Corfu Greece Travel Blog: An Insider's View

11 Feb 2020

9 Things To Avoid When Travel to Greece

By Geraldine Mills | Posted in: Traveling in Greece | 0

Last updated on November 4th, 2021 at 12:57 pm

Rich history, old-fashioned architecture, and the best part of all— Greek food.

Greece is a country so rich in so many aspects that you might find it hard to squeeze in all the sights to see and all the souvlakis to try during a short stay in this glorious place.

With so many ancient cities to school, you about Greek history and mythologies, a trip to Greece isn’t only limited to leisure and some time under the sun. It’s also about walking along with historical sites and experiencing first hand these famous cities that we only read about in books.

I know you’re excited to take that flight to the cradle of Western civilization, but we’d have to burst your bubble for a little while to remind you of some of the things to avoid when visiting Greece.

Don’t Show to much skin when visiting churches

Greece is clad with beautiful churches and monasteries that any tourist would be tempted to visit and well, snap photos of, but keep in mind that these establishments should be treated with respect.

Greeks are particular about wearing proper clothes when entering a church. It’s best that you follow the dress code when you plan to visit any of these sites to avoid getting called out by locals and churchgoers.

For men, long shorts and trousers will do, while long skirts for women are the most appropriate. Make sure you pack enough of these clothing items since there are a lot of churches and monasteries to visit in Greece. No need to worry about your carry-on luggage dimensions, with proper rolling and stacking, your long skirts and trousers will fit right in your bag, that’s for sure.

Whether you’re religious or not, you should try to abide by this particular dress rule because that’s how you show respect to the culture.

Don’t go shopping mid-day and on Sundays

Greeks are known to keep plenty of traditions, one of which includes something about their shopping habits.

For shopaholics out there, don’t try to shop during mid-day or on Sundays if you don’t want to come up empty-handed. Greeks value their siesta time so much, so don’t waste your time going out to shop at noon as markets and shopping centers will likely be closed.

However, if you really have no other time to do your shopping but during mid-day, large malls in Athens are continuously open up until the evening every day of the week except Sundays.

All the above are concerned large towns and in any case not large or small tourist areas, where you are really welcome to shop at any time of the day, every day.

Don’t rely on credit cards, unless on a tourist or large area

If you’re the type of traveler who relies on credit cards every time you go out, you might want to consider giving them rest when you’re in Greece.

Greeks love cash, especially in remote areas and the less touristy places. Sure, you can use your cards everywhere, at the hotel and all the big restaurants in town, but if you plan to go on a tour at less crowded spots and traditional tavernas, then your cards might not be of great use as Greek people don’t seem to love them much.

Always carry cash with you to enjoy the rest of your stay, so you become more likable. Otherwise, you might need to withdraw at the nearest ATM around town.

Don’t take photos of military facilities

Out of respect for international rules, we should always abide by them to avoid any trouble with authorities.

In the case of Greeks, they don’t want their military facilities to be the center of your travel photos, especially in some sensitive areas like the one in the Aegean islands near the Turkish border.

Don’t touch artifacts in museums

I think if you’ve traveled well enough, you know that museums have restrictions when it comes to touching exhibits. And they are strict about such rules.

In Greece, their museums and galleries are more strict about this because of certain archaeological materials present in the country. Some of these artifacts are century-old, so they are well-guarded and are often inside a glass window or in a safe location.

Don’t do the moutza

If you’re unfamiliar with moutza, it’s a very well known Greek gesture to show disapproval and to insult someone. Hands are extended while all five fingers are open.

When you’re in Greece, be mindful of this specific gesture, some locals might mistake you for doing a moutza, which might be taken as an offense. Greeks find this really offensive, so try to avoid this as much as possible.

Don’t get intimidated of the Greek alphabet

The Greek alphabet may look intimidating, but even if it looks strange to you just remember that it is the ancestor of the Latin alphabet that you use, and cannot be so alien as some people think, in fact, the Greek language is the source of 10% of all English words used today. You speak Greek but you just don’t know it yet, have a look here.

