Travel Tips | Greece
From the scrumptious cuisine, to the spectacular sunsets, charming cobblestone paths, and rich history, Greece has it all. While I have only been to Athens, Crete, and Santorini, I will share my experiences and insights on the country as a whole.
-Currency: The Euro
-Language: Greek, but everyone I encountered knew some English as well. But for a fun fact.. if you say "eff-harry-stow" really fast, then it sounds like "thank you" in Greek. Also note that if you say "neh" it means "yes" in Greek.
-Food: The fresh Mediterranean cuisine that Greece delivers ranks it in the top for my favorite food destinations. First off, the Greek salad is amazing. It tastes and looks absolutely nothing like your typical salad, so even if you despise salads, try it! There is no lettuce in it whatsoever and the ingredients are SO fresh, they alter the taste for the better. Not to forget, they put a massive block of feta cheese on the salad, so how can you go wrong??
My next "must try" is the gyro. (Pronounced: Yeer-o). In most of the restaurants the meat is on this tool that spins around. Then they shave the meat off of it right then and there. Then it is lovingly placed in a pita with onions, tomatoes, french fries, and tzatziki (Pronounced: zat-ziki). [Note: Tzatziki is a cucumber sauce that is very refreshing and can also be ordered as a side] Then the pita is rolled up into a cone like shape and served.
- Drink: The house wine is always a choice where you can't go wrong. Sometimes the house wine is even cheaper than buying a bottle of water!
-Ouzo- is an alcohol, typically consumed in a shot that tastes like licorice.
-Additional Tips: The high speed ferry, Sea Jets, is a great thing to take advantage of when island hopping. I had read reviews about people getting sea sick from the ferry before I went on it. I didn't have this experience at all. I thought it was a very smooth ride and you couldn't feel it rocking at all. However, if you do tend to get sea sick, I would take a Bonine before.
- If you are looking to party and on the island of Crete, then Malia is the place to go. There is a street completely filled with bars and clubs all the way down it. Everyone is out and about on the streets and there are plenty of drink specials like 2 drinks for 5 euros. When I was there in 2013, the nightlife began at 1am and lasted until about 5 or 6am. So be ready for a late night.. or early morning.
-Don't pack heels unless you are going to a gala. Greece has cobblestone pathways, which are beautiful, but not ideal if you want to keep your ankles in tact.
xoxo,
Em