"Welcome to Greece" Greece by amsterdam_vallon

Having exported chaos, drama, tragedy and democracy before most nations stayed up late enough to want souvlaki, Greece boasts a legacy that's unrivalled. From smoggy Athens to blindingly bright islands, there are more ancient fragments than you can shake a stick at - the belly button of the cosmos at Delphi, fallen columns galore on the sacred island of Delos, frescoed Minoan palaces in Crete and even, quite possibly, the remnants of Atlantis at Santorini.

Greeks are fierce guardians of tradition, but that doesn't mean they don't know how to have fun - their propensity for partying dates back to Dionysos. In addition, hot sun and limpid seas conspire to make Greece a compelling place to relax. Whether you're supping in a beachside taverna, sipping coffee in a shady plateia or disco-dancing till dawn, chances are the gods already have you ensnared.

Full country name: Hellenic Republic
Area: 131,944 sq km (51,458 sq mi)
Population: 10.3 million
Capital city: Athens (pop approx. 3.7 million)
People: 98% Greek with minorities of Albanians, Turks and Slavic-Macedonians
Language: Greek
Religion: 98% Greek Orthodox, 1.3% Muslim, 0.7% other
Government: parliamentary republic
Prime Minister: Kostas Simitis

GDP: US$143 billion
GDP per head: US$14,000
Annual growth: 3.5%
Inflation: 2.6%
Major products/industries: tourism, shipping, food and tobacco processing, textiles, chemicals, metal products, mining, petroleum products
Major trading partners: Germany, Italy, France, UK, USA
Member of EU: yes
Euro zone participant: yes

Facts for the Traveler

Visas: nationals of Australia, Canada, Cyprus, EU countries, the European principalities of Monaco and San Marino, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, the USA and most South American countries are allowed to stay in Greece for up to three months without a visa; most others can enter Greece for up to two months without a visa; Greece will refuse entry to anyone whose passport indicates that, since November 1983, they have visited North Cyprus
Health risks: sunburn, Typhus (rural areas from April to September), Lyme disease, Rabies; codeine, which is commonly found in headache preparations, is banned in Greece and you may face prosecution if you bring it into the country
Time: GMT/UTC +2; +3 during daylight saving time
Electricity: 220V, 50 Hz
Weights & measures: metric

Taken from the Lonely Planet website

My 5-Day Classical Tour itinerary

This end of october i went to greece for 11 days. My first 5 days, I went on the road to go explore some of the most important archeological site in greece. The next 4 days, I was enjoying the air of Athens.

To see the diary of my continental tour, click on this link: 5-Day Classical Greece Tour

To see my visit of the capital city of Greece: 4-day stay in Athens

Road Sign

Here you can have a direct link to all the cities I visited during my trip to Greece.

- Navpaktos
- Rion
- Patras
- Epidaurus
- Mycenae
- Nafplio
- Athens
- Piraeus
- Corinth
- Olympia
- Delphi
- Meteora

• In a nutshell:Mountains...Olives...Ouzo...Sun...Beaches...History