotas”, “Lalaounis”). Shoe shops,
leather, furs e.g. Ermou St. /Syntagma Sq.. Best streets for museum
copies, less expensive jewellery and modern Greek ceramics are in Plaka
in Voulis St, Kidathineon Str. (“Vergina Gallery”). For European
Casuals, Italian sportswear, designer wear shop go to Kolonaki in the area
between Solonos and Anagnostopoulou St., Omirou , Iraklitou & Skoufa
St..
Best items are those, which are uniquely Greek Folk art,
handicrafts, copies of Ancient jewelry/ceramics, as well as “flocati
rugs”, cotton embroideries.
TELEPHONE CALLS: For local,
domestic and inter-European calls, we advise you to buy a prepaid telephone
card (available at OTE /Stadiou Street and newsstands for 3 Euro with
100 units). Also a calling card (5 euro.) based on an ind. Pin number.Chronokarta
in Greek You may use that card to call the US as well. Calls to the
US are not expensive, for $ 3 you could speak for 8-10 minutes. You may
use a telephone calling card from AT&T, MCI. For AT&T
service call 00800-1311 and for MCI 00800-121.
For calling Athens from another city in Greece or within the city, dial
210 and the number, for calling the US directly, dial 001 plus the number.
TIME: Greece is 2 hours ahead
of Greenwich Mean Time. With reference to North American time zones (EST),
it is 7 hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time, 8 hrs. of Central
Standard Time, 9 hrs. of Mountain Standard Time and 10 hrs. of Pacific Standard
Time. In Greece, the 24-hour-clock system is used officially, so for example,
noon is 12:00, 4pm is 16:00 and 11pm is 23:00. Popularly, however, expressions
such as “2 in the afternoon ” and ” 8 at night” are
used.
EVENTS: There are many cultural
events around Athens and Greece. Please consult the newspaper “Athens
News” (on stands every Friday) to check for theatres, movies (original
versions), opera (“The Megaron of Music”), art galleries and special
events.
LITERATURE Mary Renault:”
The Mask of Apollo”, The King Must Die”. etc. (historical novels)
Homer’s “Iliad” and “Odyssey” (i.e. translation
of Robert Fitzgerald), Hamilton’s “Mythology”. Entertaining
reading provide “Women of Andros” by Thornton Wilder. Highly
recommended is “From Alpha to Omega” (The Life and Times of the
Greek Alphabet) by Alexander and Nicholas Humez.
For Art and architecture:
John Boardman “Greek Art” (Oxford Press)
Fiction: Henry Miller: “The Colossus of Maroussi,
Nikos Kazantsakis: “Zorba The Greek”and “A Modern
Sequel to the Odyssey”.
Travel: Richard Stoneman:
“Literally Companion to Traveling in Greece”, Patrick Fermor’s
personal journeys to”Mani” or “Roumeli.” You may also
find a lot of individual guides, published by Lycabettus Press, rich in
photography, lively folk and historical lore as well as FROMMER’S
Budget Travel Guides.
Your reps in Athens:
Dimitri Cocconi (cell phone: 6977-617-540) Thalia Cocconi (cell phone: 6977-275-867) Tel:From the US 011-30(210)895 1725 or 965 7441 (private for Dimitri
Cocconi),Fax: (+210) 895 5419
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