Greece
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Country
Greece: hikes with a Mediterranean rhythm.
Morning hikes, under a refreshing breeze, between turquoise seas and White Mountains. Breaks under the olive trees, the tamarix or under the shadow of the taverns. Spontaneous dips in creeks of transparent waters. Siestas on the small villages' plaza. Chapel visit....to best appreciate Greece, is above all, to appreciate it's rhythm!
Far from the influx of tourists, we lead you to taste the serenity of the Greek and Cretan islands, authentic and full of character, dispersed throughout the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas, amongst which some rare pearls have been discovered along our explorations.
Come savor the sweetness of living in this haven of peace and sunshine, of thyme and oregano, of a distinctive cuisine, of the traditional welcome of the islanders, of a rich and complex history with European origins, of it's great modern myths. An ideal destination for accommodating all pleasures.
Morning hikes, under a refreshing breeze, between turquoise seas and White Mountains. Breaks under the olive trees, the tamarix or under the shadow of the taverns. Spontaneous dips in creeks of transparent waters. Siestas on the small villages' plaza. Chapel visit....to best appreciate Greece, is above all, to appreciate it's rhythm!
Far from the influx of tourists, we lead you to taste the serenity of the Greek and Cretan islands, authentic and full of character, dispersed throughout the Aegean, Ionian and Mediterranean Seas, amongst which some rare pearls have been discovered along our explorations.
Come savor the sweetness of living in this haven of peace and sunshine, of thyme and oregano, of a distinctive cuisine, of the traditional welcome of the islanders, of a rich and complex history with European origins, of it's great modern myths. An ideal destination for accommodating all pleasures.
Highlights
- New, always original and constantly improving thanks to the passion and constant commitment of our organizer, Greek by "adoption".
- Selection of the best islands and itineraries for hiking : having an excellent understanding of the country for more than 20 years.
- Managed by our European guides, all specialists in this destination.
- A particularly warm welcome endorses loyal and friendly relationships with our hosts and the people.
Climate
Mediterranean climate, temperate on the islands thanks to the marine breeze. Often cool in the mountains and at night on the plateaus, temperate and shadowed in the gorges, warmer on the southern faces and under the wind. The ideal season to travel these islands is from May to October because the anti-cyclonic regime is very stable.
- From April-May: warm spring (from 68-71.5 °Fahrenheit) and slightly humid, ideal for admiring the spring like landscapes, the intense blooming and for enjoying the perfumed air. The sea is chilly: from 62.5 to 68°Fahrenheit.
- From June to August: sunny and hot weather (between 82 and 86°Fahrenheit, in general), above all in August. Summer heat, very endurable, thanks to the exterior winds (named meltemi, bonendis, vorias) from the dominant north. Excellent waters temperature.
- From September to October: continuation of summer with clear light, still perfect for enjoying the sea that is still warm, the landscapes are changing and less people are on the paths.
- In the winter, in Crete, cold and dry temperatures, good quality snow on the White Mountains, ideal for practicing snow shoeing.
- From April-May: warm spring (from 68-71.5 °Fahrenheit) and slightly humid, ideal for admiring the spring like landscapes, the intense blooming and for enjoying the perfumed air. The sea is chilly: from 62.5 to 68°Fahrenheit.
- From June to August: sunny and hot weather (between 82 and 86°Fahrenheit, in general), above all in August. Summer heat, very endurable, thanks to the exterior winds (named meltemi, bonendis, vorias) from the dominant north. Excellent waters temperature.
- From September to October: continuation of summer with clear light, still perfect for enjoying the sea that is still warm, the landscapes are changing and less people are on the paths.
- In the winter, in Crete, cold and dry temperatures, good quality snow on the White Mountains, ideal for practicing snow shoeing.
Profile
| Population | 11 million habitants |
| Surface | 50,944 square miles (approximately 437 islands of which 134 are inhabited, 9,320 miles of coastline, mountains cover 80% of the territory) |
| Capital | Athens (4 million habitants with the suburbs) |
| Main islands | Crete, Karpathos, Naxos |
| Summits |
Mount Olympus (9,570 feet) |
| Official Language |
Modern Greek |
| Religion | Catholic |
| Political Status | Greek Orthodox (98 % of the population) |
| Time Shift |
Currencies
The currency is the €uros (€).
