Before you read the text, here are a few reminders:
1. July-August was the peak tourist season in Greece when we went there. House prices, transportation, etc. all increased in price. Therefore, the prices mentioned below are peak season prices. Many people in China choose to go around the May Day and National Day holidays, which should be during the off-season or The price in the middle season is different depending on the budget (our total cost for this trip was 36,000 yuan). We are not too inclined to go during the Spring Festival, because the climate in Greece is a Mediterranean climate, with dry and rainless summers, cloudless skies, and bright sunshine. It is a good time to vacation on the Aegean Sea (of course there will be more flowers than in the off-season) Nearly double the money); on the contrary, winter is cold and rainy, which makes it uncomfortable.
2． In most tourist attractions, speaking English is not a problem, or if you are fluent in Italian, many locals can speak Italian. But it is recommended that before going, at least familiarize yourself with how to compare Greek letters with English letters. The road names, place names, and station names in big cities such as Athens are all marked in Greek and English. However, the roads, place names, and station names in many small towns are entirely in Greek. Therefore, learn to recognize the Greek letters and help you find your way and ask questions. The road has its benefits.
3． Understanding Greek history, mythology, and the names of Greek gods in advance will be helpful to deepen your understanding when visiting museums and historical sites.
Greek and English alphabet comparison table (based on Oxford Mini-dictionary of Greek):
Αα=a, Ββ=v, Γγ=g, Δδ=d, Εε=e , Ζζ=z, Ηη=i, Θθ=th, Ιι=i, Κκ=k, ∧λ=l, Μμ=m, Νν=n, Ξξ=x or ks, Οο=o, ∏π=p, Ρρ =r, ∑σ (σ is used at the beginning and middle of the word, and σ is used at the end of the word)=s, Ττ=t, Υυ=y, Φφ=f or ph, Χχ=h or kh, Ψψ=ps, Ωω=o
Comparison of pronunciation of letter combinations:
αι=e, ει=i, οι=i, ου=oo, ou or u, αυ=av, ευ=ev
The name of the Greek country is Greece in English and Ε∧∧Α∑ (Hellas) or Ε∧∧ΑΔΑ (Ellada) in Greek.
Part 1 Athens (Αθηνα, capitalized ΑΘΗΝΑ)
(1) Line
1) Preliminary homework
Before going abroad, we Browse online and download a large amount of information, including attractions, hotels, routes, humanities and history introductions, and electronic maps. The electronic map of Google Maps () is very useful. It has both flat printing effect and satellite aerial photos. After zooming in, streets, houses and even pedestrians and vehicles are clearly visible. Take a good look before traveling and you can "recognize the road" in advance. .
I have two books on hand: one is the "Greece, Cyprus" album in the "Travel Around the World" series by China Tourism Publishing House. The content is practical and detailed, and cannot be matched by other domestic travel books. Unfortunately, it was published in 2002 In the 2002 edition, some information is slightly different, especially the prices are still all in Greece's old currency - drachma (1 euro is equal to approximately 341 drachma, and Greece was not allowed to join the euro zone before 2002), which is somewhat inconvenient. You can pay attention to the publisher's website www.zbqq.com. According to the above notice, a new edition of "Greece, Aegean Sea & Cyprus" will be released in August 2008. Let's wait and see. The other one is Greece – Athens & the Mainland from the Eyewitness Travel Guide series launched by the British company DK. We bought it in English for ￡15.99 in the UK. The content is also very detailed and is especially helpful for visiting museums. Unfortunately, it is only available in English. Introducing the mainland of Greece, there is no information on any islands.
2) Flights
Currently there are no direct flights from Beijing to Athens. The options include Air China, Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, KLM, and Thai Airways (departing from southern cities). Basically there is a stop in the middle. The Lufthansa tickets we booked in May cost 10,170 yuan per person (tax included).
