Greek Specialties

Avoid the Crowds

Spring travel tips.

The tourist season is just around the corner. The Parthenon will be overrun with families snapping pictures, the streets of Athens will overflow even more so than usual, and the islands will be filled with revelers and tourists. Why not take advantage of the spring shoulder season and see what Greece has to offer without the throngs of people.

Summer season doesn't get started until late May or June, when the vast majority of the world embarks on holiday. In April and early May there are more bargains to be had as tour companies try to fill up the empty slots on their registers. The weather isn't quite as wonderful as summer. Rains are still common but the weather is warm and pleasant. Most days are still at least partially sunny, and full on sunny days aren't just a rare occurrence. It's the optimum time for a bit of sight-seeing, although ocean sports may not make it onto the itinerary.

Most of the great destinations and tourist facilities are opening and just gearing up for the summer season, so rentals aren't a problem. To play it safe, schedule your trip to avoid the Easter weekend when nearly the entire country is shut down – unless of course you are planning a trip to Greece to celebrate Easter in the traditional Greek way. Nearly everything is open by the Tuesday following Easter as the season officially starts, but prices are often lower since tourism is still diminished.

April and May are also home to many local festivals. If you are traveling to experience the culture, this is an optimum time. Since tourists aren't over running the country you may find a warmer welcome at local festivities.

Getting Your Travel Documents Organized

Greek travel documentation.

Foreign travel requires the right documentation. For those of us in the US, we usually depend on our passports to get us into most countries. Greece, as part of the Schengen Agreement, has most of the same entry requirements as the rest of Europe. This is one of the reasons it is such a popular destination, since we don't require too much documentation to visit.

If you are staying for less than 90 days, whether for business or pleasure, you don't need a visa. If you will be staying for more than three months, you will need to fill out a visa application. Depending on the nature of your visit, you may need to show proof of funds to cover living expenses and proof of return airfare.

Greece does have travel restrictions on those with Macedonian ties on their passports. This means for Americans born in Macedonia, you will need to fill out a special form and get it stamped instead of your US passport. You must keep the form with your passport at all times when visiting the country.

Visa extensions must be applied for at least 20 days in advance of your previous visa expiring or your three month stamp in your passport expiration date. You will need your passport and four passport photos to apply. Extensions are good for six month periods in most cases.

Remember to leave a copy of all your travel documents with someone back home in case you lose your passport while visiting. Keep extra passport photos and your passport numbers on hand. If you lose these documents, having the backup information makes it easier to get a replacement at the US embassy in Greece.

Safety Tips for Greek Tourists

Travel smart.

Overall, Greece is a safe destination for tourists. General safety precautions, as you would take at home or when traveling within Europe, are generally all you need to keep yourself and your valuables safe. Currently, the main concerns to personal safety are some of the demonstrations taking place due to Greek politics and the economy. Stay away from these demonstrations and you have little to worry about.

Keep your money out of sight. A travel pouch worn beneath the clothing prevents you from becoming a target for pick pocketers, especially in busy tourist areas. If you must bring valuables, keep them locked up in the hotel safe. Never leave valuables or cash in your room unsupervised. Also, avoid flashing your cash when making purchases. Only pull out what you need and use small bills when necessary.

Greece has strict laws on moped and motorcycle safety. If you go for a ride or rent a bike, you must wear a helmet and goggles. Fines and even imprisonment can result from failure to do so. Never turn your passport over to a rental agency as a “security deposit.” This is not a legal deposit and chances are they are trying to scam you. Instead, find another rental agency.

While you may be in Greece to party, keep in mind that indecent behavior is never acceptable. Nudity, excessive rowdiness, public drunkenness and drug use can all land you in a Greek jail or result in heavy fines. Greece also has severe punishments for the sale and purchase of bootlegged goods. Get a receipt for every purchase and keep it on hand until you leave the country. If you do end up with bootlegged merchandise, a receipt for the purchase proves your innocence and transfers the punishment to the seller.

Greek Adventure Travel

Enjoy the outdoors.

When most people think of Greece they imagine the great historical and archaeological sites, the romantic evenings on the beach, or the hip nightlife of the cities and islands. But Greece is more than these things. It's also a great destination if you are looking for adventure and sport.

In the summer months, Greek's location on the sea provides you with many outdoor opportunies. Water sports are a perfect way to enjoy the warm sea and temperatures. Skiing, wind surfing and kayaking are just a few options in this Mediterranean nation. The crystal clear waters are also perfect for diving and snorkeling, especially in the Golden Beach area. If you are traveling with children, there are waterparks located right on some of the beaches that provide fun for all ages.

Kalymnos is a favorite destination for my rock climbing husband. Awe-inspiring views are the reward for those willing to put in the effort. The cliff faces and rock formation are right on the water, allowing you to climb up for a unique view of the sea and landscape. There is even mountain climbing in the country for those that prefer a back country trip. For example, the European Trail E4, a three day adventure, takes you right to the peak of Mount Taygetos.

