19-27 March 2017 Athenpreneurship 101 The Survival Guide Hey there dear future participant! Yes, you. Pondering on participating in a legendary course in Athens? We can see you’re ready for a big adventure! We are very happy you are considering coming to Athens. So, this is our Survival Guide, which will provide you with all the necessary information you may need1, ​ and help you take a first taste of this unforgettable journey. Take a deep breath, and prepare yourselves for the most awesome days of your spring! Local BEST Group Athens will be waiting for you in Athens, at the National Technical University of Athens to explore the wonderful world of entrepreneurship. We are ready to show you our beautiful city, the city of the Acropolis, the capital of Greece! We’ll do our BEST to make you feel like home and to have a magical time here in our city, with us and with other European students! 1 The information provided in this document, is correct only at the time of writing. If there are significant changes, in case you get accepted these will be communicated to you by the organisers. Furthermore, after you get accepted, you will receive even more detailed information, especially regarding the accommodation, the schedule, and the meeting point. |1| Useful information you can find in here 1. Greece 101 1.1 But wait where is Greece? ​ ​ … 1.2 Facts & Numbers ​ ​ 1.3 Wave that flag! ​ ​ 1.4 Our Spring-ish weather ​ ​ 1.5 Money makes the world go round ​ ​ … 1.5.1 Currency ​ ​ 1.5.2 Sample prices ​ ​ 1.5.3 Capital Controls ​ ​ 2. What about the food, dude? 3. Athens the Capital 3.1 A few words ​ ​ 3.2 Moving around ​ ​ 3.3 Swing in the city ​ ​ 3.4 BEST Athens ​ ​ 3.5 Live your myth at NTUA! ​ ​ 3.6 Wow, I NEED to come to Greece! ​ ​ 3.6.1 Scenario A: Arriving by plane ​ ​ 3.6.1.1 Scenario A1: Fly to Athens ​ ​ Leaving the airport A.1.1 By metro: fastest, easiest way A.1.2 By bus: cheap, and 24/7 A.1.3: By taxi: comfy, but expensive 3.6.1.2 Scenario A2: Fly to Thessaloniki ​ ​ From Thessaloniki to Athens A.1.1 By plane A.1.2 By train A.1.2 By bus 3.6.2 Scenario B: Arriving by train ​ ​ 3.6.3 Scenario C: Arriving by bus ​ ​ 3.6.4 Scenario D: Arriving by car ​ ​ 3.6.5 Scenario E: Hitchhiking ​ ​ 4. It’s all Greek to me! 5. Important stuff! 6. Emergency numbers 7. Contact info |2| Greece 101 Greece the land of Gods, democracy, olive oil, unlimited sun, the Olympic … Games, beautiful islands, and so much more to discover! But wait where is Greece? … - - - - X Greece is located in southeastern Europe and can be defined as the crossroad that unites three different continents, Europe, Asia and Africa, more specifically, situated on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, the Former Yugoslav Republic Οf Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to the northeast. Greece (left) | Greece in Europe (right) Facts & Numbers - - - - X Official name: Hellenic Republic ​ ​ Endonym: Ελλάδα (Ellada) ​ ​ ​ Capital: Athens ​ Population: 10,815,197 ​ |3| Official Language: Greek ​ Religion: Greek Orthodox ​ Time zone: GMT +2 ​ Electricity: 220V/50Hz plugs ​ International dialing code: +30 ​ Wave that flag! - - - - X The white and blue colors allegedly symbolise the blue sky and the waves in the sea! The Greek flag has nine horizontal stripes, said to stand for the nine syllables of the Greek patriots' motto meaning 'Freedom or Death', with a white cross in the canton position, which symbolises Greek Orthodoxy. Unlike most national flags, there is no “official” shade of color, so any blue may be used for the flag! Our Spring-ish weather - - - - X The first sign of spring in Athens begins to appear in March, as the average temperature this month is 12°C. The middle of the month sees an increase in the amount of sunny days with a slightly decreased chance of rain. It is probable that during the course it will get chilly, especially at night, and it might rain as well, but you will sure get a lot of sun! Of course, you will be more accurately informed shortly before the course in order to pack and prepare accordingly. |4| Money makes the world go round … - - - - X Currency Greece is currently in the Eurozone (yes! Still in :P) and the national currency is the Euro (€) Here, you can calculate your currency’s correlation with euro. ​ In case you don’t carry any Euros with you, you can exchange money2: ​ ​ ● At the airport. ● At Exchange Bureaus in the city centre, with much better rates. We advise you to exchange a small amount at the airport, so you have enough for your needs until you reach us, and then exchange more money in the city centre. Sample prices Below, you can find some prices regarding the cost of living in