By Car or Public Transportation?
Map: Public Transportation in Greece
Fahrenheit and Celsius Conversion
The Greek national tourist office has a helpful website with lots of information and downloadable maps and brochures (www.visitgreece.gr). Other good websites include www.culture.gr (Greek Ministry of Culture, with information on major archaeological sites and museums), www.breathtakingathens.com (City of Athens Tourism), and www.athensguide.com (guide to Athens by travel writer Matt Barrett).
In Greece, tourist offices are often marked EOT (for the Greek phrase “Greek Tourism Organization”). Unfortunately, budget cuts have forced many towns to close their TIs. The offices that are still open won’t be as helpful as you’d like, but can usually give you a free map, a few local tips, and some assistance with bus connections. Occasionally you’ll find a much better locally run office (such as in Patra). In general, though, your hotelier may end up being your best source of information.
Smart travelers use the telephone to reserve or reconfirm rooms, get tourist information, reserve restaurants, confirm tour times, or phone home. This section covers dialing instructions, phone cards, and types of phones (for more in-depth information, see www.ricksteves.com/phoning). The Greek phone company is known by its initials: OTE.
Calling from the US to Greece, or vice versa, is simple—once you break the code. The European calling chart later in this chapter will walk you through it.
The following instructions apply whether you’re dialing from a landline (such as a pay phone or your hotel-room phone) or a Greek mobile phone.
Greece has a direct-dial phone system (no area codes). To call anywhere within Greece, just dial the number. For example, the number of one of my recommended hotels in Athens is 210-324-9737. That’s the number you dial whether you’re calling it from the Athens airport or from Nafplio.
If you’re dialing within Greece using your US mobile phone, you may need to dial as if it’s a domestic call, or you may need to dial as if you’re calling from the US (see “Dialing Internationally to or from Greece,” next). Try it one way, and if it doesn’t work, try it the other way.
If you want to make an international call, follow these steps:
• Dial the international access code (00 if you’re calling from Europe, 011 from the US or Canada). If you’re dialing from a mobile phone, you can replace the international access code with +, which works regardless of where you’re calling from. (On many mobile phones, you can insert a + by pressing and holding the 0 key.)
• Dial the country code of the country you’re calling (30 for Greece, or 1 for the US or Canada).
• Dial the local number. (For specifics per country, see the European calling chart in this chapter.)
Calling from the US to Greece: To call the Athens hotel from the US, dial 011 (the US access code), 30 (Greece’s country code), then 210-324-9737.
Calling from any European Country to the US: To call my office in Edmonds, Washington, from anywhere in Europe, I dial 00 (Europe’s access code), 1 (US country code), 425 (Edmonds’ area code), and 771-8303.
Traveling with a mobile phone is handy and practical. There are two basic options: roaming with your own phone (expensive but easy) or buying and using SIM cards with an unlocked phone (a bit more hassle, but potentially much cheaper).
Roaming with Your US Mobile Phone: This pricier option can be worthwhile if you won’t be making or receiving many calls, don’t want to bother with SIM cards, or want to stay reachable at your US number. Start by calling your mobile-phone service provider to ask whether your phone works in Europe and what the rates are (likely $1.29-1.99 per minute to make or receive calls, and 20–50 cents to send or receive text messages). Tell them to enable international calling on your account, and if you know you’ll be making multiple calls, ask your carrier about any global calling deals to lower the per-minute costs. When you land in Europe, turn on your phone and—bingo!—you have service. Because you’ll pay for receiving calls and texts, be sure your family knows to call only in an emergency. Note that Verizon and Sprint use a different technology than European providers, so their phones are less likely to work abroad; if yours doesn’t, your provider may be able to send you a loaner phone (arrange in advance).
Buying and Using SIM Cards in Europe: If you’re comfortable with mobile-phone technology, will be making lots of calls, and want to save some serious money, consider this very affordable alternative: Carry an unlocked mobile phone, and use it with a European SIM card to get much cheaper rates.
Getting an unlocked phone may be easier than you think. You may already have an old, unused mobile phone in a drawer somewhere. When you got the phone, it was probably “locked” to work only with one company—but if your contract is now up, your provider may be willing to send you a code to unlock it. Just call and ask. Otherwise, you can simply buy an unlocked phone: Search your favorite online shopping site for an “unlocked quad-band phone” before you go, or wait until you get to Europe and buy one at a mobile-phone shop there. Either way, a basic model costs less than $50.
Once in Europe, buy a SIM card—the little chip that inserts into your phone (either under the battery, or in a slot on the side)—to equip the phone with a European number. (Note that smaller “micro-SIM” or “nano-SIM” cards—used in some iPhones—are less widely available.) SIM cards are sold at mobile-phone shops, department-store electronics counters, and some newsstand kiosks for $5–10, and usually include about that much prepaid calling credit (making the card itself virtually free). In most places, buying a SIM card is as easy as buying a pack of gum—and almost as cheap. (In some countries—including Italy, Germany, and Hungary—it can take a bit longer, because you have to show your passport and be registered.) Because SIM cards are prepaid, there’s no contract and no commitment (in fact, they expire after just a few months of disuse); I buy one even if I’m in a country for only a few days. I’ve used the Germanos (ΓΕΡΜΑΜΟΣ) electronics stores, which have staff who speak English, to buy a SIM card and help me switch my US mobile phone to a Greek number. They’re all over Greece, including at the Athens airport.
