Tips and recommendations on a trip to Greece
Greece is one of the safest countries of Europe with a low level of crime and a well-deserved reputation of one of "most honest" countries of the European Union. Serious crimes, especially theft, here are still rare. It is quite ordinary to leave a wallet in a cafe and detect it in a day at the same place or at the host host, in a separate sachet and the detection date. However, statistics fix slow, but confident crime growth, especially around the Omonia quarter in the central part of Athens, in the subway and in the areas of the most popular archaeological sites. There is a particularly strong increase in pocket thefts, credit card fraud and currency fraud, and replacing goods in markets and other offenses. Police statistics argue that theft of things in tourists is most often happening by other tourists or foreign migrant workers, especially in hotels and pensionats of a low level, but the result does not change in any way.
Also characterized by all sorts of scams in bars and restaurants, especially in the Athenian region of Syntagma, in the port areas and resort areas of Rhodes and Mykonos. True, ordinary schemes of deception here are quite trivial, like "necessity" treat a stranger to a cocktail (of course – the most expensive) or pay the unpassed dish, so parry them are quite simple. With the advent of modern means of communication and GPS navigators, it also just began to avoid the usual practice of local taxi drivers – choosing the longest way to destination or "by chance" not included counter. Just check the route on the map or directly from the car to contact the carrier campaign operator (the phone is usually clearly designated in the license card), as "misunderstanding" Will be quickly settled. That is why it is recommended to avoid private taxis, in which to prove something is not easy. However, in this case, it is enough to write a taxi number and inform it to the tourist police – sanctions for the violator of the law will be more than adequate. As a general recommendation, it is usually recommended to stipulate a fee for the trip to the landing in the car.
In all other cases, security rules when visiting Greece are quite common – in large cities, pockets and small vorauses should be fear, often cases of transport fraud. You should not carry with you large amounts of cash or remove them from an ATM in front of everyone. Documents and money is recommended to store hotels in safes or, if necessary, placed in the most difficult place. There is another nuance here – in many quite modern private hotels and boarding houses, the windows and doors simply do not have reliable locking systems – the climate is hot, the air conditioners do not always work, good wood is too expensive, and the same doors are often made from light shields. Yes, and the lattices on the windows are rare, therefore, it is often very easy to operate, which robbers can take advantage. Knowing about it, the owners of such hotels themselves go to meet the guest and offer it to use the safe, so as not to spoil the reputation of the establishment by theft.
It is not recommended to leave anything valuable in the car, while the car itself is better to park on guarded parking or well-lit streets. In case of direct contact with the robber, it is recommended to submit to all its requirements and not to enter into direct confrontation. It is not recommended to run away from the robbers, screaming or entering with them into confrontation (although it is not excluded – the law in any case will be on the side of the victim), but most of the locals prefer to give money in such cases, and then cause police.
Pretty ambiguous situation in Greece with women’s safety. On the one hand, almost the entire territory of the country in this regard is completely safe, and in terms of gender crime it is quite comparable to the Scandinavian countries. On the other hand, many popular resorts in this regard give a rather unsightly picture – Kavos on Kerkira, Laganas on Zakynthos or Faliraki on Rhodes are notoriously known to numerous conflicts related to sexual crimes. In such places, you should not attend a bar alone or arrange trips with strangers to some "Especially amazing" Beach. However, famous in the past Greek loving (they are often called a word "Kamakia", which can be translated as "harpoon"), once literally inhabited bars, beaches and dance clubs, disappear as a class, and their place is increasingly occupied by rich foreigners. And the main participants of all kinds of excesses are now Europeans themselves (and on both sides), and not local residents.
In the provincial areas, rural residents may disapprovingly treat a woman traveling without accompanying men, and certainly will not welcome her presence in an exclusively male society of a dawn or cafeteno. By and large, special problems will not cause, but various small troubles are quite expected both from men and local women.
