Ελλάδα
GreeceContext of Greece
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Sea of Crete and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin, spanning thousands of islands and nine traditional geographic regions. It has population of over 10 million. Athens is the nation's capital and its largest city, followed by Thessaloniki and Patras.
Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre, and the Olympic Games. From the eighth century BC, the Greeks were organised...Read more
Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, and the Sea of Crete and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin, spanning thousands of islands and nine traditional geographic regions. It has population of over 10 million. Athens is the nation's capital and its largest city, followed by Thessaloniki and Patras.
Greece is considered the cradle of Western civilisation and the birthplace of democracy, Western philosophy, Western literature, historiography, political science, major scientific and mathematical principles, theatre, and the Olympic Games. From the eighth century BC, the Greeks were organised into various independent city-states known as poleis (singular polis) that spanned the Mediterranean and Black seas. Philip II of Macedon united most of present-day Greece in the fourth century BC, with his son Alexander the Great rapidly conquering much of the known ancient world from the eastern Mediterranean to northwestern India. The subsequent Hellenistic period saw the height of Greek culture and influence in antiquity. Greece was annexed by Rome in the second century BC, becoming an integral part of the Roman Empire and its continuation, the Byzantine Empire, which was predominately Greek in culture and language. The Greek Orthodox Church, which emerged in the first century AD, helped shape modern Greek identity and transmitted Greek traditions to the wider Orthodox world. After the Fourth Crusade in 1204, parts of the Greek peninsula came under Latin rule, but most of the area fell under Ottoman control by the mid-15th century.
Following a protracted war of independence launched in 1821, Greece emerged as a modern nation state in 1830. The Kingdom of Greece pursued gradual territorial expansion, which was mainly realised in the early 20th century during the Balkan Wars and up until the catastrophic defeat of its Asia Minor Campaign in 1922. A short-lived republic was established in 1924 but faced civil strife and the challenge of resettling refugees from Turkey. In 1936 a royalist dictatorship inaugurated a long period of authoritarian rule, marked by military occupation, civil war and military dictatorship. Greece transitioned to democracy in 1974–75, leading to the current parliamentary republic.
Having achieved record economic growth from 1950 through the 1970s, Greece is a developed country with an advanced high-income economy. Greece was the tenth member to join what is today the European Union in 1981 and is part of multiple international organizations and forums. It has a unique cultural heritage, large tourism industry, and prominent shipping sector. The country's rich historical legacy is reflected in part by its 19 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Greece was the ninth most-visited country in the world in 2023.
More about Greece
- Currency Euro
- Native name Ελλάδα
- Calling code +30
- Internet domain .gr
- Mains voltage 230V/50Hz
- Democracy index 7.39
- Population 10566531
- Area 131957
- Driving side right
- Stay safe Crime and theft
Violent crime and theft rates are low; public disorder is rare, and public drunkenness is generally frowned upon. Visitors should rest assured that this is a safe and friendly destination, but it is always advisable for foreign tourists to exercise basic precautionary measures just as they would at home. There has been a spike in theft (or at least a perceived one), which some locals will not hesitate to blame on the influx of immigrants.
The places where the visitor is most likely to encounter crime and theft are probably the handful of overcrowded, and overheated, the metro in Athens, tourist resorts thronged with younger foreigners attracted by cheap flights, cheap rooms, and cheap booze. The more notorious of such places include Faliraki in Rhodes (calmed down since a new tough mayor was elected), Kavos in Corfu, Malia on Crete, and Ios (though this last is said to have quieted down a bit.) Most visitors to these places return home unmolested, but there have been increasing reports from them of theft, public indecency, sexual assault, and alcohol-fueled violence; both the perpetrators and victims are usually young foreigners, though sometimes locals are involved. Authorities have stepped up the police presence in such areas to crack down on these activities. Still, visitors to these places would do well to avoid anything that looks like trouble, especially late at night, and to remember that their own overindulgence in alcohol increases their chance of attracting trouble themselves.
...Read moreStay safe Crime and theftRead lessViolent crime and theft rates are low; public disorder is rare, and public drunkenness is generally frowned upon. Visitors should rest assured that this is a safe and friendly destination, but it is always advisable for foreign tourists to exercise basic precautionary measures just as they would at home. There has been a spike in theft (or at least a perceived one), which some locals will not hesitate to blame on the influx of immigrants.