Winter in Greece isn't without its share of adventure. Ski resorts dot the mountains of the nation, with chances for skiing, snowboarding and cross-country available. These resorts provide you with European skiing at its finest, in a beautiful landscape that only nature could provide.

Cycladic Islands

Greek Paradise

Of the 39 islands that make up the Cyclades, only 24 are inhabited. Whether you visit reverent and pastoral Tinos or the popular and cosmopolitan Mykonos, there is an island in the Aegean sea to fit your preferences.

Access to the Cylades is typically provides by ferry. It takes less than four hours to reach Mykonos and the other islands near land but it can take eight hours or longer to ferry to the ever popular Santorini, one of the most well-known of the Cycladic isles. While I've known travelers to head out the isles for just a short visit, you really should dedicate at least a portion of your trip to touring these beautiful bits of paradise. Even better, plan a trip just to explore the Cyclades.

If you want sandy beaches but aren't drawn to the busy resort life of Mykonos, Antiparos may be the best island to visit. Antiparos has miles of pristine beaches and a laid back atmosphere. It lies close to Paros island, a more popular destination so that the entertainment of the city is no more than a short ferry ride away. Paros is home to the white marble quarries where many of the materials for the antiquities of old were mined.

For the reverent, Tinos is the holy island of the Cyclades. Thousands of pilgrims visit the church each year to pray at the feet of the Virgin Mary. The island is also pleasantly rural, with villages to explore and history to experience.

History buffs have plenty of islands to see and they can still avoid the crowds. Amorgos has been inhabited since at least 3300 BCE, and has the archaeological sites to prove it. There is also Delos, the mythical birthplace of Apollo. The volcanic sculpting of Milos attracts those who love to hike and explore within the awesomeness of nature.

Athens Highlights

The historical capital of Europe.

No Greece trip is complete without a trip to Athens, in fact you could spend weeks just touring this ancient and beautiful city. Athens is the cultural center of the region, with centuries of culture and conquerers leaving their fingerprints on the metropolis. Today,, the classical and ancient blends seamlessly with the new and modern.

The Acropolis

This is the main sight that many tourist come to Athens for. This sacred rock of Athens sits above the city, with the old temple perched atop. It's surrounded by some of the most beautiful reminders of antiquity. Masterpeices of art and architecture still stand sentinel on the rock, not least of which is the Parthenon. Nearby the new Acropolis museum houses even more archaeological finds and pieces of art from the bygone eras.

The Plaka

The oldest neighborhood in Athens, the Plaka is host to some of the best restaurants and most enjoyable shopping in the city. The Plaka sits at the foot of the Acropolis and features plenty of ancient architecture blended with newer 19^th century offerings.

Poseidon's Temple

Visit the beach and see the awe-inspiring temple of Poseidon at Sounion. You can swim in the warm Mediterranean waters after touring the ruins. Sounion sits a mere hour outside Athens, making it suitable for a short day trip when visiting the city.

Temple of Zeus

Not much remains of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, but the original building was the largest temple in Greece at one point and took nearly a millennium to complete. It's suspected that the majority of the temple fell during an earthquake at least during the middle ages, although some columns have fallen as recently as the 1800s. The Temple sits near Hadrian's Gate, another historic sight that was once the grand entrance into Athens.

The Sweet Side of Greece

Favorite Greek Pastries

Greek desserts are a rich, decadent choice, but I am partial to the pastries. In Greece a sweet pastry is an afternoon snack and not an after-dinner affair. All the better, since who wants to partake of these rich, sugary delights on a full stomach?

Most pastries in Greece feature the buttery crispness of phyllo dough, once of my favorites since it is so hard to make from scratch but so easy to purchase premade. And the frozen stuff tastes nearly as good as the scratch variety! These pastries are also heavy on sugar, but light on dairy products such as cream. So although they are rich, they don't seem as heavy as the desserts I am used to.

Nuts make a grand showing in many Greek pastries. Baklava, arguably one of the most well known pastries from Greece, features a sweet nut filling inside light layers of phyllo. Usually walnuts are used but sometimes other nuts make a showing, or even sometimes fruit.

Kataifa doesn't use phyllo, but instead uses a thin pastry that resembles angel hair pasta. The filling is similar to baklava, containing lots of nuts, cinnamon and sugar, but the pastry gives kataifa a texture all its own. I find it quite addicting!

My all-time favorite pastry is bougatsa. This a traditional breakfast pastry but is good anytime. You can make it sweet or savory by altering the filling. Cheese, meats, vegetables, fruits and cream all make suitable fillings. I kind of think of them as a phyllo burrito, since the version I make at home has the phyllo wrapped around the filling burrito like. When purchased from a Greek sweet shop, bougatsa is usually sliced into bite-size pieces similar to baklava.

