Spring Break in March 2015

Framingham State University

Trip leaders:

Judy Otto Brian Cacchiotti Sue Dargan David Eccleston Stacey Eccleston

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Things to consider before we go…

Planning your activities We STRONGLY RECOMMEND PURCHASING A GOOD GUIDEBOOK FOR ATHENS (or taking one out of your local library). Then spend some time planning your itinerary: what will you want to see and when do you want to see it? We always hope for sunny warm weather, but museums and churches are a GREAT ALTERNATIVE on rainy, cooler days!

We hope to have some bulletin board space in the hotel where we’ll post information and allow you space to leave notes for each other. Trip leaders will be posting our daily schedules and you are welcome to join us! The for-credit class will be doing several required activities including, 1) an architectural tour, 2) an urban planning tour and 3) a museum visit, in addition to the included tour – but everyone is welcome to join us!

Money The currency for and 17 other countries in Europe is the euro, €. There are 100 eurocents to the euro. It’s currently trading at 1€ = $1.14 (as of Feb. 16, 2015). We will upload a “cheat sheet” converter to the trip website a couple of days before departure (see www.itsallgeography.com).

Getting cash: the easiest and best way to get cash in Athens is with bank ATMs, which are everywhere. Be sure there are enough funds in your account to cover your planned expenses for the week. If you have a linked checking-savings account, you may only have access to the checking account, so transfer funds if you need to before you leave the US.

Two methods we DO NOT recommend are 1) getting Euros here in the US before traveling, or 2) bringing traveler’s checks. Bringing Euros is dangerous because you will need to have a large amount of cash on you while traveling and then you will either need to carry it with you at all times (unsafe) or store it in the hotel safe (time consuming.) Worse is bringing traveler’s checks. In order to use a traveler’s check, you need to locate the Athens offices for the company you use (often American Express) and then you need to go there during normal business hours with your passport in order to cash your check into Euros. It is SO MUCH EASIER to just use a local bank ATM with your bank card.

Before we travel, call your issuing bank to:

ATM/Debit cards:  Let them know your dates and destination of travel (they track account activity to prevent fraud);  Make sure your card won’t be expiring while you are abroad;  Verify that your PIN will work in European ATMs (must be four digits); and  Check on foreign transaction fees your bank will charge (we were able to modify our account to get rid of fees). Banks typically charge an additional fee to convert Euros to dollars. Withdrawing Euros or making credit card purchases in Euros will generate an additional transaction fee.

Credit cards:  VISA and MasterCard are commonly accepted. Amex, Discover and other cards may not be accepted;  Call the card issuer to inform them of your travel dates and destination, so they don’t put a hold on your card when they see foreign activity; and  Make sure your card won’t be expiring while you are abroad.

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Note: Most American credit cards do not have the “smart chip” that European cards have, so they can’t be used in vending machines, automated ticket kiosks and sometimes at smaller stores. Since you have a few weeks before you leave, call your bank and ask if they can send you a smart chip card for use on the trip. (If you want to know more about this, ask Brian.)

One other important note when using your credit cards in Europe is DCCs or CPCs. These stand for Dynamic Currency Conversion (and Cardholder Preferred Currency.) This is where a merchant can charge you in DOLLARS and NOT the local currency. While this might seem like a good idea (you see the exact cost in dollars), it is often simply an added expense in both the fee they charge you for the transaction AND the poor exchange rate they offer. The best way to avoid this happening is to say to the merchant, “I want the sale in Euros!” If they say that their machine does it automatically, I suggest that you walk out and not purchase from them (because they are lying to you.) More information with the pros and cons of this service can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_currency_conversion

IMPORTANT! Know the telephone numbers to call if your ATM or credit cards are stolen, and keep the card numbers and telephone numbers somewhere different than the cards.

Cell phones IF you plan to use your cell phone in Athens you need to call your provider and discuss this with them.

If your phone is a smartphone (tri-band, euro spec) then it may be usable in Athens. If not, you cannot use your phone. If your phone is compatible, the easiest (but most expensive) solution is to turn on international calling. Check with your provider for rates… and be prepared to be shocked. You will pay high per minute rates as well as a fee for incoming and outgoing calls.

This is for phone and texting service only. Data is a whole different problem! Smart phone users are advised to turn off all data connectivity except Wi-Fi access in order to avoid very large and unexpected bills.

Data plans are very expensive and last time we checked not readily available from US carriers for use in Europe. This may have changed – talk to your cell carrier! If you simply connect to a data connection in Europe you should be prepared for OUTRAGEOUS bills for use. And you won’t even see it coming. I have heard of cell phone bills in the $10,000+ because someone left their phone in data mode for long periods of time. My advice… turn off your data roaming. Only use Wi-Fi connectivity with your phone!

Again, CALL YOUR PROVIDER so you know what to expect! Another possibility if you have an unlocked phone and can add a SIM card is to purchase a Greek SIM and talk minutes…and then you will have a Greek phone and phone number.

Wi-Fi According to the hotel, there is Wi-Fi in all areas of the hotel, including in your rooms… but it has a surcharge… ~$55 for the week! That being said we have found that while most hotels offer semi-reasonable Wi-Fi in the lobby and other public areas, service in rooms can be spotty at best. Plan to spend the week untethered from your usual social media presence; you can always upload photos etc. when you return! Plus, you will have much more fun if you are living in the moment rather than trying to document it for facebook, twitter, instagram, etc.

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Medical Call your health insurance provider (your insurance company, not your PCP) to find out if you are covered overseas. Most plans don’t provide international coverage. If you need medical care, you will need to pay for it at time of service and hope to be reimbursed through iNext, which provides somewhat limited coverage and is mainly designed for extreme medical emergencies. Be sure to save all receipts and incident reports (hospital, police, doctor, etc.) You must call iNext as soon as practical after your incident occurs (they have a European contact phone number.) Framingham State University requires all travelers in university programs to purchase iNext coverage, regardless of what other coverage you may already have.

Electricity The voltage in Greece is 220V, 50 cycles AC. Plugs have two small round pins. To use ANY American plug (including the chargers for your camera, laptop, phone, etc.) you will need an adaptor. Most electronics are already configured to need ONLY the adaptor. If you have older devices, you will also need a converter.

You can get along with just a plug converter for many of today's small electrical devices designed to run on dual voltages. Devices like this include most laptops, most recently produced battery chargers, and many small, electrical gadgets, especially those designed for world travel. You can check the back of the device or the "power brick" for the electrical input specifications. Here's one that you can just use with a plug adapter:

The device above only needs a plug adapter to work in Spain, since it can use any voltage between 100 and 240, as long as it's AC voltage alternating at 50 or 60 hertz. Sometimes called a "universal power supply," this battery charger can be used throughout Europe with the right plug adapter.

HINT: It might be smart to bring a short extension cord with multiple plug capacity. This way you can plug the extension cord into the converter and have 3 US plugs available!

Remember to bring all your chargers. They are difficult to replace and often expensive (IF you can even find one). Consider spare batteries for your devices. It might be difficult to find replacements.

Note: According to the hotel, all rooms are supplied with hair dryers in the bathrooms. So you will NOT need to bring one! American hair-dyers may short out unless you have both a converter and an adapter.

Luggage and Packing We are each allowed ONE checked bag, maximum 23 kg (50 lbs) and ONE carry-on bag. We urge you to pack light, not least because you will want room in your bag for souvenirs on the return flight! If your checked bag is overweight, you will be charged at the check-in counter when you check your bag. Carry-on bags must be 21.5 x 15.75 x 9 or smaller. Women may also carry a SMALL handbag according to the airline websites.

Be sure to wear/bring comfortable shoes. You will be walking a lot! And just in case you missed this part, you will be walking A LOT!!

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Despite all the fashion shows on television, it is just a fact that Europeans dress better than Americans. They are rarely ‘sloppy’ and don’t tend to wear jeans and sneakers in the evening unless they are ‘dress’ jeans. If you want to blend in more and not stand out as a tourist, upscale your look a little and you will feel more a part of the Euro scene. 

If you will be visiting churches (even as a tourist, not a church-goer) you should dress modestly (no micro- minis, bare shoulders or midriffs, or low-hanging pants). Men, take off your hats indoors! This is not a suggestion. You will be confronted and told to leave in many cases. It is a sign of disrespect, so please understand and show your maturity when visiting such venues.

