Athens Guide

Athens, the city of intellect, is part of the Attica basin . Attica is situated in the geographical center of Greece and is surrounded by the Euboean, Saronic and Corinthian Gulfs. The triangular shape of Attica is easily recognized on the map of Greece, spreading out into the western Aegean Sea. The peninsula ends to the south at Cape Sounion..

The position of Athens in the Attica basin is defined by Mt. Parnitha and Mt. Penteli whose great masses rise above it on the north. Mt. Hymettus dominates the east, while to the west are the numerous low hills of Egaleo and Korydallos.

Among all of these hills, is the one that glorified not only Athens, but the whole Greek world and became the symbol of western civilization: the rock of Acropolis! Athens has developed and spread out in the Attica basin to the point that it has become one with the port of Piraeus, while the suburbs have spilled outside the basin itself.

Athens has a population of five million. It is the country's heart and the economic and industrial center, as well as the political and cultural center. No matter how crowded it becomes with residents and tourists, it is still hospitable and welcoming.

The structure of the land is characterized by a constant alternation between low mountains and small plains. Bays and rocky or sandy coves dot the coast of Attica. During the summer the beaches are filled with Athenians and others enjoying their beauty.

Greece is the cradle of European civilization, and Athens has been its capital since 1834. There is never a time to be bored or to be at a loss for an interesting activity in Athens. Visit the flea market and the bazaar area at Monastiraki, look inside some of the hundreds of tiny Byzantine churches, shop for a few hours in the fascinating boutiques of Pl?ka, have a leisurely lunch in a taverna, watch the people walk by, and spend an hour writing in your travel diary.

Athens can seem overwhelming at first. First of all it is truly massive. The mountains, the rocks, the historic ruins, the panoramic views of valleys and sea: nothing is small. Secondly, it is not scrubbed and polished; it has an ancient, lived-in look as befits a city that has been inhabited for over 7000 years. Yet, it is so modern. An interesting feature of Athens is that it is a study in contradictions! At one moment you will be walking on modern streets with malls and superstores, then make a turn onto a side street and suddenly find yourself in another world with open air meat and fish markets, vegetable and fruit stands, huge pigs, rabbits, and cows hanging upside down by their feet, and large shiny, scaly fish being gutted right in front of you.

There are ruins in unexpected places all over the city. What first appears to be a modern street, will have fenced off areas containing parts of ancient toppled columns, statues, etc. They have been sitting there for hundreds and hundreds of years, and are now fenced for protection. Repair and restoration work is constantly going on. A visit to the Acropolis will include the sight of workmen and ladders everywhere. The ongoing work of preservation is impressive.

Following a visit to the Acropolis, it is an easy downhill stroll to the Agora, the heart of ancient Athens's political and commercial center. The Agora is steps from the Monastiraki and Pl?ka districts, each filled with shops, cafes, and restaurants. The next stop might be the National Archaeological Museum to see the Mycenaean gold, the classical bronze statues, and the beautiful frescoes from Akrotiri, the Minoan Pompeii on the island of Santorini. It is hard to leave the Museum, so try to plan for a return visit on another day.

The whole family will enjoy a walk (run) through the National Gardens, and will be able to join Greek children in admiring the ducks and peacocks in the small zoo. Another peak experience will be the enjoyment of Greek cuisine. Huge feta cheese salads with olives, tomatoes, lettuce, and locally produced olive oil are outstanding. The main course of a meal in a taverna specializing in spit roasting is usually a plate of some type of seafood or meat such as chicken, pork, lamb or beef. The meat is grilled on a spit outdoors. Sidew dishes of fruit and vegetables are also available. Local wines provide a complement to the meal.

Attica has always been generous to its inhabitants. Its land produces an abundance of agricultural and garden products. Olives from the trees that legend says the goddess Athena gave to the town of Athens, grapes and the famed wine from the vineyards in the area are all local trademarks. There are also the thyme, the honey, and the natural resin of the pine trees as well as pentelic marble and the silver that was formerly extracted from the mines at Lavrio.