Which currency to bring and where to exchange it?
We advise you to carry dollars in small increments that you can exchange with no problem in main cities. Credit card payment is widespread. There are ATM machines in all the cities and even the small ones, most take Visa and Master Card. ATMs often offer the best exchange rates.
Which currency to bring and where to exchange it?
We advise you to carry dollars in small increments that you can exchange with no problem in main cities. Credit card payment is widespread. There are ATM machines in all the cities and even the small ones, most take Visa and Master Card. ATMs often offer the best exchange rates.
Travel Warnings
As an organizer of worldwide trips, Mountain World Travel is concerned for our guest's safety and security. We always keep ourselves up to date with current travel warnings and always consider the government safety advisories, while organizing and preparing our different trips.
We recommend that participants consult the security instructions distributed by government authorities and the traveling recommendations made by government officials; available on websites specific for each country.
US citizens, please check with US department of State
We recommend that participants consult the security instructions distributed by government authorities and the traveling recommendations made by government officials; available on websites specific for each country.
US citizens, please check with US department of State
Our Story
A history of passion
Mountain guides, Francis and Josette -nicknamed Zoi- are pioneers of hiking in Greece. These passionate Hellenists, speaking fluent Greek, have supervised a number of our voyages in Greece, and have also hiked the routes of Nepal, Cape Verde islands, and Jordan. Having explored Greece for more than 20 years, they fell in love with the wild beauty of the multiple islands lost in the Aegean, Ionian or Mediterranean Seas. From Crete to the Cyclades, while passing by the so secretive Karpathos, they instantly fell in love. Francis and Josette continue to discover the smallest nooks on these islands, creating their own itineraries, while seeking out unforgettable small new islands drenched in treasures. Greek by adoption, each year they gather with their friends: hoteliers, boat drivers, sheep herders and inn keepers to exchange and share their passion for these enchanting islands. All of our trips in Greece and in Crete are imagined and organized by these specialists of the land, for the happiness of our participants, who will discover a secret, authentic and warm Greece. Our Greek specialists know how to share their enthusiasm with our other European guides who, like them, will passionately guide you on their islands' pathways.
Mountain guides, Francis and Josette -nicknamed Zoi- are pioneers of hiking in Greece. These passionate Hellenists, speaking fluent Greek, have supervised a number of our voyages in Greece, and have also hiked the routes of Nepal, Cape Verde islands, and Jordan. Having explored Greece for more than 20 years, they fell in love with the wild beauty of the multiple islands lost in the Aegean, Ionian or Mediterranean Seas. From Crete to the Cyclades, while passing by the so secretive Karpathos, they instantly fell in love. Francis and Josette continue to discover the smallest nooks on these islands, creating their own itineraries, while seeking out unforgettable small new islands drenched in treasures. Greek by adoption, each year they gather with their friends: hoteliers, boat drivers, sheep herders and inn keepers to exchange and share their passion for these enchanting islands. All of our trips in Greece and in Crete are imagined and organized by these specialists of the land, for the happiness of our participants, who will discover a secret, authentic and warm Greece. Our Greek specialists know how to share their enthusiasm with our other European guides who, like them, will passionately guide you on their islands' pathways.
Some Useful Words
Modern Greek, the popular and simplified version of Ancient Greek, is the official language. On can still hear, however, regional particularisms. The Greek alphabet and declensions are slightly confusing. Rest assured, English is practiced in tourist areas. However, Greeks are thrilled when a tourist makes an effort to address them in their own language.
Learning some Greek key words will enable you to gain the respect of your interlocutors and to facilitate your exchanges with French people.
Do not hesitate to use the following expressions:
Bonjour : kalí méra
Yiassas : au revoir, à votre santé ou à vos souhaits (expression incontournable pour saluer). Yiassou est le tutoiement.
Au revoir : adío .
S'il vous plaît : parakaló.
Comment ça va ? ti kanis ?
Bien et vous ? kalá, ké esí ?
Merci : efkaristó.
Oui : né.
Non : óchi.
You can ask your guide how to pronounce these key words; your voyage will only be richer by your attempting to speak the local language. And smile, it is often the best means of having good contacts!
