Greece Business Travel Guide

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The Greece Business Travel Guide has a range of tools that can be utilised by business travellers to assist them with their business trip. The information includes visa information, facts on Greece, business customs, culture and tips, and more. Appreciation and understanding of other cultures, languages, customs and protocols can be an advantage for business travellers helping to avoid cultural misunderstandings and helping to create a successful business trip.

Greece has an advanced and developed economy with a number of business opportunities. Greece is a member of the EU, Eurozone, World Trade Organisation (WTO) and NATO. Major trading partners include EU neighbours France, Germany, Italy, Bulgaria, Cyprus and China and Russia. Greece is located in southern Europe. Greece shares borders with Albania to the north west, Bulgaria and Macedonia to the north and Turkey to the north east.

The country has a variety of landscapes including beaches, mountains, woodland, forests and a range of flora and fauna. Famous attractions include the Acropolis, Parthenon, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Temple of Hephaestus, National Archaeological Museum and Panathenaic Stadium in the captial Athens and Knossos, Samariá Gorge, Myrtos Beach and Ionian Islands.



Greece Guide

Quick Facts on Greece
Greece Travel Advice
Visa Requirements
Business Customs and Etiquette
Travel Advice and Tips
Public Holidays
Greece Map
Greece Weather & Climate



Quick Facts on Greece

Country: Greece

Capital: Athens

Currency: Euro (1 euro = 100 cents)

Population: 11.4 Million (UN, 2012)

Area total: 131,957 sq km

Languages: Greek

Time Zone: GMT +2

Daylight Saving Details: Starts in late March until late October

Electricity: 220V 50Hz

Dialling Code: 30

GDP: USD$ 241.7 billion (World Bank, 2013)

Religion: Greek Orthodox with Muslim and other minorities.

Political System: Republic

Internet Domain: .gr


Greece Travel Advice

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office offers travellers useful advice when travelling to Greece. Further information can be found on entry requirements for Greece, advice on local laws and customs, tips on safety and security and the address and contact details of the British Embassy in Greece. The information is regularly updated making it a good resource for both business and leisure travellers to check before starting their trips. For more information please see: Greece Travel Advice


Visa Requirements

No visa requirement for national of EU member states. No visa need for US and Canadian nationals for visits less than six months. Visa requirements are subject to change with changes in requirements and rules for further information please see: Greece Embassy UK


Business Customs and Etiquette

Business dress is conservative with dark coloured suits worn. Business meetings should be booked in advance and punctuality is expected. Greetings are usually with a firm handshake and maintaining eye contact. Relationship building and trust is very important and it can take a few meetings to establish this. The decision making can be slow due to hieratical decision making so patience will be needed. Expect haggling from skilled negotiators when conducting business.

Many Greek business people speak English however interpreters are available if required. Business meetings may be held over lunch; overall business practices are those that one would expect to find in most western countries


Travel Advice and Tips

On the whole most trips to Greece for business and for travellers go ahead without any incidents. You should however be aware of incidents of pick pockets particularly in crowded, busy places and isolated incidents of assaults in some tourist areas. Personal valuables should not be displayed in public and it is wise to always remain alert and vigilant to your surroundings and environment.

Travel Checklist: See our Packing & Travel Checklist containing useful tips and reminders to ensure you have everything you will need on your trip.

Travel Vaccinations: It is recommended you check with your GP up to eight weeks before you travel whether you require any travel vaccinations up before you travel. For more information and advice on travel vaccinations please see the NHS Fit for Travel website.


Tipping: If service charge is not included usually around 10%

Hours of Business:

For Businesses:
8.00/9.00 to 17.00 Monday to Friday

For Shops:
10.00 to 15.00 on Monday, Wednesday & Saturdays
10.00 to 14.00 & then 17.00 to 20.30/21.00 on Tuesday & Thursdays,

Note: Supermarkets are usually open for longer hours from 8.00 to 21.00 (or 18.00 on Saturdays).


Public Holidays

Public Holidays (2015):

January 1: New Year's Day
January 6: Epiphany Day
March 25: Greek Independence Day
April 10: Greek Orthodox Good Friday
April 13: Greek Orthodox Easter Monday
May 1: Labour Day
June 1: Greek Orthodox Whit Monday
August 15: Assumption
October 28: Ochi Day
December 25: Christmas Day
December 26: Boxing Day


Greece Map

Map of Athens, Greece


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Greece Weather & Climate

Greece has a Mediterranean climate, characterised by long hot summers and winters that are cool and wet. Within the country there are variances, the north has mountains and is usually colder than the south. The country can be visited throughout the year; from November to March is the rainy season, with summer well known for be being long and hot. Spring and summer are also good times to visit Greece with warm days, sunshine and more reasonable temperatures than in the summer than can get stiflingly hot.

Lightweight cotton and linen clothing can be warn for the summer months with light jackets need for the evenings. Rain coats are advisable in autumn and spring whilst additional layers and warmer clothing is required in the winter.










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Disclaimer: The information given in on this website is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If there are any discrepancies in no way do we intend to mislead. Important travel details and arrangements should be confirmed and verified with the relevant authorities.
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