When using a SIM card in its home country, it’s free to receive calls and texts, and it’s cheap to make calls—domestic calls average 20-30 cents per minute (though toll lines can be substantially more). Rates are higher if you’re roaming in another country, but as long as you stay within the European Union, these fees are capped (about 30 cents per minute for making calls or 10 cents per minute for receiving calls). Texting is cheap even if roaming in another country. Particularly inexpensive SIM card brands let you call either within Europe or to the US for less than 10 cents per minute.
When purchasing a SIM card, always ask about fees for domestic and international calls, roaming charges, and how to check your credit balance and buy more time. If text or voice prompts are in another language, ask the clerk whether they can be switched to English.
It’s also possible to buy an inexpensive mobile phone in Europe that already comes with a SIM card. While these phones are generally locked to work with just one provider (and therefore can’t be reused on future trips), they may be less hassle than buying an unlocked phone and a SIM card separately.
Mobile-Phone Calling Apps: If you have a smartphone, you can use it to make free or cheap calls in Europe by using a calling app such as Skype or FaceTime when you’re on Wi-Fi; for details, see the next section.
Some things that seem too good to be true...actually are true. If you’re traveling with a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, you can make free calls over the Internet to another wireless device, anywhere in the world, for free. (Or you can pay a few cents to make calls from your computer or smartphone to a telephone.) The major providers are Skype, Google Talk, and (on Apple devices) FaceTime. You can get online at a Wi-Fi hotspot and use these apps to make calls without ringing up expensive roaming charges (though call quality can be spotty on slow connections). You can make Internet calls even if you’re traveling without your own mobile device: Many European Internet cafés have Skype, as well as microphones and webcams, on their terminals—just log on and chat away.
Just like Americans, these days most Europeans make the majority of their calls on mobile phones. But you’ll still encounter landlines in hotel rooms and at pay phones.
Hotel-Room Phones: Calling from your hotel room can be great for local calls and for international calls if you have an international phone card (described later). Otherwise, hotel-room phones can be an almost criminal rip-off for long-distance or international calls. Many hotels charge a fee for local and sometimes even “toll-free” numbers—always ask for the rates before you dial.
Public Pay Phones: Coin-op phones are becoming extinct in Europe. To make calls from public phones in Greece, you’ll need a prepaid phone card, described next.
There are two different kinds of phone cards: insertable (for pay phones) and international (cheap for overseas calls and usable from any time of phone). A phone card works only in the country where you bought it, so if you have a live card at the end of your trip, give it to another traveler to use—most cards expire three to six months after the first use.
Insertable Phone Cards: These cards—called Telekarta (τΗΛΕΚΑΡτΑ)—are the only way to make a call from public pay phones (there are no coin phones). Buy these cards at tobacco shops, newsstand kiosks, supermarkets, and electronics stores. They are sold in denominations of €4 and €10. To use the card, physically insert it into a slot in the pay phone. Though you can use these cards to call anywhere in the world, they’re only a good deal for making quick local calls from a phone booth. Call 13888 if you need help with your telekarta. Be aware that with the prevalence of mobile phones, public phones in Greece are getting harder to find and are often in disrepair.
International Phone Cards: With these cards, phone calls from Greece to the US can cost less than a nickel a minute. The cards can also be used to make local calls, and they work from any type of phone, including your hotel-room phone or a mobile phone with a European SIM card. To use the card, dial a local or toll-free access number, then enter your scratch-to-reveal PIN code. Some hotels block their phones from accepting these access numbers. (Ask your hotelier about access and rates before you call.) Some may not work if you’re calling from a Greek pay phone (a good choice is the OTE Allo Card, sold by the main Greek phone company, which works from any phone).
You can buy the cards at small newsstand kiosks, electronics stores, and hole-in-the-wall long-distance shops. Buy a lower denomination in case the card is a dud. Some shops also sell cardless codes, with the code printed right on the receipt.
US Calling Cards: These cards, such as the ones offered by AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, are a rotten value, and are being phased out. Try any of the options outlined earlier.
Tourist Police: Tel. 171 (English-speaking)
Medical or Other Emergency: Tel. 112
US Embassy: Tel. 210-720-2414; after-hours emergency tel. 210-729-4444, consular section open Mon-Fri 9:00-12:30, closed Sat-Sun (Vassilissis Sofias 91, Metro line 3/blue: Megaro Moussikis, http://athens.usembassy.gov)
Canadian Embassy: Tel. 210-727-3400, for after-hours emergency help call Canada collect at tel. 1-613-996-8885, open Mon-Fri 8:30-12:30, closed Sat-Sun (Ioannou Ghennadiou 4, www.canadainternational.gc.ca/greece-grece)
US Department of State: Tel. 888-407-4747, from outside US tel. 1-202-501-4444, www.travel.state.gov
Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs: Canadian tel. 800-387-3124, from outside Canada tel. 1-613-996-8885, www.travel.gc.ca
Just smile and dial, using this key: AC = Area Code, LN = Local Number.
• The instructions above apply whether you’re calling a land line or mobile phone.
• The international access code (the first numbers you dial when making an international call) is 011 if you’re calling from the US or Canada. It’s 00 if you’re calling from virtually anywhere in Europe (except Finland, where it’s 999 or another 900 number, depending on the phone service you’re using).
• To call the US or Canada from Europe, dial 00, then 1 (the country code for the US and Canada), then the area code and number. In short, 00 +1 + AC + LN = Hi, Mom!
US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Tel. 800-CDC-INFO (800-232-4636), www.cdc.gov/travel
Operator/Directory Assistance for Greece: Tel. 11888
Operator/Directory Assistance for International Calls: Tel. 139
It’s useful to get online periodically as you travel—to confirm trip plans, check train or bus schedules, get weather forecasts, catch up on email, blog or post photos from your trip, or call folks back home (explained on here, under “Calling over the Internet”).
