Thursday, July 9, 2009

Greece : An Easy Country To Get Around

By Tim Handy

In this part of our guide to holidays in Greece we focus on how you can get around the country...

Renting a car or moped in Greece is easy and inexpensive; do so and you'll have the freedom to travel anywhere you want. Most roads are in good condition but if driving in the countryside or on the islands you'll need to exercise extra care as some can be narrow and ill maintained. Prices start at around $40 per day for a car and $15 per day for a moped (make sure that the price you're quoted includes all taxes and insurance) and all that you require is a passport and an internationally recognized driving license.

Greece's superb 'KTEL' (intercity) bus system lets you travel easily anywhere on the mainland. It's great value for money and lets you visit parts of Greece that you would otherwise never get to see. But the system was designed for locals, not tourists, so you might run into some language problems. However, most young Greeks have a little English and you will probably find one is willing to assist you.

Taxis are abundant and inexpensive. Meters are mandatory and tips are not required. In Greece, taxis often keep picking up passengers until they're full, so even if a taxi already has some passengers you can still try to hail it providing it is heading in the direction you want to go. (But you also must be prepared to share your cab with strangers). Most, but not all, drivers in the cities and on the islands will have a smattering of English.

Getting to the islands requires either a boat ride or a short flight. For islands further away, you can fly to them (many islands have airports) from Athens or Thessaloniki; the distances within Greece are small, so even the furthest destination is less than an hour flight.

For islands close to the mainland, ferries are the best option; they run regularly throughout the day, but keep in mind that they might take longer than you expect because of making several stops on different islands en route to their final destination.

About the Author:

0 comments: