Greece is in the Eastern European Time Zone.
Eastern European Standard Time (EET) is 2 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT 2).
Like most countries in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Greece, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour, 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT 3). After the summer months the time is shifted back by 1 hour to Eastern European Time (EET) or (GMT 2). The Daylight Savings Time (GMT 3) in Greece begins at 3 a.m. on the last Sunday of March and ends at 4 a.m. on the last Sunday of October.
Greece has an extensive airport network covering almost all Greek territory.
The Athens International Airport is located 33km southeast of Athens and is easily accessible via Attiki Odos, a six-lane motorway constituting the Athens City Ring Road. Public transport to Athens and the port of Piraeus is provided by metro, railway and express airport buses, ensuring efficient transport for air travellers and facilitating linkage to key tourist attractions.
Related links:
Athens International Airport
Athens International Airport: Access and Parking
Athens International Airport: Real Time Flight Information
Greek Airports
Athens has a good metro service that provides easy access to various parts of the city. It is fast, safe, comfortable and reliable.
Related links:
Athens Metro Map
Line 1 (Green Line): Athens-Piraeus Electric Railways (ISAP)
Line 2 (Red Line) & Line 3 (Blue Line): Attico Metro
Athens Suburban Railway – “Proastiakos”: Routes, Stations (map)
Greece has many ports. The largest is the central port of Piraeus which is the starting point for all commercial and international routes. Ferries depart from the port of Piraeus for the Cycladic Islands, Dodecanese, islands in the north of the Aegean, Crete and the Argosaronic Gulf. Other passenger ports are the ports of Rafina, the port of Lavrio, the port of Patra, the port of Heraklio in Crete as well as all the ports of the major islands of the Ionian and Aegean Seas.
Related link:
Timetables and route information
Greece has a very large and efficient network of buses.
Related link:
Urban Buses (Athens area)
The climate in Greece is typical of the Mediterranean climate: mild winters, relatively warm and dry summers and generally, extended periods of sunshine throughout most of the year. Long stretches of consecutive rainy days are not frequent in Greece, even during the winter and cloudy skies do not last more than 2 or 3 days in a row, which gives the country a great privilege in comparison to many other regions of the world. Furthermore, the heavy winter period is often interrupted during January and the first fortnight of February, by sunny spring days, a phenomenon known since the ancient times as the “halcyon days”. During summer the high temperatures are tempered by fresh sea breezes in the coastal areas of the country and from the north winds blowing mainly in the Aegean.
Related links:
Hellenic National Meteorological Service: Greece General Forecast (3-6 days)
Poseidon System: Weather Forecast
Passport and visa requirements vary from country to country. For details please click here
Greek Diplomatic and Consular Missions abroad: click here
Since the 1st of January 2002, the Euro (EUR) is the currency of Greece. Notes in circulation are 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euro while coins come in denominations of 1 euro, 2 euro, 1 cent, 2 cents, 5 cents, 10 cents and 20 cents.
A currency converter is available here
Most banks are open 8.00 am-2.30 pm Monday to Thursday and 8.00 am-2.00 pm Friday.
ATMs are widely available in Greece. Most accept Visa and MasterCard (you’ll pay interest on cash withdrawals) as well as debit cards of internationally accepted networks such as Cirrus and Maestro.
Traveller’s cheques and Εurocheques issued by official carriers can be exchanged to all Greek and foreign banks as well as to big hotels.
Credit cards: Most major credit cards (American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, Visa) are accepted in Greece.
The electricity supply in Greece is alternating current, 220 volts, 50 cycles. Appliances for 110 or 120 volts may be operated by using step down transformers of 220 – 250/110 volts connected to each outlet.