Your Mobile Device: The majority of accommodations in Greece offer Wi-Fi, as do many cafés, making it easy for you to get online with your laptop, tablet, or smartphone. Access is often free, but sometimes there’s a fee. At hotels that charge for a certain number of hours, save money by logging in and out of your account on an as-needed basis. You should be able to stretch a two-hour Wi-Fi pass over a stay of a day or two.
Some hotel rooms and Internet cafés have high-speed Internet jacks that you can plug into with an Ethernet cable.
Public Internet Terminals: Many accommodations offer a guest computer in the lobby with Internet access. If you ask politely, smaller places may let you sit at their desk for a few minutes just to check your email. If your hotelier doesn’t have access, ask to be directed to the nearest place to get online. You’ll find plenty of cafés that offer Wi-Fi to customers.
Security: Whether you’re accessing the Internet with your own device or at a public terminal, using a shared network or computer comes with the potential for increased security risks. If you’re not convinced a connection is secure, avoid accessing any sites (such as your bank’s) that could be vulnerable to fraud.
You can mail one package per day to yourself worth up to $200 duty-free from Europe to the US (mark it “personal purchases”). If you’re sending a gift to someone, mark it “unsolicited gift.” For details, visit www.cbp.gov and search for “Know Before You Go.”
The Greek postal service works fine, but for quick transatlantic delivery (in either direction), consider a service such as DHL (www.dhl.com). Get stamps for postcards and letters at the neighborhood post office, newsstands within fancy hotels, and some mini-marts and card shops.
For connecting most of the destinations in this book (except the islands of Hydra, Mykonos, and Santorini), you have two options: rental car or public bus. (Train service is minimal and not worth your while.)
A rental car allows you to come and go on your own schedule, and make a beeline between destinations. Outside of congested Athens, roads are uncrowded, and parking is often free. However, driving in Greece can be stressful, as Greek drivers tackle the roads with a kind of anything-goes, Wild West abandon. And it’s more expensive than the bus. But if you’re a confident driver, the convenience of driving in Greece trumps the hassles of bus transport.
Greece’s network of public buses is affordable and will get you most anywhere you want to go. Unfortunately, it’s not user-friendly. Particularly outside of Athens, the frequency can be sparse and schedules are hard to nail down. You’d need to allow plenty of time, expect delays, and pack lots of patience to visit all of my recommended destinations.
Greek buses are cheap—about €10 per 100 kilometers—and the fleet is clean, modern, and air-conditioned, but the bus system can be frustrating. Athens has decent bus service to popular destinations such as Delphi, Nafplio, and the port town of Piraeus, but smaller destinations on the Peloponnese are connected by only one or two buses a day.
All buses are run by a central company (KTEL, or KTEΛ in Greek), but the local offices don’t cooperate with each other—each one sets its own schedules, and they often don’t coordinate well. Specific bus schedules can be very difficult to pin down, even for buses leaving from the town you’re in. (Forget about getting bus schedules for other Greek towns.) Local TIs, where they exist, are unlikely to have the information you need. Don’t hesitate to ask your hotelier for help—they’re used to it.
KTEL has no helpful website or information office for the entire Greek bus system, but there is a list of local phone numbers at www.ktelbus.com (you’ll need to know the name of the province where you are traveling). The KTEL Athens site, www.ktelattikis.gr, is in Greek only, but Matt Barrett’s website has schedules for long-distance buses from and to Athens (www.athensguide.com). Or try this helpful, unofficial website in English: http://livingingreece.gr (under “Best of...” click on “KTEL Buses of Greece”).
Particularly on the Peloponnese, where your journeys likely will require a transfer (or multiple transfers), you frequently won’t be able to get the information for the full route from the bus station at your starting point. For example, to go from Nafplio to Monemvasia, you’ll change at Tripoli, then Sparta. The Nafplio bus station can give you details for the leg to Tripoli, but can’t tell you anything about the rest of the journey.
Before you get on a bus, ask the ticket-seller and the conductor explicitly if there are transfers—they might not volunteer these details otherwise. Then pay attention (and maybe even follow the route on a map) to be sure you don’t miss your change.
Greece has been a great seafaring nation since the days of Odysseus. Today the country’s islands are connected to Athens’ port (Piraeus) and to one another by a variety of ferries, ranging from hulking, slow-moving car ferries to sleek, speedy catamarans. While the decentralized ferry system isn’t as straightforward or efficient as many travelers would like it to be, it’s still fairly fast and easy to get around by boat in Greece.
Schedules and Tickets: Greek ferry services are operated by several different companies that aren’t coordinated by any central agency or information service. This can make it frustrating to get a clear rundown of your options for trips to the different islands.
You can research schedules online—good websites include www.openseas.gr, www.danae.gr/ferries-Greece.asp, and www.greekferries.gr. Ferry companies often post only their current schedule—if you’re looking online in January, you won’t find sailing times for June. Schedules can flex with demand, too, especially in the off-season, so it’s a good idea to confirm the boat’s sailing time a day ahead. The boat you found online two months ago might run earlier, later, or less frequently than you’d expected.
In Greece, travel agents and hoteliers can usually give you a basic run-down of your options. Travel agents are experts on the various ferries, and can sell you a ticket with no extra fee (prices are the same from any agency and cost no more than buying direct from the boat company). However, agencies will sometimes tell you only about the boats for which they sell tickets—consider stopping by two or three different agencies to make sure you have the full story. Beware that at some places it’s standard practice to try to upsell you on a package trip. Still, a good agency can provide the easiest way to understand your options and get tickets.