When planning a trip to Athens, the weather is a consideration. Attica's sunshine and pleasant climate give visitors the opportunity to enjoy a trip to Athens during any season. From March through May it's almost always pleasant and mild . Between June and August, the temperature rises steadily, making August the month in which Athenians try to avoid the city. Although sometimes almost as hot as August, September is usually balmy, with occasional light rain. October offers beautiful weather, with rain and some high winds Most rain falls between November and February, when Athens can be cold and windy. Even so, there are many sunny days in winter and a heavy rain is often followed by brilliant sunshine. Average daytime temperatures range from 52F in January to 92F in August, sometimes rising above 100F.

Persons with asthma and other breathing problems should be aware of Athens's smog. Visitors with these medical conditions will probably want to plan brief visits to the major historic sites, and then spend most of their holiday in the countryside or mountains around Athens, or at the seaside towns. The distances are not great from Athens to any of the surrounding areas.

While in Athens, consider a side excursion to one or more of the "isles of Greece." It is easy to arrange a day trip by boat from Piraeus to one or more of the islands of the Saronic Gulf. Aegina Egina, Poros, and Hydra Idra. All are feasible day trips but it is best not to schedule a tour for the day before you leave Athens.. It is possible that a sudden storm could leave you stranded for a day on an island. Allow time to savor an unexpected adventure such as this!

Whatever the season, whether you have a day or a month to explore Athens, it is a time to be treasured. Athens, rich in culture and contrasts is a city like no other in the world.

Attica
All excursions from Athens take the visitor into Attica, which today, as in antiquity, is the name of the countryside around Athens. According to legend, the hero Theseus unified the 12 towns of Attica under the leadership of Athens. The Attic countryside provided Athens with wine grapes, olives, honey, grains, fruits, marble from Mount Pentelicus Pendeli and Mount Hymettus Imittos, and silver from the mines at Laurium, near Sounion. Today the Attic Mesogeion (the middle of the earth) refers to the Attic plain which is still known for its fine grapes.

Fires raged through much of Attica in the summer of 1998. Some forests on Mounts Pentelicus and Hymettus were totally destroyed. Much farmland was destroyed, and the museum at Marathon was almost lost. The signs of these terrible fires will be apparent for some years when you visit Attica.

Population:
5,000,000

Time Zone:
Greece's clocks are 6 hours ahead of eastern standard time in the United States, and 1 hour ahead of Greenwich mean time.

Language:
Greek is the native language. Many Greeks know some English, but will appreciate a two-way effort to learn and try basic phrases.

Telephones:
The country code for Greece is 30; the city code for Athens is 01. For an AT&T long-distance operator, dial 00/800-1311; MCI, 00/800-1211; Sprint, 00/800-1411.

The Greek telephone company, the OTE pronounced "oh-tay", has card phones everywhere. Phone cards used for intercity and overseas calls can be purchased at kiosks or the local OTE office. You can also make calls from OTE offices, which have limited hours, and from kiosks . Avoid making calls from your hotel, where the surcharge can be high.

For any international call, you must first dial 00, then the country code 1 for the U.S. and Canada, 44 for England.

Doing business over the phone in Greece can be extremely frustrating-the lines always seem to be busy, and English-speaking operators and clerks are few.. It is far better to develop a relationship with someone, for example a travel agent, to get information about train schedules and the like, or to go in person and ask for information face-to-face. Though OTE is updating its archaic phone system, it may take you several attempts to get through. Try dialing slowly, and if you get a wrong number, don't assume it's your mistake-the lines frequently get crossed. Local and international calls are cheaper in the evenings after 10 or 11 PM, and on the weekends after 3 PM on Saturday.

Operators and Information
There are English-speaking operators on the International Exchange 161 and 162, and recorded instructions in English, French, and German for making direct international calls on tel. 169. .

The tourist police Dimitrakopoulou 77, tel. 171 can answer questions in English about transportation, direct you to an open pharmacy or doctor, and locate phone numbers of hotels and restaurants.

When to Go:
The best time to visit Athens is late spring and early fall. In May and June the days are warm, even hot, but dry, and the sea water has been warmed by the sun. The evenings, are pleasant enough to dine alfresco. For sightseeing or visiting the beach, this is the time to visit. Athens is less crowded in April and early May. Carnavali, just before Lent, and Greek Easter, with its religious processions, lambs, and red eggs, are the highlights of the season.

