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Travel information |
Thessaloniki
The cosmopolitan city of Thessaloniki was founded in 315 BC by Cassander and was given as a gift to his wife Thessaloniki, the sister of Alexander the Great. The greater area of Thessaloniki was first inhabited around 3,000 BC and has had a living history throughout the centuries. You can walk by Prehistoric, Ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Ottoman and classical monuments even in the heart of the city. The white tower is the unmistaken symbol of the city. Today, Thessaloniki, with a population of more than 1 million, is a modern city and a major port in the northern part of Greece with a steady tourist inflow throughout the year. It is a city of conferences and trade shows and a crossroad to Halkidiki peninsula and the monastery "avaton" region of Mt Athos as well as to Pieria's Olympic Riviera endless beaches and legenadary mount Olympus. It has many byzantine churches and museums, caffes and tavernas, a modern music hall, and certainly a distinct student color and vivid nightlife, as it hosts three large educational insitutions of higher education; the Aristotle University, the University of Macedonia and the Alexander Technological Educational Institute of Thessaloniki.
How to get to Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki can be reached by air, sea, car or train. The easiest way is to take a straight flight to Thessaloniki's Makedonia airport. There are many direct flights from major European cities. Alternatively, you can travel to one of the four other major international airports of Greece (E.Venizelos/Athens, Kerkyra (Corfu), Rodos (Rhodes), Iraklion-Crete), and then take a domestic flight to Thessaloniki. There are flights from Athens to Thessaloniki every hour and the flying time is about 45'. There is also an express train from Athens to Thessaloniki taking about 4 hours and 35'. From Thessaloniki there is access to over 20 regional airports in the mainland and in the Greek islands. There is also a ferry-boat service to Piraeus, Crete and many major Aegean islands.
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Traveling formalities
A passport is not a compulsory requirement for European Union citizens traveling from or to Schengen countries (Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain). There are no custom formalities. However, all participants are advised to hold a valid passport as it can be also used for identification purposes (e.g. for car rentals, etc).
A valid passport is normally required for all non E.U. citizens traveling to Greece. Visa formalities may be required for visitors from certain countries. Please consult your Embassy.
- Animals and Pets Entering Greece
Please note that animals require certain certificates issued in the country of origin before being allowed entry to Greece.
The currency of Greece is Euro (€). Banks, moneychanges and ATM's are located within all the cities of Greece. Traveller's cheques issued by all major companies can be cashed in all banks and exchange bureaus. Identification is necessary (preferably a passport). All major credit cards are almost everywhere accepted.
In case of loss of your credit card in Greece call immediately:
Access, 24 hour service - Tel.: 210 9503673
American Express, 24 hour service - Tel.: 00 441273526840
Citicard (Citibank), 24 hour service - Tel.: 210 9290000
Diners, 24 hour service - Tel.: 210 9290200
Eurocard/Mastercard, 24 hour service - Tel.: 210 9503673
Visa International, 24 hour service - Tel.: 210 9503673, Tel.: 00 800 11 6380304
The standard in Greece is 220V, AC 50Hz, 2-pin round sockets. Appliances from North America require a transformer and British ones an adaptor. Note, however, that good hotels are equipped with all necessary appliances you may need during your stay.
Greek time is two hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, an hour ahead of Central European Time and seven hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.
Local and international calls can be made from public cardphone booths and kiosks. Telecards can be purchased from kiosks and OTE (Hellenic Telecommunications Organization) offices. Vodaphone, Cosmote and Wind are among the major mobile phone companies.
You should feel perfectly safe to eat and drink everything and the tap water all over Greece is absolutely safe. Residents of E.U. countries are eligible to receive free emergency medical care.
In case of emergency call:
Police: 100
Ambulance Service: 166
Fire Brigade: 199
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