Page 481 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

GREECE  479

with the locals. Jellyfish, restaurants, the service charge smallest resorts and remotest
sea urchins, and weaver fish is always included in the check, islands, and are the usual way
are potential hazards on but tips are still appreciated – of getting cash.
beach holidays. the custom is to leave between
10 and 15 percent. Taxi drivers,
hotel porters, and chamber­ Communications
Pharmacies maids do not expect a tip, but Public telephone booths are
Greek pharmacies, farmakeía, are not averse to them either. found at street junctions, though
are open from 8:30am to 2pm many fail to work and they are
Monday to Friday, but are Photography becoming steadily rarer with
usually closed in the afternoon the advent of the mobile phone.
and all day on Saturdays. In Taking photographs inside Before you leave home, make
larger towns, there is often a churches and monasteries is sure your phone has inter­
rota system to maintain a usually forbidden in Greece. national roaming; price caps
service on weekends and Inside museums, photography introduced in 2015 make this
from 5:30 to 10pm on is usually permitted, although affordable within the EU. Another
weekdays. Details are posted in flashes and tripods are often option is to buy a local pay­as­
pharmacy windows, in both not. Wherever you go, it is best you­go SIM card; of several
Greek and English. to gain permission before using providers, Cosmote has the best
a camera, as rules vary. coverage in remote areas.
Greek post offices
Facilities for the Disabled (tachydromeía) are generally
Banking and Currency
There are few facilities in open from 7:30am to 2:30pm
Greece for assisting the The Greek unit of currency was Monday to Friday; some main
disabled, so careful, advance the drachma, but since January branches close as late as 8pm
planning is essential. 2002 it has been replaced by and occasionally open for a few
the euro (see p23). hours at weekends. All post
Greek banks open from 8am offices are closed on public
Etiquette to 2:30pm Monday to Thursday, holidays. They no longer offer
Though formal attire is rarely and 8am to 2pm on Friday. exchange services, but some
needed, modest clothing Exchange facilities are also serve as sending and receiving
(trousers for men and skirts and available at travel agents and points for Western Union money
covered shoulders for women) hotels, albeit at poor rates. transfers. Smaller Greek villages
should be worn when visiting Travelers’ checks are difficult to may not have an official post
churches and monasteries. exchange and not recom­ office; its function may be
Better hotels enforce a “smart mended. Cash point machines performed by a local store with
casual” dress code for dinner. In (ATMs) are found even in the more flexible hours.
DIRECTORY
Tourist USA & Canada Ireland Emergency
Information 305 East 47th Street, Vasiléos Konstantínou 7, Numbers
New York, NY 10017. 10674 Athens. (Nationwide)
Greek National Tel 210­723 2771.
Tourist Board Tel 212­421­5777. ∑ dfa.ie/irish- Police
∑ visitgreece.gr embassy/greece Tel 100.
Embassies Ambulance
EOT in Greece: South Africa Tel 166.
Dionysíou Areopagítou Australia Kifisías 60, 15125
Maroússi.
18–20, 105 58 Athens. Thon Building, Kifisías & Tel 210­617 8020. Fire
Tel 199.
Tel 210­331 0392. Alexándras, Ampdlókipi,
11521 Athens. UK Coastguard Patrol
Australia Ploutárchou 1, Tel 108.
37–49 Pitt St, Tel 210­870 4000. 10675 Athens.
∑ greece.embassy.gov.
Sydney, NSW 2000. Tel 210­727 2600. Emergency
au/athn/home.html Numbers (Athens)
Tel 2­9241 1663. ∑ ukingreece.fco.
gov.uk
UK Canada Tourist Police
5th Floor East, Ethnikís Andistáseos 48, US Tel 171.
Vasilíssis Sofías 91,
Great Portland House, 152 31 Halándri. 10160 Athens. Doctors
4 Great Portland Street, Tel 210­727 3400. Tel 210­721 2951. Tel 1016.
London W1W 8QJ. ∑ canadainternational. ∑ athens.usembassy. 24-hour Pharmacies
Tel 020­7495 9300. gc.ca gov Tel 14944.

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