There is a single police service in the country – Elliniki Astynomia, not divided into urban and rural, as in most European countries. Greek police have a resistant reputation of a rather tough structure, often prone to power solutions, however, in practice, the problem of communication with local law enforcement services is only one – language. When contacting the police, it is necessary to have at least some kind of identity card (passport, national identity card or driver’s license), otherwise the application or request may simply not accept to consideration. The rest of the local police behave quite adequately, and numerous tourist police departments have been created with tourists, whose offices are usually located in the most visited places. Any arrest of a foreign citizen implies his contact with the consulate, which will provide a lawyer to protect, but in this case the Greek police are often completely completely "Forget" any language and seek a call to the embassy accounted for pretty persistently.
Misconduct associated with the use or distribution of drugs, they usually punishable as hard as possible. In addition, even a simple arrest on suspicion of drug distribution can be completely stretched for a year – Greek justice is leisurely, and before the court it will make nothing earlier than this term. Also, local police officers love to find fault by foreigners about non-compliance with traffic rules, the appearance of in public places in a drunk, obscene behavior, photographing in forbidden areas (still all areas around military bases and the most important infrastructure facilities are closed). Often, the clash with the police among tourists arise and about being in naked form in public places. This is not officially prohibited by law, but for nudism, special places are allocated, outside of which the appearance in an unsuitable form will cause negative emotions not only from the police, but also in most locals.
Long time, Greece was one of the most affordable resort areas of Europe, but over the past 10-20 years, the cost of living in the country has increased very much (especially after accession to the European Union, the adoption of the euro and lifting VAT rates in early 2005.). Prices most local shops and cafes are now comparable or even exceed those in any other EU member state (including the United Kingdom). Large cities of mainland Greece, large tourist areas and "Fashionable" Small islands like Simi, Idra, Mykonos, Paxa or Patmos in terms of prices are quite comparable to the Cote d’Azur or Riviera, and from July to August, in the New Year’s area and Easter even exceed them. However, outside the large resorts it is still possible to find places comparable at rates with provincial areas of Spain or Portugal.
For most of the country, it is planned to plan a daily budget at least 50 euros per day per person. And this is when accommodation on average hotel, meals in street restaurants and short trips by bus or boat. Camping will reduce costs, but slightly, not more than 10 euros per day, since the main cost of expenses will occupy all the same. Usually lunch in the tavern with ordinary wine or beer is worth not less than 11-15 euros per person. If the wine is ordered good quality, seafood or dishes more "High" cooking, then the price will almost definitely rise to 18-30 per person, but quite rare – more. Even in the most modern resorts with their clearly hypertrophied "International Menu" Often there are many quite decent small taverns in which the locals themselves eat – here the rates are usually more democratic, and the kitchen is no worse. In the provinces, the latter is rather the rule than the exception. In addition, it is always possible to rent a private accommodation for quite reasonable money or cook alone, acquiring products on fairly inexpensive local markets.
If you stop in a good hotel and move on a leased machine or a motorcycle, then the costs of less than 90 euros per day are unlikely, and in the height of the season this bar is worth raising to 120-130 euros. However, in the period from May to mid-June and from September to October, it is possible to save on October without much voltage – prices in this period are noticeably lower even on the islands.
Rates for ferries and boats running between the islands are subsidized by the government in order to ensure the livelihoods of remote island communities and therefore relative to the inexpensive (often steam from the island on the island is much cheaper than a walk on Caica along the sea coast between two adjacent resorts).
Discounts
The country has an extensive system of all kinds of discounts and benefits. In addition to subsidizing the state of a number of tickets, starting with museum and ending with ferry, one can take advantage of all sorts of benefits acting on a number of specific age and social groups.
Students with international certificate ISIC WWW.Isiccard.COM can count on discounts in the range of 30-50% when visiting many museums, theaters and other cultural objects, although there is often evidence of age to confirm. Young people under the age of 26 who are not students who can receive discounts in the presence of an international youth traffic of Youth Travel Card, which provides practically the same benefits as ISIC. Older people (over 65) have the right to a discount on travel in buses in most major cities in the country and a number of internal flights (evidence of age is also necessary). The right of free entry into museums and the territory of the excavations are used by archaeologists, architects, teachers and students of the faculties of classical directions, as well as artists (applications with the application of two photographs of 3×4 cm in size are submitted to the General Directorate of Antiquities Greece). Some historical monuments provide a number of discounts for children (usually up to 12 years old) and retirees – more detailed information can be obtained in the country’s tourist offices.
