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Quick Facts
Capital Athens
Government parliamentary republic
Currency euro (EUR)
Area 131,940 sq km
Population 10,688,058 (July 2006 est.)
Language Greek 99% (official)
Electricity 220V/50Hz (European plug)
Country code +30
Internet TLD .gr
Time Zone UTC +2



Roughly counterclockwise from the northeast:


Map of Greece

Major cities include:

  • Athens (Αθήνα) - the capital
  • Thessaloniki (Θεσσαλονίκη) - the country's second largest city
  • Patra (Πάτρα) - third largest city and gateway to Italy
  • Heraklion (Ηράκλειο) - Crete's largest city
  • Larissa (Λάρισα) - largest city of central Greece
  • Volos (Βόλος) - main port

Other destinations[edit]


Greece is one of the world's most popular tourist destinations, ranking in the world's top 20 countries. According to the greek Ministry of Tourism, the nation received about 17 million visitors from January to mid August 2007, a large number for a small country of 11 million. Visitors are drawn to the country's beaches and reliable sunny summer weather, its nightlife, historical sites and natural beauty.

Backstreets of charming Firá, Santoríni

Over 90% of visitors who come to Greece come from other European countries, although in recent years there have been growing numbers of tourists from other world regions. The vast majority of visitors arrive during tourism season, which is April through October. Peak season is July through August, and most of the tourists and tourism industry are concentrated in Crete, the Dodecanese Islands, the Cycladic Islands, the Ionian Islands, and to a lesser extent: the Peloponnese region and the Halkidiki peninsula in Makedonía region. There are still many rewarding areas in the country free of large-scale tourism.




First civilizations[edit]

The country's first inhabitants are now referred to as the Pelasgians. Little is known about them, but it is believed that they were a primitive people. The first advanced civilizations to live in Greece were the Cycladic Civilization -who inhabited most of the Cycladic Islands- and the Minoan Civilization, who inhabited the islands of Crete and Santoríni. The Minoans had developed a written language which remains undecipherable to modern-day archaeologists.

Dark Age[edit]

Greek-speaking Indo-European peoples arrived in the country from somewhere to the north, around 1700 BC, and slowly invaded the entire country from the north all the way to Crete, as well as the west coast of Asia Minor (now Turkey), absorbing the native peoples. These invaders all spoke various early dialects of Greek and were divided into a number of tribes (the Achaeans, Ionians, Dorians, and others), each which arrived in the country at different time intervals. Their arrival may have been responsible for ending the Cycladic and Minoan civilizations. The first Greek-speaking civilization, the Mycenean Civilization, centered in the Peloponnese region, was prominent during this time period. The arrival of the Dorians brought the country into what is now referred to as the Dark Age of ancient Greece; although it is now understood among historians that civilization in Greece remained sophisticated and advanced during this time.

Olympia, site of the Olympic Games in ancient times

Classical Greece[edit]


Hellenistic and Roman eras[edit]

The epicentre of Greek Civilization shifted, during the 4th century BC, from southern Greece to northern Greece. The northern Macedonian kingdom, under Alexander the Great, conquered all of Greece, and proceeded eastward, creating an empire all the way to South Asia with the stated intent of spreading Greek Civilization. The empire eventually broke up, and Greece was eventually annexed by the growing Roman Empire. Although weakened politically, Greek Civilization continued to flourish under Roman rule and heavily influenced Roman culture.

Arrival of Christianity and rise of Byzantine Empire[edit]


Medieval Greece[edit]


Ottoman rule[edit]

With the sacking of Constantinople, Greece fell under Ottoman Turkish rule, but vigorously retained its Greek-speaking Christian culture. Howewever, many Greeks fled the country, establishing Greek communities elsewhere in Europe; these communities would later influence the Greek Revolution.

Enlightenment and revolution[edit]


Athens' Pláka district, with its 19th century character

19th Century to Mid-20th[edit]



Modern Greece[edit]



Despite its small size, Greece has a varied climate.