When to Get Tickets: In the busy summer season (especially July-Aug), some popular connections can sell out early. (For example, for summer weekends—especially late in the day—it’s smart to book tickets for the Piraeus-Hydra catamaran/hydrofoil a week in advance.) If you’ll be setting sail very soon after your arrival in Greece, do your research from home, and book a ticket online in advance. Or call an Athens travel agent to book a ticket, give them your credit-card number over the phone, and they’ll print the ticket for you to pick up when you arrive (though some agencies might be reluctant to do this unless you’re also booking a package with them).
Outside of the peak season, simply go to any travel agency or ferry office a day or two in advance of when you want to take the ferry; tickets generally cost the same whether you buy them in advance or at the last minute. While tour groups occasionally can fill an off-season boat, for the most part you can safely assume last-minute seats will be available.
Before you buy, make sure you’re clear on the ferry company’s refund and exchange policies.
Possible Delays or Cancellations: Because high-speed ferries are relatively small (a Flying Dolphin holds about 150 passengers; a Flying Cat carries 300-400) and fast-moving, they can be affected by high winds and other inclement weather. Occasionally, departures are cancelled—the ferry company will contact you to rebook. (For this reason, it’s essential to provide a telephone number—at a minimum, your pre-boat-trip hotel—when you book.) Usually you can go later that same day, but it’s possible (though rare) to get stranded overnight. Even if the sea is rough, the ships may still run—but the ride can be very rocky. If you’re prone to seasickness, be prepared.
On the Ferry: While ferry companies tell passengers to be at the dock 30 minutes before the boat leaves, most locals amble over to the dock about 10 minutes ahead. The sole advantage to turning up early is the chance to grab a better seat, which only makes a difference if your ferry happens to have open seating (ferry tickets come printed with seat assignments, but these are often ignored). Don’t be alarmed if you end up waiting at the dock a bit longer than you’d planned—on my last trip, none of the ferries I rode were even in port at the planned departure time; one of them turned up nearly an hour late, and left an hour after that.
On big, slow-moving car ferries, you can sit outside and watch the islands slide by—but on the fast boats you’ll be sitting inside, peering through saltwater-spattered windows. Ferries of all sizes typically have WCs and a small snack bar on board.
If you’re renting a car in Greece, bring your driver’s license. You’re also required to have an International Driving Permit—an official translation of your driver’s license (sold at your local AAA office for $15 plus the cost of two passport-type photos; see www.aaa.com). While that’s the letter of the law, I’ve often rented cars in Greece without having this permit. If all goes well, you’ll likely never be asked to show the permit—but it’s a must if you end up dealing with the police.
Rental companies often require you to be at least 21 years old and to have held your license for one year. Drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young-driver surcharge, and some rental companies do not rent to anyone 75 or older.
Research car rentals before you go. It’s cheaper to arrange most car rentals from the US. Call several companies and look online to compare rates, or arrange a rental through your hometown travel agent.
Most of the major US rental agencies (including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, and Thrifty) have offices throughout Europe. Also consider the two major Europe-based agencies, Europcar and Sixt. For a friendly local car-rental company in Athens, consider Swift/Avanti (see here; www.greektravel.com/swift or www.avanti.com.gr). It can be cheaper to use a consolidator, such as Auto Europe (www.autoeurope.com) or Europe by Car (www.europebycar.com), which compares rates at several companies to get you the best deal. However, my readers have reported problems with consolidators, ranging from misinformation to unexpected fees; because you’re going through a middleman, it can be more challenging to resolve disputes that arise with the rental agency.
Regardless of the car-rental company you choose, always read the fine print carefully for add-on charges—such as one-way drop-off fees, airport surcharges, or mandatory insurance policies—that aren’t included in the “total price.” You may need to query rental agents pointedly to find out your actual cost.
For the best deal, rent by the week with unlimited mileage. To save money on fuel, ask for a diesel car. I normally rent the smallest, least-expensive model with a stick shift (generally much cheaper than an automatic). Almost all rentals are manual by default, so if you need an automatic, you must request one in advance; be aware these cars are usually larger models (not as maneuverable on narrow, winding roads). Because of the size of Greek roads (and Greek parking spaces), it’s a good idea to rent a small vehicle.
For a one-week rental, allow roughly $300. Allow extra for insurance, fuel, tolls, and parking. Be warned that international trips—say, picking up in Athens and dropping in Istanbul—can be expensive (it depends partly on distance).
As a rule, always tell your car-rental company up front exactly which countries you’ll be entering. Some companies levy extra insurance fees for trips taken in certain countries with certain types of cars (such as BMWs, Mercedes, and convertibles). Double-check with your rental agent that you have all the documentation you need before you drive off (especially if you’re crossing borders into non-Schengen countries, such as Turkey, where you might need to present proof of insurance).
You can sometimes get a GPS unit with your rental car or leased vehicle for an additional fee (around $15/day; be sure it’s set to English and has all the maps you need before you drive off). Or, if you have a portable GPS device at home, consider taking it with you to Europe (buy and upload European maps before your trip). GPS apps are also available for smartphones, but downloading maps on one of these apps in Europe could lead to an exorbitant data-roaming bill (for more details, see the sidebar on here).
Big companies have offices in most cities; ask whether they can pick you up at your hotel. Some small local rental companies can be cheaper but aren’t as flexible.
Compare pickup costs (downtown can be less expensive than the airport) and explore drop-off options. Always check the hours of the location you choose: Many rental offices close from midday Saturday until Monday morning and, in smaller towns, at lunchtime.
