Greece beaches Facts
Greece & the Greek Islands are known for 3 things: ancient civilization, amazing landscapes and high developed tourism.
Really beloved by people, Greece is so rich in culture and beauty that it never seems to be completely explored, no matter how many times you visit it. After all, this is one of the reasons that brought it in the list with the top 20 tourist destinations worldwide. It is all about Greece, from nature to locals, that makes people coming and coming to this wonderful land every summer.
You will find below all the facts information about Greece you need to know before your travel.
Discover Greece: General info and facts
Travel to Greece and the islands has become a must activity, according to the modern lifestyle. Over the last decades, it has been always visited by the jet setters, including politicians, musicians, actors, artists and other celebrities with a significant contribution to the popularity of Greece.
You will find below Greece facts and many links about important aspects of the Greece.
Tourist destinations
Holidays in Greece is the ultimate summer experience. Why visit Greece?. The hot sun, the relaxing beaches, the marvelous nature, the rich culture and the warm hospitality will charm you from the first step in the country. There are so many islands and mainland resorts in Greece that it will take you many years to explore the entire country. Have a look on the Greek destinations by popularity. However, if you believe that Greece is only about swimming in gorgeous beaches and sightseeing, then also check other types of holidays and you will change your mind. Greece is a wonderful place to visit all year round and gives amazing chances for trips off the beaten track.
Greece in images
In this website, you will find a huge collection of photos, videos and 360 panoramic pictures but also webcams in Greece from all the amazing destinations of the country and the Greek islands. All photos were taken by our team of professional photographers but also by members of our online community. New photos are uploaded on a daily basis. As a member, you can upload your holiday pictures from Greece, rate and comment on photos of other members and also participate in our annual photo contest.
Beaches
Greece is world famous for its amazing beaches. Sandy or pebbled, organized or secluded, beaches in Greece are ideal for all tastes. Most impressive beaches are found in the Cyclades and the Ionian islands, such as Myrtos Beach in Kefalonia, Navagio Beach in Zakynthos, Porto Katsiki Beach in Lefkada and Super Paradise Beach in Mykonos. Every year, the Greek beaches are rated among the most beautiful and clean beaches in the world.
Villages
Apart from beautiful beaches, Greece also has traditional and picturesque villages. These villages have differences in architecture, depending on their geographical location. For example, villages in Cyclades are famous for the white sugar houses, villages in Dodecanese have a Medieval style, villages in the mainland have more earthy colours, while many cities have beautiful Neoclassical buildings.
History
This section proposes information about the various historical periods in Greece and the islands, starting from the Bronze age until modern time. In our website, you will also find information about the history of more than 90 locations in Greece. For more specific interest, check our sections on myths and mythology, famous people and quotes, archaeological sites and historical places listed by Unesco as world heritage monuments.
Geography
Greece is a mountainous peninsula located on the eastern side of the Mediterranean Sea. With a total area of 130, 800 km2, the country is surrounded by sea from three sides. The northern side borders with other Balkan countries. Due to the many islands, in the Aegean and the Ionian Sea, Greece has the longest coastline in Europe and the fifth longest coastline in the world. The country has a population of about 11 million, with 4 millions living in Athens, the country's capital. The largest cities after Athens are Thessaloniki and Patras. For better understanding of the country's geography, check our section with maps and the weather forecast for more than 90 locations.
Politics
The conventional names of the country are Hellas or Hellenic Republic. The political regime is Parliamentary Republic with the President of the Hellenic Republic as the Head of the State.
Economy
Greece is an agricultural country. 22% of the workforce is employed in agriculture, 27% in the industry sector and 50 % in the services. Tourism and shipping are the sectors that contribute the most to the economy of the country.
Language
Greek is the only official language of the country. However, a large part of the population, mostly people working in tourism and the younger generations, speak English fluently and occasionally they also speak other European languages.
Religion
98% of the Greek population are Orthodox in religion. The rest of the Greek population are Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jewish.
Events
In August 2004, the Olympic Games returned to their birth country. Athletes from over 200 countries joined Athens during 17 days in August 2004. Greece proposes many events, especialy in summer. The famous Greek Festival includes various cultural events in venues of Athens and drama performances in the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus. Also particularly popular in summer are the panigyria, which are actually religious celebrations followed by traditional dancing in the village square.
Press
Greece is the European country with the largest number of newspapers. There are 18 daily newspapers in Athens. Foreign press can also be found in large cities and popular islands.
Electricity
220 volts AC, 50Hz. Round two-pin plugs are used. North American visitors require a transformer and British visitors an adaptor. Some hotels provide these adaptors. Otherwise, you can buy them from the airport or large electric venues.
Time
Like most states in Europe, Summer (Daylight-Saving) Time is observed in Greece, where the time is shifted forward by 1 hour; 3 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+3).
After the Summer months the time in Greece is shifted back by 1 hour to Eastern European Time (EET) or (GMT+2)
