Athens Facts

Population:
5,000,000

Time Zone:
Greece's clocks are 6 hours ahead of eastern standard time in the United States, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich mean time.

Language:
Greek is the native language. Many Greeks know some English, but will appreciate a two-way effort to learn and try basic phrases.

Telephones:
The country code for Greece is 30; the city code for Athens is 01. For an AT&T long-distance operator, dial 00/800-1311; MCI, 00/800-1211; Sprint, 00/800-1411.

The Greek telephone company, the OTE pronounced "oh-tay", has card phones everywhere. Phone cards used for intercity and overseas calls can be purchased at kiosks or the local OTE office. You can also make calls from OTE offices, which have limited hours, and from kiosks . Avoid making calls from your hotel, where the surcharge can be high.

For any international call, you must first dial 00, then the country code 1 for the U.S. and Canada, 44 for England.

Doing business over the phone in Greece can be extremely frustrating-the lines always seem to be busy, and English-speaking operators and clerks are few.. It is far better to develop a relationship with someone, for example a travel agent, to get information about train schedules and the like, or to go in person and ask for information face-to-face. Though OTE is updating its archaic phone system, it may take you several attempts to get through. Try dialing slowly, and if you get a wrong number, don't assume it's your mistake-the lines frequently get crossed. Local and international calls are cheaper in the evenings after 10 or 11 PM, and on the weekends after 3 PM on Saturday.

Operators and Information
There are English-speaking operators on the International Exchange 161 and 162, and recorded instructions in English, French, and German for making direct international calls on tel. 169. .

The tourist police Dimitrakopoulou 77, tel. 171 can answer questions in English about transportation, direct you to an open pharmacy or doctor, and locate phone numbers of hotels and restaurants.

September and October are an alternative to spring and early summer. Things begin to shut down in November, however, when the winter chill and rains begin. Winter in Greece is deceptive. Any given day may not be very cold. Snow is uncommon in Athens and to the south. The cold is persistent, and the level of heating is not what it is in the US.

Toward the end of July and through August the temperatures climb, pushing the 100°F mark. In the south a dry, hot wind may blow across the Mediterranean from the coast of Africa. The air quality in Athens, which is surrounded on all sides by mountains except in the direction of the harbor and oil refineries of Piraeus, can be unhealthy on especially hot days, and air-conditioning is rare

Churches and Monasteries:
There is no set schedule when churches and monasteries are open to the public. The best time to find churches unlocked is during mass, especially on Sunday; otherwise try from about 8 AM to noon and 5:30 to 7:30 on any day, unless where noted. The hours for monasteries are dependent upon their keepers, but they are more likely to be open in the morning to early afternoon.

Museums and Sites:
The days and hours for museums and sites vary; they are usually open daily 8-3 except one weekday usually Monday, although in summer, depending on personnel available that year, the hours are extended to as late as 7 PM. The Acropolis is open summer evenings when there is a full moon. On major holidays, most sites and museums are closed; on minor holidays they may have Sunday hours or close at 12:30. The Byzantine Museum, Kerameikos cemetery, and Agora Museum are closed Monday; the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art is closed Tuesday and Sunday. Admission to most museums and archaeological sites is free on Sunday November through mid-March.

The export of antiquities from Greece is forbidden. If any such articles are found in a traveler's luggage, they will be confiscated and the individual will be liable for prosecution. Reproductions of ancient works of art, some of very high quality, can be purchased throughout Greece and may be exported freely.

Emergencies:
In an emergency, dial 100 for the police and 171 for the tourist police. Dial 199 to report a fire and 166 for an ambulance and the hospital. If you need an English-speaking doctor or dentist, call your embassy for advice or try SOS Doctor at 01/331-0310. The English-language daily Athens News lists some American and British trained doctors and hospitals offering emergency services.

KAT, the emergency hospital in Kifissia 01/801-4411 to 4419, and Asklepion Voulas, the emergency hospital in Voula 01/895-3416 to 3418, both have emergency rooms open 24 hours a day. If you need medical attention quickly, just go.to a hospital. Their doors are open and they will see to you as soon as you enter.

In addition, one of the major hospitals takes turns each day being on emergency duty. A recorded message in Greek at tel. 01/106 tells which hospital is open for emergency services and gives the telephone number.