When selecting a location, don’t trust the agency’s description of “downtown” or “city center.” In some cases, a “downtown” branch can be on the outskirts of town—a long, costly taxi ride from the center. Before choosing, plug the addresses into a mapping website. Returning a car in Athens can be tricky; get precise details on the car drop-off location and hours, and allow ample time to find it.
When you pick up the rental car, check it thoroughly and make sure any damage is noted on your rental agreement. In Greece, your rental car is likely to come pre-scratched and dented for you (which is actually a plus, in that you’re unlikely to get hassled for tiny dings in the vicinity of pre-existing ones). Find out how your car’s lights, turn signals, wipers, and fuel cap function, and know what kind of fuel the car takes. When you return the car, make sure the agent verifies its condition with you.
When you rent a car, you are liable for a very high deductible, sometimes equal to the entire value of the car. Limit your financial risk with one of these three options: Buy Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage from the car-rental company, get coverage through your credit card (free, if your card automatically includes zero-deductible coverage), or buy coverage through Travel Guard.
CDW includes a very high deductible (typically $1,000-1,500). Though each rental company has its own variation, basic CDW costs $15-35 a day (figure roughly 30 percent extra) and reduces your liability, but does not eliminate it. When you pick up the car, you’ll be offered the chance to “buy down” the deductible to zero (for an additional $10-30/day; this is sometimes called “super CDW”).
If you opt for credit-card coverage, there’s a catch. You’ll technically have to decline all coverage offered by the car-rental company, which means they can place a hold on your card (which can be up to the full value of the car). In case of damage, it can be time-consuming to resolve the charges with your credit-card company. Before you decide on this option, quiz your credit-card company about how it works.
Finally, you can buy collision insurance from a company such as Travel Guard ($9/day plus a one-time $3 service fee covers you up to $35,000, $250 deductible, US tel. 800-826-4919, www.travelguard.com). Travel Guard is valid everywhere in Europe, except the Republic of Ireland, and some Italian car-rental companies refuse to honor it. Note that various states differ on which products and policies are available to their residents and some car-rental companies won’t accept Travel Guard because they want to sell you their own insurance—check with Travel Guard and your car-rental company before you rent your car.
For more on car-rental insurance, see www.ricksteves.com/cdw.
Statistically, Greece is one of the most dangerous European countries to drive in. Traffic regulations that are severely enforced back home are treated as mere suggestions here. Even at major intersections in large towns, you might not see stop signs or traffic lights; drivers simply help each other figure out who goes next. And yet, like so many seemingly chaotic things in Greece, somehow it works quite smoothly. Still...drive defensively. Greeks are typically polite and patient with other drivers (though they won’t hesitate to pass you, if they feel you’re going too slowly).
Road Rules: The speed limit, almost never posted, can be hard to ascertain on backcountry roads. Generally, speed limits in Greece are as follows: city—50 km/hour; open roads—90 km/hour; divided highways—110 km/hour, superhighways—130 km/hour. Making matters even more confusing, half of all Greek drivers seem to go double the speed limit, while the others go half the limit. On country roads and highways, the lanes are often a car-and-a-half wide, with wide shoulders, so passing is common—even when there’s oncoming traffic in the other lane. Do as Greek drivers do on two-lane roads with wide shoulders—straddle the shoulder if someone wants to pass you.
Don’t drink and drive: The legal alcohol limit is lower in Greece than in the US. Be aware of typical European road rules; for example, many countries require headlights to be turned on at all times, and it’s generally illegal to drive while using your mobile phone without a hands-free headset. In Europe, you’re not allowed to turn right on a red light, unless there is a sign or signal specifically authorizing it. Ask your car-rental company about these rules, or check the US State Department website (www.travel.state.gov, click on “International Travel,” then specify your country of choice and click “Traffic Safety and Road Conditions”).
Navigation: The driving directions in this book are intended to be used with a good local map. Pick up a Michelin map in the US or buy one of the good road maps available in Greece (the Road Editions maps are tops). Study it before taking off, especially if you’ll be driving solo.
Because road numbers can be confusing and inconsistent, navigate by city names. Know the names of major cities en route to your destination. Often the signs will point only to the next major town, even if your final destination is a big city. Almost all road signs are in Greek and in English, but you should also know the name of your destination using the Greek alphabet—road sign transliteration can be confusing. Most Greek town names can be spelled a number of different ways in the Latin alphabet—don’t be too worried about exact spelling, especially at the ends of town names.
Tolls: Special highways called Ethniki Odos (National Road) have tolls, which vary and must be paid in cash. This includes the road between Athens and the Peloponnese and part of the stretch between Athens and Delphi.
Fuel: Gasoline (venzini, βενζίνη) prices are around $10 a gallon for regular unleaded—labeled 95, less for diesel (ntizel, ντίζελ). Self-service gas stations are rare. Tell the attendant how much you want to spend and use cash. He’s just there to pump gas, so don’t expect him to wash your windshield or check your tires.
Parking and Safety: Choose parking places carefully. You’ll rarely pay for parking, and parking laws are enforced only sporadically. If you’re not certain, ask at your hotel (or ask another local) whether your space is legit. Keep your valuables in your hotel room, or, if you’re between destinations, covered in your trunk. Leave nothing worth stealing in the car, especially overnight. If your car’s a hatchback, take the trunk cover off at night so thieves can look in without breaking in. Try to make your car look locally owned by hiding the “tourist-owned” rental-company decals and putting a local newspaper in your front or back window. While you should avoid parking lots with twinkly asphalt, thieves break car windows anywhere, even at stoplights.
