Key facts
Greece is a member state of the European Union located in Southern Europe. There are 4 countries (Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Turkey) that Greece shares its borders with. The official language of Greece is Greek (modern). Although English is not the official language, a large number of people in Greece are fluent English speakers.
In the EF English Competency Index (EF EPI), which assesses the language proficiency of non-native speaking countries, Greece was ranked 19th out of 100 countries in 2021.
The national currency in Greece is Euro (EUR). The euro (€) is subdivided into 100 cent (c).
Greek
Banknotes
€5€10€20€50€100€200€500
Greek
Coins
€1€25c10c20c50c1c2c
Check with your bank before your trip to find out if there are any fees for using your card abroad. Some banks do not charge fees when you use a foreign ATM or pay in foreign currency, but others may charge a fixed cost for each transaction or allow a limited number of free withdrawals. The travel card provided by Wise.com, Revolut or Monose might be an excellent option to cut down on transaction fees.
Ookla® Speedtest The average fixed internet speed in Greece is 85.39 Mbps and mobile is 151.51 Mbs.The global average is 187.01 Mbps and 128.37 Mbps respectively.
ATM Density When compared to the world average, Greece has more ATMs.64.05 ATMs per 100,000 people.The global average is 39.49.
SIM Registration In order to purchase a SIM card in Greece, a passport or ID is required as identification.
Socket types
There are 2 socket types used in Greece. Type C is a popular socket type throughout Europe (except the United Kingdom), Russia, and certain Asian countries.
The sockets’ shapes and voltage differ from country to country and a travel plug adapter may be required. Portable devices, such as phones, notebooks or tablets, usually handle the entire range of voltages used across the world (110-240V).
Public holidays
In the year 2024, Greece will celebrate 15 national public holidays.
| Date | Holiday name | |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2023 | New Year’s DayΠρωτοχρονιά | |
| January 6, 2023 | EpiphanyΘεοφάνεια | |
| February 27, 2023Moving holiday | Clean MondayΚαθαρά Δευτέρα | |
| March 25, 2023 | Independence DayΕικοστή Πέμπτη Μαρτίου | |
| April 14, 2023Moving holiday | Good FridayΜεγάλη Παρασκευή | |
| April 16, 2023Moving holiday | Easter SundayΚυριακή του Πάσχα | |
| April 17, 2023Moving holiday | Easter MondayΔευτέρα του Πάσχα | |
| May 1, 2023 | Labour DayΕργατική Πρωτομαγιά | |
| June 4, 2023Moving holiday | PentecostΠεντηκοστή | |
| June 5, 2023Moving holiday | Whit MondayΔευτέρα Πεντηκοστής | |
| August 15, 2023 | Assumption DayΚοίμηση της Θεοτόκου | |
| October 28, 2023 | Ochi DayΤο Όχι | |
| December 25, 2023 | Christmas DayΧριστούγεννα | |
| December 26, 2023 | St. Stephen’s DayΣύναξις Υπεραγίας Θεοτόκου Μαρίας |
Sources
- EF English Proficiency Index (EF Education First)
- Speedtest Global Index® (Ookla®)
- Automated teller machines (ATMs) (per 100,000 adults) (The World Bank Group)
- Registration Policies Per Country (Prepaid Data SIM Card Wiki)
Tourism
What hotel chains are present in Greece?
There are Mariott hotels in Athens.
The Hilton hotel chain operates in Greece.
The IHG hotel chain operates in Greece.
The Best Western hotel chain operates in Greece.
There are Radisson hotels in 5 cities.
The Accor hotel chain operates in Greece.
What fast food chains are present in Greece?
The McDonald’s chain operates in Greece.
The KFC chain operates in Greece.
The Burger King chain does not operate in Greece.
The Subway chain operates in Greece.
The Domino’s Pizza chain operates in Greece.
The Starbucks chain operates in Greece.
Sources
- Country by National Dish (Samson Daniel)
Weather
What is the weather like in Athens?
Weather data for Athens (capital city) by Open-Meteo.com
Transport
Railways There are passenger trains , and some of them are high-speed trains.
Subway Systems The subway system is available in Athens.
Sources
- List of high-speed railway lines (Wikipedia)
- List of metro systems (Wikipedia)
- Left- and right-hand traffic (Wikipedia)
- The Global Enabling Trade Report 2016: Road connectivity (World Economic Forum)
Safety
Emergency phones in Greece
Sources
- Greece Travel Advisory (United States: Department of State)
- Travel Advice for Greece (United Kingdom: The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office)
- Mortality caused by road traffic injury (The World Bank Group)
- Corruption & Economic Crime (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)
Smoking & Alcohol
Smoking ban Smoking is prohibited in all public areas excluding entertainment and restaurants.
Cananbis legality Recreational usage is prohibited, but medical use is legal.
You are not entitled to a duty-free allowance for tobacco or alcohol if you are under the age of 17.
Alcohol allowance
Travellers from EU countries:
- 90L of still wine (60L of sparkling wine)
- 110L of beer
- 10L of alcoholic beverages stronger than 22%
- 20L of fortified or sparkling wine or other liqueurs up to 22%.
Travellers from non-EU countries:
- 4L of wine
- 16L of beer
- 1L of spirits over 22% volume or 2L of alcoholic beverages less than 22% volume
Tobacco allowance
Travellers from EU countries:
- 800 cigarettes or 400 cigarillos or 200 cigars or 1kg of tobacco
Travellers from non-EU countries:
Your tobacco allowance is determined on your form of transportation.
If you are travelling by air:
- 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco
If you are NOT travelling by air:
- 40 cigarettes or 20 cigarillos or 10 cigars or 50g of tobacco
Sources
- Alcohol, tobacco, cash and excise duties (europa.eu)
- List of smoking bans (Wikipedia)
- Legality of cannabis (Wikipedia)