The SOS Doctor in Athens can be reached at 01/331-0310 or 01/331-0311; this is a 24-hour service that can send you a physician promptly for a fee .

Eyeglasses If anything happens to your glasses, Optical, Odos Patriarchou Ioakim 2 01/724-3564, has a wide range of designer shades and specs at designer prices, and can provide a fast replacement.

Hospitals Except for emergencies, hospital admittance is gained through a physician.

Internet Access:
One block off Omonia Square, the Astor Internet Café, Odos Patission 17 01/523-8546, is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 10pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and charges Dr1,500 $5 per hour to use e-mail, the Internet, and word-processing. Across from the National Archaeological Museum, the Central Music Coffee Shop, Odos Octobriou 28 also called Odos Patission; tel. 01/883-3418, is open daily from 9am to 11pm and charges Dr1,500 $5 per hour for similar services. Inforama, Odos 28 Octobriou 302a, offers similar services for Dr1,800 $6 an hour; it's open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 10:30pm.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning:
The self-service launderette at Odos Angelou Yeronda 10, in Filomouson Square, off Odos Kidathineon, Pláka, is open daily from 8:30am to 7pm; it charges Dr2,000 $7 for wash, dry, and soap. The National Dry Cleaners and Laundry Service, Odos Apollonos 17 01/323-2226, next to the Hermes Hotel, is open Monday and Wednesday from 7am to 4pm and Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7am to 8pm; laundry costs Dr1,500 $5 per kilo 2.2 lb.. Hotel chambermaids will often do laundry for you at a reasonable price. Dry cleaning in Athens is reasonable, about Dr900 $3 for a pair of slacks, and next-day service is usually possible.

Lost & Found:
If you lose something on the street or on public transport, contact the police lost and found, Leoforos Alexandras 173 01/642-1616, open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Lost passports and other documents may be returned by the police to the appropriate embassy, so check there as well. It's a good idea to travel with a photocopy of all important documents.

Luggage Storage/Lockers:
Many hotels will store excess luggage while you travel. Just southwest of Syntagma Square, Pacific Ltd., Odos Nikis 26 01/324-1007 or 01/322-3213, has a per-piece charge per day and by the week; open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm. Bellair Travel and Tourism Inc., Odos Nikis 15 01/323-9261 or 01-321-6136; e-mail: bellair@travelling.gr, is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and has similar charges. There are storage facilities at the Metro station in Piraeus, at both train stations, and across from the entrance at the East Air Terminal.

Newspapers & Magazines:
The Athens News is a daily newspaper published locally in English, with a weekend section "Scope" listing events of interest; it's available at kiosks everywhere for Dr250 80¢. Most central Athens newsstands also carry the International Herald Tribune, which has an English-language insert of highlights from the Greek daily Kathimerini, and USA Today. Local weeklies include the Hellenic Times, with its entertainment listings. The free magazine Athens Today, with information on restaurants, shopping, museums and galleries, is published about six times a year and is usually available in major hotels .

Pharmacies:
Pharmakia, identified by green crosses, are scattered throughout Athens. Hours are usually Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm. In the evening and on weekends most are closed, but usually post a notice listing the names and addresses of pharmacies that are open or will open in an emergency. Newspapers, including the Athens News, list the pharmacies open outside regular hours.

Post Offices:
The main post offices in central Athens are at Odos Eolou 100, just south of Omonia Square, and in Syntagma Square on the corner of Odos Mitropoleos. These are open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 8pm, Saturday from 7:30am to 2pm, and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. The two post offices at the East and West air terminals also keep these extended hours. Oddly, mail posted at the air terminals almost always takes longer to arrive than mail posted in Athens itself. All the post offices can accept parcels, but the parcel post office is at Odos Stadiou 4, inside the arcade 01/322-8940, open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 8pm. They sell cardboard shipping boxes in four sizes. Parcels must be open for inspection before you seal them at the post office.

Radio & Television:
There are 11 major Greek TV stations in Athens and at least two local stations. In addition, foreign-language channels from Italy, Spain, and Germany can be seen, as well as CNN around the clock. Most foreign-language films shown on Greek TV are not dubbed, but have the original soundtracks with Greek subtitles. All current-release foreign-language films shown in Greek cinemas have the original soundtracks with Greek subtitles.