September and October are an alternative to spring and early summer. Things begin to shut down in November, however, when the winter chill and rains begin. Winter in Greece is deceptive. Any given day may not be very cold. Snow is uncommon in Athens and to the south. The cold is persistent, and the level of heating is not what it is in the US.

Toward the end of July and through August the temperatures climb, pushing the 100°F mark. In the south a dry, hot wind may blow across the Mediterranean from the coast of Africa. The air quality in Athens, which is surrounded on all sides by mountains except in the direction of the harbor and oil refineries of Piraeus, can be unhealthy on especially hot days, and air-conditioning is rare

Emergencies:
In an emergency, dial 100 for the police and 171 for the tourist police. Dial 199 to report a fire and 166 for an ambulance and the hospital. If you need an English-speaking doctor or dentist, call your embassy for advice or try SOS Doctor at 01/331-0310. The English-language daily Athens News lists some American and British trained doctors and hospitals offering emergency services.

KAT, the emergency hospital in Kifissia 01/801-4411 to 4419, and Asklepion Voulas, the emergency hospital in Voula 01/895-3416 to 3418, both have emergency rooms open 24 hours a day. If you need medical attention quickly, just go.to a hospital. Their doors are open and they will see to you as soon as you enter.

In addition, one of the major hospitals takes turns each day being on emergency duty. A recorded message in Greek at tel. 01/106 tells which hospital is open for emergency services and gives the telephone number.

The SOS Doctor in Athens can be reached at 01/331-0310 or 01/331-0311; this is a 24-hour service that can send you a physician promptly for a fee .

Eyeglasses If anything happens to your glasses, Optical, Odos Patriarchou Ioakim 2 01/724-3564, has a wide range of designer shades and specs at designer prices, and can provide a fast replacement.

Hospitals Except for emergencies, hospital admittance is gained through a physician.

Internet Access:
One block off Omonia Square, the Astor Internet Caf?, Odos Patission 17 01/523-8546, is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 10pm and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and charges Dr1,500 $5 per hour to use e-mail, the Internet, and word-processing. Across from the National Archaeological Museum, the Central Music Coffee Shop, Odos Octobriou 28 also called Odos Patission; tel. 01/883-3418, is open daily from 9am to 11pm and charges Dr1,500 $5 per hour for similar services. Inforama, Odos 28 Octobriou 302a, offers similar services for Dr1,800 $6 an hour; it's open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 10:30pm.

Laundry & Dry Cleaning:
The self-service launderette at Odos Angelou Yeronda 10, in Filomouson Square, off Odos Kidathineon, Pl?ka, is open daily from 8:30am to 7pm; it charges Dr2,000 $7 for wash, dry, and soap. The National Dry Cleaners and Laundry Service, Odos Apollonos 17 01/323-2226, next to the Hermes Hotel, is open Monday and Wednesday from 7am to 4pm and Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 7am to 8pm; laundry costs Dr1,500 $5 per kilo 2.2 lb.. Hotel chambermaids will often do laundry for you at a reasonable price. Dry cleaning in Athens is reasonable, about Dr900 $3 for a pair of slacks, and next-day service is usually possible.

Lost & Found:
If you lose something on the street or on public transport, contact the police lost and found, Leoforos Alexandras 173 01/642-1616, open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 3pm. Lost passports and other documents may be returned by the police to the appropriate embassy, so check there as well. It's a good idea to travel with a photocopy of all important documents.

Luggage Storage/Lockers:
Many hotels will store excess luggage while you travel. Just southwest of Syntagma Square, Pacific Ltd., Odos Nikis 26 01/324-1007 or 01/322-3213, has a per-piece charge per day and by the week; open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 8pm. Bellair Travel and Tourism Inc., Odos Nikis 15 01/323-9261 or 01-321-6136; e-mail: bellair@travelling.gr, is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm and has similar charges. There are storage facilities at the Metro station in Piraeus, at both train stations, and across from the entrance at the East Air Terminal.