TSA regulations prohibit the following in carry-on luggage (or on your person) as you pass through security:  Sharp objects (including scissors, knitting needles, tweezers) – disposable razors are ok.  Sporting goods  Weapons  Flammables (including cigarette lighters and matches)  Gels or liquids exceeding 3 oz (that’s the container size, not what’s left in it)

Here is the 3-1-1 rule for gels and liquids: No more than 3 oz containers; everything must fit in a 1 quart- size Ziploc bag, 1 Ziploc bag per person.

For additional information: Swiss Air (Friday travelers) baggage guidelines are at: http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services/baggage/Pages/baggage_overview.aspx

British Airways (Saturday travelers) baggage guidelines are at: http://www.britishairways.com/en-gb/information/baggage-essentials/checked-baggage-allowances

Hint: Consider packing one full change of clothes in your carry-on bag, or exchanging a change of clothes with a friend so that if one of your checked bags is delayed or lost, you’ll still have a spare set of clothing.

Also: tidy up your wallet and leave at home items that you won’t need – your FSU library card, for example.  If your wallet is lost or stolen, you won’t have to replace these items when you return.

Drugs Prescription drugs must be in original containers with your name on the label. Be sure you bring enough to last you through the week of travel; now is the time to call your doctor for more if you’ll need them. Also, these medicines should be packed in your carry-on bag! If your checked luggage is delayed or lost, you will have no access to them and replacing prescription medications in Europe is near impossible!

Non prescription drugs (over the counter) are usually fine to bring in smaller quantities, but remember almost everything is also available in Athens. NOTE! – codeine is illegal in Greece!

Illegal drugs… do we need to say it? NO ILLEGAL DRUG USE! Do not use it, carry it or be near it! If you end up at a private party and people are using drugs, leave at once! If you get caught with drugs we can do NOTHING except inform your parents and the US Embassy. And drug penalties are much more severe in other countries. Play it safe and stay away from this trouble. Please NOTE: As difficult as it will be for us, YOU WILL BE LEFT BEHIND!

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Travel document checklist:

Must have:  Passport  Student/faculty ID (potentially useful for museum discounts)  Credit card/ATM card, plus, in a separate location, the numbers and issuer contact information

Optional but recommended:  Drivers license or other photo ID (in case your passport is stolen, you can still prove you’re you)  Passport photo for use in Athens (some transit/tourist passes require a photo)  Name and phone number of your primary care physician  Give a copy of your Trip itinerary to your emergency contact so they know your Athens contact info (hotel information is in this packet)

We will have a secure copy of all your passport photo pages during the trip, but don’t worry -- we will shred them when we return.

Weather While it is impossible to predict the weather several weeks ahead, the climate for Athens and environs lets us know what we can plan on experiencing while we are exploring the city. Athens has a Mediterranean climate, with cool, moist winters and hot dry summers.

During the month of March, daytime high temperatures average around 60 degrees F, and can get down into the mid 40s at night. With an average of nearly 2 inches of rain over the month, it’s entirely possible that we’ll see a rainy day or two. Consider a lightweight waterproof jacket and/or an umbrella. Spray-on waterproofing of your shoes is recommended in some guide books. Consider tucking a lightweight pair of gloves into your coat pocket.

Of course, this is all based on averages. You’ll have a pretty good idea of what to expect if you check the 10- day forecast online just before we travel. And always remember… a rainy day in Europe beats a sunny day in Framingham EVERY TIME!!! 

Time Change Normally we are 7 hours behind Athens here in Massachusetts. But we will “spring ahead” here in early in the morning on March 8, so we will already be in Daylight Saving Time when we depart the following weekend. Europe doesn’t spring ahead until the end of March. We will therefore be 6 hours ahead of Eastern European Time (EET) for the duration of our trip. This means when it is 12 noon in Athens, it is only 6 am back home.

And remember, much of Europe operates in 24-hour time, not 12-hour (am/pm), thus… 20:30 = 8:30pm

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Traveling and Being in Athens…

This guide is NOT meant to be a comprehensive guide to Athens… for that PLEASE get yourself a real guidebook. This is meant to be only a primer and an information source for our trip.

You should seek out additional information about the types of activities that you may wish to engage in. For example, if you are interested primarily in the architecture of Athens, there are many wonderful guidebooks specifically targeting the Athens architecture scene (or art, or archaeology, or sports, or film, or food, etc.) Please find one of these guides and read up! We will all be especially glad if you will share some of your discoveries with the group.

So here is the short and sweet version of our Athens trip.

Logan Departure:

We are traveling in two groups, on two different days. The Friday-Friday group is the larger one, followed by a Saturday-Saturday group.

FRIDAY GROUP: SWISS AIRLINE Please plan to be at Logan Airport (Terminal E) by 7:30 pm on Friday March 13. Queues for checking baggage and going through airport security can be long, and flights do not wait! In fact, Swiss Air has a reputation for pushing back from the gate BEFORE their scheduled departure time!

Please check in with Brian and Judy near the Swiss Air check-in desk (2nd floor) so that we can confirm your presence. Then you will get into the Swiss Air economy queue where you will: check your bag; and be issued a boarding pass. You should immediately proceed to the security checkpoint. There are restrooms, restaurants, snacks, and newsstands on the other (secure) side of Terminal E.

Friday-Friday Flight Schedule:

Airline Flight # Date From To Departure Arrival Swiss Air LX53 Mar 13, 2014 Boston Zurich 10:45 pm 11:00 am +1 day Swiss Air LX1838 Mar 14, 2014 Zurich Athens 12:55 pm 4:35 pm Swiss Air LX1831 Mar 20, 2014 Athens Zurich 2:00 pm 3:50 pm Swiss Air LX52 Mar 20, 2014 Zurich Boston 5:30 pm 9:05 pm

SATURDAY GROUP: BRITISH AIR

Please plan to be at Logan Airport (Terminal E) by 3:30 pm on Saturday March 14. Queues for checking baggage and going through airport security can be long, and flights do not wait! Weekend flights are notorious for long lines at both the ticket counter and the security check lines!

Please check in with Stacey and Natalie Eccleston near the British Air check- in desk (2nd floor) so that we can confirm your presence. Then you will get into the British Air economy queue where you will: check your bag; and be

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Airline Flight # Date From To Departure Arrival British Air BA0212 Mar 14, 2014 Boston London (H) 6:55 pm 5:10 am +1 day British Air BA0640 Mar 15, 2014 London (H) Barcelona 7:55 pm 1:35 pm British Air BA0641 Mar 21, 2014 Barcelona London (H) 2:30 pm 4:30 pm British Air BA0239 Mar 21, 2014 London (H) Boston 7:15 pm 10:40 pm

Airport Behavior:

Please be attentive in the airport, especially during our time changing planes and going through customs and passport control. We need the group to stay together because frankly… especially for the Friday group, there are 50+ of you and only 3 group leaders! If you wander off… you just might end up missing a flight or simply causing major problems for the group. PLEASE stick together and follow directions while we are in transit.

One important point is to be on your best behavior during security screenings and check-in. A ‘little joke’ might just have you experiencing some very intrusive questioning and/or searches… and may end up forcing you to miss your flight. Cooperate and let’s all get to ATHENS!

Transferring in Zurich or London Heathrow Airport If you are a seasoned traveler you might have noticed that we have rather short layover times in both Zurich and London. These very tight connection times mean we all really need to stay close and not go wandering off to purchase souvenirs or to explore. In reality anything less than 2 hours is super tight so please stick together and we’ll all get on our flights!

Transfers to/from Hotel: Again… it is very important that we all stay together when searching for the for the trip to the hotel. You will be required to bring your bag to the bus; they will load the baggage; and you will get on! When we get to the hotel, you will pick up your bag and bring it into the hotel. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR BAG UNATTENDED! We had one bag stolen in Barcelona when a young woman left her bags and went in search of a Wi-Fi connection. She found the Wi-Fi, but her bag was gone when she returned 90 seconds later.

We will get the room keys and distribute them in the lobby. You are then free to go to your rooms, leave your luggage and then… you are ready for ATHENS! Remember on our first night we have a WELCOME DINNER that is included in your travel package! More on this later.

HINT: When we first get to the hotel after a long night and day of travel you might be tempted to just take a little nap… Our advice is… tough it out! Take a shower, change your clothes, have a snack, take a walk in the neighborhood… but DON’T SLEEP YET! We will all meet for dinner on the first night and, if you can, stay up to at least 9:00 or 10:00 pm. This will allow you to begin to ‘reset’ your internal clock to Athens time and be ready to hit the ground the next day. If you go to sleep early… chances are you will wake up very early (3:00- 4:00 am) and end up being tired by midday.

