travel destinations | news | scuba | facts | contacts
Travel to Greece
Greece and the Greek Islands are one of the most popular travel destinations in Europe. The country exudes traditional charm, particularly on its ever-popular islands, which cling to their stereotypical architecture and way of life despite being often over-run by tourists.
Capital: Athens
Location: Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in south-eastern Europe, situated on the southern end of the Balkan peninsula. It is bordered by Bulgaria, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Albania to the north and by Turkey to the east. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of mainland Greece, while the Ionian Sea lies to the west. Both parts of the eastern Mediterranean basin feature a vast number of islands.
Climate: The climate in Greece is typical of the Mediterranean climate: mild and rainy winters, relatively warm and dry summers and, generally, extended periods of sunshine throughout most of the year. A great variety of climate subtypes, always within the Mediterranean climate frame, are encountered in several regions of Greece. This is due to the influence of topography (great mountain chains along the central part and other mountainous bodies) on the air masses coming from the moisture sources of the central Mediterranean Sea. Thus the weather in Greece varies from the dry climate of Attiki (Athens’ greater area) and East Greece in general, to the wet climate of Northern and Western Greece. The warmest period occurs during the last ten days of July and the first ten days of August, when the mean maximum temperature lies between 29°C and 35°C. During the warm period the high temperatures are tempered by fresh sea breezes in the coastal areas of the country and from the north winds, known as ‘Etesian’, blowing mainly in the Aegean.
Terrain: Greece consists of a mountainous and craggy mainland jutting out into the sea at the southern end of the Balkans. The Peloponnesus peninsula and numerous islands, including Crete, Euboea, Lesbos, Chios, the Dodecanese and the Cycladic groups of the Aegean Sea as well as the Ionian Sea islands. Four fifths of Greece consist of mountains or hills, making the country one of the most mountainous in Europe. Western Greece contains a number of lakes and wetlands and it is dominated by the Pindus mountain range.
Language: Greek
Currency: Euro (EUR)
Time zone: GMT +2
Internet TLD: .gr
Calling code: +30
Greece has strong historical ties with southeastern and western Europe, Asia and Africa. At the crossroads of so many civilisations, Greece is gifted with a rich and fascinating cultural heritage. The country's turbulent history has had remarkably little effect on the Greek language. Modern Greek is easily recognisable as the language of Plato.
Modern Greece is better known as a great place to vacation rather than a centre of learning and culture. Today the country attracts by offering simple pleasures: delicious food at reasonable prices, local wine, beautiful beaches, sunshine, quaint villages, a seemingly endless lacework of coastline and little islands full of scenic surprises.
More facts about Greece:
Greece, country profile
Local Travel News:
New Travel Products to be launched at City Break Exhibition in Athens 
New Travel Products to be launched at City Break Exhibition in Athens.
City Break 2007 to be held in Athens
City Break 2007 to be held in Athens.
Greece kicks off tourism campaign
The Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) is inviting visitors to "explore their senses in Greece", as it looks to attract holidaymakers to the country.
| Travel webcams in Greece: | ||
|  | |
| | |
| | |
 Scuba diving in Greece |