Learning some Greek key words will enable you to gain the respect of your interlocutors and to facilitate your exchanges with French people.
Do not hesitate to use the following expressions:
Bonjour : kalí méra
Yiassas : au revoir, à votre santé ou à vos souhaits (expression incontournable pour saluer). Yiassou est le tutoiement.
Au revoir : adío .
S'il vous plaît : parakaló.
Comment ça va ? ti kanis ?
Bien et vous ? kalá, ké esí ?
Merci : efkaristó.
Oui : né.
Non : óchi.
You can ask your guide how to pronounce these key words; your voyage will only be richer by your attempting to speak the local language. And smile, it is often the best means of having good contacts!
Respect of Customs and Habits
Greece has been a member of the European Union since 1981 and benefits from important financial aid due to the decline of traditional agriculture. Tourism is vital for the Greeks, particular for the Islanders, and represents more than 70 % of the Gross National Product on certain islands. The State's religion is Orthodox. The Orthodox are Christians, but they refuse the primacy of the Pope's hierachy and certain dogmas (the Immaculate Conception, etc...). Easter is the most important celebration, but marriages, baptisms and votive celebrations are the object of a number of popular gatherings.
Here is some advice in order to best respect their customs, traditions and the mores of the Islanders :
-Wear clothing that is adaptive, long and ample, covering knees and shoulders, while visiting churches and monasteries.
-Never take someone's photo without asking their permission.
Here is some advice in order to best respect their customs, traditions and the mores of the Islanders :
-Wear clothing that is adaptive, long and ample, covering knees and shoulders, while visiting churches and monasteries.
-Never take someone's photo without asking their permission.
Some Advice
Some Advice
Orthodox Easter
Easter is the most important religious celebration in Greece and on the islands. If you like celebrations and crowds, the spectacle of the magnificent processions and traditional costumes is a delight for your eyes and for the ambiance !
Is Greece a safe country?
Greece is one European country where small delinquences and criminal activity are quite « weak ». We advise you simple to be vigilant in Athens, a very large city where some pick-pocketing can occur. As a general rule, do not flaunt your riches, jewelry, cameras,etc....
What are some interesting souvenirs to bring back home?
There is no lack of souvenirs: their excellent olive oil, Retsina (resinated white or rose wine), Ouzo (anise-flavored liqueur), embroideries, leather objects, honey, aromatic plants, silver or gold jewelry, etc...
Advice from Francis Baret, the organizer of our trips in Greece:
Although, perhaps, different and strange sounding to our western ears, their music is charming and agreeable to listen to. The eastern and western influences make Greece varied and endearing. Do not hesitate to buy Greek music. Amongst the artists the most well-known and accessible to our ears: Karis Alexiou, Georges Dalaras, Angelique Lonatos, Theodarakis.
Orthodox Easter
Easter is the most important religious celebration in Greece and on the islands. If you like celebrations and crowds, the spectacle of the magnificent processions and traditional costumes is a delight for your eyes and for the ambiance !
Is Greece a safe country?
Greece is one European country where small delinquences and criminal activity are quite « weak ». We advise you simple to be vigilant in Athens, a very large city where some pick-pocketing can occur. As a general rule, do not flaunt your riches, jewelry, cameras,etc....
What are some interesting souvenirs to bring back home?
There is no lack of souvenirs: their excellent olive oil, Retsina (resinated white or rose wine), Ouzo (anise-flavored liqueur), embroideries, leather objects, honey, aromatic plants, silver or gold jewelry, etc...
Advice from Francis Baret, the organizer of our trips in Greece:
Although, perhaps, different and strange sounding to our western ears, their music is charming and agreeable to listen to. The eastern and western influences make Greece varied and endearing. Do not hesitate to buy Greek music. Amongst the artists the most well-known and accessible to our ears: Karis Alexiou, Georges Dalaras, Angelique Lonatos, Theodarakis.
Safeguarding the Environment
The rocky shore line of Greece is very rugged. The islands are the summits of mountains that were engulfed millions of years ago when the Mediterranean basin was covered by water. It is the continuation of Balkan landscapes with a more Mediterranean connotation. You will cross varied terrain of plateaus, scrublands, lapis (limestone pavement), pine forests and oak forests, crest paths and rocky coasts.