Greece-Inspired Reads

The Priest Fainted

My love affair with Greece began with a rather innocuous book I grabbed on a whim several years ago. Although fiction, the writer, Catherine Temma Davidson, drew from her own history and experience to weave a beautiful coming of age store of an American girl finding herself in the land of her mother. Over the course of the novel, the protagonist comes to respect her Greek roots and gains respect for own mother. Woven through it all were tales of food, which wove the many diverse threads of the story into a single tapestry

The book, “The Priest Fainted,” sent me on a quest to understand more about this sometimes mysterious country. Like many Americans, my main knowledge of Greece was steeped in ancient gods and crumbling architecture, but I knew very little about modern Greece. With the help of this book, part memoir, part fiction, I began to see how the ancient and the modern is woven deeply into the fabric of the country.

The protagonist, whose name we never learn, travels to Greece much in her twenties. She is like many new adults, full of life but without direction. Her mother, who made the same journey before her many years ago, had nearly stayed in Greece with a lover instead of returning and marrying, to lead a mundane life as an American housewife. Perhaps the protagonist is looking for someone to sweep her off her feet, perhaps she just needs time to grow as her own person.

We follow her as she retraces her mother's youth through the ancient landscape. Sights and smells in Greece remind her of foods her own mother prepared, giving her a deep understanding that no one's life is mundane. Eventually, after living through adventure, tragedy, love and heartbreak, she understands her mother's choices and she understands the allure of the old country.

Greek food for beginners

It's simpler than you'd expect.

Greek restaurants are some of the most popular in the United States, with many non-Greeks growing up with this cuisine in their “home-cooked” mentality. I consider myself as part of this category; I’ve been eating Midwestern Greek food as long as I can remember. It’s only recently that I’ve begun learning to cook some Greek specialties at home, and for the most part, it’s simpler than I would have thought.

Greek food has herbs, spices and other ingredients that are used fairly regularly in its preparation. Most dishes utilize olive oil, and many more include ingredients like tomato, eggplant, onions and potato. Almost all Greek food contains quite a bit of citrus, specifically lemon. Spices typical in Greek cooking includes oregano, mint, garlic, basil and dill. The sweet ingredients added to Greek dishes include honey, cinnamon and cloves.

One of the basics in making Greek food is creating a tzatziki, or yogurt sauce. To make it, mix four grated cloves of garlic, salt and vinegar to taste. Next, combine two cups of yogurt with one whole peeled and grated cucumber, and then added the garlic mixture. Whisk the ingredients and then add oil to taste. Serve immediately, or put the mixture into the refrigerator if you prefer it colder.

My favorite Greek dish is fried zucchini. It is amazing simple to make. Simply heat oil in a frying pan until it reaches 350 degrees. Next, combine 1 and ½ cup Panko, 1 and ¾ cup Parmesan and ¾ teaspoon in one bowl and whisk two eggs into another. Cut three medium-sized zucchinis into slices, dip them into the egg, the Panko mixture and then deep fry them in your pan. They should take about three minutes to fry. Serve them with your freshly-made tzatziki sauce.

For beginning Greek cooks, chicken gyros are usually easier to make—and less fatty—than their traditional lamb counterparts. Cut up ½ pound of boneless, skinless chicken breast and put it into a plastic bag with ¼ cup lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, ½ teasopoon of garlic and ½ teaspoon oregano. Shake to coat, and cook chicken in a pan until cooked through, around seven to eight minutes. While you’re waiting, bake your pita, and chop a small, whole tomato and red onion to taste. After the pita is warm and golden brown, top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, tomato and onion to taste.

What are your favorite Greek dishes?

A Favorite taste of Greece

Spanakopita – fun to say and to eat!

I used to work right next door to a small Greek deli. This was one of those hole-in-the-wall places that you overlook for the flashier establishments surrounding it. It was mainly patronized by neighborhood locals and the Greek expatriate community. The owner, an immigrant well into his retirement years, spoke fast in a heavily accented voice that always seemed a bit harsh, which I think intimidated some potential customers, but he was an interesting man and a teddy bear once you got to know him.

I visited his deli daily for lunch, and while I sometimes sampled his other dishes my favorite was the spanakopita. Fun to say and oh so delicious to eat! The ingredients don't seem that special on their own but they blend together into something truly special. Everyone may rave about Greek specialties like gyros and moussaka, but I'll take the humble spinach pie any day.

Spanakopita in its simplest form is nothing more than layers of spinach and feta cheese tucked into phyllo dough then baked. It's excellent both cold and warm. My deli owner would always add other little tidbits to my order, insisting that spanakopita was not a meal but a snack and I would starve to death if I didn't eat more, but I find it more than enough for a light lunch or dinner, especially if paired with some fruit or a salad. He is probably right, though. I have been to many parties where small squares of spanakopita were the hors d'oeuvre or it was served as an appetizer.

Spanakopita is easy to make at home if you use frozen phyllo dough. You can use spinach alone, or combine it with sauteed onions, leeks and garlic. It refrigerates well, so one pan can provide several days feasting.

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