The places where the visitor is most likely to encounter crime and theft are probably the handful of overcrowded, and overheated, the metro in Athens, tourist resorts thronged with younger foreigners attracted by cheap flights, cheap rooms, and cheap booze. The more notorious of such places include Faliraki in Rhodes (calmed down since a new tough mayor was elected), Kavos in Corfu, Malia on Crete, and Ios (though this last is said to have quieted down a bit.) Most visitors to these places return home unmolested, but there have been increasing reports from them of theft, public indecency, sexual assault, and alcohol-fueled violence; both the perpetrators and victims are usually young foreigners, though sometimes locals are involved. Authorities have stepped up the police presence in such areas to crack down on these activities. Still, visitors to these places would do well to avoid anything that looks like trouble, especially late at night, and to remember that their own overindulgence in alcohol increases their chance of attracting trouble themselves.
ScamsThe most commonly reported major scam against travellers is the Greek version of the old clip joint routine. This is reported primarily from central Athens, but also occasionally from other cities and even the larger island towns. A single male traveller will be approached, usually at night in a neighborhood where there are a lot of bars, by a friendly Greek who will strike up a conversation leading to an invitation to go to "this really cool bar I know" for a drink. Once at the bar, they are joined by a couple of winsome ladies who immediately begin ordering drinks, often champagne, until, at the end of the evening, the mark is presented with an astronomical bill, payment of which is enforced by the sudden appearance of a pair of glowering thugs. The reason this scam works is because most Greeks have a tradition of being friendly to visitors, and almost all Greeks who strike up a conversation with you will have no ulterior motives. But if you're a single male traveller approached by a Greek in the circumstances described above, it's safest to politely but firmly decline any invitations.
Also don't accept to change your money on the street and if someone asks you if you could change a €20 or €50 note, refuse (you might get a counterfeit note).
Photography restrictionsIt is strictly forbidden to take photos of military installations or other strategic locations. Authorities will take violations quite seriously. Obey signs prohibiting photography. In fact, it would be best not to take photographs of anything of military significance, including Greek navy ships, or of airports or any aircraft, even civilian ones: Greek authorities can be very sensitive about such things. Many museums prohibit photography without a permit; some prohibit only flash or tripod photography, and many ask visitors not to take photos of objects (statues, etc.) which include people standing by them, as this is considered disrespectful. Officials at museums will rush over to yell at you if they see a camera or even a cell phone in your hand.
Antiquities
Greek Aryballos (a kind of vase) from the 6th century BCGreece also has very strict laws concerning the export of antiquities, which can include not only ancient objects but also coins, icons, folk art, and random pieces of stone from archeological sites. Before buying anything which could conceivably be considered an antiquity, you should become familiar with the current laws regarding what can be taken out of the country. Briefly, all objects made before 1830 are considered antiquities and are protected by the Ministry. Do not ever think to export or buy any piece of archeological value because it will be either be a fake or you will be arrested promptly at the airport for trafficking of goods of archeological value.
DrugsGreece has some of the strictest, and most strictly enforced, drug laws in Europe, and tourists are not exempt. No matter what anyone tells you, it is most definitely not cool to do drugs in Greece, including marijuana. Furthermore, such a behaviour is strongly rejected by most locals and will almost certainly cause someone to call the Police and have you arrested. Even a very small quantity is enough to get you in serious trouble. Don't even think of offering even the smallest amount of drug to someone else. You risk being prosecuted with charges of drug dealing, leading to several years of imprisonment!
TrafficThe greatest danger to travellers in Greece is probably in the simple process of crossing the street: traffic can be bad even in smaller towns and horrendous in Athens and other Greek cities, and accident rates are high. Caution should be exercised by pedestrians, even when crossing with a walk light. Traffic fatalies were cut by 60% in the ten years leading up to 2018, but in that year 709 people were killed on Greek roads — 64 per million people, which is higher than the average of 49 in the rest of the European Union. Drivers often weave between lanes while speeding. Stay safe.
COVID-19 measuresThe only measure thaτ will be active for the summer of 2022 is the mandatory use of face mask in public transport and in all indoor places except indoor places of restaurants, cafes, bars and clubs. The Greek government has not ruled out the application of restrictive measures for the unvaccinated people after September 1, 2022.