Respect for the environment is not often the first concern of the Greeks: illegal dumps.... littered paper on the paths... are sometimes seen on the landscape.
We count on you to leave the natural spaces that you cross as clean as possible :
- So as not to leave your trash behind, remember to bring along a small bag for your personal waste. Take it back to the next hotel or camping site.
- Smokers, remember to bring along a pocket ash tray for your cigarette butts.
- On camping sites, use the outhouses. If there are not any, keep yourself far away from water sources. In nature, bury your toilet paper afer use, as the risk of fire is omnipresent.
On the islands, you may have the luck of seeing dolphins or porpoises following the boats. Close to Zante and Cephalonie lives the last big colony of sea turtles in Europe. The Mediterrean Monk Seal is still present in Karpathos. It is the rarest species of seal and is one of the six mammals closest to extinction in the world. These last 100 years, their number has been considerably reduced to the point of there existing only 400 or so more, of which half are in Greece.
The animals that you will encounter the most in Greece are cats, lots of them in the village streets. Domestic goats, left to run wild in the scrublands and sheep, are also very abundant. The mountains protect the wild goats (the Kri-Kri ibex of Crete) the chamois (mountain goat of the Rhodope Mountains), rabbits, numerous raptors (lammergeyers, vultures, eagles, falcons....), partridges. Also to be noted....the seasonal passing of a number of migrating birds.
We count on you not to get to close to the animals. Greece has an extremely varied flora of which a large number of the species are endemic. In the springtime, the mountains of Crete are covered in a multitude of wild flowers: crocuses, anemones, irises, poppies, lilac and cyclamen. Aromatic herbs embalm the pathways: wild oregano, sage, basil and thyme. Fruit trees are also very common: olive trees, orange trees, fig trees, pomegranate trees, almond trees, jujube trees, etc....
Collecting and buying souvenirs made from fauna and flora species in danger (jewelry objects made from giant turtles) is forbidden. As a general rule, avoid picking plants: most of the flora in Greece has been threatened. It is impossible to know all of the species. Best to leave the flora where you find it for the pleasure of botanists and visitors to come.
Respect for the environment is not often the first concern of the Greeks: illegal dumps.... littered paper on the paths... are sometimes seen on the landscape.
We count on you to leave the natural spaces that you cross as clean as possible :
- So as not to leave your trash behind, remember to bring along a small bag for your personal waste. Take it back to the next hotel or camping site.
- Smokers, remember to bring along a pocket ash tray for your cigarette butts.
- On camping sites, use the outhouses. If there are not any, keep yourself far away from water sources. In nature, bury your toilet paper afer use, as the risk of fire is omnipresent.
On the islands, you may have the luck of seeing dolphins or porpoises following the boats. Close to Zante and Cephalonie lives the last big colony of sea turtles in Europe. The Mediterrean Monk Seal is still present in Karpathos. It is the rarest species of seal and is one of the six mammals closest to extinction in the world. These last 100 years, their number has been considerably reduced to the point of there existing only 400 or so more, of which half are in Greece.
The animals that you will encounter the most in Greece are cats, lots of them in the village streets. Domestic goats, left to run wild in the scrublands and sheep, are also very abundant. The mountains protect the wild goats (the Kri-Kri ibex of Crete) the chamois (mountain goat of the Rhodope Mountains), rabbits, numerous raptors (lammergeyers, vultures, eagles, falcons....), partridges. Also to be noted....the seasonal passing of a number of migrating birds.
We count on you not to get to close to the animals. Greece has an extremely varied flora of which a large number of the species are endemic. In the springtime, the mountains of Crete are covered in a multitude of wild flowers: crocuses, anemones, irises, poppies, lilac and cyclamen. Aromatic herbs embalm the pathways: wild oregano, sage, basil and thyme. Fruit trees are also very common: olive trees, orange trees, fig trees, pomegranate trees, almond trees, jujube trees, etc....
Collecting and buying souvenirs made from fauna and flora species in danger (jewelry objects made from giant turtles) is forbidden. As a general rule, avoid picking plants: most of the flora in Greece has been threatened. It is impossible to know all of the species. Best to leave the flora where you find it for the pleasure of botanists and visitors to come.
