Greece

Australian Consulate
Cnr Kifisias & Alexandras Ave., Athens –
Tel. 210 8704000
New Zealand Consulate :
9 Semitelou St., Athens –
Tel. 210 7710112

Health - No vaccinations required unless arriving from infected areas.

Duty Free - 1 litre alcohol, 2 litres of wine, 200 cigarettes or 250 grams of tobacco.

Banking Hours - Mon-Fri 8.00-1.30PM. Money exchange facilities are available on Saturday mornings and most afternoons. ATM facilities widely available.

Currency - Coins of 1 cent (lepto) 2 cents (lepta) 5 cents, 10 cents,20 cents, 50 cents, 1 Euro & 2 Euro. Bank Notes of: 5,10,20,50,100,200 & 500 Euro. Preferred Currency: Euro

Credit cards - Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners. Best exchange rates in banks.

Phone & Post - Phone cards available at kiosks for public phones. Telstra, Optus and Vodafone mobile systems work in Greece. Vodafone & Cosmote have easy to use connections for mobile phones for non-residents.

Medical Services - Good standard of services. Best and faster services with private doctors. Travel Insurance is essential.

Tipping - Service charges included with restaurants. Tipping optional. Taxis, porterage, drivers, guides and cruises tipping expected.

Climate - Temperate year round with hot but dry period during July/August. Cold Nov.-Feb. Regional & elevation variations.

Voltage and Plugs - 220 volts,50 hertz,2 prong cylindrical plug.

Safety and Dress - There is no safety issue in Greece. Standard casual dress except for religious sites where modest attire is required.

Transport - Most direct flights ex Australia via Bangkok or Singapore on Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, Emirates, Gulf Air. Olympic Airlines operates a daily code share service with Gulf Air between Sydney and Athens via Singapore and with an immediate connection in Bahrain. Olympic Airlines also has an extensive operation within Greece and flies to most points in Europe and the Middle East.
From Airport: The NEW Athens airport of Eleftherios Venizelos is located 30Kms Northeast of Athens. The new metro also links the Airport with the Athens city centre. An airport bus is available every half-hour to either destination
from/to Syntagma Square and beyond at a cost of Euro 3 per ticket. Please allow between 60 and 90 minutes for the trip.
Internal Transport - Excellent,modern metro network in Athens. Buses operate to all destinations 7days a week. Regular taxis available. Multi-hire taxis also available. All islands are serviced by modern ferries and/or high speed hydrofoils. Some islands are also serviced by air.

Driving - Right hand side of road. Signs in Greek and English. Frequently used roads well maintained. Australian & international driving licence accepted for car rental.

Accommodation - Full range of accommodation options available from deluxe to budget. Most hotels include buffet breakfast in tariff.

Major Attractions - Mainland: Corinth, Mycenae, Epidavros, Olympia, Patras, Delphi, Meteora, Vergina, Pella, Thessaloniki, Volos. Islands : Greece is blessed with a multitude of islands (1400 at last count) to choose from. They differ from each other and are in 4 major groups.

Food and Drink - Greek food is simple and combines methods gleaned over the centuries from other neighbouring countries.The result is distinctively Greek. Popular snack foods are souvlaki and tyropita. Fruits, vegetables,salads, good value. Costs comparable with Australia if not cheaper.
Water: Tap water drinkable. Bottled water available.
Alcohol: No restrictions and freely available. Overindulgence frowned upon.

Entertainment - Rich and varied particularly during the summer months with festivals nationwide.

Shopping - A wide choice from modern shopping malls in the suburbs to souvenir shops with well-stocked handicrafts. Best buys are leather (shoes,bags), silver items and 18 carat gold items.

Public Holidays -