Holidays and festivals[edit]

The following are national public holidays:

  • New Year's Day - January 1!
  • Epiphany - January 6
  • Shrove Monday (First day of Lent) - movable (February 19 in 2007)
  • Independence Day and The Annunciation - March 25
  • Good Friday - movable (April 25 in 2008)
  • Easter -movable (April 27 in 2008)
  • Easter Monday - movable (April 28 in 2008)
  • May Day / Labour Day - May 1
  • Pentecost Monday - movable (June 15 in 2008)
  • Assumption of Our Lady - August 15
  • WWII Day / "OXI Day" - October 28
  • Christmas - December 25
  • Saint Stephen's - December 26





Note that the method used by Greek Orthodox Church to determine the dates for Holy Week and Easter are different than that used by the Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches. Therefore, Greek Orthodox Holy Week and Easter usually fall on a slightly later date than their Protestant and Roman Catholic counterparts, but they do frequently coincide (as was the case for 2007).

Get in[edit]

Passport and visa requirements[edit]

Greece is both a member of the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). All EU nationals (including citizens of new member states) may enter Greece with a valid national ID card; this includes non-member states affiliated with the European Union, such as Monaco and Andorra. Citizens from EEA states that are not members of the EU (such as Switzerland, Norway, and Iceland), may also enter Greece with a valid national ID card.

A valid passport is required of all non-EU and non-EEA nationals, and most are also required to obtain a visa. Citizens of select countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Croatia, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, and the United States, are allowed a 90-day visa-free stay. Citizens of Brazil and Uruguay are allowed a 60-day visa-free stay. For the most recent information on entry requirements, contact your nearest Greek consulate.

Greece is a signatory of the Schengen agreement along with Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden. There are no passport checks when traveling between any two Schengen countries. A non-Schengen national who plans on visiting multiple Schengen countries -and who needs a tourist visa to visit them- may do so on just one visa from one Schengen country; but he is best advised to specifically obtain the visa for the first country he will be visiting.


By plane[edit]

Athens' Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport [3] located near the Athens suburb of Spáta is the country's largest, busiest airport and main hub, handling over 15 million passengers annually as of 2006. Other major international airports in terms of passenger traffic are, in order of passengers served per year, Heraklion (Nikos Kazantzákis Int'l), Thessaloniki (Makedonia Int'l), Rhodes (Diagóras), and Corfu (Ioánnis Kapodístrias).


Olympic Airlines [4], the nation's flag carrier, offers service to Greece from several cities in Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and North America. Aegean Airlines [5], which owns half the the domestic market, also operates a number of international routes to Greece from various European cities. Athens is also well-served by airlines from all over Europe, the Middle East, North America, and Southeast Asia, with flights to their respective hubs.

The presence of low-cost carriers in Greece's international market has increased tenfold within the past decade, offering service to Athens and Thessaloníki from several other European locations, such as Easyjet (from London Gatwick, London Luton, Milan, Paris and Berlin), SkyEurope (Vienna, Bratislava, Prague, Budapest and Krakow), Virgin Express (flying from Brussels), Transavia (Amsterdam), German Wings (Cologne/Bonn and Stuttgart), Hemus Air (Sofia), Sterling (Copenhagen, Stockholm, Gothenburg and Oslo), LTU (Düsseldorf), Alpi Eagles (Venice), Norwegian Air (Warsaw, Katowice and Krakow), Wizzair (Katowice and Prague), and FlyGlobeSpan (Glasgow).

By train[edit]

Thessaloniki is Greece's hub for international rail service. Trains connect Thessaloníki to Sofia, Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, and other international cities.

There is just one train connection each day between Thessaloniki and Sofia and between Thessaloniki and Beograd. Train to Beograd has until 2016, Sep 03 bus replacement to the FYROM border, and starting from 2016, Sep 04 will train to Beograd temporary be cancelled.

There is no train connection between Svilengrad(BG, east) and Greece, but Svilengrad railway station is located 3 km from the border and on the Greece side the train operates 2 (or maybe 3) times per day from Dikaia (14 km from the border) to Alexandroupoli.

By car[edit]


By bus[edit]


By boat[edit]

From Italy, several ferries depart for Greece daily. Ferries to Patras (Pátra), Igoumenítsa, and Corfu (Kérkyra) leave throughout the year from the Italian port cities of Venice, Trieste, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi. For more information on Italy-Greece ferries, see, , and

From Turkey, ferry services are available from Ayvalik to Mytilene, from Bodrum to Kos, Rhodes and Symi, from Çesme to Chios, and from Datca to Rhodes and Symi. In addition, ferry routes are operated from from Dikili to Mytilene, from Kusadasi to Samos, as well as from Marmaris to Rhodes. For addition information on ferry routes and schedules, see

There are also ferries connecting Piraeus and Rhodes to: Alexandria, Egypt; Larnaca and Limassol, Cyprus; and Haifa, Israel.

