Travel Tips for Greece
We cant be off travelling every weekend (unfortunately), so sometimes we just feel like putting together a top 10 list or passing on a bit of traveller relevant news we have heard. Whatever it is we write that does not fit anywhere else it goes here. Enjoy!
Following the success of the Athens hop-on hop-off tourist bus service, the Organisation of Urban Transportation of Thessaloniki (OASTH) in September 2009 introduced its own version of a sightseeing bus (the No 50, aka ‘Thessaloniki on the Go!’ or the ‘Cultural Route Bus’).
Highways and main motorways in Greece have come a long way in the last ten years or so. What used to be a truly frightening trip out of Athens has to a large extent been replaced with a relatively sedate highway experience similar to that in most western European countries.
In the summer of 2005, OASA (The Athens public bus company) started a pilot scheme for a hop-on hop-off tourist bus service doing the rounds of central Athens. A five euro ticket gets you 24 hour access to the bus and all other public transportation in Athens (excluding the metro run out to the airport). The pilot scheme was a resounding success, so much so that we now have reasonably priced sightseeing buses whizzing around central Athens throughout the year.
Summer in Athens means many things to many people, but one thing everyone can agree on is that catching a flick at one of the capital's outdoor cinemas is an Athenian tradition that is hard to beat.
Whether you are a resident of Athens or just passing through, when the mercury hits 30, the only place to be is the beach. Although Attica’s beaches are on the whole not in the same class as those found on the islands, this should not stop you enjoying the sun, the sea and the sand while in Athens.
Travelling through northern Greece by car just became a whole lot quicker with the long awaited opening of the Egnatia Odos, the modern version of the Roman era Via Egnatia.
October is an interesting month to be in Greece. The first two weeks of October may be considered the tail end of the tourist season. Most charter firms scale back their operations by the mid to end of October and resorts that are still open are relaxed and not at all crowded. Athens still gets a fair amount of tourists, although nothing like the summer months. October is usually a great time to see Athens’ outdoor sites when the weather is pleasantly warm and the museums are much nicer with the crowds gone. October is when the locals go to see the sites, this should tell you something.
A quick and dirty guide to the various areas of Thessaloniki that are likely to be of interest to visitors.
What are you waiting for? Grab a flight and 'do' a Thessaloniki city break!
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