Greece
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Language: Greek. English is widely spoken in tourist areas and on the islands. A few Greek words (kalimera, efharisto) are warmly received.
Currency: EUR, credit cards accepted in most places. Some smaller tavernas and island shops may prefer cash.
Transportation:
Ferry: Island-hopping is done by ferry. Ferryhopper is the best tool for comparing routes and booking tickets. Book ahead in peak season (July and August).
Domestic flights: Aegean Airlines and Sky Express connect Athens with most islands. Faster than ferries but pricier.
Bus: KTEL buses connect cities and villages on the mainland and on larger islands. Reliable but schedules can be relaxed.
City transport: Athens has a clean, modern metro. Buy a 5-day tourist pass that covers the airport connection too.
What To Expect
Greece is where Western civilization started and where it still knows how to live. In Athens, the Acropolis rises above a city that somehow balances ancient gravitas with a raw, chaotic energy. Climb up at golden hour, walk through the Plaka neighborhood afterwards, and eat grilled octopus at a taverna where philosophy feels like a reasonable dinner topic.
Then come the islands. Santorini delivers on every postcard promise: whitewashed villages perched on volcanic cliffs, sunsets that justify the crowds. But Greece has hundreds of inhabited islands, each with its own personality. Crete offers dramatic gorges and a food culture so distinct it could be its own country. Naxos serves laid-back charm without the cruise ship crowds. Meteora, on the mainland, places monasteries atop towering rock pillars like a dare to gravity itself.
Greek food is simple because it does not need to be complicated. A village salad with block of feta, grilled lamb chops with lemon, a warm spanakopita from a bakery. Drizzle good olive oil on everything. Pour a glass of local wine. This is a country that understands that the best meals are also the simplest ones.