3) Athens’ X95 bus connects the airport and the city center
After arriving at Athens Airport, you collected your luggage and went to the lobby on the first floor of the airport. Directly opposite is the Information Center (Airport (left side of the exit), the staff speaks good English. There is a free map of Athens city next to the exit (look carefully, don't just take the pure Greek version instead of the English version, which will make you "blind"), bus timetable, etc. You usually take the X95 bus to Syntagma (Συνταγμα) in the center of Athens. It operates 24 hours a day. It runs every 15-20 minutes during the day and every 40 minutes at night. The one-way ticket is 3.2 euros and it takes about an hour to get to Syntagma Square. A special reminder is that some netizens said that the ticket can continue to be used in the city within 24 hours, but when we took the ticket to the subway ticket office and asked, the answer we got was that it could not be done.
4) Sightseeing bus No. 400, connecting all the major attractions in Athens
A ticket is 5 euros. The ticket is purchased on the bus and is valid within 24 hours. The timetable states that the bus runs every half hour and the route passes through major attractions, but the actual bus time is extremely inaccurate. We took three sections in front and back. Except for the departure time from the starting station (Archaeological Museum), the departure time was relatively accurate. The other stations were based on the times marked on the station table. We calculated and waited, but the wait ended up being 40-50 minutes. minute. Of course, there is also a possibility that a bus was passing by and we didn’t see it, because Route 400 is different from the double-decker, gaudy sightseeing buses we often see in other cities. It is very similar to ordinary buses in Athens, so you need to identify it carefully. Also, you must signal the driver to stop in advance, otherwise he may stop. You must also pay attention to your gestures when stopping the car at the stop sign. You must straighten your arms and keep your palms downward. Never point your palms in the direction of the car and the driver. , it is said that in Greek custom, it is insulting.
In addition, we almost got stolen when we got on the No. 400 bus: (we analyzed afterwards) they were in a group, one after another, sandwiching us in the middle; when we got on the bus, the person in front of us stopped deliberately. He stopped and blocked us at the door of the car, while he stood there and chatted with the driver, pretending to ask for directions, to distract our attention, and the people behind took the opportunity to strike; fortunately, he discovered it early (felt a slight tug on his trouser pocket) ), yelled, but did not let them succeed.
5) The subway is also very useful
But remember: in Greece, the "subway" is called Metro (ΜΕΤΡΟ, μετρο), unlike in the United Kingdom and Germany, where it is called Underground. It's not called Subway like in the United States. When asking for directions, call the correct name, so there will be less trouble. Metro homepage:) When making reservations, pay attention to whether credit cards are accepted, whether there is air conditioning, a separate bathroom, 24-hour check-in and check-out, whether breakfast is included, and whether overnight luggage storage is free (some people will store extra luggage before "island hopping") package), is it possible to cancel for free 24 hours before check-in, etc.
Recommend a budget hotel where we stayed:
Dioskouros Guesthouse: It can be found on the Hostel World website. The administrator is an old man, Mr. Stratos, who is very enthusiastic. Although he speaks very bluntly and is very verbose, he is kind-hearted and his service is very attentive. He often says: "If you have anything, you don't have to go downstairs in person. Call 101." (Telephone number at the front desk) "The accommodation fee is 54 euros per night, including breakfast. Toilets and bathrooms are shared. The location is good. It takes about ten minutes to walk south from Constitution Square along Amalias (Αμαλ?α) Street to No. 6 Pittakou Street (∏ΙΤΤΑΚΟΥ). However, they do not provide overnight luggage storage.
Their website is shared with another sister hotel, Hotel Fivos***: www.hotelfivos.gr
We have also been to that sister hotel, near Monastiraki Square. It's next to Ermou (Ερμου) Street, which is very noisy and doesn't feel as good as Dioskouros.
In addition, the Student & Travelers Inn recommended by many people is located in the Plaka area, which is very convenient for eating and traveling. When we asked about the price, it was about 80 euros for a room, with air conditioning and a separate bathroom. Looks pretty good too.
(3) Play
The main attractions in Athens are concentrated around the three squares in a triangular pattern (Syntagma Square, Greek ΥΝΤΑΓΜΑ, lowercase υνταγμα; Concorde Square OMONIA, Greek ΟΜΟΝΟΙΑ, lowercase Oμονοια; Monastiraki Square MONASTIRAKI, ΜΟΝΑ∑ΤΗΡΑΚΙ, Μοναστηρακ?). Travelers with plenty of time and good foot strength can walk and experience the city's unique scene that perfectly blends modernity and classicism.