Drive carefully. If you’re involved in an accident, expect a monumental headache—you will be blamed. You may be stopped for a routine check by the police (keep your seat belt buckled and be sure your car insurance form is up-to-date). Small towns come with speed traps and corruption. Tickets, especially for foreigners, are issued and paid for on the spot. Insist on a receipt, so the money is less likely to end up in the cop’s pocket.
If you’re considering a bus or boat ride that’s more than five hours long, a flight may save you both time and money. When comparing your options, factor in the time it takes to get to the airport and how early you’ll need to arrive to check in.
The best comparison search engine for both international and intra-European flights is www.kayak.com. For inexpensive flights within Europe, try www.skyscanner.com or www.hipmunk.com. If you’re not sure who flies to your destination, check its airport’s website for a list of carriers.
Well-known cheapo airlines include easyJet (www.easyjet.com) and Ryanair (www.ryanair.com). For flights within mainland Greece and to the Greek islands, the country’s main carriers are Olympic (tel. 210-355-0500, toll-free tel. 801-801-0101 within Greece, www.olympicair.com), Aegean Airlines (tel. 210-626-1000, toll-free tel. 801-112-0000 within Greece, www.aegeanair.com), Astra Airlines (tel. 231-048-9392, www.astra-airlines.gr), and Sky Express (tel. 281-022-3500, www.skyexpress.gr).
Be aware of the potential drawbacks of flying on the cheap: nonrefundable and nonchangeable tickets, minimal or nonexistent customer service, additional charges for everything, treks to airports far outside town, and stingy baggage allowances with steep overage fees. If you’re traveling with lots of luggage, a cheap flight can quickly become a bad deal. To avoid unpleasant surprises, read the small print before you book.
Rick Steves’ Greece: Athens & the Peloponnese is one of many books in my series on European travel, which includes country guidebooks, city guidebooks (Rome, Florence, Paris, London, and so on), Snapshot guides (excerpted chapters from my country guides), Pocket guides (full-color little books on big cities, including Athens), and my budget-travel skills handbook, Rick Steves’ Europe Through the Back Door. My phrase books—for German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese—are practical and budget-oriented. My other books include Europe 101 (a crash course on art and history designed for travelers); Mediterranean Cruise Ports and Northern European Cruise Ports (how to make the most of your time in port), and Travel as a Political Act (a travelogue sprinkled with tips for bringing home a global perspective). A more complete list of my titles appears within the ads near the end of this book.
Video: My public television series, Rick Steves’ Europe, covers European destinations in 100 shows, with four shows on Greece. To watch episodes online, visit www.hulu.com; for scripts and local airtimes, see www.ricksteves.com/tv.
Audio: My weekly public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves, features interviews with travel experts from around the world. I’ve also produced free, self-guided audio tours of the top sights in Athens. All of this audio content is available for free at Rick Steves Audio Europe, an extensive online library organized by destination. Choose whatever interests you, and download it for free using the Rick Steves Audio Europe smartphone app, www.ricksteves.com/audioeurope, iTunes, or Google Play.
The black-and-white maps in this book are concise and simple, designed to help you locate recommended places and get to local TIs, where you can pick up more in-depth maps of cities and regions (usually free). Better maps are sold at newsstands and bookstores all over Greece. Before you buy a map, look at it to be sure it has the level of detail you want. The Greek-produced maps by Road Editions are best.
If you’re like most travelers, this book is all you need. But if you’re heading beyond my recommended destinations, $40 for extra maps and books can be money well spent. For those traveling on a cruise in the Mediterranean beyond Greece, consider Rick Steves’ Mediterranean Cruise Ports.
The following books are worthwhile, though most are not updated annually; check the publication date before you buy. Historians like the green Michelin guides and the Cadogan series; both have books on Greece. Others go for the well-illustrated Eyewitness guides (titles include Athens and the Mainland and The Greek Islands). The Lonely Planet series (which has books on Athens, Crete, and the Greek Islands) is well-researched and geared for a mature audience. Students and vagabonds enjoy Let’s Go: Greece (updated annually) for its coverage of hosteling, nightlife, and the student scene.
To learn more about Greece past and present, check out a few of these books and films.
There’s no shortage of great books about Greek history. A Traveller’s History of Greece (Boatswain and Nicolson) is a compact, well-written account from the earliest times to the present. Fernand Braudel’s The Mediterranean in the Ancient World is another marvelous overview. If you’d like a large-format book with many illustrations, your best bet is The Cambridge Illustrated History of Ancient Greece (Cartledge). For the standard text on ancient Greece by a leading scholar (still quite accessible), try The Greeks (Kitto). Readers who want to understand the relevance of Greek ancient culture to today should get Thomas Cahill’s Sailing the Wine Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter.
Edith Hamilton’s The Greek Way and Mythology are classic tomes on classic myths and cultures. For more about ancient war and its warriors, Persian Fire (Holland) is an excellent history of the fifth-century B.C. Persian conflict. Histories by Paul Cartledge cover Alexander the Great and The Spartans. Novelist Mary Renault (see “Fiction,” below) also wrote nonfiction about the period, including The Nature of Alexander.
A Concise History of Greece (Clogg) is an excellent overview from the 18th century to modern times. Inside Hitler’s Greece (Mazower) is a shocking account of the Nazi occupation of Greece and lays the background for the subsequent civil war. Eleni (Gage) is a riveting account by the author of his quest to uncover the truth behind his mother’s assassination during that civil war. Though written in 1958, Patrick Leigh Fermor’s Mani: Travels in the Southern Peloponnese is the definitive book on the “forgotten” side of the peninsula.
