5 things I would like to know before visiting Greece

Greece is a hospitable country with warm and welcoming locals, just like the Mediterranean sun.

The cuisine is extremely attractive, the architecture leaves you speechless, its history fascinates you, and the culture is unmatched.

Below are some tips that you should consider before visiting this country.

Make sure you cross the street at the pedestrian crossing

One of the things you should consider is that pedestrians are not so easily given priority in Greece. If you rely on Greek drivers to stop immediately, you might be wrong! I don’t remember visting a place in Greece that respected this rule.

So, every time you cross the street, be careful. Better to be safe than sorry!

People do continue to smoke in public places, even if smoking is officially prohibited

Do not be surprised that people will be smoking in about all public places. Although the anti-smoking law came into force in 2010, most bars, cafes and restaurants do not comply.

If you are visiting Greece in the summer, I should not be that much of a problem, because you can stay outside enjoying the pleasant weather. But winter can be pretty unpleasant – if you’re not a smoker.

Don’t be discouraged by their lack of organization

A delayed ship, a strike of the public transport network, the waiter who forgot to take your order, etc., these are all common situations that you might face in Greece.

Whatever happens, keep a good mood, in the end, everything will be fine!

Do not wave with your palm towards someone’s face

This is one of the most offensive gestures you can do in Greece. It’s called ‘moutza’ and it appeared during the Byzantine Empire. Hundreds of years ago, it was customary for prisoners or criminals to be tied up on a donkey and walked on the streets of Constantinople. The locals also contributed to this public humiliation, by throwing ashes and manure at the girl of the criminal.

Try as much as possible to not wave in that manner.

Learn a little Greek to attract the sympathy of the locals

The Greek language is not as hard as it seems. Learning a few words in Greek can bring you a lot of appreciation from the locals, and this can help you a lot.

You can start by taking a look at the Greek alphabet. There are high chances that some letters will seem familiar to you, especially if you liked math.

Update

If you want to learn a little Greek, you can also visit my page where you will find all my offers of courses.