Newspapers & Magazines:
The Athens News is a daily newspaper published locally in English, with a weekend section "Scope" listing events of interest; it's available at kiosks everywhere for Dr250 80?. Most central Athens newsstands also carry the International Herald Tribune, which has an English-language insert of highlights from the Greek daily Kathimerini, and USA Today. Local weeklies include the Hellenic Times, with its entertainment listings. The free magazine Athens Today, with information on restaurants, shopping, museums and galleries, is published about six times a year and is usually available in major hotels .

Pharmacies:
Pharmakia, identified by green crosses, are scattered throughout Athens. Hours are usually Monday through Friday from 8am to 2pm. In the evening and on weekends most are closed, but usually post a notice listing the names and addresses of pharmacies that are open or will open in an emergency. Newspapers, including the Athens News, list the pharmacies open outside regular hours.

Post Offices:
The main post offices in central Athens are at Odos Eolou 100, just south of Omonia Square, and in Syntagma Square on the corner of Odos Mitropoleos. These are open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 8pm, Saturday from 7:30am to 2pm, and Sunday from 9am to 1pm. The two post offices at the East and West air terminals also keep these extended hours. Oddly, mail posted at the air terminals almost always takes longer to arrive than mail posted in Athens itself. All the post offices can accept parcels, but the parcel post office is at Odos Stadiou 4, inside the arcade 01/322-8940, open Monday through Friday from 7:30am to 8pm. They sell cardboard shipping boxes in four sizes. Parcels must be open for inspection before you seal them at the post office.

Radio & Television:
There are 11 major Greek TV stations in Athens and at least two local stations. In addition, foreign-language channels from Italy, Spain, and Germany can be seen, as well as CNN around the clock. Most foreign-language films shown on Greek TV are not dubbed, but have the original soundtracks with Greek subtitles. All current-release foreign-language films shown in Greek cinemas have the original soundtracks with Greek subtitles.

Rest Rooms:
There are public rest rooms in the underground station beneath Omonia Square and beneath Kolonaki Square, but you'll probably prefer a hotel or restaurant rest room. Toilet paper is often not available; carry some tissue with you. Do not flush paper down the commode; use the receptacle provided.

Safety:
Athens is among the safest capitals in Europe, and there are few reports of violent crimes.

Taxes:
A VAT value-added tax of between 4% and 18% is added onto everything you buy. Some shops will attempt to cheat you by quoting you one price and then, when you hand over your credit card, adding on a hefty VAT charge. Be wary. In theory, if you are not a member of a Common Market/EU country, you can get a refund on major purchases at Hellenikon airport when you leave Greece.

Tipping:
Athenian restaurants include a service charge in the bill, but many visitors add a 10% tip. Most Greeks do not give a percentage tip to taxi drivers, but often round out the fare to Dr1,000, for example, on a fare of Dr950.

Equivalent Weights And Measures
1 cm - 0.39 inches
1 meter - 3.28 feet / 1.09 yards
1 km - 0.62 miles
1 liter - 0.26 gallons
1 inch - 2.54 cm
1 foot - 0.39 meters
1 yard - 0.91 meters
1 mile - 1.60 km
1 gal - 3.78 liters

Packing:
Greek dress tends to be middle of the road-you won't see patched jeans or expensive suits, though locals tend to dress up for nightclubs and bouzoukia. In the summer bring lightweight, casual clothing and good walking shoes. A light sweater or jacket is a must for cool evenings. There's no need for rain gear in summer, but don't forget sunglasses and a sun hat. Be prepared for cooler weather and some rain in spring and fall, and in winter, add a warm coat.

Casual attire is acceptable everywhere except in the most expensive restaurants in large cities, but you should dress conservatively when visiting churches or monasteries. Some stricter monasteries and churches will not admit improperly dressed men or women men wearing shorts and women in pants, though they often provide long skirts or some sort of draping at the entrance. Revealing too much skin may lead to unwelcome harassment.

For dimly lit icons in churches, a small flashlight comes in handy. A pair of binoculars can greatly enhance the appreciation of an archaeological site or give the tourist a better view of wall paintings in a church, for example.

Passports & Visas:
All U.S., Canadian, and U.K. citizens need only a valid passport to enter Greece for stays of up to 90 days.