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Hotel: Hotel Titania Panepistimiou 52 Athens 106 78 - Greece Tel: +30.210-33.26.000 Fax: +30.210-33.00.700 http://www.titania.gr/ e-mail: [email protected]

We strongly recommend you get a business card of the hotel from the front desk and tuck into your wallet or handbag. It will have the name of the hotel and the address. Then if you ever need to find your way home… simply give this card to any taxi driver and they will take you home with no language barrier to cause problems.

Our trip includes a substantial (not European plan) breakfast each day in the hotel. We strongly urge you to take advantage of this service! As travelers on a budget a FREE MEAL is a necessity and it also offers an opportunity to see and talk to the other members of our trip! So eat a HEARTY BREAKFAST and you might be able to skip a big lunch!

The exact method for obtaining breakfast has not yet been determined – it might be with a voucher ticket or simply by room number – we will let you know as we find out.

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At the Hotel Titania, all rooms have: • Wi-Fi (surcharge in rooms, $55/week) • Flat-screen television • Safe (in room or behind main desk) • Air conditioning • Bathroom with bath, hair dryer, cosmetic/shaving • Access to laundry service (additional fees)

In general, European hotel rooms tend to be smaller than in the US. All rooms are not the same in size, configuration and amenities. Single rooms are always smaller, the idea being that a single person does not need as much space.  Balconies, if they exist, size and location are luck of the draw. If you have a balcony, invite others to enjoy it with you.  The hotel has designated non-smoking rooms/floors. You may notice residue smoke from before the new non-smoking rules in a non-smoking room.  Air conditioning in Europe is not as strong as in the U.S. Make certain windows and balcony doors are closed when operating the air conditioning. The control unit is on the wall.  Floor numbering is different in Europe. Level 1 is one floor up (what we consider the second floor in North America.  Keys – If you get electronic keys, they also activate the electricity in the room. They must be inserted into the slot on the inside wall and left in place while in the room. Note: This may mean your chargers might not operate when you remove the card and are away from the room!  Accommodations o Rooms are generally smaller than American hotel rooms. o Two single beds instead of two double beds are common in twin rooms. o A single bed in a small room is common for single accommodations.  Hotel Amenities o Washcloths are considered a personal item and are usually not provided by the hotel.

Electricity –See all about electricity and use of converters/adaptors in previous section. Remember, European current different than in the US. This means you need both an adapter to plug into the outlet and, unless your device has one built in, an adaptor. See previous section for more information about electricity and adaptors/converters.

Water - the tap water is safe to drink in Athens (but not necessarily on the islands!) but may have an unpleasant taste for some people. Bottled water is quite cheap in shops. However, bottled water is served at the table at most restaurants, and there is a charge for it. Ice is still a rarity in Europe and if you ask for ice, be prepared for only one or two cubes! Free refills are not common.

Room Phones The easiest but most expensive way to make calls is from your room, even when using your calling card. Check for public phones in hotel lobby or on the street, glass boxes. If you wish to use your room phone, you will need to leave a credit card imprint at the front desk.

Public telephones While public telephones are available throughout Europe, Greece has an older, outdated model where individuals or companies own the public phones. We have read multiple websites that say using these public phones is both difficult and frustrating for foreigners.

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Both local and international calls require the use of a phone card which may be purchased at most tobacco shops. Both local and long distance call require the proper area code before dialing the number. Ex: to place a call within Athens you must dial 21 + phone number.

To call USA from Greece: 001 + area code + phone number To call Athens from the USA: 011 + 30 + phone number (Athens phones begin 21)

Food Breakfast is included with our trip so take advantage of it! Breakfasts at the hotel are not the typical European plan (a croissant, coffee and jam) but a more substantial European style buffet of cereals, breads, fruits, juices, yogurt, eggs, cheese, cold cuts, coffee and tea. Help yourself to all you can eat, but it is usually prohibited to take food from the breakfast area.

Except for the Welcome Dinner (the evening you arrive), you are on your own for all other meals on our trip. We suggest that you choose your dining options to match your budget and diet. For example, eating at outdoor food vendors is actually cheap and tasty.

Some ideas for lunch on the cheap: you can step into a bread bakery for excellent bread and rolls, and into a cheese shop or deli for meats and cheeses to make a wonderful sandwich. You’ll find fruit and vegetable markets abound as well. Grocery stores sell yogurt, drinks, and often, prepared foods like sandwiches. This will allow you to create your own ‘moveable feast’ in the streets of Athens! This is usually a well priced complete lunch meal.

Museums usually have very nice cafes and restaurants, good for a quick snack or light meal. Yes, you can eat even more cheaply than that, but at least the money is going to help the cause of Art. And we would be remiss if we did not mention the street food and pizzerias that tend to blanket the city.

You can also find a wide range of options from small local meze bars to elegant fine dining establishments. Again, your purchase of a guidebook will be indispensible in assisting you in finding just the right venues for discovering Greek cuisine!

Etiquette People are more formal and polite in Europe than in the US.

If you can learn a few words of Greek, it will go a long way towards making your interactions with Athenians more enjoyable. The appendix contains some basic phrases. Always ask IN GREEK if they speak English! (Μιλάτε αγγλικά; (mee-LAH-teh ang-glee-KAH?)

No smoking except on the streets and outdoor terraces.

Restrooms - “τουαλέτα” (too-ah-LEH-tah) -- are few and far between. They are sometimes available at most major tourist attractions, department stores and rail stations. In some places you will need to pay to get in. Use them where you see them. If you pay, it should be clean. If you don’t pay, you risk it. The restaurant at which you eat is a good place for a restroom. Restrooms in restaurants are for paying customers. If there is an attendant, you should tip them (spare change totaling less than one euro is fine).

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Hint: Do what your mom always told you: “go before you leave” – in museums and other tourist attractions, restaurants, etc.

Tipping

 Housekeeping – is not included. € 5 – 6 per room for the week is considered appropriate.  Bus Drivers and Guides – These tips will be paid by the group leaders – NO TIPS PLEASE  Taxi – It is considered appropriate to round the total to the next full euro amount and possibly add € 1 more.  Other services – Consult an Athens Guidebook for a full listing.

Paying for things In general credit cards are not welcome for small purchases. The use of Euros (cash) is considered the proper way to conduct small purchases, and exact change is very desirable. For example, most vendors would prefer you giving the correct coinage instead of a 5 euro note.

See the note about using credit cards and the DCC fees some merchants may try to charge you (above)

Hint: Be prepared to carry a pretty good amount of coins (loose change.) The smallest paper money is the 5 euro note. So it is fairly common to collect a good deal of coinage in a single day out. A small coin purse might be a smart investment! At the very least, be sure your pockets do not have holes in them!

Dressing

Remember… Europeans tend to dress more elegantly than Americans. That being said, we have noticed it is becoming more and more casual each year we travel, especially amongst the college-aged crowd. Nevertheless, sweatshirts, sneakers, baseball caps and casual jeans immediately mark you as an American tourist, which makes you a target for pickpockets and others looking to rip you off. If you want to “blend,” consider up-scaling your look a bit. However, casual dress throughout the day is acceptable.

Be sure to wear/bring comfortable shoes. You will be walking a lot!

Evening Dress – If you are thinking of a nicer evening out, plan to dress for it.There is no dress code (i.e. jacket, tie, dress requirement) at most restaurants that you are likely to choose. However Greeks are not casual when they dine out and generally dress up for dinner and evening engagements. So, if you wish to ‘fit in’ and be less conspicuous, feel free to dress up! You certainly will not stand out.

Nightclubs may have dress standards and this may determine whether you will be welcome and will fit in.

Recommendation: No jeans or sneakers in the evening.

Services for travelers

Tourist information: The main office of the Greek National Tourism Office (GNTO in English; EOT in Greek) is at Tsocha 7, Ambelokipi, Athens. Phone 210-870-7000. Website: visitgreece.gr.

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The Tourist Information Center is at Dionysiou Areopagitou 18-20 (right by the metro stop). Phone 210-331-0529.

Tourist police can be found at many popular attractions. They can answer transportation questions and help you find a pharmacy or phone numbers for hotels and restaurants.

