Greece

Government advisories

• ☐ United States: level 1/4 — Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
• ☐ United Kingdom: level 1/4
• ☐ Canada: level 1/4 — Exercise normal security precautions

Health notices

• ☐ Global Measles (level 1)

Entry requirements

☐ The visa policy of the Schengen Area is a component within the wider area of freedom, security and justice policy of the European Union. It applies to the Schengen Area and Cyprus, but not to EU member state Ireland. The visa policy allows nationals of certain countries to enter the Schengen Area via air, land or sea without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Nationals of certain other countries are required to have a visa to enter and, in some cases, transit through the Schenge

Practical

• ☐ Plug type C/F, 230V — bring an adapter if yours differs
• ☐ Drives on the right
• ☐ Emergency (police): 100 or 112
• ☐ Emergency (ambulance): 166 or 112
• ☐ Emergency (fire): 199 or 112
• ☐ SIM: There are no Internet roaming charges for EU citizens, so you can surf the Internet in Greece as normal with your local sim card. For Non-EU citizens, you can either buy a Greek sim card or use a virtual sim cards where you can buy the GB you want as credit at home and then surf the internet anywhere in Greece until the credit is used up. This is easier than buying a Greek sim card.
• ☐ Money: The euro replaced the drachma in January 2002. In the Greek language, however, its name is pronounced something like EFF-ro. Euro cents are called sent in Cyprus but not in Greece, where they are called lepta (singular lepto).
• ☐ Tipping: Traditionally tipping in restaurants is not customary in Greece. Rounding of the bill used to work both ways, up or down to the nearest note amount. A tip was considered insulting, and the best way to show appreciation was to come back. In touristy areas this has almost completely vanished, but off the beaten track it is still alive.

Laws that could get a tourist arrested

• ☐ Demonstration Arrests — Demonstrations and riots occur frequently in Athens. Being present near these events carries the risk of being arrested by police.

Before you go

General trip-prep, not specific to Greece — the same short list applies anywhere.

• ☐ Register with your embassy's traveler program if one exists
• ☐ Check your passport's validity and blank-page requirements on your destination's official entry-rules page
• ☐ Photograph/screenshot your passport, visa, and travel insurance documents
• ☐ Download offline maps for your destination
• ☐ Confirm your bank/card issuer knows you're traveling
• ☐ Check whether your phone plan needs a travel add-on or a local SIM