ATMs:
Automatic teller machines are increasingly common at banks throughout Athens, and the National Bank of Greece operates a 24-hour ATM in Syntagma Square. A Warning about ATMs: It is not a good idea to rely on using ATMs exclusively in Athens, since the machines are often out of service when you need them most: on holidays or during bank strikes.

Banks:
Banks are generally open Monday through Thursday from 8am to 2pm and Friday from 8am to 1:30pm. All banks are closed on Greek holidays . Most banks exchange currency at the rate set daily by the government. This rate is usually more favorable than that offered at unofficial exchange bureaus. Still, it's worth doing a little comparison shopping. Some hotels offer better-than-official rates, usually only for cash, as do some stores, usually only when you are making an expensive purchase. .

Business Hours:
Business Hours in Greece are complicated and changeable. In winter, Athens's shops are generally open Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 5pm; Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 10am to 7pm; and Saturday from 8:30am to 3:30pm. In summer, shops are generally open Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday from 8am to 3pm; and Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 8am to 2pm and 5:30 to 10pm.

Most food stores are open Monday and Wednesday from 9am to 4:30pm, Tuesday from 9am to 6pm, Thursday from 9:30am to 6:30pm, Friday from 9:30am to 7pm, and Saturday from 8:30am to 4:30pm.

Many shops geared to visitors stay open late into the night-but often only if the shop owner thinks that business will be good. In other words, the shop that was open late yesterday may close early today.

Credit Cards:
Many Athenian restaurants do not accept credit cards. Each year, some restaurants that formerly accepted credit cards stop accepting them. Be prepared to pay with cash or traveler's checks at even the finest establishments. If you want to pay with a credit card, double-check to make sure the restaurant will accept your credit card before going.

Currency:
The drachma dr. is the Greek unit of currency. Bills are in denominations of 10,000, 5,000, 1,000, and 500 drachmas 100- and 50-drachma bills are being taken out of circulation. Coins are 100, 50, 20, 10, 5.

Tipping:
How much to tip in Greece, especially at restaurants, is confusing. By law a 15% service charge is figured into the price of a meal menus sometimes list entr?es with and without service, to let you know their net cost. If the service was good, it's customary to reward it by leaving 10% more. For taxis, round up the fare to the nearest 50 dr.

Arriving by Plane:
Athens's Hellenikon International Airport
Only 7 miles south of central Athens, but traffic to and from the airport is often so heavy that you should allow an hour for the trip. The East Anatoliko Air Terminal on the eastern side of the airport runways handles non-Olympic flights and some charters. The West Airport Dhitiko, usually called Olympiakon, handles all Olympic flights. A third, smaller terminal handles most charter flights. Both the East and West terminals have free luggage trolleys, exchange and banking facilities, ATMs, post office and telephone offices, luggage storage, cafes, taxi and bus stands, tourist information offices, and hotel-booking agencies.

Numbers for the East Air Terminal include:
Switchboard 01/969-4111,
Arrival/Departure Information 01/949-4466 or 01/949-4467,
Tourist Information 01/969-4500 or 01/961-2722.

Numbers for the West Air Terminal include:
Switchboard 01/926-9111 or 01/936-9111,
Arrival/Departure Information 01/936-3363
Tourist Information 01/969-4500 or 01/961-2722.

Flight information on Olympic flights is sometimes available at tel. 01/966-6666 or 01/926-9111; both numbers are usually busy. There is no shuttle bus between any of these terminals, but they are usually linked by bus nos. 091 and 91, which run into Athens and Piraeus.

Getting To Athens:
Since buses run on erratic schedules, the easiest way into town is to take a taxi from immediately outside the terminal. This is not as simple as it sounds: it is necessary to be assertive!. A cab into the center kentro of town will cost you about $7 to $10, double that between midnight and 5am. Depending on traffic, the cab ride can take less than 30 minutes or well over an hour-something to remember when you return to the airport.

If you want to take a bus from the airport into central Athens, be prepared for what may be a substantial wait and a slow journey. In theory, bus no. 091 runs to Syntagma and Omonia squares before continuing to Piraeus every half hour from 7am to 10pm Dr200/65?, and then every hour from about 10:15pm to 6:30am Dr400/$1.35. Because of Metro construction, the bus sometimes stops first near Omonia Square and then doubles back to Syntagma Square.

