Things to Know before Traveling to Greece 2021 - MetanoiaTravelGuide

Things You Should Know For Your Greece Vacation

Europe
Metanoia
Apr 29, 2024
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What to Do During Your Greece Vacation?

There are a lot of things to do when you decide to go on a Greek vacation. To give you an idea, here are a few things you should not miss. 

If you happen to be in the country from June to September, check out the Hellenic Festival. Visitors and locals alike will enjoy the live performances held at the 2nd century AD Odeion of Herodes in Athens or at the 4th century BC amphitheatre in Epidaurus.

When you need to relax and unwind, there are many white sanded beaches to visit. These include the Lalaria on Skiathos. Plaka, Agios Georgios and Mikri Vigla on Naxos, Vassiliki on Lefkada, Kefalos on Kos, Kokkari on Samos, Ialisos on Rhodes and Chrisi Akti (Golden Beach) on Paros.

From there, you can rent a boat and go island hopping by going with a tour group or hiring an independent company. Other water activities you can do include canoeing, kayaking, rafting and windsurfing. Suppose you don’t know how you can always ask someone there to teach you. 

If you want to go underwater, you can rent some dive gear on the Attica coast, Corfu, Kalamata, Kalymnos, Mykonos, Paros, Preveza, Rhodes, Skiathos and Zakynthos.

One place you should not miss is Mount Olympus, which many believed was once the home of the Gods. If you want to walk, try the Samaria Gorge on Crete or the Vikos Gorge in Epirus.

But before you go there, visit something closer like the Parthenon and the Acropolis. Although these are nothing but a bunch of ruins, centuries ago, the Parthenon was believed to be the Greek god Athena's home, while the Acropolis is simply a hill overlooking the city. 

If you are into spelunking, Greece has over 6,000 caves, and a majority of these are found on the island of Crete. While here, you can visit one of two show caves and see these places that are filled with stalagmites and stalactites.

See archaeological remains and crystalline formation in the legendary Kastria Cave of the Lakes, THE MYTHICAL 'CAVE OF THE LAKES' has something exclusively unique that does not exist in other well-known caves. A rare creation of nature with mysterious galleries and strange stalactite formations.

Surprising it may be but, Greece has its share of ski resorts. The season for skiing starts in December and ends in April.  There are 14 ski areas, and you can find these at the Parnassos Ski Centre on Mount Parnassos, Helmos on the Peleponnese, or Vermio in Macedonia. 

Greece has eleven wetland areas that are of international importance.  Aside from this, there are also 190 important areas for birds.  Several top places for birdwatch are the Nestos Deltas and Prespa Lakes.  Some of the birds that can be encountered are eagles, storks, pelicans and herons; then there are turtle doves, peregrine falcons, magpies, red-rumped swallows that can also be seen.

After a long day of hiking and engaging in water activities, you can relax and enjoy one of the many springs. You can also unwind in the various spas and hydrotherapy centres that will surely satisfy your desires.   

To end the evening, indulge in a sip of wine from one of the vineyards. If you like it, you can buy a bottle and bring it home. You only have to make a reservation one day in advance.   

 

Unique Interests

When you think that you have already got your fill of the fantastic and beautiful sights in Greece, there are a lot of things that you can do.  There are various sites to visit, beaches to swim, shops throughout the country and museum to go to.  

There are some historical sites to visit in Athens.  Athens has some of the most famous sights in Greece like Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum and the Benaki Museum.  You can also visit the Kallimarmaron stadium where the ancient Panathenaic Games were held. 

HELLENIC PARLIAMENT IN ATHENS

Aside from swimming and soaking during summer, there is also the Hellenic Festival which is among the most popular and most significant events in Greece.  It celebrates the performance arts, theatre, musical and dance.  Here, you get to experience the recreation of Greek tragedy in the heart of Athens. 

Wines from Greece are increasingly becoming popular, mainly because the island of Santorini has that volcanic-rich soil which brings out some unique tastes in wines.  Wine production goes back in history to the Minoans in Crete. There are tours conducted in wineries; these tours introduce you to some magnificent mountains and beaches. 

 

Aside from wine tours, Greek cuisine is something that tourists should not miss. There are restaurants and tavernas located in magnificent places.  They offer traditional Greek food and the famous ouzo. 

 

Greece food offers something for everyone. It is also a healthy cuisine, mostly because of the liberal amounts of olive oil in it. Grecians, who eat a traditional Greek diet, have been known to live a bit longer than other countries' inhabitants. Greek food is tasty and good for your health, and you won't find a better combination than that.

There are many options for tours in Greece; there are outdoor tours that can be arranged.  Greece is a country with dramatic landscapes featuring soaring mountains and gorges.  There can be bike tours on Crete's island, rock climbing in Meteora or jeep tour in some of the unknown but magnificent gorges. 

Meteora

If you are not of the outdoorsy type, you can take another tour when you are in Greece, i.e. a helicopter tour in Athens will take you to a breathtaking view of the different landscapes.  

 

Things You Should Know For Your Greece Vacation

Millions of people visit Greece every year. If you are planning a Greece vacation, here is some information that will help plan your trip. 

Greece has 15 international airports. If you have made reservations to stay in one of the Greek islands, you will transfer from the international airport to the local airport. The only way to do that is to land in Athens. 

You should know that Greece is part of the European Union, so their currency is now the Euro, not the Drachmas. You better convert your dollars once you get there because some places do not have ATMs or banks.                                                     

There is a possibility that you could get robbed while on vacation so instead of carrying cash, bring along some traveller’s cheques because it is useless should someone get it. If you need to change this to cash, go to a ticket agency. 

Greece is a big place, and the different sights are scattered all over the 2000 islands. This means that you won’t be able to see all of them by riding a bus or driving a car. Sometimes, you will have to travel by boat, which shouldn’t be a problem since you can join a group or charter a shipping company. 

There are different types of lodging arrangements in Greece. You can stay in a luxury hotel, in a villa, on a campsite, caravan or a room near the village or port. You can also try staying in a boat because charter companies will allow you to rent a yacht for several days.  

Most of the local speak English, so you won’t have a hard time communicating with them. If you want to speak in their dialect, do some research online, so you know some basic words like “How much for it?” ” Thank You”.

The local transport system in Greece is excellent. You can rent a car the minute you land at the airport, travel around the island by taxi or go with the group on a bus. If you want to explore things on your own, you can even rent a bike. 

Greece is a great place to visit at any time of the year. You can come in during the lean or the peak months, so it depends on your schedule. You can come here alone or with your family and friends. With the different attractions both on land and at sea, no one will ever get bored. 

Now that you know have vital information about a possible Greece vacation in the coming months, you won’t have a hard time planning your itinerary. All you have to do is make the travel arrangements by yourself or through your travel agent. 

 

 

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