Greece (Greek: Ελλάδα), officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία), historically also known as Hellas, is a country in Southern Europe, with a population of approximately 11 million as of 2016. Athens is the nation's capital and largest city, followed by Thessaloniki.
Greece is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Situated on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, the Republic of Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast. The Aegean Sea lies to the east of the mainland, the Ionian Sea to the west, the Cretan Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. Greece has the longest coastline on the Mediterranean Basin and the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 mi) in length, featuring a large number of islands, of which 227 are inhabited. Eighty percent of Greece is mountainous, with Mount Olympus being the highest peak at 2,918 metres (9,573 ft).
The country consists of nine geographic regions: Macedonia, Central Greece, the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus, the Aegean Islands (including the Dodecanese and Cyclades), Thrace, Crete, and the Ionian Islands.
Discover Greece: General info
Travel to Greece and the islands have 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 information about important aspects of Greece.
Holiday 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 at the Greek destinations by popularity. However, if you believe that Greece is only about swimming in gorgeous beaches and visiting 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 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
Popular 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.
Popular 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 the Cyclades are famous for the white sugar houses, villages in the Dodecanese have a Medieval style, villages in the mainland have more earthy colors, 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.
Culture
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 million living in Athens, the country's capital. The largest cities after Athens are Thessaloniki and Patras. For a better understanding of the country's geography, check our section with maps and the weather forecast for more than 90 locations.
Nature
Discover the different aspects of the nature in Greece: Canyons, Caves, Farms, Fauna, Flora, Forests, Lakes, Mountains, Rivers, Volcanoes and more.
Politics
The conventional names of the country are Hellas or the Hellenic Republic. The political regime is the 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, most 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.
Eat & Drink
The level of Greek gastronomy is getting higher from year to year. Discover some of the best places to eat, have a cocktail or a dessert.
Sports
The country is getting a popular destination for sports, extreme sports, and alternative tourism. Discover some of the sports you can practice while on holiday.
Shopping
Visitors will find all kind of shops in Greece: from mini-markets and small shops with traditional products to brand shops with expensive items in the most cosmopolitan destinations.
Events
In August 2004, the Olympic Games returned to their birth country. Athletes from over 200 countries joined Athens for 17 days in August 2004. Greece proposes many events, especially 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. The 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)
Working hour
Banks and Public Services work from 08.00 to 14.00, Monday to Friday. The shops are usually open Monday-Wednesday- Saturday from 09.00 to 15.00 and Tuesday-Thursday-Friday from 09.00 to 14.00 and 17.00 to 20.00. In these three days of the week, shops close for the siesta at noon and open again in the afternoon. In the tourist areas in high season, most shops stay open all day long, from early in the morning till late in the evening. Malls in the cities also stay open all day.
