Greece (Travel)
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Greece (Travel) : Holidays In Greece
More than 15 million people a year have holidays in Greece, making it one of the top 20 tourist destinations in the world. It offers a myriad of experiences, landscapes and activities and is famous for its beaches, reliable sunny weather, nightlife, historical sites and natural beauty.
Despite it’s relatively small size, there are numerous places for those taking their holidays in Greece to visit during their stay in the country. The Greek islands are the most popular destinations for tourists but mainland Greece has much to offer too. Major destinations include Athens, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Crete and Rhodes. Some areas are very tourist orientated, but for those looking for a quieter time away, there are still many rewarding areas in the country free of large-scale tourism.
Greece has a normal Mediterranean climate in that it generally enjoys long warm summers and short mild winters. From April until November, all over Greece is hot and dry and enjoys near-constant sunshine. Sporadic rains do occur during the dry season, but they tend to be rare, quick showers. The most pleasant weather occurs in May-June and September-October, with the warmest time of the year being from mid-July and to mid-August.
The vast majority of those taking holidays in Greece arrive between April and October, with the peak of the season being July through to August. Outside of this time, most of the country’s tourist infrastructure goes into hibernation, particularly on the islands. Athens and Thessaloníki handle the bulk of scheduled international flights. However, during tourism season, several charter and planned low-budget flights arrive daily from many European cities to many of the islands and smaller cities on the mainland.
Hotels in Greece tend to be simple establishments. Rooms are typically small, with a balcony, and have air conditioning, and standards of cleanliness are usually good, even in the simpler places. More luxurious accommodation can be found in cities and on the more popular islands but it’s not that common and often doesn’t represent good value for money.
Whichever type of Greek accommodation you opt to stay at, you’ll probably be able to book online as most have web sites and will take bookings by email, though sometimes fax is a more reliable way to communicate. There are also numerous Greek and international hotel booking services.
Greece's official currency is the Euro, and other currencies won‘t be accepted at all. You can easily exchange currency in larger cities and in any touristed area though. ATM machines are present almost everywhere and Mastercard, Visa, and Eurocard are widely accepted in retail stores, hotels, and travel agencies, but are not accepted at some restaurants and local souvenir shops.
Greece isn’t renowned for its shopping, but it does offer some unique and quality local products. Special purchases include lace, jewelry, metalwork, pottery, knitwear, rugs, leather goods, local wines and spirits, and local handicrafts. Dining out is common, and restaurants there (locally referred to as Taverna or Estiatorio) are widespread.
Excellent Greek restaurants can be found in even highly touristed areas, particularly areas that are popular with Greek tourists as well. English-speakers taking holidays in Greece encounter no significant language problems at either restaurants or shops since English is widely spoken.