Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
survive to a gratifying degree. It's easy to
accidentally give offence - but equally
easy to avoid doing so by following a few
simple tips, and to upgrade your status
from that of tourist to xénos, a word that
means both stranger and guest.
In general, Greeks are exceptionally friendly and
curious, to an extent that can seem intrusive,
certainly to a reserved Brit. Don't be surprised at
being asked personal questions, even on short
acquaintance, or having your personal space
invaded. On the other hand, you're also likely to
be invited to people's houses, often to meet a
large extended family. Should you get such an
invitation, you are not expected to be punctual -
thirty minutes late is normal - and you should
bring a small
gift
, usually flowers, or cakes from
the local cake shop. If you're invited out to dinner,
you can offer to
pay
, but it's very unlikely you'll be
allowed to do so, and too much insistence could
be construed as rude.
Walking and cycling
If you have the time and stamina,
walking
is
probably the single best way to see the remote
backcountry, with plenty of options from gentle
strolls to long-distance mountain paths. This guide
includes some of the more accessible mountain
hikes, as well as suggestions for more casual
walking on the mainland and islands; there are also
plenty of companies offering walking holidays (see
p.28). In addition, you may want to acquire a
countrywide or regional
hiking guidebook
(see
p.806) and some detailed
maps
(p.52).
Cycling is less popular with Greeks, but in an
increasing number of resorts you can hire
mountain bikes
, and many of the rental places
lead organized rides, which again vary from easy
explorations of the countryside to serious rides up
proper mountains. Summer heat can be fierce, but
spring and autumn offer great riding and walking
conditions. Again, there are specialist companies
offering cycling breaks in Greece (p.28).
Dress codes and cultural hints
Football and basketball
Football
(soccer) is far and away the most popular
sport in Greece - both in terms of participating and
watching, its status strengthened still further by
Greece's unexpected emergence as Euro 2004
champions. The most important teams are Panath-
anaïkós (
W
www.pao.gr) and AEK (
W
aekfc.gr) of
Athens, Olympiakós of Pireás (
W
olympiacos.org)
and PAOK of Thessaloníki (
W
paokfc.gr). Matches -
usually Wednesday nights and Sunday afternoons -
take place between September and May, and
tickets are generally not too hard to come by at
prices far lower than in the UK.
The national
basketball
team is one of Europe's
strongest, while at club level, many of the football
teams maintain basketball squads - Panathanaïkós
are the most consistently successful.
Though
dress codes
on the beach are entirely
informal, they're much less so away from the sea;
most Greeks will dress up to go out, and not doing so
is considered slovenly at the least. There are quite a
number of
nudist
beaches in remote spots, with
plenty of locals enjoying them, but on family beaches,
or those close to town or near a church (of which
there are many along the Greek coast), even topless-
ness is often frowned on. Most monasteries and to a
lesser extent churches impose a fairly strict
dress
code
for visitors: no shorts, with women expected to
cover their arms and wear skirts (though most Greek
women visitors will be in trousers); the necessary
wraps are sometimes provided on the spot.
Two pieces of
body language
that can cause
unintentional offence are hand gestures; don't hold
your hand up, palm out, to anybody, and don't
make an OK sign by forming a circle with your
thumb and forefinger - both are extremely rude.
Nodding and shaking your head for yes and no are
also unlikely to be understood; Greeks use a slight
forward inclination of the head for yes, a more
vigorous backward nod for no.
Culture and
etiquette
In many ways, Greece is a thoroughly
integrated European country, and
behaviour and social mores differ little
from what you may be used to at home.
Dig a little deeper, however, or travel to
more remote, less touristed areas, and
you'll find that traditional Greek ways
Bargaining and tipping
Most shops have fixed prices, so
bargaining
isn't a
regular feature of tourist life. It is worth negotiating
over rooms - especially off season - or for vehicle
rental, especially for longer periods, but it's best not