Eleftherios Venizelos International
Athens's new airport, Eleftherios Venizelos International, is currently under construction and scheduled to open at Spata, 23 kilometers 14 miles outside Athens, sometime in 2001 (currently projected for a March, 2001 opening), well in advance of the 2004 Olympics. If you are traveling around that time, be sure to check with our travel agents to see whether the airport has, in fact, opened.

Getting Between The Airport and Piraeus:
A taxi from the airport to Piraeus should cost Dr2,000 to Dr2,500 $7 to $8. It's important to know that island boats leave from several different Piraeus harbors. Most ferryboats and hydrofoils Flying Dolphins for Aegina leave from the Main Harbor. Hydrofoils for other islands leave from Marina Zea, a vigorous half-hour walk from the Main Harbor. All this makes Piraeus a good place to take a taxi to and from the airport. If you do not know which harbor your boat is leaving from, tell your taxi driver your destination and he can probably find out the harbor and even the pier you are leaving from.

Bus no. 19 runs from the East to the West Terminal and then to Piraeus every hour from 5am to midnight Dr200/65?, and every 2 hours from midnight to 5am Dr400/$1.35. The bus will leave you in Karaiskaki Square, several blocks from the harbor.

A word about making air connections after an island trip: It is unwise-even foolhardy-to allow anything less than 24 hours between your return to Piraeus by island boat and your departure by air, as rough seas can make for significant delays.

Getting Around:
The new Metro subway, designed to allow travel in much of central Athens and beyond, is still under construction. The existing tram line runs from Piraeus to Kifissia, covering only the western part of the city. Most visitors encounter the subway when they take it from Omonia or Monastiraki to Piraeus to catch a boat to the islands. Don't miss the spectacular view of the Acropolis as the subway comes above ground by the Agora. Buy your tickets at the station, validate them in the machines as you enter, and hang on to the ticket. The fare at press time was Dr100 35?. If you're not carrying much luggage, the harbor in Piraeus is a 5-minute walk left from the station.

In Athens there are two principal bus terminals. Coming into Athens from Northern Greece or the Peloponnese, you will arrive at Kifissou 100, a ten-minute bus rides from the center. Routes from Central Greece arrive at a terminal at Liossion 260, north of the train stations. From the Piraeus port you can go in almost every inhabited island in the Aegean Sea, as well as to other Mediterranean ports. In Piraeus port is a very large number of regular ferries, hydrofoils and "flying dolphins" which connect the capital with the maritime Greece. From here you can catch ferries to Cyprus, Turkey, Israel and Egypt as well as and cruisers for the same destinations. Attica has two smaller ports, the port of Rafina which connect some Cycladic islands to mainland Greece and the port of Lavrio. Athens public transport networks operate from 5 am to midnight. The public transportation is operated by the buses, the metro, the yellow trolley buses, the blue city buses and the taxis. All these can bring you to the most of the city's sight-seeing with a rather low fare.

Between the Airport & Town:
Yellow-and-blue double-decker express buses connect the two airport terminals, Constitution Square, Concord Square, and Piraeus. Between the terminals and Athens, the express Bus 91 runs every 35 minutes 7 AM-12:30 AM. You can catch the bus to the airport on Constitution Square or off Concord Square on Stadiou. From the terminals to Karaiskaki Square in Piraeus, the express Bus 19 runs hourly 7 AM-11:10 PM. The night express buses for both lines leave at irregular intervals; ask for a schedule from an EOT office Greek National Tourist Organization; tel. 01/322-2545, tel. 01/961-2722, or tel. 01/413-5716.

By Car
The main highways going north and south link up in Athens; both are called Ethniki Odos the National Road. At the city limits, signs in English clearly mark the way to both Constitution Square and Concord Square in the town center. Leaving Athens, routes to the National Road are well marked; signs usually name Lamia for points north and Corinth or Patras for points southwest. On the road map distributed by the EOT Greek National Tourist Organization; tel. 01/322-2545, tel. 01/961-2722, or tel. 01/413-5716, the National Roads are yellow and are marked by European road numbers, although these are not used on the roads themselves.