Summer Sale Season in Greece usually lasts from July 15 to August 31. During this period, in many outlets discounts on household goods and electrical engineering, clothing, shoes, cosmetics and children’s toys can reach 50%, and in small private shops they can reach up to 60%.
Working hours
The characteristic problem of many institutions of the country is a non-permanent schedule of work. Many museums, archaeological sites, galleries, taverns and restaurants work on such a complex and confusing schedule, which often does not know the locals themselves. Many churches and monasteries are closed almost constantly, opens only at the time of holidays, and some historical buildings do not have clear hours of work at all – here the visitor just goes to the caretaker home and asks him to open the doors (often for a small fee). Published in open printing or on sites time frames are often completely not respected by employees themselves. In large tourist areas there is a tendency to gradual adaptation of the local schedule to the usual Europeans – shops, transport agencies, offices, the most important archaeological sites and museums are trying to work on a clear schedule. Outside such areas still preserved the usual "Greek" Rhythm of work.
Traditionally, more or less sustainable work schedule can be found only from large stores – they usually open at 8.30-9.00 and work until 19.00-20.00 with a long sleeve break. Supermarkets are open from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 to 20.00. In Athens, many large outlets work without lunch (usually the Synehes ORARIO transparency indicates this), especially in winter, but this system is even here in life only under pressure from the EU. In the mornings on Saturday and Sunday numerous markets open. They usually work until lunch, no more, although flea markets in large cities are often open to sunset.
Interestingly, many grocery groceries and meat beams are forbidden to sell fresh meat in the afternoon (so as not to deteriorate); so they often open only early in the morning or in the evening when heat falls. In the same way, traders fish and the fishermen themselves, preferring to sell a catch fresh in the early clock (usually after noon no fish, except ice cream, do not find here).
Private commercial institutions and services usually work with 9.00 to 17.00-18.00 All with the same day "Lanch". In winter, shops open a little later – in 9.30-10.00, and even after lunch. At the same time, the time of operation can be changed at any time and without any warnings without any.
Pharmacies are usually open from Monday to Friday from 9.00-10.00 to 17.00-18.00. But private pharmacists and duty pharmacies work on Saturdays. Transport agencies in large resort areas operate approximately from 9.00 to 22.00 From Monday to Saturday, offices of international agencies – and on Sunday in the morning.
Most government offices are open on weekdays from 8.00 to 14.00, although after 13.00 to get somewhere simply impossible – the queues here are usually rather big, and people who have taken them in the morning may simply not get to the reception on the same day. The same applies to police departments, although here they still try to avoid closing visitors and plan their clock more thoroughly, although not very effective.
Churches and monasteries are open to public visits in accordance with their own rules. The churches are most often open only at the time of service (there is a chance to catch it from 8.00 to 12.00 and from 17.30 to 19.30), monasteries – only in the morning (in the evenings – approximately 17.00 to 20.00 in summer and from 15.30 to 18.30 Winter). Only those of them are regularly discovered, which have a clear schedule of work and are constantly inhabited by employees.
Museums, as a rule, work daily, with the exception of Monday, from 8.00 to 15.00. In summer, some museums are open to 19.00, but often a few days a week, they close at all, although they must work out, and vice versa (Athenian Acropolis, for example, is open to the Summer Evenings in Full Moon). With historical sites, the picture is much more complicated – if not defined otherwise, they should work in the summer of the whole day, in winter – from 10.00-11.00 to 14.00-15.00 (also approximately). However, in practice, each site has its own time and its own, often rather big, list of exceptions, festivals, holidays, and so on. During public holidays, most of the historical sites and museums are closed or only work until lunch (usually up to 12.thirty). In winter, many historical monuments and museums, especially located outside the main tourist routes, are also closed.
