General Information

Location: Attica, Greece. Athens is the capital city of Greece in the prefecture of Attica.

Country dialing code: 30. The old Athens code of 010 has been replaced with 210, however, 210 must be dialed even within Athens. All numbers throughout the country now have ten digits, which must all be dialed.

City population: About 3.300.000 (metropolitan area) with vast majority Greek and small minority of other nationalities.

Religion: 97% Greek Orthodox majority; Protestant, Muslim, Roman Catholic and Jewish minorities.

Time zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from last Sunday in March to Saturday before last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz; round two- or three-pin plugs are standard.

Weather: Athens climate is benign. In winter, temperatures seldom go past 0°C (32F) and in summer, temperatures get up to 37°C (99F) or higher.

Food & drink: Water quality varies from area to area, depending on the source but in most regions is excellent. Bottled water is available and is advised for the first few weeks of the stay. Milk is pasteurized and dairy products are safe for consumption. Local meat, poultry, seafood, fruit and vegetables are considered safe to eat.

Health care: It always is a good precaution to take out holiday insurance. Refunds for medical treatment are theoretically available from the Greek Social Insurance Foundation on presentation of form E111. Local chemists can diagnose and supply a wide selection of drugs. There often are waiting lists for treatment at public hospitals. Hospital facilities on outlying islands are sometimes sparse, although many ambulances without adequate facilities have air-ambulance backup. If you need a public ambulance, call 166.