As with most holiday destinations, holidays to Greece can be a great experience especially if you keep certain things in mind. Being a tourist will most likely help you out of a difficult situation in most occasions, however you have to watch out for some common mistakes and be in the know for some of the best opportunities to indulge in the local culture.
Do’s
Try the local food
It’s simply delicious! If you see a strange name on a menu that you don’t understand do not be afraid to ask, as sometimes the weirdest ones are the tastiest (can anyone say spetzofai?). In order to enjoy Greek cuisine in its absolute best however, ask the locals and they will guide you towards the right direction.
Try iced coffee
And wonder how you haven’t done it before. During the summer months the weather in Greece tends to get very hot and as such, most coffees are also served in a cold form. Try the traditional Frappe iced coffee or a freddo (iced) espresso/cappuccino and you will certainly be amazed. As a further piece of advice, relax and sip it slowly like the Greeks do, otherwise the high caffeine content might punish you.
Drive carefully
Because unfortunately, Greeks don’t. If you’re going on holidays to Greece and more specifically in one of its islands, keep in mind that most local drivers think that country roads are equivalent to grand prix circuits and speed accordingly. In order to keep yourself and car safe, take it easy and if someone tries to pass you let them do so because you can’t beat them in an argument.
Don’ts
Go into a church scantily dressed
Most Greeks are firm believers and they might not like it. If you plan on going in however, try to cover your body with a t-shirt or long skirt in order to avoid being shouted at by the ever present elderly. As an extra tip, you can make a small donation (usually 0.50 or 1 euro) by the entrance and light a candle in order to show your respect to the patron saint of the church.
Make certain gestures
As with any other country there’s ‘that gesture’ which winds people up. In the case of holidays to Greece, do not thrust the palm of your hand towards the face of someone as this will most likely be misinterpreted as the infamous insult, the moutza.
Forget to ask about taxi fares
In order to avoid exceeding your well planned budget during your holidays in Greece. As with most tourist areas, some taxi drivers tend to overcharge or even take you through the long route in order to ask for more. In order to avoid this, make sure that the taximeter is turned on before you set on your course or ask the driver or locals for an approximate price.
