Hello Athens, Formalities for entering Greece, Climate, Public Holidays, Post Offices, Shopping, Fun and Travel Guide of Athens, Greece

General Information

FORMALITIES FOR ENTERING GREECE

A valid passport is required by all entering Greece for a period of less than 3 months except EC nationals who may also enter Greece only with a valid ID card.

Visa is not required for EC nationals. For all other nationalities contact the nearest Greek Embassy or Greek Consulate with regard to visa requirements.

Greece has a warm Mediterranean climate. In summer, dry hot days are often relieved by a system of seasonal breezes populary called "meltemia". An outstanding feature of the Greek climate is its ample sunshine, estimated to be 3,000 hours per year. Winters are mild and the rain season is between November and March. Following are the average temperatures for Athens.

Months	Average Temperatures	Months	Average Temperatures
January	12 C - 53 F	July	32 C - 89 F
February	13 C - 55 F	August	32 C - 89 F
March	16 C - 60 F	September	28 C - 82 F
April	19 C - 66 F	October	23 C - 73 F
May	25 C - 77 F	November	18 C - 64 F
June	29 C - 84 F	December	14 C - 57 F

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

2004
August 15	Assumption Day
October 28	National Holiday
December 25-26	Christmas Day & Boxing Day
2005
January 1	New Year's Day
January 6	Epiphany
March 14	Shrove Monday
March 25	Independence Day
April 29	Good Friday
May 1	Orthodox Easter, Labor Day
May 2	Easter Monday
June 20	Whit Monday

POST OFFICE (ELTA)

All post offices are open Monday through Friday from 7.30 am - 2.00 pm.

The main offices at 100, Aeolou Street, Syntagma Square and Acropolis Kiosk are open Monday through Friday from 7.30 am - 8.00 pm, Saturday from 7.30 am - 2.00 pm and Sunday from 9.00 am - 1.30 pm.

The post offices: Central post office of Piraeus, St. Nikolas Piraeus, Kallithea, Athens 49 (Athens parcel department), and the post offices in the Sorting Centres of Athens, Kallithea, Kessariani, Peristeri, Airport are open Monday through Friday from 7.30 am - 8.00 pm.

EXPRESS MAIL SERVICE

(EMS) of the Greek Postal Service (ELTA) was introduced as a courier service. An international network spanning 130 countries, with 320 post offices through-out Greece in all main cities and towns plus the smallest villages, offers the customer many outlets from which to send mail abroad - knowing it will reach the destination speedily.

PORTA-PORTA

(DOOR to DOOR) was introduced as an efficient courier service and it does just that, accepting parcels up to 20 in weight for the Greek domestic market. One may send by PORTA-PORTA courier any-where in Greece and packages are accepted with a simple telephone call from 7.30 a.m. daily until 20.00 p.m. and collections from the clients address can be facilitated daily including Sundays and public holidays.

POSTFAX SERVICE

ELTA has introduced new-age facilities with their POST-FAX SERVICE to satisfy the needs of the clients who wishe their documents to be sent on the spot whether a sheet of paper or many documents, designs or graphs, the new POSTFAX`SERVICE does it all.

FOREIGN EXCHANGE SERVICES.

All post offices provide Foreign Exchange Services

For further information please call:

Athens	: (210) 3223 473 - 5230 474
Piraeus	: (210) 4128 177
Thessaloniki	: (2310) 241795