Now, if you are headed to Greece, here are a few things you should know as an American:
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Very few taxis take credit cards.
We always made sure to have cash on hand. They use Euros in Greece. It’s usually cheapest to exchange your money at a bank. As far as rideshare companies, like Uber, they are not super popular there. Instead, most people use an app called TaxiBeat that helps you hail a taxi.
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You must ask taxi drivers for receipts or they may try to overcharge you (it happened to us).
Beware that there is also a flat fee charged from the airport – ask what it is. We were charged 60 euro when it should have been the flat fee of 38 euro.
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Greek people are friendly and kind.
At one point, we got stuck on a cobblestone hill and a complete stranger came and offered to drive our car to the top. He saved us from trying to push the van up the hill ourselves. It was so kind.
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Fewer people speak English than in other large European cities.
I wished I had learned more basic phrases for communicating. I always think it’s a little bit rude to assume everyone around the world speaks English. Even though I sounded terrible, I could tell it was appreciated when I tried.
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There are dangerous neighborhoods, just like anywhere else, so ask your hotel which places are safest to walk if you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing.
Our concierge told us exactly where to go and we had no problems. One night we were wandering around and not sure where to go next, so we asked a police officer, who was so helpful and nice. Of course, just like other major cities, there are lots of people trying to make a quick buck in Athens.
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People were always surprised when we tipped 15-20%.
It wasn’t until we asked a Greek person who told us that it is customary to only tip 5-10% in Greece. They also just round up at some restaurants, so a tip is included in your bill. If you would like to tip your waiter, give the money directly to them. I went with a group of 6 and at every restaurant, we ordered 6 dishes, a couple appetizers, and dessert and split everything. We rarely paid more than 10-15 euros/person per meal. I found it to be very reasonably priced, even at nicer restaurants. Almost everywhere we went, they brought out something “on the house”, one night it was soup, another night it was dessert. I thought it was nice.
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There is little to none when it comes to American fast food in Greece, which we found so refreshing!
The entire time we were in Athens and Santorini, we only saw one McDonald’s. Instead, you actually get to try all of the local flavors and Greek food is delicious. Talking to a few native Athens residents, they said most of them would rather eat a fresh gyro than a McDonald’s hamburger. I have to agree! The street food was absolutely delicious. We never had a bad meal.
The main thing you need to remember is to have fun! Enjoy the beautiful country of Greece and all it has to offer. It is truly unlike any other place in the world. The rich history is magnificent and the sights are breathtaking. I can’t wait until I get to visit again someday.