US Embassy: Vasilissis Sofias, 91 Mavili Square, Athens Phone: (+30) 210-720-2414 Fax: (+30) 210-724-5313 Email: [email protected] On the web at: athens.usembassy.gov

Business hours: M-F 8:30 am to 5 pm, except the last Wednesday of the month (for that, call (+30) 210-721- 2951)

For after-hour emergencies (outside of normal working hours), call (+30)210-729-4444. If you are dialing from the U.S., call 1-888-407-4747.

Emergencies: The all-Europe number 112 can be used for any emergency (medical, fire, police) and can be called from any phone. It is free. Hospitals take emergencies on a rotating basis; the ambulance will know which one is on call. Or flag a cab and ask for the closest e-fee-me-re-von (duty hospital).

More detailed information about emergencies can be found here: http://athens.angloinfo.com/information/healthcare/emergencies/

Mail: The Greek post office is called ELTA. The main post offices in Athens and are open M-F 7:30 am to 8 pm; Saturdays 7:30 am to 2 pm; and Sundays 9 am to 1:30 pm. It costs about €0.75 to send a postcard to the US, and takes 3-5 business days. There is also a post office at the Acropolis with weekend hours.

Some stamps may be available at the hotel desk, but supplies may be limited.

Pharmacies:

Pharmacies are marked with a green and white cross and are found every few blocks. In general, pharmacies in Greece are open Monday and Wednesday from 08:00-14:30, and on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 08:00-14:30 and 17:30- 20:00.

At least one local pharmacy will be open at any time of the day. Details of and schedule for this "duty pharmacy" can be found in every pharmacy window and in the local newspapers. To find a duty pharmacy call 14 944.

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It is often impossible to fill a US prescription in a foreign country as the drugs are often different and they do not recognize US RX’s. Please be sure to bring enough of your medications to last the entire trip

SAFETY NOTE! Please note that codeine and codeine-containing products are illegal in Greece.

Pharmacy or Hospital??: For minor aches and pains, cold or flu, and "little" non-critical emergencies, your best bet may be to head over to the closest pharmacy.

If you are suffering something more serious, or have had an injury not likely to be helped by OTC medication, you can go to the 24-hour casualty department at any hospital. The Embassy maintains a list of English- speaking medical practices and hospitals at http://photos.state.gov/libraries/greece/38517/uscitizens/doctors_list07010.pdf

Call 166 for ambulance service.

PLEASE NOTE! If you require medical assistance let us know as soon as reasonable after the emergency (or non emergency)!

Your iNext insurance covers medical treatment in Greece, but you’ll have to pay at the point of service and then be reimbursed. We have found that the charges for minor ailments are small, or you might not be charged at all (too much work to do the paperwork!)

Internet Access: The hotel does not offer free Wi-Fi either in the hotel public areas or in your rooms. Many internet cafes can be found in Athens. Some charge a fee per minute, others offer free internet while you are a paying customer (café, bar, etc.) Wi-fi is available in the airports as well, but you must log on and pay with a credit card to use it. Athens has a few locations that offer free Wi-Fi to customers and some public areas as well. Consitution Square - Wifi area Pandora Art Gallery – "Ice Scream" – Plaka All starbucks cafes Plateia Vathis area All Flo Cafés

Personal Safety: Your safe return is our number one goal… on a par with having a wonderful time! So to make this happen you need to be careful and act appropriately. One of the most important rules of the trip is to take care of each other. What that means in this context is that you don’t let someone do something stupid if you can help prevent it. We strongly suggest that you do not go out on your own, even during the day. Not because it is dangerous, but because it is so much easier to get around and find things with two or more people than it is with one. And besides it is more fun too!

At night we are going to insist that you don’t go off by yourself. Find some friends and stick with them. You are totally new to Athens and most of you can’t understand 10 words of Greek! So stick together and have a ton of fun… but don’t be stupid.

Be street smart. Pay attention to who is around you and where you are headed. If it seems like fewer and fewer people are on the streets, maybe duck into a café or bar and ask them to call you a taxi. It is the smart move and better safe than sorry.

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Places can get very crowded and confusing at times. Purses and backpacks should be zipped closed and kept in front at all times. Wallets should be kept in the front pocket. Use the hotel safe (or room safe), so valuables are not lost.

Pickpockets can be a problem in tourist areas, and both men and women need to be on guard about your handbag/wallet. It might be a good idea to invest in a money belt.

A huge problem recently has been purse crime. The trend is not toward someone confronting you and/or grabbing your purse and running off, instead it is very talented people who will simply remove your purse before you are aware it is gone. On one trip to Barcelona, in a group of 130 people, 12 women lost their purses to these scams. You must NEVER let your purse out of your sight! We suggest that you take everything out of your purse and wallet that you do not need for that particular day’s adventure. It is also advisable to carry only a small amount of money with you at any one time – leave the rest in your room safe. If you can, leave your purse behind and simply use some other method for carrying your stuff.

This passage from one of our guidebooks says it better than I can: Although muggings are practically unheard of in {Athens}, petty thievery is commom. Handbags, backpacks, camera cases and wallets are favorite targets, so tuck those away. Coat pockets with zippers work well for indespensible gear, while cash and a few credit cards wedged into a front pocket are almost unassailable. Handbags hooked over chairs, on the floor or sidewalk under your feet, or dangling from hooks under bars are easy prey. Even a loosely carried bag is tempting for bag snatchers. Should you carry a purse, use one with a short strap that tucks tightly under your arm without room for fleet hands to unzip. A plastic shopping bag for your essentials will attract even less attention.

One very easy way to get yourself into trouble is to get drunk. If this is the case, please be smart and take a taxi home. Ask at any bar, restaurant or business to have a cab called for you. If you are with fellow travelers who get drunk, please don’t let them get into more trouble based on their current poor judgment. Treat your fellow travelers as you would hope to be treated if you were in their shoes. For this reason, always carry a card from the hotel! Then just hand the card to the cabbie and they will take you home.

The local emergency phone numbers are: Emergency Service Telephone Medical Emergency (Αριθμός έκτακτης ανάγκης) Tel: 112 Fire (Πυροσβεστική Υπηρεσία) Tel: 199 Ambulance (Εθνικό Κέντρο Αμεσης Βοήθειας) Tel: 166 Police (Άμεση Δράση Αστυνομίας) Tel: 100 Tourist Police (Τουριστική Αστυνομία) Tel: 171

Always carry a COPY of your passport with you. Keep the original copy in your room safe. You will rarely be required to produce your passport so this is the safest way to go about the City. The only times you will need your passport is in the case of major purchases, where you hope to receive a refund of your VAT. More on that in the shopping section.

Watches and Cell Phone Time Change to Athens time so you are not forever trying to figure out the conversion. This will prevent some silly mistakes. Remember, most of Europe runs on 24-hour time, not 12-hour time like we do in the USA (no AM or PM) so double check your times! Hint: If you do plan on calling home remember that they are 6 hours BEHIND us… so 8:30 am in Athens will be 2:30 am in Boston… so maybe you will want to wait until at least noon to call home!

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Drinking water: The water in Athens is safe to drink unless it says “non-potable.” If it says that… DO NOT DRINK!

Getting around Athens

On Foot Central Athens is relatively easy to navigate on foot since most of the city's major attractions are located within walking distance of one another. Athens offers some of the best and worst urban walking in Europe.

Several major streets have been recently made just for pedestrians and a mostly car-free archeological walk which starts at Vasilisis Amalias Street, passes in front of the New , Acropolis, Herodion Theatre, Thiseio (Apostolou Pavlou Str), and ends at the popular area of (Gkazi) where numerous bars and clubs are located.

Pleasant walking can also be had in Plaka, especially its upper reaches, and in much of , and the National Garden can provide a welcome respite from the heat and noise of the city center.

On the other hand, Athens' horrendous traffic can make crossing the street in many areas a difficult task, and even walking down many major streets can be an unpleasant experience of noise and pollution.

Cars and motorbikes parked blocking the sidewalks (illegal but common) can also make a stroll difficult. Fortunately, much of the traffic-plagued area of the city can be avoided by use of the new Metro, which goes most places a visitor would want to see or to walk around in.

By Bicycle Athens is certainly not the city to go around with a bicycle, as it does not have much bicycle lanes and the car drivers tend to drive quite aggressively. Nevertheless (or maybe because of this) riding a bicycle in Athens has become lately some sort of a political (counter-)action, especially by young people with an alternative lifestyle. In general, tourists not familiar with the terrible Athenian traffic are advised not to use a bicycle as a principal means of transport.