The Greek language does carry a good amount of history up to its sleeve so when visiting this country, make sure to bring some Greek words with you.

Besides, learning a new language, especially one with a challenging alphabet, could mean a whale of fulfillment on your part. I don’t know about you, but it really feels good to be able to understand foreign signages when traveling abroad.

If it helps you embrace the country and its culture more, Greeks are known to be friendly, so don’t hesitate to ask for some help understanding their language.

Don’t drink the tap water unless they tell you its ok

For common health reasons, drinking tap water is not advisable when you’re anywhere in the world and not just in Greece.
There are areas, even close to each other where drinking their tap water is perfectly safe, and other places where it is not potable, especially when you’re in Mykonos and Santorini, just to remind you that most of Aegean islands are almost dry and they bring water from the mainland that is mixed with some desalinated water from some drillings!

Therefore, while these Greek islands are famous for their gorgeous setting and vibe, the water from the tap is extensively high on minerals, so it is not good for you to ever try to drink directly from their tap if you don’t want to stay inside your hotel room the entire day because of not feeling well.

The ones in some areas of Athens and Thessaloniki might be safe, but not everywhere.

Let’s be clear, the tap water in all over Greece is not contaminated with any microorganisms or bacteria, the only problem is the high concentration of minerals that makes it not potable only in some areas, so ask your hotelier or your travel agent to be sure if the tap water in your area is potable or not.

In any case, and to be on the safe side, it’s still best to just buy bottled water, which is priced fairly cheap to avoid incurring water-related gut illnesses.

Don’t try to drive like a Greek

Well, we all know how Greeks go crazy when it comes to driving. It’s like fast and the furious all day and every day, especially in Athens. But just a reminder: you are not a Greek, so don’t ever try to keep up with them when it comes to driving.

Remember that the vast majority of drivers in the big towns are working people who are in a harry to get to their jobs, you are a tourist seeking a relaxing time, so be careful and respect their daily habits.
Things are much better and more polite in the large tourist islands and tourist areas.

Road safety should still be your topmost priority when driving. When you encounter one that’s really wild on the road, just pull over and let them pass. Remember to keep your eyes glued on the road ahead of you, while you also make sure to check the sidelines for incoming fast cars.

Greece is generally one of the best European countries to visit! There are a lot of things that you can do in this country of gods and goddesses, just be mindful about their lifestyle and culture to avoid any street brawl with brawny Greeks!

PUBLISHED BY

Geraldine Mills

I live to let go, I live to travel far and wide. I live to imprint my feet in different places, in different spaces.

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11 Feb 2020

Is Greece Dog Friendly? Flying There With a Dog

By Leo Wilson | Posted in: Traveling in Greece | 0

Last updated on November 6th, 2021 at 06:00 pm

Photo by Wade Lambert on Unplash

The life of a nomad world-traveler is appealing to millions of people. Movies glorify packing up and leaving at the drop of a hat. Of course, real-life responsibilities often require advance planning up to a year ahead of your departure date.

If you’re a dog owner, one of the responsibilities is deciding if your pup will also make the trek or stay home while you globetrot.

One bucket list destination is Greece and its islands. The Mediterranean is a popular European vacation spot.

What’s so attractive about the Greek Islands?

The pristine blue-green waters and sandy, white shores attract droves of tourists. Others come to immerse themselves in thousands of years of history and artifacts.

There are over 6000 islands off the coast of Greece, but only around 300 of those are accessible from the mainland.

Ready to make the journey to these pristine islands? Whether your trip is business or pleasure will greatly affect whether your canine companion comes along.

So, after your decision the question arises:

Is Greece dog friendly?

Photo by Greek Islands on Unsplash

European countries and cities are often more dog-friendly than states and cities in the U.S. Greece is a country where it’s not uncommon to see dogs in pubs, food stores, or on the train. Conversely, federal regulations in the United States ban pets from areas where food is being sold, such as bars and grocery stores.