Get around[edit]

By bus and train[edit]


Trains are another inexpensive way to get around, but the national rail system (OSE) is extremely limited. This is due to neglect after the arrival of large scale automobile use and air travel, and also due to past technological difficulties in surmounting the country's difficult terrain. The importance of rail travel is now being rediscovered, and the national rail network is currently under major renovation. The project's completion is still a long way off, but visitors can already benefit from the first sections of the modernized rail system that have been inaugurated. An entirely new suburban/regional rail system, the Proastiakos, was opened in 2004 serving Attica and adjacent regions and is under further expansion. There has also been extensive (and continuing) modernization of the Athens-Thessaloníki and Athens-Patras corridor, with travel times being slashed.

See: Rail transport in Greece

By car[edit]

Exploring the country by automobile can be an extremely rewarding experience, allowing you to explore the incredibly scenic and varied terrain of the country's coastlines, interior, and islands, at your convenience. However, Greece does have a relatively high road fatality rate, among the highest in the European Union. Many Greek drivers tend to drive aggressively, and the nation's topographic reality poses challenges by forcing many narrow roads in mountainous regions to take several twists and turns. On the plus side, the road fatality rate has been steadily declining as a result of government campaigns, tougher policing, and lawmaking.


For those used to driving in North America, secondary Greek roads, particularly in towns and villages, can seem surprisingly narrow. If cars meet on a narrow stretch of road it is customary for one driver to find a spot to pull over and let the other driver pass. At times, one driver will need to back up for the other. Adherence to this practice is expected and failure to do so will bring the ire of your fellow drivers. Because of this, and also because there are often pedestrians in the roadway, drive slowly through villages and small towns.

Another major difference between driving in North America and Greece is the range of speeds at which vehicles travel, particularly on the highways. While speed limits are as high as 120 kph (75 mph), some vehicles will be traveling as slowly as 60 kph (40 mph). Other vehicles will travel at speeds well in excess of the posted limits and can come up from behind very quickly. It is advisable to drive in the left-most lane only to pass slower vehicles.


Drivers who do not hold an EU driver's certificate must carry an international driver's permit obtained in their home country. This may not be required when renting a car, but will certainly be required if involved in an accident or pulled over by the police for a traffic citation. Insurance policies may be void if the driver is a non-EU driver without an international permit.

Information about car rental rates for Greece is available online for visitors who wish to make their car reservation online.

By ferry[edit]

One of the most common ways to reach the islands is with a ferry. The frequency, reliability and availability of these ferries are largely dependent upon the time of year. For instance, during the winter off-season (January to March), the weather on the Aegean can be extremely rough and boats are often kept in port for days at a time. This type of delay is extremely unpredictable (it is not a decision of the ferry companies, but rather, that of the port authority) and determining when a harbored boat will actually set sail is near impossible. On the opposite end of the spectrum, ferries in August fill up due to the National Holiday (Aug 15), so travellers should plan ahead.


There are three ports in Athens: the main port Piraeus and outlying Rafina and Lavrio port. These serve all islands, but central cyclades islands such as Tinos, it is better to leave from Rafina. An up-to-date site with domestic ferry schedules is here.

Typical travel times, slow boat from Piraeus: Athens-Paros = 4 hours, Athens-Mykonos = 5.5 hours, Athens-Santorini = 8 hours, Athens-Heraklion = 9 hours,

Ferries are about the one thing in Greece that leave on time so BE PROMPT. New "fast ferries" are cutting distance times in half but prices are slightly more expensive. Sometimes, it is more practical to fly, especially to Crete or Rhodes. However, flights are usually more expensive. Santorini is 8 hour slow boat from Athens but the entrance view from the boat is spectacular.