All major ancient sites (like most museums, by the way) are taken for the entrance ticket from 2 to 12 euros (on average – about 3). Entrance to the territory of historical monuments and museums under the administration of the state is free on weekends from November to March, but it is often at that time they … closed. Details is better to specify on the spot.
"Day break", By tradition called Side (although the Greeks themselves use their, more understandable term – "micro-hypno"), in summer, usually falls for the period from 14.00 to 15.00-17.00, in winter – literally for an hour in short. At this time, almost all offices, banks, shops, shops and restaurants are closed, and those workers are clearly not strained in the performance of their duties. At this time, it is not even not accepted, not something to do something. But, finding an open tavern or cafe, it can be completely legitimate or just relax, without referring to the service requirement. However, in many resorts and islands at this time, it is quite possible to get your order – the abundance of foreign workers quite allowed the Greeks themselves not particularly strain.
Restaurants
In Greece, you can find two most common types of restaurant – "ESTATORY" ("Inhomayeria") and "tavern". The first usually position themselves as more modern places with a complex kitchen, and the second – as "more folk", Although the differences between them in practice are small. In the first more often, complex stewed dishes are prepared and almost do not offer desserts ("epidorphy") secondly – more dishes of fried, fast cooking, and often a good choice of sweets. Go to the first to spend the evening to spend the evening, the second is not forced to come only to have a cup of coffee and chat with a neighbor. But there and there no one will look at some kind of schos "Not peculiar" This institution of request. As a result, you can find a small tavern with a brilliant kitchen, and a simple canopy on the shore with roasting and proud inscription "a restaurant", and greater "Litter" With quite an ordinary assortment of dishes.
Tips
In most restaurants, payment for services is usually included in the account and additional payments are not required. However, it is still recommended to leave "tips" the amount within 10-15% of the account (sometimes 5% is enough – it is easier to consult that the Greeks themselves visiting this institution) or 1-2 euro, if the order size is small. In a cafe or a dawn – up to 1 euro, in the tavern – depending on the quality of service (usually under the same limits). However, it should be borne here that if dinner or dinner is arranged at the initiative of the local resident, to distribute generous tips is very not recommended – this can be offended by inviting. Yes, and in other cases leave "tips" More than the decency requires, it can not be perceived as a gift that will need to be left (especially this tradition is especially found in the Attics and in the north of the country).
Porter usually relies from 0.5 to 3 euros depending on the amount of luggage porter – 1 euro, maid – Euro 3-5 depending on the length of stay and performance.
Although the receipt of the cash register are required everywhere, they are often the only application to the account, and often are not given at all. Painted in Greek by a foreigner does little other than the final amount, so if in doubt about the correctness thereof should be required to cash a check. Although the menu prices must include all taxes, often to fit one or two non-existent collection – it is also necessary to monitor.
In a taxi, you can leave the driver "tips" 0,5-1 euro, the primary payment is conducted strictly by the meter. If the car goes a few people, some taxi drivers trying to get each passenger to pay the full cost of the trip, even though it is illegal. Others are trying to carry passengers on the longest route – in this case, can help the navigator or just scheme in advance, before landing in the car, the agreed payment for travel.
Bargain in most institutions are not accepted, only in private establishments and food markets can try to bring down the price, but not much. Some nursing homes and hotels, you can also get some discounts, especially in the low season. However, in such cases, it is much easier to rely on all sorts of official prices – payment in most establishments is flexible.
Nudism
Nudism is legally permitted only for a very few Greek shores. Only a few "bohemian" islands and secluded bays, far from roads and settlements, officially, you can sunbathe and swim in the nude. Even topless in many public places will be viewed with disapproval, though not legally prohibited – on the beaches belonging to the hotel, it has long been no one pays attention (especially in Crete, Mykonos, Rhodes, Corfu and the other major resort centers). But be in the form of a straight or church coastal taverns visibility (particularly – positioned as family) is an indication of bad taste and may cause any reaction until frank aggression. However, even the police in such cases is still limited only by the warning about the arrest, without resorting to formal sanctions.
