In this part of our guide to holidays in Greece we focus on shopping and money…

Greece isn’t renowned for its shopping, but it does offer some unique and quality local products. Special purchases include lace, jewelry, metalwork, pottery, knitwear, rugs, leather goods, local wines and spirits, and local handicrafts.

Large international style shopping malls can be found in nearly all of its cities, and you’ll recognize many of the retailers and brands stocked within them. Prices are similar to elsewhere in Europe for such goods though so don’t expect to find any real bargains unless shopping during the sales.

Haggling is only tolerated in tourist souvenir stores and in some family-owned arts and crafts shops. But in all other cases it achieves nothing and is considered rude. In places where haggling is accepted, you can get at least 10-20% off the price, and being able to speak a little Greek is likely to help you get the lowest possible price.

Value Added Tax (VAT) is charged on most items (this is usually but not always included in the item’s price tag) but some shops offer tax free shopping to non-EU residents. This means that non-EU residents can ask for a VAT refund at their port of exit in the EU. To do so, ask for a VAT voucher before leaving the store and show that along with your items to the customs officer upon departure from the EU.

The Euro is Greece’s official currency. This is the only currency that will be accepted but money can easily be exchanged in any tourist center and in the larger cities. The best exchange rates are usually offered by banks, followed by specialist shops, and then automated currency exchange machines. When changing money, make an effort to get mostly smaller denominations, preferably nothing bigger than a €50 note, as many businesses are wary about accepting larger notes.

ATM machines are ubiquitous. Visa, Mastercard and Eurocard are widely accepted in hotels, retail outlets and travel agencies, but some restaurants and local souvenir shops will not accept them.

No Comments » Posted by hotelreviews / Uncategorized

This part of our guide to holidays in Greece sees us covering transportation…

It is inexpensive and easy to hire a car or moped in Greece. All you need is an internationally recognized driving license and a passport. Prices per day start at about $40 for a car and $15 for a moped – but make sure the quoted price includes all insurance and taxes. Hiring a vehicle offers the freedom to travel where you please. Most roads are good, but be careful in some parts of rural Greece or on the islands as some roads in these areas can be narrow and poorly maintained.

The bus system is very efficient and you can travel anywhere on the Greek mainland on the ‘KTEL’ (intercity) buses. It’s great value for money and lets you travel through parts of Greece that you would otherwise never get to see. The bus system was never created to accommodate tourists though so you might encounter some language problems; if you do, most young people in Greece speak a little English and most would be more than happy to assist you.

Taxis are abundant and inexpensive. Meters are mandatory and tips are not required. In Greece, taxis often keep picking up passengers until they’re full, so even if a taxi already has some passengers you can still try to hail it providing it is heading in the direction you want to go. (But you also must be prepared to share your cab with strangers). Most, but not all, drivers in the cities and on the islands will have a smattering of English.

Getting to the islands requires either a boat ride or a short flight. For islands close to the mainland, ferries are the best option; they run regularly throughout the day, but keep in mind that they might take longer than you expect because of making several stops on different islands en route to their final destination. For islands further away, you can fly to them (many islands have airports) from Athens or Thessaloniki; the distances within Greece are small, so even the furthest destination is less than an hour flight.

No Comments » Posted by hotelreviews / Uncategorized