The major ferry companies operating in Greece include:

Aegean Speed Lines (Cyclades) [6]

ANEK Lines (Crete and international) [7]


Euroseas (Saronic Gulf) [9]

Hellenic Seaways (Aegean Islands) [10]

Minoan Lines (Italy-Greece and Crete) [11]

SAOS Ferries (Aegean Islands and northern mailand) [12]

Superfast Ferries (Italy-Greece) [13]

Ventouris Ferries (Italy-Greece) [14]

See also Continental Greece in ten days

By plane[edit]

The nation's domestic air travel industry is dominated by state-owned Olympic Airlines [15] and its growing competitor, Aegean Airlines [16]. Both airlines offer an extensive route network within the country, including service connecting several islands to the mainland.

Aegean Airlines and more recently, Olympic Airlines offer E-tickets, which only exist as an e-mail or a web page with booking confirmation. It should be provided printed at the check-in desk at the airport (no need to visit airline office).

By taxi[edit]


By boat[edit]

With more than 6,000 islands, 230 of these inhabited, with a dozen or so being major holiday destinations, the Greek Islands are grouped together in 6 clusters:

  • The holiday islands situated to the west include Corfu, Lefkas, Kefalonia and Zante
  • The popular Crete located in the south.
  • to the east is the Dodecanese including islands Rhodes, Kos, Symi and Patmos.
  • The Sporades group to the north-east includes Skiathos and
  • the north; Samos, Lesvos and Thassos.



If you are an experienced sailor you can rent a boat from one of too many yacht charter companies like Europe Yachts Charter, Yacht Charter Greece, Catamaran Charter Greece, Kavas [17], Vernicos [18], Egiali [19], Cosmos Yachting [20] etc.

Greek island hopping is another way to see the Greek islands.





Buy[edit][add listing]


Greece's official currency is the Euro (€), which replaced the drachma in January 2002.





Bargaining is only tolerated (and unenthusiastially expected) in touristy souvenir shops and sometimes in family-owned arts and crafts stores. In all other instances, it is ineffective and offensive.

Eat[edit][add listing]

Greek Salad
Greek (horiatiki (village) salata) salad


The cuisine in Greece can be radically different from what is offered in Greek restaurants around the world. Greek restaurants abroad tend to cater more to customer expectations rather than offer a truly authentic Greek dining experience. One example is the famous gyros (yee-ros), a common item on Greek menus outside Greece. While it is a popular fast-food item in Greece today, it is actually a relatively recent foreign import (adapted from the Turkish doner kebap) and is considered by Greeks as junk food. It is rarely served in home and is generally not found on the menus of non-fast-food restaurants.

Eating out is Greece's national passtime and a rewarding experience for visitors; however, not knowing where to go or what to do can dampen the experience. In the past, restaurants that catered mostly to tourists were generally disappointing. Thankfully, the nation's restaurant industry has grown in sophistication over the past decade, and it is now possible to find excellent restaurants in highly-touristed areas, particularly areas that are popular with Greek tourists as well. Thus, it remains a good idea to dine where Greeks dine. The best restaurants will offer not only authentic traditional Greek cuisine (along with regional specialities) but Greece's latest culinary trends as well.



In Greece, vegetarianism never took off as a trend, and restaurants catering strictly to vegetarians are practically non-existent. However, Greeks traditionally eat less meat per capita than northern Europeans and North Americans, and there are countless vegetarian dishes in Greek cuisine. Greeks are meat and dairy eaters, but because such a large percentage of their diet consists of pulses, vegetables, greens and fruits, a vegan or vegetarian visitor will not have any difficulty in finding a huge variety of vegetarian food all over Greece; it is perfectly easy to have a meal in a restaurant ordering a variety of traditional dishes that are vegetarian or vegan. Moreover, part of the year (e.g. Lent around Orthodox Easter, as well as the Christmas Lent) are periods where Christian Orthodox people who choose to fast follow a vegan diet (with the extra allowance for seafood, but not fish). Thus, vegetarian and vegan dishes are not foreign to Greek cuisine.

Popular local dishes[edit]


With its extensive coastline and islands, Greece has excellent seafood. Try the grilled octopus and the achinosalata (sea-urchin eggs in lemon and olive oil). By law, frozen seafood must be marked as such on the menu. Some fresh fish, sold by the kilo, can be very expensive; if you're watching your budget, be sure to ask how much your particular portion will cost before ordering it.


Also consider:

  • pastitsio, a variety of lasagna
  • saganaki, fried semi-hard cheese


For dessert, ask for baklava, tissue-thin layers of pastry with honey and chopped nuts; or galaktobouriko, a custard pie similar to mille feuille. Other pastries are also worth tasting. Another must-try is yogort with honey: yoghurts in Greece are really different from what you used to see at Dannon stores. Fruit such as watermelon is also a common summertime treat.