Greece. Item/Service Range of price in Euros Coffee (coffeehouse) 2.00-3.50 Coffee (on campus) 1.00-1.50 Water bottle (0.5 L) 0.50 Bread (one loaf) 0.85-1.00 Milk (1 lt) 0.95-1.40 Beer (café/bar) 3.00-6.00 Beer (supermarket) 1.00-2.20 2 ​Do not randomly exchange money with strangers on the street, or in general somewhere that the organisers have not recommended. Before exchanging money, first consult the organisers. |5| Coke (soft drinks-supermarket) 0.70-1.80 Cigarettes 3.80-4.20 Souvlaki (gyros) 1.70-3.50 Souvlaki (on a stick) 1.50-2.00 Pizza 7.00-10.00 Entrance to clubs free-15.00 Absolut Vodka 15.00-20.00 Condoms (pack of 3) 1.60-2.50 Capital Controls You might have heard a lot about the capital controls, but worry not; the ​ ​ restrictions only apply to Greek bank accounts, so unless you are planning to ​ ​ splurge on Greek goodies using cards that are connected to an account in a Greek bank, you can chill. What about the food, dude? - - - - X Greek cuisine is a Mediterranean cuisine, has a culinary tradition of some 4,000 years and is a part of the history and the culture of Greece. It has some common characteristics with the traditional cuisines of Italy, the Balkans, Israel, Turkey, and the Levant. The Mediterranean cuisine, apart from being one of the healthiest ones, is also one that is very suitable for vegetarians in its larger part. The most characteristic and ancient element of Greek cuisine is olive oil, which is used in most dishes. Vegetables, grains, fish, wine and meat are also used to a great extent. Other important ingredients include olives, cheese, eggplant, zucchini, lemon juice, herbs, bread and yoghurt. Common dessert ingredients include nuts, honey, fruits, and filo pastry. |6| Some of the most typical Greek foods and drinks (that one should definitely try!), are: Greek Salad Tzatziki Feta Cheese Octopus Spanakopita Fasolakia Souvlaki Moussaka Greek Υogurt Karidopita Loukoumades Ouzo Tsipouro/Raki Wine Beer aaaand you get the picture! We are pretty sure you are craving all of this food … and drinks right now, but thankfully, you will try so much Greek food once you ​ come here! Athens the Capital A few words - - - - X Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities and has been continuously inhabited for at least 7000 years, with a population of 3,737,550 (in 2011). It is also the largest city of Greece, followed by Thessaloniki and Patras, and is widely referred to as the cradle of Western civilization and the birthplace of democracy, largely because of its cultural and political impact on the European continent. Athens was allegedly named after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom, after ​ ​ she and Poseidon competed for the honor of becoming the city’s patrons. Poseidon offered to the city a salt water spring by striking the ground with his |7| trident, symbolizing naval power and Athena created the olive tree, symbolizing peace and prosperity. The Athenians accepted the olive tree, named the city after ​ ​ Athena and founded the Parthenon on the Acropolis in her honor. The word Acropolis does not refer to the Parthenon as many people believe. It ​ ​ means “the edge of the city” in Greek and it refers to the rocky hill that rises ​ 150m above sea level and contains the remains of several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance. Moving around - - - - X In Athens, there are 3 metro lines (red, blue, green) which spread across the city, ​ 2 suburban railway lines (yellow, dark blue), which connect the city centre with the suburbs, trams that connect the city centre to the seaside, as well as a lot of ​ buses and trolley buses, and of course taxis. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ 2 very useful applications that is advisable that you download: 1. TfA tickets (download on Android or iOS), that allows you to buy online ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tickets of your preference, and activate them on your phone. ​ 2. OASA Telematics (download on Android or iOS), an app that provides you ​ ​ ​ ​ with all bus timetables and stops, the anticipated arrival time of buses ​ ​ according to the bus stop, and even the exact position of the buses. Tickets can be bought either inside the metro station from the automatic ​ machines and the desks, from kiosks, or the TfA app. There are several types of ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ tickets, the most important being: ● Standard integrated ticket, which lasts for 70 minutes, costs 1,40€ (euros) (0,60€ with ISIC/student card), and is valid in metro/bus/trolley/tram and some suburban railway stops, regardless the number of different means one uses.