Greece travel tips.

Some useful things to know before coming to Greece

Hey! I guess if you stumbled upon this, you’re probably about to go to Greece or you’re at least planning it. I’ll keep it short and head on straight to some advice I’ve been giving to the tourist couples I’ve had the pleasure to meet and photograph here. Treat it like a mini advice column from a local, these are the absolute essentials to know:

When you’re in a restaurant, the bread that is served before the meal is often not for free.
If you’re eating out, the food for you and your friends is not always served at the same time.
A nice little gesture that often happens on Greek islands is ending the meal with a complimentary panna cotta or some other sweets or Raki.
Island life is sometimes tougher on you – there might be cuts in water, electricity or internet. But that’s part of the charm, isn’t it?
To rent any type of transport here, you need to have an International Driver’s Licence.
The stores in Santorini are usually closed between 15-17
The stores in Chania or Crete usually close earlier on Wednesdays (at 14). Every island has its own little traditions regarding working hours, so keep yourself informed.
There are many businesses in Greece that accept only cash payments. The most popular ones to do this are gas stations.
Tap water is unfit for drinking on the Greek islands. Please drink only bottled water.
Smoking is still pretty popular in Greece. If you don’t like it, you’ll have to look for special non-smokers areas in cafes and bars.
Don’t forget power adapters, Greece has a different plug system.
A nice thing I’ve rarely seen anywhere else – it’s normal to ask to charge your phone at a cafe if you have a charger with you.
The emergency phone number used across Greece is 112.