Cover fee[edit]

It's common to charge cover fee in cafes officially (i.e. stating it in a receipt), such as €0.4 to €2.0 per person.



Fast food[edit]


Goody's is the most popular fast-food chain in the country, offering a large variety of fast food meals, with numerous outlets throughout the country. A more recent chain is Everest which specializes in hand-held snacks. Flocafé is gaining popularity through its coffee and dessert items. There are also many independently-owned fast food businesses that offer typical fast food items, such as gyros. Many of these small businesses tend to be open late at night, and are popular with younger crowds on their way home from a night out.

Drink[edit][add listing]




Greece, an ancient wine producing country, offer a wide variety of local wines, from indigenous and imported grape varieties, including fortified and even sparkling wines. Greek wines are generally not available on the international market, as production is relatively small, costs are quite high and little remains for export. However, in the past decade Greek wines are winning many international prizes, with the rise of a new generation of wineries, with exports rising as well.

Wine is most Greeks' drink of choice, "Krasi" (inos: οίνος) and traditional spirits like ouzo, tsipouro, raki and tsikoudia (produced in Crete, similar to the Italian grappa). Retsina is a "resinated wine" with a strong, distinctive taste that can take some getting used to; the flavor comes from pine resin, which was once employed as a sealant for wine flasks and bottles. The most well-known and cheap-n-dirty is "Kourtaki Retsina".

Local producers include:

Many tavernas have "barrel wine," usually local, which is usually of good quality and a bargain. Bottled wines have gotten increasingly more expensive; some that the beginner may find worth trying are whites from Santorini and reds from Naoussa and Drama.


Beer (bira: μπύρα) is consumed all around the country. Excellent local varieties like Mythos and Alpha, as well as Northern European beers produced under license in Greece like Heineken and Amstel, are readily available mostly everywhere. (North American beers generally are not.) Heineken is affectionally known as "green"; order it by saying "Mia Prasini." On the quality front, there is also a microbrewery/restaurant called Craft (2 litre jug also available in large supermarkets), and new organic beer producers like Piraiki Zythopoiia.


A bottle of ouzo

The most famous indigenous Greek liquor is ouzo (ούζο), an anise-flavoured strong spirit (40%), which is transparent by itself but turns milky white when mixed with water. As a rule, only tourists drink it with ice. A 200 mL bottle can be under €2 in supermarkets and rarely goes above €8 even in expensive restaurants. Mytilene (Lesbos) is particularly famous for its ouzo. A few to try are "Mini" and "Number 12," two of the most popular made in a middle-of-the-road style, "Sans Rival," one of the most strongly anise-flavored ones, "Arvanitis," much lighter, and the potent "Barba Yianni" and "Aphrodite," more expensive and much appreciated by connoisseurs.










Iced tea[edit]



A glass of water is normally served with any drink you order; one glass for each drink. Some cafes which cater to tourists charge extra for water, especially if it's served in a bottle, even if you didn't ask for it. This is not included in the cover charge, which is normally a separate line item. Tap water in most places a traveler would go today is drinkable; if in doubt, ask your hotel. But often though technically drinkable it doesn't taste very good, especially on some small islands, and many travelers, like many Greeks, prefer to stick to bottled water.

Sleep[edit][add listing]

If you enjoy the local traditions and charm, unhurried rhythm of living, small, family-run pensions are the best way to enrich your experience. Owners and personnel there are friendly and open-minded, compared to stand-offs you normally meet in large hotels.

If you have a larger budget renting a villa is a luxurious and splendid idea. They are normally near or on the beach and provide more space and a great view.



On some islands, though this varies from place to place, the owners of accommodations will meet arriving ferries to offer rooms. Often they'll have a van there to transport you from the port, and will have brochures to show you. Though these places are perfectly legitimate, they are something of a gamble: they're usually not among the best value places, since the best value places are listed in all the guide books and thus tend to be booked up in advance. They could also be anywhere from a few steps away from the port to a mile out of town, so before accepting such an offer it's best to be sure you get a good idea of its location.