Classics: The classics may be slow-going, but they open a window to the Greek mind and soul. The dialogues of Plato (Apology, Republic) capture the words of Socrates from Golden Age times. The comedies of Aristophanes and the tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus explore the great issues of life and death. Plutarch’s Lives is an epic attempt to chronicle the ancient world through biography.
Memoirs: Henry Miller’s Colossus of Maroussi is a sometimes graphic account of his down-and-out sojourn in Greece in the late 1930s. Patricia Storace’s controversial Dinner with Persephone is more than a memoir about living in Athens—it’s one writer’s critical look at modern Greek culture and family life. On the lighter side, The Summer of My Greek Taverna (Stone) is an American expat’s take on running a bar on the island of Patmos.
Western literature begins with Homer. The Iliad is the classic account of the Trojan War; The Odyssey follows Odysseus on his return from that war. Some of the best translations are by Richmond Lattimore, Robert Fitzgerald, and Robert Fagles.
Historical novels about Greece abound, and no one wrote them better than Mary Renault. Try any of her books on Alexander the Great (The Persian Boy, Fire from Heaven, Funeral Games), her re-imagining of the Theseus myth (The King Must Die, The Bull from the Sea), or her account of a 400 B.C. actor (The Mask of Apollo). Gates of Fire (Pressfield) re-creates the Battle of Thermopylae, where 300 Spartans held back the Persian army—for a while. The Walled Orchard (Holt) is an amusing and well-researched pseudo-autobiography of the comic playwright Eupolis.
Perhaps the most famous modern Greek writer is Nikos Kazantzakis. His Zorba the Greek shows how a wily old rogue can teach life’s lessons to a withdrawn intellectual. His controversial The Last Temptation of Christ has a main character who is very human. Another favorite author is Panos Karnezis, whose Little Infamies is a fine collection of short stories written in a magical realism style. Apostolos Doxiadis is a mathematician and author who writes in Greek and then translates his own works into English. His popular Uncle Petros and Goldbach’s Conjecture is the tale of a Greek genius obsessed with trying to prove one of mathematics’ great theories.
British author Louis de Bernières wrote a best seller—Corelli’s Mandolin, later made into a movie—about ill-fated lovers on a war-torn Greek island. Another best seller, Middlesex, by Greek-American author Jeffrey Eugenides, explores the Greek immigrant experience in the US—as well as sexual identity. John Fowles’ classic The Magus describes an Englishman’s psychological games with a wealthy recluse on a Greek island. The Parthenon plays a pivotal role in the lives of Pericles’ mistress, Aspasia, and Lord Elgin’s wife, Mary, in Stealing Athena by Karen Essex. Mystery fans like to follow Paul Johnston’s books about the Scots-Greek private investigator Alex Mavros, such as The Last Red Death and A Deeper Shade of Blue.
These good nonfiction books help introduce Greece to young readers. The Changing Face of Greece (Osler) weaves first-person accounts from modern Greeks with a summary of today’s challenges. Ancient Civilizations: Greece (Bargallo) offers a capsule history. For an illustrated primer on Greek mythology, try The Random House Book of Greek Myths. Kids can put themselves in the sandals of a young Grecian in If I Were a Kid in Ancient Greece (Cobblestone Publishing), and make traditional foods, build a model temple, and put on a play with Ancient Greece! 40 Hands-On Activities (Hart). Greece in Spectacular Cross-Section (Biesty) will fascinate kids and grown-ups alike with its cut-away diagrams re-creating ancient sites. Miroslav Sasek’s classic 1966 picture-book, This is Greece, was reissued in 2009.
Hollywood loves ancient Greek history and myths: The audience already knows the characters, and there are no copyrights. A recent flood of “sword-and-sandal” epics includes Alexander the Great (2004), with Colin Farrell as the military genius who conquered the known world; Troy (2004), starring Brad Pitt as the petulant warrior Achilles; 300 (2006), a highly fictional and stylized account of the Battle of Thermopylae based on a graphic novel; 300: Rise of an Empire, the final naval battle of Salamis after Thermopylae, based on a graphic novel as well (2014); and a 3-D version of the myth of Perseus—Clash of the Titans (2010). The earlier Hollywood version of Clash of the Titans (1981) has an all-star cast featuring Laurence Olivier, Claire Bloom, and Maggie Smith. There’s also plenty of star power in The Trojan Women (1971)—Euripides’ classic tragedy of Troy’s female aristocracy in chains—which features Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, and Irene Pappas.
For Greece’s WWII experience, try The Guns of Navarone (1961), where a team of soldiers tries to take out a German artillery battery. Another war film, Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (2001), is the love story of an Italian officer and a Greek woman. My Family & Other Animals (2005) follows the adventures of an English family relocated to Greece in 1939.
Life in post-war Greece was illustrated in several movies starring Melina Mercouri (who later became Greece’s Minister of Culture). She played a beautiful woman with a shady background in Stella (1955) and Never on Sunday (1960). Boy on a Dolphin (1957) is the story of a beautiful sponge diver on Hydra played by Sophia Loren, becoming aware of her cultural heritage. Zorba the Greek (1964) shows how Greek culture can free even the most uptight Englishman. Z (1969) is a thriller about the assassination of a crusading politician—and the rise of the Greek junta—in the 1960s. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) is a hilarious comedy about marrying into a Greek-American family. Finally, the ABBA musical Mamma Mia! (2008) has fans seeking out the film’s locations in the mainland region of Pelion and on the islands of Skiathos and Skopelos.
NOVA’s informative Secrets of the Parthenon episode (2008) is available to watch on hulu.com.
