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GENERAL
During their visit to Athens, travelers should be aware of some general,
useful information that will greatly assist them around the city and the
surrounding areas in Attica.
Greece is a member of NATO and the European Union and is an economically and
politically stable country. With the lowest crime rate in Europe, Athens is well
known for its safety. Safety has been further reinforced due to the fact that
Athens hosted the 2004 Olympic Games.
| PASSPORTS AND VISAS |
When entering Greece, EU citizens are not required to carry their passports.
An EU Identification Card provides adequate information. UK citizens need to
carry a passport, but otherwise the entry conditions are the same as other EU
nationals.
Citizens of the U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Norway,
Switzerland, Iceland and several South American nations require only a valid
passport to stay in Greece for up to 90 days without a visa. Nationals from a
number of other countries are permitted to remain in Greece for 60 days without
a visa. Visa extensions can be easily acquired by an application and payment of
an extension fee to the proper authorities, while you must also be able to show
bank documentation or other evidence which states that you have the means to
support yourself without employment. Staying in the country with an expired visa
is prohibited and subject to prosecution. Lastly, Greek
authorities prohibit entry to individuals whose passport states that they have
visited the occupied region of Northern Cyprus after November 1983.
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| CUSTOMS |
At the airport the customs area has three lanes. You should select the
appropriate lane depending on the items you have to declare. If you have nothing
to declare, you simply pass through the Green lane. In case you wish to declare
business goods or the like, you should go through the Red lane. If you are an EU
national, you can easily go through the Blue lane.
In order to bring your pet (dog or cat), it is essential that you present a
certificate stating that the animal has no infectious diseases and that it has
had all necessary inoculations during the last 6 days prior to arrival. It must
also state that the animal has had a rabies shot in the last 12 months (for
dogs) and in the last 6 months (for cats) prior to arrival.
The owners of dogs must also carry documentation certifying that the animal
has been wormed against echinococcus. Certificates must be issued by a
veterinary authority and authenticated and notarized by a corresponding medical
authority and by a Greek consulate.
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| HEALTH |
Travelers will not face any major health risks in Greece. During the
summertime though, visitors should be prepared to deal with the Greek climate.
Be sure to wear a hat and sunglasses, and to apply sun-block while touring and
sunbathing. Wear light and airy clothes and always have a bottle of water
handy.
If any health problems do arise during your stay in Greece you will not have
any difficulty in dealing with the situation. For minor injuries and illnesses,
just go to a pharmacy, where they will be able to assist you immediately.
Pharmacies can dispense most over the counter drugs. For more serious
conditions, you should go to a Health Center or a Hospital. Health care in
Greece is free and you will not be charged for treatment. Hospital and clinic
facilities are first rate and the medical personnel is efficient.
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TRANSPORTATION
Attica has a very efficient transportation system that can take you to any
destination within the Attica region, Greece and the world. Visitors may also
wish to explore the city on foot. Many of the important sights are gathered in
the center of Athens and are easily approached by the promenade that connects
the ancient sites surrounding the Acropolis (Dionysou Areopagitou Promenade).
Getting to the sights that are outside the city center is quite easy as well.
Transportation tickets can be purchased at the kiosks in the city or at all
train and metro stations.
Do not forget to validate your tickets in the cancelling boxes that are
located inside the bus vehicles and at the entrances of train stations. Ticket
inspectors often randomly check for ticket validation and if you have not
punched it, you will be charged with a fine.
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IMPORTANT FACTS & INFORMATION
- Greece is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and three hours
ahead during daylight savings time.
- The international metric system applies.
- When calling a Greek number while in Greece, you do not need to dial the
country code.
- The country code for Greece is "+30" and the area code for Athens is
"210".
- Police emergency: dial 100
- Medical emergency: dial 166
- Tourist police: dial 171
- Directory assistance: dial 131
- International directory assistance: dial 161
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