The highways are very slick when wet, and there are many fatal accidents. Avoid driving in rain and on days preceding or following major holidays; Greece's car-accident rate, one of the highest in the EC, escalates wildly during the mass migrations to and from the city. The speed limit is 120 kph 74 mph on the National Road, 90 kph 54 mph outside urban areas. From Athens to Thessaloniki, the distance is 515 km 309 mi; to Kalamata, 257 km 154 mi; to Corinth, 84 km 50 mi; to Lamia, 214 km 128 mi; to Patras, 218 km 131 mi; to Igoumenitsa, 472 km 283 mi.

By Train
Greek trains have a well-earned reputation for being slow and having a limited network. The main line runs north from Athens to the former Yugoslavia, dividing into three lines at Thessaloniki. The main line continues on to Belgrade, a second line goes east to the Turkish border and Istanbul, and a third line heads northeast to Bulgaria. The Peloponnese in the south is served by a narrow-gauge line dividing at Corinth into the Mycenae-Argos route and Patras-Olympia-Kalamata.

By Mass Transit
The price of public transportation has risen steeply in the last few years, but it is still less than that in western European capitals. Riding during rush hours is definitely not recommended. Upon boarding, validate your ticket in the orange canceling machines at the front and back of buses and trolleys and in the stations of the electric trains. Keep your tickets until you reach your destination, as inspectors occasionally pop up to check that they have been canceled and validated. They are strict about fining offenders, including tourists.

The Organization for Urban Public Transportation Metsovou 15, tel. 185 or 01/883-6076, open Monday to Friday 8 to 2:30, one block north of the National Archaeological Museum, answers questions about routes usually only in Greek and distributes maps with street names in Greek.

Bus and Trolley
Main bus stations are at Vasilissis Olgas next to Zappion hall, at Acadimias and Sina, and at Kaningos Square. You may continue from a trunk line A1-A16 to a connecting bus on the same ticket, and the mini "shopping" buses that serve the downtown historical triangle are free. No transfers are issued; monthly passes are available. Tickets are sold in special booths at bus terminals and at selected periptera street kiosks. Buses run from the center to all suburbs and suburban beaches from 5 AM-midnight, and major routes have infrequent owl service. For suburbs farther north than central Kifissia, you have to change there.

KTEL orange buses provide efficient bus service throughout the Attica basin. Most buses to the east Attica coast, including those for Sounion 01/823-0179, fare 1,050 dr., and Marathon 01/821-0872, fare 650 dr., leave from the KTEL terminal, Platia Aigyptou at the corner of Mavromateon and Leoforos Alexandras.

By Taxi
Taxi rates here are still affordable compared to those in other European capitals. It seems paradoxical that more than 17,000 taxis are on the streets of Athens, yet during peak hours it's impossible to find an empty one. A taxi driver may pass you up because it's not his day to enter the center of Athens. Taxis with passengers often operate unofficially on the jitney system, indicating willingness to pick up others by blinking their headlights. Would-be passengers shout their destination as the driver cruises past.

Churches and Monasteries:
There is no set schedule when churches and monasteries are open to the public. The best time to find churches unlocked is during mass, especially on Sunday; otherwise try from about 8 AM to noon and 5:30 to 7:30 on any day, unless where noted. The hours for monasteries are dependent upon their keepers, but they are more likely to be open in the morning to early afternoon.

Museums and Sites:
The days and hours for museums and sites vary; they are usually open daily 8-3 except one weekday usually Monday, although in summer, depending on personnel available that year, the hours are extended to as late as 7 PM. The Acropolis is open summer evenings when there is a full moon. On major holidays, most sites and museums are closed; on minor holidays they may have Sunday hours or close at 12:30. The Byzantine Museum, Kerameikos cemetery, and Agora Museum are closed Monday; the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art is closed Tuesday and Sunday. Admission to most museums and archaeological sites is free on Sunday November through mid-March.

The export of antiquities from Greece is forbidden. If any such articles are found in a traveler's luggage, they will be confiscated and the individual will be liable for prosecution. Reproductions of ancient works of art, some of very high quality, can be purchased throughout Greece and may be exported freely.