This list includes selected festivals in major cities, plus national holidays observed throughout Greece. Many sights and banks close on national holidays—keep this in mind when planning your itinerary. Before planning a trip around a festival, verify its dates by checking the festival’s website or the national TI’s website (www.visitgreece.gr).
Here are some major holidays:
| Jan 1 | New Year’s Day |
| Jan 6 | Epiphany |
| Mid-Jan-March | Carnival Season (Apokreo), famous in Patra, peaks on the last Sunday before Lent |
| Early March | “Clean Monday” (Kathari Deftera, the first day of Lent in the Orthodox church; March 3 in 2014, Feb 23 in 2015) |
| March 25 | Greek Independence Day |
| Easter Weekend | Orthodox Good Friday through Easter Monday (April 18-21 in 2014, April 10-13 in 2015) |
| May 1 | Labor Day |
| June | Miaoulia Festival, Hydra (falls on the weekend closest to June 21) |
| June | Nafplio Festival, classical music, Nafplio |
| June-Aug | Athens & Epidavros Festival (music, opera, dance, and theater at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus beneath the Acropolis in Athens; drama and music at the Theater of Epidavros—www.greekfestival.gr/en) |
| July-Aug | Ancient Olympia International Festival (music, dance, and theater at the site of the ancient Olympics) |
| Aug 15 | Assumption |
| Sept | Athens International Film Festival |
| Oct 28 | Ohi Day (Anniversary of the “No”; commemorates rejection of Mussolini’s WWII ultimatum) |
| Dec 25 | Christmas |
| Dec 26 | “Second Day” of Christmas |
• Europeans write a few of their numbers differently than we do. 1 = 
, 4 = 
, 7 = 
.
• In Europe, dates appear as day/month/year, so Christmas is 25/12/14.
• Commas are decimal points and decimals are commas. A dollar and a half is $1,50, one thousand is 1.000, and there are 5.280 feet in a mile.
• When counting with fingers, start with your thumb. If you hold up your first finger to request one item, you’ll probably get two.
• What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Europe.
• On escalators and moving sidewalks, Europeans keep the left “lane” open for passing. Keep to the right.
A kilogram is 2.2 pounds, and l liter is about a quart, or almost four to a gallon. A kilometer is six-tenths of a mile. I figure kilometers to miles by cutting them in half and adding back 10 percent of the original (120 km: 60 + 12 = 72 miles, 300 km: 150 + 30 = 180 miles).
1 foot = 0.3 meter
1 yard = 0.9 meter
1 mile = 1.6 kilometers
1 centimeter = 0.4 inch
1 meter = 39.4 inches
1 kilometer = 0.62 mile
1 square yard = 0.8 square meter
1 square mile = 2.6 square kilometers
1 ounce = 28 grams
1 quart = 0.95 liter
1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
32°F = 0°C
When shopping for clothing, use these US-to-European comparisons as general guidelines (but note that no conversion is perfect).
• Women’s dresses and blouses: Add 30
(US size 10 = European size 40)
• Men’s suits and jackets: Add 10
(US size 40 regular = European size 50)
• Men’s shirts: Multiply by 2 and add about 8
(US size 15 collar = European size 38)
• Women’s shoes: Add about 30
(US size 8 = European size 38-39)
• Men’s shoes: Add 32-34
(US size 9 = European size 41; US size 11 = European size 45)
The first line is Athens’ average daily high; the second line, the average daily low. The third line shows the average number of days without rain. For more detailed weather statistics for destinations throughout Greece (as well as the rest of the world), check www.wunderground.com.
Europe takes its temperature using the Celsius scale, while we opt for Fahrenheit. For a rough conversion from Celsius to Fahrenheit, double the number and add 30. For weather, remember that 28°C is 82°F—perfect. For health, 37°C is just right.
Whether you’re traveling for five days or five weeks, here’s what you’ll need to bring. Pack light to enjoy the sweet freedom of true mobility. Happy travels!
5 shirts: long- & short-sleeve
1 sweater or lightweight fleece
2 pairs of pants
1 pair of shorts
5 pairs of underwear & socks
1 pair of shoes
1 rainproof jacket with hood
Tie or scarf
Swimsuit
Sleepwear
Money belt
Money-your mix of:
Debit card
Credit card(s)
Hard cash ($20 bills)
Documents plus photocopies:
Passport
Printout of airline eticket
Driver’s license
Student ID, hostel card, etc.
Railpass/train reservations/car-rental voucher
Insurance details
Guidebooks & maps
Address list (for sending emails & postcards)
Notepad & pen
Journal
Daypack
Toiletries kit:
Toiletries
Medicines & vitamins
First-aid kit
Glasses/contacts/sunglasses (with prescriptions)
Small towel/washcloth
Laundry supplies:
Laundry soap
Clothesline
Sewing kit
Electronics-your choice of:
Camera (& related gear)
Mobile phone
Portable media player (iPod or other)
Laptop/netbook/tablet
Ebook reader
Chargers for each of the above
Headphones or earbuds
Plug adapter(s)
Alarm clock
Earplugs
Sealable plastic baggies
Empty water bottle
Postcards & photos from home
If you plan to carry on your luggage, note that all liquids must be in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers and fit within a single quart-size sealable baggie. For details, see www.tsa.gov/travelers.
Knowing a few phrases of Greek can help if you’re traveling off the beaten path. Just learning the pleasantries (such as please and thank you) will improve your connections with locals, even in the bigger cities.
Because Greek words can be transliterated differently in English, I’ve also included the Greek spellings. Note that in Greek, a semicolon is used the same way we use a question mark.