The Metro The city's public transportation, operated by the Athens Urban Transport Org., was once the worst in Europe but now features an extensive metro system. Frommer's says: "Stop at the Syntagma station or go to the GNTO for a map of the metro to learn what stations have opened by the time of your visit. To travel on the metro, buy your ticket at the station, validate it in the machines as you enter, and keep it until you get off."

The includes the service linking the central point of Parliament square / (just 7 blocks from our hotel!) with the beach areas along the coast, local residential areas and some of the local markets. There are 5 lines in total with operating exclusively along the seafront promenade from the glitzy shopping and eating areas to an area presently being built in preparation for new hotels. All other lines run from Syntagma Square just above the underground station.

Single Ticket (70 minutes) € 1.40 24 Hour Ticket € 4.00 Weekly Ticket € 15.00 *Note: Prices are approximate and subject to change

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It's well worth noting here that the tram costs just 1.40 EUR for unlimited travel on all transport modes valid for 70 minutes. Within that time you could easily reach the local markets and other great locations! 24 Hour and Weekly travel cards are available at most major metro stations.

An insider tip would definitely also be that the tram route is spotlessly clean and by far the cheapest and quickest way to access everything from the city centre. Public transport in Athens has improved by leaps and bounds in the last ten years. The simple €1.40 ("integrated") ticket lets you travel on any means of transport — metro, suburban trains, , , — with unlimited transfers anywhere within Athens (except the metro airport line east of Doukissis Plakentias and the airport buses.

Despite all the benefits, workers at the public transport are often on strike, causing major troubles in Athens. Make sure that you are informed before your arrival because there is a strong possibility that you may need to have a Plan B for getting into and around the city.

Athens Metro map

The Underground. It can be troublesome to navigate the system as the layout isn't the best although the system is very quick and costs the same as the tram (changing lines is allowed).

The underground is similar to the T. It can get quite hot and crowded so it is not such a good choice during hot times. There are escalators and elevators at the end of each platform but beware that the line linking Syntagma Square to Omonia Square is 3 levels down and very popular with the locals at rush hour.

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Nevertheless, it is great for getting to areas such as the 'bartering' or 'haggling' shopping district of Monistiraki and hopping quickly between main points in the city centre. A major benefit of both the tram and the underground is that there are both automated ticket machines and staff who speak English. Operating times are 05:00 - midnight.

A message from the Athens Metro: Only holders of valid tickets-passes-travel cards are allowed to use the METRO and TRAM network: Only holders of a valid deed of travel (validated appropriate ticket, valid travel card, etc), are allowed to board the METRO trains and TRAM vehicles and circulate in areas beyond TVCs that are installed inside the stations, past the Station entrance.

You can buy tickets using the Automatic Ticket Issuing Machines (ATIMs) in all METRO and TRAM Stations and from Ticket Offices. ATIMs, having the option to accept banknotes (5,00 10,00 20,00 €) and give change, are installed in all stations. See relevant instructions for use on each ATIM.

Always verify that you hold the appropriate ticket as regards your destination and you’re being entitled to a reduced fare. Before walking to the platforms for boarding, kindly validate your ticket at the TVCs. Authorized employees perform regular inspections to verify that all tickets-passes-travel cards of the passengers are. In case passengers do not hold a valid ticket-pass-travel card, then a penalty fare much higher than the price of the respective ticket-pass-travel card is imposed to them.

ATTENTION  Please validate your ticket once at the TVCs of the station of your first boarding.  Please keep your ticket until exiting the station of your destination.  Please show your ticket or monthly card to the Ticket Inspectors.  Persons entitled to reduced fare must always carry the relevant proof.  To save time:  Buy your tickets from the Automatic Ticket Issuing Machines.  Buy more tickets for future trips when appropriate.

Many metro stations resemble museums as they exhibit artifacts found during excavations for the system (i.e. Syntagma). Greeks are very proud about the new subway system. You should not even think about littering and by all means avoid any urge for graffiti -- you will be intercepted by security at once. You are also not allowed to consume food or drink in the subway system. During rush hour, when it could become very crowded, you would have to leave your personal space at the door. There are three lines: (Μ1 – Green ISAP): Piraeus – Kifissia, connects the port of Piraeus and the northern suburbs of Athens via the city centre. Note that line 1 is a rather old line going back to 1869 (lines 2 & 3 are the new subway system of Athens). (M2 – Red [10] Attiko Metro]): Anthoupoli – Agios Dimitrios connects western and southern Athens. Line 3 (M3 – Blue [11]): Egaleo – Doukissis Plakentias – International Airport connects the south-western suburbs with the northern suburbs (Halandri and Doukissis Plakentias stations) and the International Airport.

An ISAP train (M1 Green Line) passes by the Stoa of Attalus in central Athens.

Tickets can be purchased at manned booths or automated vending machines (some of which accept banknotes) in every station. You must validate your ticket prior to going to the platform. There currently are

P a g e | 19 no turnstiles controlling access to the trains, so in theory you could try to ride for free, if however you're caught without a properly validated ticket you'll be asked to pay a hefty fine of € 84!

Greece's latest economic misadventures have led into intensified inspections in a try to raise more cash; keep in mind that refusing to pay the fine on-the-spot guarantees that you will be escorted away to the nearest police station for a background check and potentially notify your home embassy.

If you plan to do multiple trips within a day, it makes more sense to buy a 24-hour ticket (which again, works for all destinations except the airport) for €4. This needs to be validated only once, at the start of the first trip.

Subway is daily from 05:30-00:00, except for Fridays and Saturdays when it runs until 02:00. Riding late at night is very safe (stations and trains are heavily monitored and policed) so you should not have a second thought about it.

The Suburban Railway [13] ( by Trainose) is a new addition to Athens's network. The main line starts from Piraeus, passes through the main line train station of Larissis in Athens, and forks at Neratziotissa west to Kiato and Corinth and east towards the Airport.

The new Athens Tram [14] connects the city centre with the southern suburbs and has connections with the metro lines. There are three tram lines: Line 1 (T1): Syntagma – – Neo Faliro connects the city centre with the Peace and Friendship Stadium. Line 2 (T2): Syntagma – Palaio Faliro – connects the city centre with the coastal zone. Line 3 (T3): Neo Faliro – Palaio Faliro – Glyfada runs along the coastal zone.

Taxicabs If you prefer taxicabs, you might want to reserve one in advance -- they're abundant, but sometimes difficult to catch. When you get in, make sure the meter is set to "1" (single fare); double fares are meant for travel between midnight and 5 a.m. Taxi drivers often pick up other passengers en route, but fares are always split fairly. To avoid any confusion due to the language barrier, write down the address and simply give it to the driver.

Two types of Taxis Radio Taxis There are two types (both yellow in color). Firstly, radio taxis are similar to minicabs in principle. You call them, they arrive. They have company logos on the driver’s door and will never stop in the street unless you have booked them. They do charge a premium presently of around 3.00 EUR upon arrival and the cars are usually luxury and relatively new. Drivers do try to speak English but don't expect to have a conversation with them. They are ideal for lots of shopping and to / from the airport or if you need a guaranteed destination very quickly.

Street Taxis The second type of taxi is the more common, the street taxi. These are taxis which you flag down in the same way we would in an American city. However, they choose whether to stop or not and will often already have a passenger. You shout your destination to the driver and they choose whether to accept you as a customer or not. This does take some getting used to and I would definitely advise not to use these with lots of shopping bags as the cabs will stop and block all traffic in the road which causes a lot of tooting horns behind you!

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Another tip with street taxis is that if they stop, try to give a main road as your destination as if the driver doesn’t understand or recognize the destination you have given, they will just drive off. They might still take off when they are not going in your general direction and some pick up other passengers on their way.

Peak period for street taxis are during morning and evening rush hour so you will find in the center of the city 15 or 20 may pass you until you get an empty one.

The most reliable way to get a taxi is an app called TaxiBeat (IOS/Android) which ensures you are not overcharged and being driven around in circles as you can rate the driver after your ride. It shows you the nearest taxis on a map and you can choose the driver.

You may be wondering what benefit these taxis are by now - well, they're a lot cheaper. Fares within the city are usually not more than 5.00 EUR with a street taxi. Yes, these cabs are older, yes the drivers hardly speak English and you must not take it personally if they just drive away from you when you give your destination, it's just their culture and gets to be quite a game of wits after the first few times.

