Greece - Korina Miller [588]
Sights & Activities
Most towns will have at least a small playground, while larger cities often have fantastic, modern play parks. These offer a great opportunity for your children to play with local kids. Children seem to have an innate ability to overcome language barriers through play. Children also enjoy climbing and exploring at the many ancient sights; young imaginations go into overdrive when let loose somewhere like the ‘labyrinth’ at Knossos.
The Hellenic Children’s Museum is an excellent diversion, where your kids can join Greek cooking and craft classes.
Return to beginning of chapter
CLIMATE
Greece can be divided into a number of main climatic regions.
Northern Macedonia and northern Epiros have a climate similar to the Balkans, with freezing winters and very hot, humid summers. The Attica Peninsula, the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, Crete, and the central and eastern Peloponnese have a more typically Mediterranean climate, with hot, dry summers and milder winters.
Snow is rare in the Cyclades, but the high mountains of the Peloponnese and Crete are covered in snow during the winter and it occasionally snows in Athens. In July and August the mercury can soar to 40°C (over 100°F) in the shade just about anywhere in the country. July and August are also the months of the meltemi, a strong northerly wind that sweeps the eastern coast of mainland Greece (including Athens) and the Aegean islands, especially the Cyclades. The wind is caused by air pressure differences between North Africa and the Balkans. The meltemi is a mixed blessing: it reduces humidity, but plays havoc with ferry schedules and sends everything flying – from beach umbrellas to washing hanging out to dry.
The western Peloponnese, western Sterea Ellada, southwestern Epiros and the Ionian Islands escape the meltemi and have less severe winters than northern Greece, but are the areas with the highest rainfall. The Northeastern Aegean Islands, Halkidiki and the Pelion Peninsula fall somewhere between the Balkan-type climate of northern Greece and the Mediterranean climate. Crete stays warm the longest – you can swim off the island’s southern coast from mid-April to November.
Mid-October is when the rains start in most areas, and the weather stays cold and wet until February – although there are also occasional winter days with clear blue skies and sunshine.
For tips on the best times to visit Greece, Click here.
Return to beginning of chapter
COURSES
Cooking
It is possible to do cooking courses on Santorini, Kea, Ikaria and Crete. Click here for more information.
Dance
The Dora Stratou Dance Theatre in Plaka and the Nelly Dimoglou Dance Company in Rhodes Town run courses in traditional Greek dance for foreigners.
Language
If you are serious about learning the Greek language, an intensive course at the start of your stay is a good way to go about it. Most of the courses are based in Athens (Click here), but there are also special courses on the islands in summer.
The Athens Centre (Map; 210 701 2268; www.athenscentre.gr; Arhimidous 48, Mets, Athens) is located in the suburb of Mets, and also runs courses on the island of Spetses in June and July. Three-week courses cost €1190, and involve 66 hours of classwork.
The Hellenic Culture Centre ( 22750 61139/40; www.hcc.gr; May-Oct), in the village of Arethousa, 7km from Evdilos, offers courses in Greek language, culture and literature. All levels of language proficiency are catered for.
Return to beginning of chapter
CUSTOMS
There are no longer duty-free restrictions within the EU. Upon entering the country from outside the EU, customs inspection is usually cursory for foreign tourists and a verbal declaration is usually