There’s not much point in bringing your pup all the way to another country only to find out they aren’t allowed in public spaces or even your hotel room. While many hotels and accommodations are dog-friendly, it’s imperative to ask when booking the room.

Smaller boutiques are less likely to approve dogs, whereas more pet-centric hotels have parks and gardens on the premises that are accessible to canines.

If you’re traveling to Greece, you likely plan at least one visit to the beach. You’ll be happy to know that the European country doesn’t have a law explicitly prohibiting dogs from these public areas. However, common etiquette requires owners to clean up after their pups and not let them disturb other visitors.

Dogs can even go in the water, but keep in mind that not everyone wants to share the water with your pet. If possible, it’s best to find a more secluded area of the beach. It’s also important to be aware that ingesting sand can be bad for dogs. Their digestion system isn’t equipped to digest sand, which can possibly cause it to block their intestines.

In addition, the water in the sea isn’t drinkable for dogs (or humans.) If you’re visiting the beach, it’s best to bring your own freshwater for yourself and your canine friend. It can be almost impossible to stop a dog from drinking seawater, so it’s important that your dog be well-trained to follow your commands before your trip overseas.

Getting to the Greek Islands

Photo by Ethan McArthur on Unplash

The fastest route to the mainland from other areas of the world is by flying. But once you’re on the mainland, how do you get to any of the inhabited islands? The Greek Archipelago are typically reached by boat, ferry or aircraft.

Each of these transportation options has its own rules and regulations regarding allowing pets aboard. Greek law only considers cats, dogs, and ferrets to be importable pets. Birds are banned from being brought into the country at all.

Flying to Greece with a dog

Typically, only small dogs are allowed in the cabin of aircraft or watercraft. They must be contained in a carrier and under a certain weight.

Necessary Documentations and Other Requirements for Travelling with Your Dog

Your country of origin greatly determines the ease of which you can travel with your pet to Greece. Home countries within Europe have less strict requirements than those of tourists from the United States.

Travelers from any European country only need the following things:

Pet passport with rabies vaccination information

Electronic microchip with information that matches the pet passport

The documents needed for US residents traveling to Greece and its islands are more extensive. They include:

Pet passport

Electronic microchip

Rabies vaccination certificate within 30 days of the visit but less than one-year-old

A Certificate of Health from veterinarian dated within 10 days of the trip

Greece does not require quarantine

Each of the 200+ Greek Islands may also require additional documentation. Thorough research is required if you plan to leave the mainland and visit the islands. Greece requires rabies vaccinations because the country is virtually free from rabies and they’d like to keep it that way.

Don’t forget that you may need even more documentation for admittance back into your home country. It may also have different quarantine laws than Greece, which is one of the few countries that doesn’t require quarantine.

Taking Your Dog Abroad is Possible with Proper Research and Preparation

Photo by Terrance Raper on Unsplash

We all have days where we want to drive to the airport and buy the cheapest ticket to anywhere else. It would be a great story to tell, but for most people, that’s exactly what it is: fiction. The hard truth is vacationing with a pup is anything but impulsive.

Sure, maybe once you get to the beach, you can put your feet up and relax. But to make that happen requires a lot of research and planning first. Taking a trip out of the country demands even more extensive preparation.

The first thing to consider is if your pup would be happier and safer at home. In some cases, such as moving to a new country, you don’t have a choice. However, it’s vital to weigh the potential risks of transporting your dog to a new country.

The most likely mode of transportation to Greece is an airplane. Many airlines require dogs over a certain size to be caged in the cargo area. In all likelihood, even the most laid-back canine finds this experience stressful, if not downright terrifying.

Once you get your pup to Greece safely, however, they will love romping on the beach and soaking in the sun. Just make sure you begin collecting the required documentation well in advance unless otherwise noted.

Author

Leo Wilson graduated with a university major in animal health and behavior. He had over a decade of experience working in the pet industry and has contributed many dogs and pet-related articles to several websites before he decided to start sharing his knowledge on his own blog Cyber Pet. And when he is not busy working, he and his wonderful wife love spending time at home with their 3 dogs and 2 cats.