Note: Canary yellow taxis are a common sight in Athens and are a reasonably priced way of getting around (if you can avoid the traffic jams). The starting fee is €1, after which the meter ticks up at €0.34/km ("rate 1") or €0.64/km ("rate 2"), with a minimum fare of €3.10. Rate 1 applies through Athens city limits, including the airport, while rate 2 applies outside the city and from midnight to 5 AM. Legal surcharges apply for calling a cab by radio (€1.60), trips to or from the airport (€32.00) and heavy bags (€0.32). Tipping is not necessary, although it's common to round up to the nearest full euro.

Taxi fare fraud is not as widespread as it used to be, but it still happens, so insist on the meter and make sure the rate is correct. At busy tourist locations cab drivers can try and con you with a set rate that is ridiculously high (e.g. €20 for a short trip). In these cases it is best to find another and again insist on the charge shown on the meter. If you feel you have been overcharged, ask for a receipt (they are obliged to give one) and take the plate number, then phone the tourist police to report the driver on 171. Be aware that the taxi drivers rarely obey all of the rules of the road. Expect that if you are leaving Athens on an early flight, that the driver will likely drive aggressively to get you there as quickly as possible.

Taxis are considered as fairly cheap in Athens. As such you can expect to share the ride during rush hours if you can find one, and at night after the Metro has shutdown. As such if you hail a taxi which is already occupied (Free Taxis have a brightly lit TAXI sign on top of the cab) the driver will ask where you want to go to before he will let you in to join the other customers. Strikes by cabbies and public transit are common so be prepared and watch the local news.

Bus Finally there are the buses and trolleybuses. Both allow cross ticketing from any of the public transport networks so if you have a metro ticket, you can use it on the buses in the city centre but be warned, their destination is purely in Greek and unless you have studied a bus guide you may well find them very confusing.

You'll save money by using the bus service in Athens, but you'll pay for it with confusion and discomfort. Bus schedules are perplexing and can take a little while to figure out. Often times, you'll find yourself standing

P a g e | 21 around waiting a lot longer than you'd like. Buses also tend to be crowded, so be prepared to get very up close and personal with the locals.

Athens is served by a network of diesel buses, natural gas buses and electric trolley buses run by the Athens Urban Transport Organization. As of 1st September 2014, there is no bus only ticket since the integrated ticket has been priced down to 1.20€, the bus only ticket's price. The Integrated ticket allows for multiple trips within 70 minutes and is available in most kiosks and all metro stations. Use a €5 ticket to travel to or from the airport, which can also be bought from the airport bus driver. If you tend to stay for more than a week then a weekly pass for €10 is the most cost-effective. It gives you unlimited rides on almost all public transit (bus, tram, train, subway) for 5 days. You only need to validate once, before first use. Buses will not stop unless you signal the driver by raising your arm.

Night buses. As of March 2006 the night bus routes are:  X14 Syntagma Square to Kifissia.  11 Ano Patissia – Neo – Nea Elvetia (trolley bus).  040 Piraeus to Syntagma Square.  500 Piraeus – Kifissia (night only).  X92, X93, X95, X96, X97 (the airport buses).

You have the Tram, Underground, Radio Taxi, Street Taxi, Bus and ! All competing for space in a crowded city, it made for a fascinating and visibly uncoordinated competition around Athens. I would personally advise the tram wherever possible.

Tourist and Travel Passes There does not seem to be a viable tourist or museum pass program in Athens like the ones in other major tourist cities (such as Paris, London, Rome and Barcelona). I have seen a few advertised as being available “only in the airport to foreign tourists” but they are dripping with the words rip off so I will NOT include them here. Besides we don’t have time at the airport to hunt these down.

Acropolis Special Package Ticket

The Greek Ministry of Culture has produced a ‘special package ticket’, which you can buy at the entrances to any of the seven participating sites, so you do not have to buy the ticket at the Acropolis. These tickets cannot be bought online, or in advance; they are available at the ticket kiosks at the entrances to each of the sites. And once purchased, they are valid for four days. The ticket costs 12 Euros. This allows the holder entry to the Acropolis, and six other archaeological sites.

Since everyone will want to see the Acropolis, the most famous ruin from the Greek period, and it costs €12 on its own, it only makes sense to purchase this multi-ticket and take advantage of the free entry to other sites. In addition to the Acropolis ( €12 ) they include:

North & South Slope of the Acropolis ( 2€ ) Ancient ( 4€ ) ( 2€ ) Hadrian’s Library ( 2€ ) Olympieion ( 2€ ) Kerameikos ( 2€ )

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HOP ON – HOP OFF Busses There are two main companies offering the open-top Hop-on Hop-off experience. They all seem to cover a similar area and have frequent stops at the major attractions. Most offer additional audio commentary while in the bus, while a few offer headsets for off-bus use (unconfirmed!)

City Sightseeing (Red Bus) http://www.citysightseeing.gr/ Hop on-Hop off with two routes, 24 hours + 1 day free and coupons. 18-22€ per person

Athens Open Tour (Yellow Bus) http://www.athensopentour.com/ Hop on-Hop off with two routes, 24 hours + 1 day free. 14-17€ per person

Tourist Excursion Busses There are several companies that offer day trips to the Greek sights outside of Athens. They will often come to the hotel and pick up passengers when booked in advance. Numerous tourist pamphlets are usually available in the hotel lobbies and the concierge will be happy to call and make reservations for you.

Viator http://www.viator.com/Athens/d496-ttd One large company is Viator. You can purchase your tours online in US dollars and then have your days all planned out in advance! Here are some of the tours they offer:

Cape Sounion with meal at Vouliagmeni Mycenae and Epidaurus Day Trip from Athens Combine a visit to spectacular Cape Sounion with a From $99.56 top restaurant meal on this 6-hour private tour from Athens. From $157.07 Hydra, Poros and Egina Day Cruise from Athens From $114.61 Athens Small-Group Food Tour Walk along the historic streets of Athens while Private Tour: Sailing Trip from Athens indulging in traditional Greek cuisine. From $56.73 From $57.89

Delphi Day Trip from Athens Greek Cooking Class in an Athens Tavern From $99.56 From $78.72

A Sense of Where You Are

Athens is the capital of of Greece, and has been continuously occupied for 7,000 years. It was a city-state during the “Golden Age” of Greece; a provincial backwater during the Ottoman Empire; and today is the largest metropolitan area in Greece. The city itself has a population of about 665,000 people, with about 3.75 million people in the metropolitan area (about 1/3 of the country’s population).

Athens bears the imprint of many successive waves of invaders and conquerors, from the Mycenae in prehistoric times, to the imperial expansions of the Romans and Ottomans. Indigenous culture flourished

P a g e | 23 during the “Golden Age” and the Byzantine Empire. Today Athens is an exciting cosmopolitan city of tourism and culture. The first modern Olympic games were hosted in 1896 with the most recent in 2004.

Athens is also a city of distinctive neighborhoods, formed from various expansions to the original citadel and its immediate surroundings. While there is plenty to see and do in the areas of antiquity (Acropolis and Agora), it’s worth exploring other neighborhoods too – like Plaka and Kolonaki.

Attractions Of course, this is highly subjective, but here are our top 10 things to see and do in Athens.

1. Acropolis and New Acropolis Museum 2. Ancient Agora and Agora Museum 3. National Archaeological Museum 4. Museum of Cycladic Art 5. Benaki Museum 6. Neighborhoods: a. Stroll through Plaka and stop at the Byzantine churches of Panagia Gorgopikoos and/or Agios Nikolaos Ragavas b. Stroll through , a neighborhood north of the Acropolis that was originally of masons from Anafi in the 19th century c. Visit and its flea market 7. Get to the top of Lykavittos (Lycabettus) Hill and Agios Georgios Church and enjoy the view of Athens and the Aegean. Especially great at sunset! 8. Gazi, the former gasworks, is now a nightclub and entertainment venue

See below for details on location, admissions charges (where relevant), and hours of operation.

Ancient Athens

The ruins of ancient Athens are clustered together on the hilltops and valleys of southwestern Athens. And although much of Athens is clogged with noisy, fume-generating traffic, the ancient sites are now connected with a beautiful pedestrian path called the Grand Promenade, which was built for the 2004 Olympics. At the summit of Filopappos Hill you will be almost Grand Promenade 1 eye-level with the with views to http://travel.nationalgeographic.com/travel/city-guides/athens-walking-tour-2/ the Saronic Sea, said to be an especially beautiful view in the evening; nearby you will see the , the arena where Athenian citizens gathered in assembly to conduct affairs of state; on the Hill of the Nymphs there is a 19th century observatory; northwest of that is the Agora and its museum; and then, a bit to the east, is…the Acropolis, one of the most famous tourist spots in the world.