Within the Mount Athos, according to the ancient Paterik, swimming and sunbathing is prohibited. In case of violation of this rule in the peninsula on the residence permit can be completely canceled. At the same time the north, outside the direct area of ​​monasteries, bathing not limited. It is interesting that the church as the largest landowner, owns a lot of the coastal areas and beaches themselves. But such rules are established there very rarely, most often vice versa – Monasteries support the development of resort business and contribute to the maintenance of cleanliness and order on the banks, not particularly paying attention to minor violations.
Beach
Most of the country’s banks and completely free open to anyone who wishes. The exception is, of course, good beaches of large hotels and resorts, but here fully closed is usually only a very limited part of the territory (usually the special zone around the VIP-room and poolside villas). However, almost all the beaches will be charged for use of sunbed or umbrella. And this is not a whim of the owner and one of the ways to keep the coast clean – every stretch of beach there is usually a charge, which acquires a special license and the lease of the money keeps order and cleanliness. Tourist Police has the right at any time to check its operation and in the event of non-compliance to revoke the license, so it is often even small beaches of the country quite clean. Lease equipment strongly depends on the location, such as the beach, the surrounding infrastructure, and local laws, but typically ranges from 1 to 5 euros a day (in the hotels are usually included in the price, but there may be exceptions).
Photo and video shooting
There is a rather extensive list of objects, shooting around which can cause serious problems. First of all, these are military bases and airfields on the eastern Islands of the Aegean Sea and Macedonia, infrastructure facilities (ports, especially military, bridges, junctions and viaducts), some government objects and so on. However, near such seats, a special poster is usually issued, warning about the ban of filming, or a police post is on duty. Otherwise, the ban on shooting, from whom he would proceed, should be considered illegal.
The video is prohibited throughout the monasteries of Athon (video cameras can not even be imported into the peninsula), otherwise the equipment can be confiscated until return from the territory of the monastic state. You can take pictures without permission only on the street, for shooting in the temples and other rooms it is necessary to have a blessing. On the territory of most provincial monasteries, it is also categorically prohibited.
In museums, most often all types of shooting with hands are not limited, although there are exceptions, but for shooting using a tripod and flash, a written permission of the administration or even the municipal department of the Starny (EFORIA Arheotiton) is required, as well as an additional fee (usually another entrance ticket ). In areas of archaeological excavations, it is usually free, unless otherwise specified (there must be mandatory transparencies warning about the prohibition of filming).
Toilets
Public toilets are usually in parks, on central squares and bus stations. Often these are underground facilities, weakly designated outside, because it is not easy to find them. However, in most public places of the country (with the exception of large resorts), public toilets are so dirty and neglected, which is better to take advantage of these institutions in restaurants or bars. The latter usually either let guests "from the street" In their toilets freely, or require completely symbolic payment. Everywhere in Greece, paper should be thrown into the garbage basket, and not in the toilet.
Smoking
Greece is one of the smoking countries of the EU. From July 1, 2009, smoking in public and private premises is fully prohibited in the country, "which are intended for work, temporary stay and passage of people". In particular, airport waiting halls include such places (except for special places for smokers), passenger seasons, public transport (including taxis), rooms and lobby hotels and other closed rooms. Prohibition violators will have to pay a fine of 50 to 200 euros. In restaurants and other institutions officially no restrictions are not smoking, but many of the large rooms are also required to equip individual places for smokers. Ideally allowed to smoke either on open terraces, or in specially equipped halls or cabins for this.
In compliance with the rules for the separation of premises for smoking and non-smoking areas, strict control. However, the Greeks continue to smoke almost impunity not only in public places, but also in the walls of government agencies.
Electricity
Voltage in the power grid is 220 V (on passenger ships – 110 V), 50 Hz. European type sockets are used – round with two cylindrical pins (Type C familiar to us) and their type with two steps on the boxes of the plug for grounding contacts (Type F or Schuko), as well as round or rectangular connectors with a triangle pin (Type D and E ).
