According to iamhigher, Greece (English: Greece, Greek: Ελλάδα, Ellada, Hellas) is a country in Europe consisting of the southernmost part of the Balkans and approximately 6,000 islands (227 inhabited). Greece borders Albania, Macedonia, Bulgaria and Turkey. The autonomous Athos, a peninsula with twenty monasteries of the Orthodox Church, also falls within the national borders of Greece. The capital of Greece is Athens. A number of major cities in Greece are: Thessaloniki, Piraeus, Heraklion and Larissa.
Greece has a very long history. Just think of the Roman era, the Trojan horse, temples, open-air theatres, monasteries, bathhouses and the famous stone columns. Today you can still find many of these buildings as monuments or ruins. The Greek beaches are also well known. This is mainly due to the clear blue color of the water, white beaches and a beautiful underwater world. It is therefore wonderful for diving and snorkeling. There are many diving schools on the mainland and the surrounding islands of Greece. Greece is also known for its versatile cuisine with mostly meat dishes. Greece is known as a popular tourist destination for all these aspects. See healthvv for competencies and legal nature of the EU.
The largest and most famous Greek islands:
Alonissos, Andros, Chios, Corfu, Aegina, Evia, Ikaria, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kefalonia, Kos, Crete, Kythira, Lefkas, Leros , Lesbos, Limnos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Patmos,Peloponnese, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos, Skopelos, Thassos, Tinos and Zakynthos.
Peripheries (regions) of Greece:
Attica, Central Greece, Central Macedonia, Epirus, Ionian Islands, Crete, East Macedonia and Thrace, North Aegean Islands, Peloponnese, Thessaly, West Greece, West Macedonia, South Aegean Islands (Cyclades and Dodecanese) and Athos.
Where is Greece located?
Travel information of Greece
Official name: Hellenic Republic
Continent: Europe
Area: 131,957 km²
Capital: Athens (Athens)
Country code: GR, GRC
Population: 10,607,051 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 2,919 m (Olympus)
Distance (Amsterdam – Athens): 2,164 km
Flight time: approximately 3 hours and 10 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), (temporary) measures may apply in Greece that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Greece, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Greece. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, walking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Greece?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Greece at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Greece has a Mediterranean climate. In the winter months the temperatures are around 10 to 15 degrees and in the summer months around 30 degrees.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Greece can be found on our extensive weather page.
Extensive information about the climate of Greece can be found at Climate info.
Best time
May, June and September are the best months to travel to Greece. In these months you have the least chance of precipitation, the temperatures are pleasant and you also avoid mass tourism.
Language
Greek is the official language in Greece. Turkish, Bulgarian, Albanian and Romani are also spoken.
Would you like to translate from or into Greek for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Greece: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch Consulates in Greece: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Greek Embassy in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
Greek Consulate in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Greece.
Malaria
Malaria occurs on the mainland, Evia and the Peloponnese. Malaria is an infectious disease transmitted by malaria mosquitoes. This infectious disease can lead to death if not treated in time and/or incorrectly.
For prevention and control of malaria, please visit our malaria page.
Money and Currency
In Greece, payments are made with the euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs in Greece can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Greece are much lower than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is -22% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (33% cheaper), food (18% cheaper), imported beer in catering (14% more expensive), cigarettes (36% cheaper) and public transport (50% cheaper). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Greece it is customary to tip, even if this is already included in the bill. Good service is about 5-10% tip.
Time difference
In Greece it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Greece is the same as in the Netherlands.
The local time, date and time zone for Greece can be found on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Greece you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Greece.
There are toll roads in Greece. An overview of all toll roads in Greece can be found on ANWB.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Greece.
Electricity
In Greece the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Greece can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112 or 100
– Tourist police: 171
– Fire brigade: 112 or 199
– Ambulance: 112 or 166
Tap water
The water from the tap is drinkable, but due to the high chlorine content in many places, we recommend drinking bottled water.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Greece can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Greece can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Greece end in.gr.
Official websites of Greece: visitgreece.gr and gnto.gov.gr.
Telephony
The country code (international access code) to call someone in Greece is 0030 or +30.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Greece? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
All area codes for Greece can be found on Wikipedia.
Telephone numbers can be found in the Greece Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Greece.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Greece.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Greece.
Public holidays and school holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Greece can be found on Beleven.org.
You will find an overview of all school holidays in Greece in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Greece, supplemented with photos, videos and places of interest.
Travelogues
Are you looking for a travelogue about Greece?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Greece. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and world heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Greece can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Greece can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Greece? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, medicines and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or to do business with Greece, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Greece, including: opportunities, import and export rules, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, product requirements, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Greece? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Greece.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum allowed blood alcohol level is 0.5 for cars and 0.2 for motorcycles and novice drivers up to 2 years old.
– Tobacco: Buy from the age of 18, smoking at all ages.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…Greece has a different alphabet than the Netherlands?
…Greece was first part of Turkey and has only been independent since 1832?
…It is compulsory for everyone over 18 to vote in Greece?
…Greece has more than 250 days of sunshine a year?
…Greece has the most archaeological museums in the world?
…The Olympic Games originated in Greece?
