Greece

Click here for more Europe Links and Resources

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

In Athens there are trolley buses (ILPAP), regular buses (ETHEL) and three metro lines. Tickets for buses and trolley buses can be purchased from the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA) at various booths and kiosks situated around the city. Only Bus Line number 040 (Syntagma - Piraeus) and the bus lines to the Airport operate 24-hour schedules. The two Tram lines are perfectly integrated with the rest of the Athens metro network, the underground and the suburban line, creating an urban network of rail transport 156 km long.
In Thessaloniki there is regular bus service. Tickets can be purchased from the Thessaloniki Urban Transport Organization (OASTH) desks.
Athens has a reliable subway system (ISAP) that consists of three major lines. The old line runs north-south between Athens (suburb of Kifissia). Line 2 runs between Sepolia and Dafni and line 3 runs between Ethiniki Amyna and Syntagma. Tickets can be purchased at every Metro and ISAP station. The construction of the Thessaloniki metro started in June 2006 and should be completed by late 2012.

Maps of urban networks

Map of Athens and Thessaloniki metro
Map of Athens tram

Transportation from Airport to City Centre:

Airport	Distance	Taxi	Bus	Train	Car rental
Athens - Eleftherios Venizelos Intl (ATH)	27 km / 17 miles	EUR 28-32 / 40-60 min	EUR 3.20 / 60-85 min	EUR 6 / 40-50 min	Available

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

The rail network serves the main towns.

The maritime network is extensive. Safety conditions for ferry and car-ferry links conform to international regulations. They are very frequent, especially in summer.

Frequent delays are typical at Athens airport, as the airspace is saturated particularly in the summer period.

Rail companies

Hellenic Railways Organisation

Airlines

You can consult the list of airlines banned within the EU. Look also the rating of the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

The main motorway network links Athens to Patras (Peloponnese) to the south and Salonika to the north. The motorways are generally good quality but the rest of the road network is sometimes in bad condition. The fatal accident rate is the highest in the EU countries, mainly because of speeding and the bad state of the roads.

Road maps

Road map of Greece

Find an itinerary

Mappy

Different forms of tourism

Historical

- In Athenes : the Acropolis
- Péloponnèse : Mycènes, Epidaure, Olympie
- The Mount Athos
- The Cyclades : Mykonos, Thilos, Santorini
- The Dodécanèse islands : Rhodes
- Crete.

Cultural

For art and culture, visit the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

Nature

Evros and Axios rivers, Mt Olympus, The Pindus Mountain. For further information visit the Greek National Tourism Organisation.

Religious

Monastery complex of Meteora
Monastery complex of Aghio Oros (Mount Athos)
Patmos : Monastery of Aghios Ioannis Theologos and the Cave of the Apocalypse
For further information visit the Greek National Tourism Organisation

Thermal

There are many spas all over the country.

Beach

Discover the fabulous beaches of Greece and the Greek Islands, just one of the many reasons that Greece is one of the most spectacular destinations on the planet. There are volcanic red, black, and white sand beaches, pebble beaches, crystal clear blue Aegean waters and interesting covers to explore.
For sea tourism (including water sports, cruises, yachts, marinas) please click here

Winter sports

Over the past decades skiing has witnessed a spectacular rise in popularity among Greeks.  At present, 19 ski resorts operate on the mainland meeting modern standards, which lend themselves to the development of winter tourism and are particularly popular with both Greek and foreign visitors.

Outdoor activities

Rambling, Diving, Bicycle touring, Golf

Tourism organizations

Greek National Tourism Organization

Health and safety

Health precautions

No vaccinations are required before entering the country. For visitors at high risk of rabies infection, vaccination should be considered. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travelers over six months of age coming from infected areas.
Although Greece is geographically situated in southeast Europe, health precaution measures that apply in this country’s case are the same as those for traveling to Western Europe. Tourists visiting Greece in the summer must keep in mind that the sun radiation and the heat may be very intense.

For further information on sanitary conditions

The American government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

For further information on safety conditions

The Current Travel Warnings given by the American State Department

Time difference and climate

Time and time difference

It is %T:%M %A in Athenes (GMT+2 in Winter, GMT+3 in Summer)

Summer time period

From March to October.