The Greek calendar is filled with religious celebrations, cultural festivals, and civic occasions. Those events with roots in Byzantine Greece combine religious belief and national pride in a way unfamiliar to most Americans. Shops may close early for local or national celebrations, and hotels may be booked during major events. Verify the dates of events with the Greek National Tourist Organization GNTO or EOT; Festivals Box Office, 4 Stadiou St., Athens; 01/322-1459 or 01/322-3111 ext. 240.

Dec. 31:
New Year's Eve is the occasion for carol singing by children and the exchange of gifts.

Jan. 1:
The Feast of Saint Basil marks the beginning of the New Year. A special cake, the Vassilopita, is baked with a coin in it, which brings good luck to the finder.

Jan. 6:
Epiphany, the day for blessing the waters, is the occasion for an official ceremony at Athens's harbor, Piraeus.

February 2:
Candlemas An Orthodox feast all over Greece. A quiet time before Lent.

Carnival Sunday:
(first Sunday before Lent) Carnivals take place for 3 weeks leading up to this climax of pre-Lenten activities. There are parades and costume balls in many large cities.

Cxlean Monday:
(immediately after "Cheese Sunday", 7 Sundays before Easter) Kites are flown in the countryside.

Mar. 25:
Independence Day commemorates the call for independence in 1821 by Germanos, the Metropolitan of Patras, which began the uprising in the Peloponnese that eventually freed Greece from Ottoman rule. Today it is marked by parades of the armed forces in Athens.

Holy Week:
March/April (varies) Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday are the most sacred days on the Orthodox calendar. The traditional candlelight funeral processions staged throughout the country on Good Friday are very powerful to watch. Not only do they attest to the strength of the participants' faith, but they link modern Greece with its Byzantine roots, and the soldiers carrying the coffins illustrate the ties between church and government. Processions to churches on the night of Holy Saturday are a memorable sight. Following the midnight ceremony of the Resurrection, the congregations head homeward to feast, with the traditional red-dyed eggs and mayiritsa soup. More red-dyed eggs and roast lamb highlight the feasting on Easter Sunday. Seeing the rituals of Holy Week makes you understand the depth of meaning that the Easter greeting Christos aneste, "Christ is risen," and its response Alithos aneste, "He has indeed risen," has for most Greeks.

April 23:
St. George Day. One of the most important feast days in the Orthodox calendar, commemorating the patron saint of shepherds and marking the start of the grazing season.

May 1:
May Day, also known as Labor Day is a national holiday. Families pick wildflowers in the countryside and make them into garlands with garlic. These are hung on doors, balconies, fishing boats, and hoods of cars to ward off evil. There are parades also and rallies.

May - Sept:
Folk dancing is performed at the amphitheater on Filopappou Hill in Athens.

May 21:
A celebration throughout Greece for Constantine and his mother, Helen, the first Orthodox Byzantine rulers.

Feast of the Ascension:
(40 days after Easter) An important religious feast day.

Whitsunday or Pentecost:
(seven weeks after Orthodox Easter) A feast day celebrated throughout Greece.

June-Sept:
The Athens Festival presents ancient dramas, operas, music, and ballet performed by nationally and internationally famous artists, in the 2nd-century Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the south slope of the Acropolis.

Mid-June-late Aug:
Lycabettus Theater presents a variety of performances in the amphitheater on Lycabettus Hill overlooking Athens.

July 17:
Ag?a Mar?na Feast to honor the saint, an important protector of crops.

July 18-20 Profitis Ilias:
The Feast Honoring the Prophet Elijah

August 6:
Feast of the Transfiguration

August 15:
Assumption of the Virgin Mary. A national holiday, and one on which Greeks traditionally return to their home villages for celebrations.

Aug - Sept:
At the Aeschilia festival, ancient dramas are staged at the archaeological site of Eleusis near Athens.

September 8:
Feast of the birth of the Virgin Mary

September 14:
Exaltation of the True Cross

October 26:
Agios Dim?trios: The end of the grazing season when sheep are brought down from the hills.

October 28:
Ochi Day: A national holiday with patriotic parades and much dancing. The day commemorates the reply in 1940 to Mussolini's ultimatum calling for Greek surrender. the answer was a firm: ?chi NO!

November 21:
Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple.

November 30:
St. Andrew P?tra feast day.