Greece - Korina Miller [591]
Information
The Spartacus International Gay Guide, published by Bruno Gmünder (Berlin), is widely regarded as the leading authority on the gay travel scene. The Greek section contains a wealth of information on gay venues everywhere from Alexandroupoli to Xanthi.
There is also stacks of information on the internet. Roz Mov (www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/2225) has info on gay health, press, organisations, events and legal issues – and links to lots more sites. Also check out Gayscape (www.gayscape.com/gays cape/menugreece.html).
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HOLIDAYS
Many sites (including the ancient sites in Athens) offer free entry on the first Sunday of the month, with the exception of July and August. You may also gain free entry on other locally celebrated holidays, although this varies across the country.
Public Holidays
All banks and shops and most museums and ancient sites close on public holidays. National public holidays in Greece:
New Year’s Day 1 January
Epiphany 6 January
First Sunday in Lent February
Greek Independence Day 25 March
Good Friday March/April
Orthodox Easter Sunday April/May. Orthodox Easter Sunday falls on 4 April in 2010, 24 April in 2011 and 15 April 2012.
Easter; most sights stay open
May Day (Protomagia) 1 May
Whit Monday (Agiou Pnevmatos) May/June/July; 50 days after Easter Sunday. Schools and offices close but museums, major sites and shops usually stay open.
Feast of the Assumption 15 August
Ohi Day 28 October
Christmas Day 25 December
St Stephen’s Day 26 December
School Holidays
The school year is divided into three terms. The main school holidays are in July and August.
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INSURANCE
A travel insurance policy to cover theft, loss and medical problems is a good idea. Some policies offer lower and higher medical-expense options; the higher ones are chiefly for countries such as the USA, which have extremely high medical costs. There is a wide variety of policies available, so check the small print.
Some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’, which can include scuba diving, motorcycling and even hiking. A locally acquired motorcycle licence is not valid under some policies.
You may prefer a policy that pays doctors or hospitals directly rather than requiring you to pay on the spot and claim later. If you have to claim later make sure you keep all documentation. Some policies ask you to call back (reverse charges) to a centre in your home country where an immediate assessment of your problem is made. For more information on health insurance, Click here.
Paying for your ticket with a credit card sometimes provides limited travel insurance, and you may be able to reclaim the payment if the operator doesn’t deliver. In the UK, for instance, credit card providers are required by law to reimburse consumers if a company goes into liquidation and the amount in contention is more than UK£100.
Buy travel insurance as early as possible. If you buy it just before you fly, you may find you’re not covered for such problems as delays caused by industrial action. Worldwide travel insurance is available at www.lonelyplanet.com/travel_services. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you’re already on the road.
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INTERNET ACCESS
Greece has long since embraced the convenience of the internet. There has been a huge increase in the number hotels and businesses using the internet, and where available, websites are listed throughout this book. For a selection of useful websites about Greece, Click here.
Internet cafes are everywhere, and are listed under the Information section for cities and islands where available. Many hotels also offer internet and wi-fi access, although hot spots are often located