Greece Facts
Here are some Greece facts: Greece is located in Southern Europe, at the very bottom of the Balkan Peninsula. It is bordered by Turkey, Macedonia, Bulgaria, and Albania. Its elongated shape and over 6,000 constituent islands-including Crete, Rhodes, Lesbos, and Euboea-give the country access to the Mediterranean, Aegean, and Ionian Seas. Because most foreigners' idea of Greece is colored by images of classical Greece, e.g. Raphael's painting of the School of Athens, the action movie '300', or knowledge of the Greek mythological pantheon, modern Greece can be quite a pleasant shock to first time visitors.
The mix of various architectural forms and the integration of ancient structures gives Greece a remarkably similar feel to Italy. Brightly colored stucco may exist alongside starkly modern museums or post-modern galleries. However, most visitors make their first priority the structures that have survived from ancient Greece. Among these, the Acropolis, Meteora, and Delphi (the former site of the oracle to the god Apollo) usually rank highest, although Greece is a veritable smorgasbord of UNESCO World Heritage sites.
Greece food is simply astonishing and should not be passed up. Try some spanakopita, a spinach pie wrapped in phyllo, a type of flaky pastry dough. Lamb gyros are also quite popular, as is seafood of all kinds, especially octopus. Greece is also famous for feta, a salty and crumbly cheese which can be found in much of their food. Be warned: ouzo, the nation's unique anise-flavored spirit, has packs a wallop.
Although in many countries, holding one hand out is a sign for 'stop', in Greece it is an insult on par with "the finger" in America, or "the fig" in Russia. Keep this in mind, as you may inadvertently offend someone.
Quick Info:
Capital: Athens
Language(s): Greek
Religion(s): Christianity
Currency: Euro (€) (EUR)
Electricity Voltage: 220V
Calling Code: 30
Popular Travel Destinations:
- Acropolis
- Plato Academy
- Panathenaic Stadium
Official Website: www.visitgreece.gr
Travel Forums:
*Note* - Some of the graphics on this page were taken from the CIA World Factbook which contains a wealth of information on every country in the world. I highly recommend it.