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Acropolis: Acropolis means “upper town” in Greek, and this table-top mountain, 512 feet tall, was the spiritual heart of Athens in ancient times. You enter the complex through the Roman-era Beulé Gate, then pass through the gate/building called the Propylaea (which also has an art gallery within it) and the Parthenon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, is revealed before you. Also on the hilltop are the Erechtheion (the temple with figures of women serving as columns) and the Temple of Athena Nike.

Your combo ticket also gets you into the North and South Slopes of the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and its museum, the Roman Agora, the Kerameikos cemetery and its museum, Hadrian’s Library, and the Olympieio. The ticket is good for five days so you don’t have to see everything at once.

On the south slope of the Acropolis are the Theater of Dionysus (an open-air theater built into the hillside that seats 15,000) where the plays of Euripides and Sophocles were performed; and the the Roman-era theater (open only during performances in the summertime).

Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou Metro: Acropolis www.culture.gr Admission: Joint ticket for Hours: Daily 8-5 archaeological sites €12; discount with student ID

The New Acropolis Museum was opened in 2009. It is a spectacular modern building that houses many ancient sculptures that were removed from the Acropolis for protection against the elements. Sadly, most of the sculptural panels on the frieze of the Parthenon (the so-called Elgin Marbles) were removed by the British Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire in the early 1800s and are in the British Museum. This is still a diplomatic friction point between the Greek and British governments. Nevertheless, there are still thousands of ancient artifacts to see.

The museum has a restaurant with a stunning view of the Acropolis (traditional Greek breakfast is served there until noon) and a café with cheaper, lighter fare.

Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou 15 Metro: Acropolis http://www.theacropolismuseum.gr/en Admission: 5€ Hours: M-Th 9 am – 5 pm; Fridays 9 am – 10 pm Sat and Sun, 9 am – 8 pm

The Ancient Agora was the center of commercial, social, and governmental life in ancient Athens, containing market stalls, schools, theaters, a library, an archive, and government offices. It has been under excavation and restoration by the American School of Classical Studies since the 1930s. Some of the notable buildings on the site include the circular Tholos, the II, which today contains the Museum of Agora Excavations (great exhibits about daily life in ancient Athens) and the Hephaistion on the Agoraios hill, the best-preserved Doric temple in Greece.

Enter from Apostolou Metro: Thiseio http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2485 Pavlou, Adrianou, or from Acropolis Admission: 4€ (also part Hours: 8 am – 3 pm (same of combo ticket) for museum)

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Kerameikos Cemetery. This was the most fashionable cemetery in ancient Athens. The name has the same root as the English word ‘ceramics’; this was a district inhabited by potters. From the entrance you can see ruins of the of Themistocles, which ran down to the port of Piraeus. To the left of the entrance is the Oberlaender Museum (aka Kerameikos Museum). The cemetery is near an ancient stream and some of the grounds are marshy in damp weather.

Address: Ermou 148 Metro: Thiseio or http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2392 Kerameikos Admission: 2€; also part of Hours: Daily 8 am – 3 pm combo ticket

Roman Agora. Just east of the ancient Agora is its Roman counterpart. (The Romans conquered Athens in about 200 BCE and controlled it until the split between the eastern and western branches of the Roman Empire in 323 AD.) The Roman agora was a large rectangular open-air courtyard with arcades of shops around the perimeter. Today we can see the ruins of the , a combination sundial-waterclock- weathervane.

Also on this site is the , one of the few remains of the 400-year Ottoman occupation. It is not open to the public although the Greek government plans to restore it and use it as a cultural center.

A couple of blocks north of the Roman Agora are the ruins of Hadrian’s Library, built by Emperor Hadrian (a lover of Greek culture). The building contained space for storage of scrolls, a reading room, and lecture halls. (The entire block, as shown in Google Earth, appears to be Roman ruins.)

Address: corner Metro: Monastiraki http://odysseus.culture.gr/h/3/eh351.jsp?obj_id=2402 Pelopidas and Aiolou Admission: 2€, also part Hours: Daily 8 am – 6 pm of combo ticket

Other Roman-era sites. During the reign of Emperor Hadrian, a triumphal arch, the , was built along an ancient roadway east of the Acropolis. It is near the ruins of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, a massive structure of which only 15 of the original 104 columns remain. You must pay to enter the temple site (it’s part of the combo ticket), but you could simply stroll by and admire the view. Nearby are ruins of Roman houses, a bath complex, and part of the Roman city wall.

Museums, museums, and more museums…

National Archaeological Museum. If you visit only one museum in Athens, this is the one! Treasures from every era of Greek history are here. Of particular note are the Mycenaean Antiquities. The Mycenae were a Bronze-Age civilization who built citedals and palaces throughout the Greek peninsula. Think Odyssey and Illiad: Homer’s poetry was about actual Mycenaean people. The museum is newly renovated and many works that have been in storage for decades are now on display. There is a café on the ground floor.

Address: Oktovriou (Patission) 44 Metro: Victoria http://www.namuseum.gr Admission: 7€; or 12€ for museum Hours: T-Sun, 9 am -4 pm; combo including Byzantine & Monday 9 am – 8 pm Christian Museum, Numismatic Museum, and Epigraphic Museum

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Numismatic Museum. More than 600,000 coins are on display here in a neoclassical building that Heinrich Schliemann had built for himself. Schliemann was a German who discovered ancient Troy based on his careful reading of the Illiad. He called his mansion “the Palace of Troy.” You do not have to be a coin-collector to find this museum fascinating!

Address: Panepistimou 12 (same Metro: Syntagma or Panepistimou http://www.nma.gr/ street as our hotel) at Syntagma Sq. Admission: 3€; or 12€ for Hours: T – Sunday, 9 am – 4 pm; museum combo including closed Mondays Byzantine & Christian Museum, National Archaeological Museum, and Epigraphic Museum

National Historical Museum. If all the ancient artifacts are beginning to look the same, consider visiting this museum, which brings Greek history into the 20th century, from the collapse of the Byzantine Empire through World War II. The gift shop has some cool and unusual things and the museum is housed in a building that formerly housed Parliament.

Address: Stadiou 13 at Syntagma Sq. Metro: Syntagma http://www.nhmuseum.gr/ Admission: 3€ Hours: T – Sun. 8:30 am – 2:30 PM

Benaki Museum. This private museum got a striking new addition in 2004. The permanent collection of more than 20,000 objects is arranged chronologically starting on the ground floor. The collection is particularly strong in Byzantine art and the new satellite location contains Islamic art. The second-floor café of the main building overlooks the National Gardens (which also contains the Presidential Palace).

Address: Koumbari 1 Metro: Syntagma or Evangelismos www.benaki.gr Admission: 7€, free on Thursdays Hours: W and F 9 am – 5 pm; Th and Note: Branch museum at Sat 9 am to midnight; Sun 9 am - 3 Piraeus St has different hours pm; closed M and T

Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum. This private collection includes 4,000 pieces inspired by all things Greek. Craftsmen demonstrate various jewelry-making techniques throughout the building.

Address: Kallisperi 12 Metro: Acropolis http://www.museupicasso.bcn.cat/ Admission: 5€; free on Saturdays Hours: T-Sat, 9 am – 3 pm; Sunday 11 am – 4 pm; closed Mondays

Museum of Greek Popular Musical Instruments. See and hear recordings of three floors worth of indigenous Greek musical instruments, from the lyra to the goatskin bagpipes. The Research Center for Ethnomusicology is also located here, in a former mansion.

Address: Diogenous 1-3 Metro: Monastiraki http://www.instruments- museum.gr Admission: ?? Hours: T, Th, F, Sat, Sun, 10 am – 2 Note: not a lot of the website is in pm; W noon – 6 pm; English Closed on Monday?

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Museum of Greek Folk Art. This museum focuses on Greek folk art from the 17th to the 20th century, including embroidery, metalwork, pottery, costumes, puppetry, wood-carving, etc. A separate building, the Bath of the Winds, is the only surviving Turkish bath in Athens. During the Ottoman Empire, baths were places for socializing and getting massages as well as bathing.