Rest Rooms:
There are public rest rooms in the underground station beneath Omonia Square and beneath Kolonaki Square, but you'll probably prefer a hotel or restaurant rest room. Toilet paper is often not available; carry some tissue with you. Do not flush paper down the commode; use the receptacle provided.

Safety:
Athens is among the safest capitals in Europe, and there are few reports of violent crimes.

Taxes:
A VAT value-added tax of between 4% and 18% is added onto everything you buy. Some shops will attempt to cheat you by quoting you one price and then, when you hand over your credit card, adding on a hefty VAT charge. Be wary. In theory, if you are not a member of a Common Market/EU country, you can get a refund on major purchases at Hellenikon airport when you leave Greece.

Tipping:
Athenian restaurants include a service charge in the bill, but many visitors add a 10% tip. Most Greeks do not give a percentage tip to taxi drivers, but often round out the fare to Dr1,000, for example, on a fare of Dr950.

Equivalent Weights And Measures
1 cm - 0.39 inches
1 meter - 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
1 km - 0.62 miles
1 liter - 0.26 gallons
1 inch - 2.54 cm
1 foot - 0.39 meters
1 yard - 0.91 meters
1 mile - 1.60 km
1 gal - 3.78 liters

Packing:
Greek dress tends to be middle of the road-you won't see patched jeans or expensive suits, though locals tend to dress up for nightclubs and bouzoukia. In the summer bring lightweight, casual clothing and good walking shoes. A light sweater or jacket is a must for cool evenings. There's no need for rain gear in summer, but don't forget sunglasses and a sun hat. Be prepared for cooler weather and some rain in spring and fall, and in winter, add a warm coat.

Casual attire is acceptable everywhere except in the most expensive restaurants in large cities, but you should dress conservatively when visiting churches or monasteries. Some stricter monasteries and churches will not admit improperly dressed men or women men wearing shorts and women in pants, though they often provide long skirts or some sort of draping at the entrance. Revealing too much skin may lead to unwelcome harassment.

For dimly lit icons in churches, a small flashlight comes in handy. A pair of binoculars can greatly enhance the appreciation of an archaeological site or give the tourist a better view of wall paintings in a church, for example.

Passports & Visas:
All U.S., Canadian, and U.K. citizens need only a valid passport to enter Greece for stays of up to 90 days.

ATMs:
Automatic teller machines are increasingly common at banks throughout Athens, and the National Bank of Greece operates a 24-hour ATM in Syntagma Square. A Warning about ATMs: It is not a good idea to rely on using ATMs exclusively in Athens, since the machines are often out of service when you need them most: on holidays or during bank strikes.

Banks:
Banks are generally open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 2pm and Friday from 8am to 1:30pm. All banks are closed on Greek holidays . Most banks exchange currency at the rate set daily by the government. This rate is usually more favorable than that offered at unofficial exchange bureaus. Still, it's worth doing a little comparison shopping. Some hotels offer better-than-official rates, usually only for cash, as do some stores, usually only when you are making an expensive purchase. .

Business Hours:
Business Hours in Greece are complicated and changeable. In winter, Athens's shops are generally open Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 5pm; Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10am to 7pm; and Saturday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. In summer, shops are generally open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 8am to 3pm; and Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8am to 2pm and 5:30 to 10pm.

Most food stores are open Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 4:30pm, Tuesday from 9am to 6pm, Thursday from 9:30am to 6:30pm, Friday from 9:30am to 7pm, and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Many shops geared to visitors stay open late into the night-but often only if the shop owner thinks that business will be good. In other words, the shop that was open late yesterday may close early today.

Credit Cards:
Many Athenian restaurants do not accept credit cards. Each year, some restaurants that formerly accepted credit cards stop accepting them. Be prepared to pay with cash or traveler's checks at even the finest establishments. If you want to pay with a credit card, double-check to make sure the restaurant will accept your credit card before going.

Currency:
The drachma dr. is the Greek unit of currency. Bills are in denominations of 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, and 500 drachmas 100- and 50-drachma bills are being taken out of circulation. Coins are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5.

Tipping:
How much to tip in Greece, especially at restaurants, is confusing. By law a 15% service charge is figured into the price of a meal menus sometimes list entrées with and without service, to let you know their net cost. If the service was good, it's customary to reward it by leaving 10% more. For taxis, round up the fare to the nearest 50 dr.