For those interested in learning modern Greek, there are several schools offering courses in language instruction for foreigners. Most of these are designed for English speakers, but some schools have courses for people with other first languages. Some schools are in Athens, while others have centers in the islands offering a residential program that combines language study with a vacation. Some offer individual tutoring in addition to classes. Some well established programs are The Ikarian Centre, The Hellenic Culture Centre (an associate of The Ikarian Centre,) and The Athens Centre.


Stay safe[edit]

First, it should be emphasized that Greece is one of the safest destinations for the traveler: the vast majority of people you interact with will be honest and helpful. The detailed information below is intended to forewarn travelers of risks which they have a small, though not zero, chance of encountering

Crime and theft[edit]

Violent crime and theft rates are very low; public disorder is extremely rare, and public drunkenness is generally frowned upon. There has recently been a spike in theft -at least a perceived one- which some locals will not hesitate to blame on the influx of immigrants. Visitors should rest assured that this is an extremely safe and friendly destination, but it is always advisable for foreign tourists to exercise basic precautionary measures just as they would at home. A string of crimes committed by drunk young Britons against locals and other tourists (ranging from vandalism incidents to public indecency and a handful of violent episodes) in areas popular with young British partiers (notably Faliráki in Rhodes and Kávos in Corfu), made national headlines in the summer of 2003. Authorities have since stepped up police presence in these areas to crack down on lewd behavior.

According to car rental agencies in Athens, you can safely leave luggage, car radio, and other belongings in a car anywhere in mainland Greece.



Photography restrictions[edit]

It is strictly forbidden to take photos of military installations or other strategic locations. Authorities will take violations quite seriously. Obey signs prohibiting photography. In fact, it would be best not to take photographs of anything of military significance, including Greek navy ships, or of airports or any aircraft, even civilian ones: Greek authorities can be very sensitive about such things. Many museums prohibit photography without a permit; some prohibit only flash or tripod photography, and many ask visitors not to take photos of objects (statues, etc.) which include people standing by them, as this is considered disrespectful. But these specific cautions shouldn't discourage visitors from otherwise taking photos in Greece, which is one of the most photogenic places in the world.


Greece also has very strict laws concerning the export of antiquities, which can include not only ancient objects but coins, icons, folk art, and random pieces of stone from archeological sites. Before buying anything which could conceivably be considered an antiquity, you should become familiar with the current laws regarding what can be taken out of the country.


Greece has some of the strictest, and most strictly enforced, drug laws in Europe, and tourists are not exempt. No matter what anyone tells you, it is most definitely not legal to do drugs in Greece, including marijuana.



Stay healthy[edit]



The country's pharmacies and medications are of top quality, and pharmacists are highly trained experts in their field. Many medications that can only be acquired by prescription in the US and UK, can be purchased without prescription in Greece. When sick with a simple, common illness, a visit to the pharmacist will provide you with the medication you need. If you are looking for a specific medication, be sure to know its generic name, as brand names might be different. Most pharmacies close on Sundays, but a sign will be posted on the door indicating the nearst pharmacies that are open.



Many are drowned every summer in Greece, including tourists. Do not overestimate your swimming ability, always supervise children when in the sea or pool, swim with a buddy, select swimming sites with a lifeguard when possible and in general read and follow the rules for safety during swimming.

Jellyfish periodically infest some beaches and their stings can be severe.


There are no required inocculations for Greece and the water is perfectly safe. The tap water on some of the smaller islands is desalinated sea water, which may taste awkward; locals on such islands prefer to drink bottled water, which is widely available throughout the country at supermarkets, grocery stores, and kiosks.










Likewise, be polite when asking about their relationship with the Turks, about the Ottoman Turkish rule and the Turkish occupation of the northern part of Cyprus since 1974, as these create passionate, sometimes aggressive, debates, given the past turmoil between the two nations (Pontian Genocide and subsequent population exchange, 1955 anti-Greek pogrom in Istanbul, etc). Relations have improved over recent years though.

Rude gestures[edit]




Greeks smoke tremendously, and they see cigarettes as a birthright. However new laws are putting restrictions on smoking, and awareness is growing about the risks of second-hand smoke. While smoking is technically prohibited by law in all public places like restaurants and cafeterias by September 2010, however some establishments and most Greeks just ignore this, but nevertheless it is best to follow the smoking ban. Better hotels and restaurants will enforce bans, and better hotels will have non-smoking rooms.




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