Address: Kidathineon 17 (main Metro: Acropolis http://www.melt.gr/en/ building) plus 4 houses Admission: 17.90€ Hours: Daily 10-5:30

Neighborhoods and other places to stroll

Much of Athens is noisy and congested with traffic and fumes. But there are pockets of greenery and quiet charm that are worth seeking out for a stroll and perhaps a stop for a coffee or snack. We recommend you build some time into your busy week just to explore the more picturesque areas of Athens.

Just north of the Acropolis complex is the neighborhood of Anafiotika, home to the descendents of masons who came from the island of Anafi in the 1840s and 1850s. Ottoman law allowed them to own property if they could build a house on it in a single day, so these houses are built of local stone nestled into the bedrock of the Acropolis.

Further to the north is the neighborhood of Plaka, where architects, historians and other concerned citizens stepped in the 1980s to prevent destruction of the historic 19th century charm of the neighborhood. If you stay off the main (busy) tourist streets of Kydathineon and Adrianou, you will come close to experiencing the peacefulness of this part of Athens’ past.

The political center of Athens is Syntagma (Constitution) Square, where government buildings and frequent political demonstrations can be found. In the center of the square is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where the Changing of the Evzones Guards, led by soldiers in short white skirts (400 pleats, one for each year of Ottoman occupation!) happens every hour on the hour. Read more about these elite soldiers and their history here: http://www.true-athens.com/wordpress/2009/11/about-those-evzones/

SAFETY NOTE! Please avoid Syntagma Square if there is a demonstration in progress! The subway stop is sometimes shut down for security reaons, and police are not shy about using forcible means to control the crowds. The crowds can be violent too: you might be just an innocent bystander, but you might put yourselves in physical danger just by being there.

North of the Roman Agora is Monastiraki Square, near Hadrian’s library. Here you’ll find the church called Little Mitropolis (Mitropolis is the ornate Cathedral of Athens), a charming 12th century chapel that has relief sculptures on the outside from many different historical periods. The church is also called Panayia Gorgoepikoos (‘the virgin who answers prayers quickly’). The church is open 8 am to 1 pm, depending on the schedule of services.

Monastiraki Square has been renovated; it is paved with a funky pattern of golden mosaics and also features a cut-away through which you can see the ancient bed of the Iridanos River.

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Mt. Lycabettus (Lykavittos) is the other striking topographical landmark in the city. It is the highest hill in Athens. You can take a funicular to the top (leaves every 10 minutes; 6€) and visit the church of Ayios Georgios (St. George). The views are spectacular; many guidebooks recommend a visit near sunset: after you take in the ocean view, you can turn 180 degrees and watch the moon rise over the Hymettus Mountains (about 10 miles east of Athens) as the lights of the city come on. Note: the moon will be in its waning phases when we are in Athens, so if you want to see the famous purple glow over the Hymettus, go early in our stay.

There is a small food kiosk and a well-recommended fish restaurant, Orizontes Lykavittou, at the summit.

Nightlife

To the west of Kerameikos Cemetery is the Technopolis/Gazi complex, a former gasworks and foundry that has been reconstructed as an arts and entertainment district. You’ll find clubs and nightlife here. Subway: Kerameikos. Better yet: take a taxi.

The neighborhood is also an up-and-coming arts district, with galleries, restaurants, and clubs.

For the café life, you’ll find the beautiful people in the streets around Kolonaki Square, one of Athens’ up and coming chic neighborhoods: Tsakalof and Milioni pedestrian streets.

Eating and Drinking

Included in the cost of your trip is a substantial breakfast in the hotel. We strongly recommend that you try to come to breakfast every morning, even if you are not a “morning person.” Breakfast is where our travelers share where they’ve been and where they’d like to go, and it’s common for informal groups to form to head out to various spots for the day. Your trip leaders will also be on hand for questions, maps, and general guidance (it’s one of our favorite parts of traveling with students!)

As travelers, we experience different cultures through their food, and we encourage you to try some of the authentic Greek foods and customs on our trip. (Yeah, there are McDonalds and KFCs in Athens. So sad)

Here’s a run-down:

Cheap eats: A kafeneio (plural kafeneia) is a café that also serves snacks, sandwiches, breads and salads in addition to coffee and other beverages. One traditional offering is a frappé, instant coffee served cold, in a tall glass. Look for small, local places, not chains. Kafeneia also serve a characteristic ring bread/roll called koulourakia that is shaped in a ring or S-shape. Generally they accept cash only.

A souvatzidiko serves meat or fish and vegetables on a skewer with bread. An ovelistirio serves gyros, shaved meat with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber-yogurt dressing (tzatziki) wrapped in a pita bread. (If you frequent Greek-American pizza shops in the Boston area, you are probably already familiar with these foods!) Many of these foods can be found from street vendors or “holes in the wall” shops where you step up and order your food to take away.

An estiatoria is the generic word for traditional restaurant; these may be mageirio or koutouki, inexpensive student-oriented restaurants where the food is already cooked (not to order), or more upscale establishments.

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One step above: The taverna is the classic local Greek restaurant. The menu is generally short, and may specialize in cuisine of the chef’s home region. Mezes (plural mezedes) are appetizers (like Spanish tapas): little plates of local foods cooked simply in traditional ways. A psaraotaverna specializes in fish dishes; a psistaria specializes in grilled meats.

ALERT: peoples outside the US are used to eating many more parts of animals than Americans are; be aware that brains, intestines and testicles are potentially on the menu.

A kapileio is a wine-bar serving local wines from the barrel accompanied by food; a mezedopoleio serves local wine and appetizers; a galaktopoleio (‘milk shop’) serves yogurt and honey.

An ouzeri (bar) serves ouzo, along with mezedes.

Ouzo, retsina, and raki are alcoholic beverages. Ouzo is an anise-flavored liqueur; raki is a Turkish anise- flavored grape-derived spirit; retsina is a conifer-flavored wine. All of these are well-known for their hangover-inducing properties, even in small amounts; don’t say we didn’t warn you!

Restaurant etiquette: Tipping: although the bill includes a tip, it doesn’t necessarily go to the waitstaff. You should tip 10-15%, up to 20% if the service has been really good.

Dress: Europeans dress up more in the evenings. You won’t be turned away for jeans or shorts (probably) but you should try to step up your game for evenings.

Smoking: The Greeks haven’t embraced the no-smoking bans of the rest of Europe; while restaurants have no- smoking policies indoors (as EU policy requires), you may still find smokers in outdoor patios.

Embracing our inner Europeanness: college students in Europe do not travel in packs. Four people, perhaps six at the max, is what restaurants are equipped (physically and culturally) to handle. If you go out in large groups, please be prepared to subdivide into smaller groups for seating and for getting the check. Americans are also known for being loud and boisterous; if you want to “blend,” dial it down a couple of notches.

Restaurants change so quickly that it’s not really worth including a list. When you find good places, though, please share with the rest of the group!

Language

Greek is an Indo-European language but it is its own branch, not one of the Romantic languages (French, Spanish, Italian), Germanic languages (English, German), or Slavic languages (Polish, Russian) that you may be familiar with. Worse still, it is written in the Greek alphabet (related to the Russian Cyrillic alphabet).

Most people in the tourist areas speak English. If you want to feel a little more at home, though, here are some suggestions:

1. Learn the Greek alphabet. If you can sound out words phonetically, you might actually have an idea what they mean!

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2. Learn some basic phrases. People everywhere appreciate your efforts in trying to speak their language, and this will go a long way in smoothing your interactions with Athenians. Greeks know that their language is difficult, and most will appreciate your sincere attempts to speak a few phrases. Americans abroad are perceived as monolingualists who can’t be bothered to learn other customs; anything you can do to counteract this stereotype will help not only you but also the rest of your countrymen and the perception of the US abroad. 3. Take a business card from the hotel and tuck it into your wallet. If you are lost/drunk/alone, you can hail a cab, show them the card, and they will take you home.

Wikitravel has a useful online Greek phrasebook: http://wikitravel.org/en/Greek_phrasebook

GOOGLE TRANSLATE

We also HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you download and use the Google Translate App for your smart phone. You must be sure to download the OFFLINE Pack. With this app you can type or speak in English and it will translate it into both written and spoken Greek! You can even take a photo of signage in Greek and it will translate it into English!

This app is available for both android and iPhone users and is FREE!

Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.translate&hl=en iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/google-translate/id414706506?mt=8