1) Acropolis (Ακροπολη):
On Mount Athena in the center of Athens. A package ticket of 12 euros allows you to visit all the attractions in the Acropolis (the Acropolis Museum is under renovation and closed), and within 3 days you can visit the nearby Ancient Forum, the Roman Forum, and the Hadrian Gate in the southeast of Athens. Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The night view of the Acropolis is also very beautiful. There are strong luminous lights all around the foot of the mountain hitting the Acropolis, which is extremely magnificent. There are many tourists and lovers strolling in the Acropolis Park halfway up the mountain. From a distance, you can see the quiet ancient square on one side and the noisy city on the other. Classical symphonies from the Theater of Herod Atticus in the Acropolis can be heard from time to time. The theater has withstood 2000 years of ups and downs and is still in use today. We were there during the Athens International Arts Festival.
2) National Archeological Museum (National Archeological Museum):
7 euros per ticket, which is divided into nearly 40 exhibition rooms, focusing on Greece except Crete. If you look carefully at the exquisite cultural relics from various places, you can't finish them in two or three hours. As I reminded you before, reading about Greek history, mythology, etc. beforehand will be of great help during your visit. To save the package. You can bring bottled mineral water in (wine and food are not allowed). Cameras and video recorders can be used, but flashes are prohibited (the ultraviolet rays they emit can damage cultural relics).
3) Tomb of the Unknown Soldier:
Located in front of the Constitution Square in front of the Parliament Building, there will be a bunch of tourists waiting there every hour to watch the changing of the guard ceremony. The military uniforms worn by the soldiers are very ethnic. I feel that their goose-stepping posture is quite dance-like (perhaps it really extracts some elements from their folk dances), and it is very slow, like a slow-down shot. Before and after the changing of the guard ceremony, when the guards stood still, many people would go up and take photos with the guards.
Other attractions:
——Olympic Stadium (Greek Ολυμπιακο ∑ταδιο, but strangely, the English name is called Roman Stadium), which hosted the first Olympic Games in 1896, and According to research, this was the place where the first All-Greek Ancient Olympic Games was held in ancient times. Therefore, from its completion in 1895 until now, the track in the stadium still retains the antique horseshoe shape instead of the modern oval shape;
— —Ancient Agora (Αρχα?α Αγορα), like the Acropolis, is one of the oldest relics in Athens. It is where Socrates, Plato, Aristophanes, Herodotus and other ancient Greek sages often gathered and gave lectures. and a place of debate;
——Roman Agora (Ρωμαικη Αγορα), a relic of the early Roman Empire. The Aeolus Tower inside is very conspicuous and octagonal. It was used as a sundial, time leak and weathervane in ancient times. Use;
——Museum of Greek Folk Art;
——Mitropoleos Cathedral, the national cathedral of Greece, President Major national ceremonies such as the inauguration are held here. The sign at the door of the church reminds: Sleeveless tops and short shorts are not allowed to enter;
——National Garden (National Garden), suitable for walking at dusk;
etc.
(4) Food
It is said that when eating in Greece, the tip is between 5% and 10%. Our experience is that if you eat in a small restaurant, it is a very simple meal, and the service is average, it is not necessary to give it.
We basically arrange three meals a day like this:
Breakfast: The free breakfast in a budget hotel basically only provides bread slices, butter, and orange juice. If there is no free breakfast, we usually go to the supermarket the day before to buy delicious food and prepare it in the room. Generally, a large bottle of juice or milk costs about 1 euro; the most common canned food is canned salmon, which costs about 1 euro each; luncheon meat is more expensive, and French croquettes in bread are more expensive; common fruits include bananas, kiwis, apples, etc. I personally think that eating like this is better than the breakfast in ordinary hotels, and it is also more economical.
Lunch and dinner: When you are in a hurry, buy the local snack Pitta Gyros; when you have enough time, sit in a restaurant and have a meal. Pitta Gyros has been introduced by many travel friends. I call it the "Gyros" of Greece. It is indeed an affordable and delicious fast food when you are on the road. If you take it away, it costs about 1.8 euros each; you can eat it while sitting in the store. It’s much more expensive and not a good deal.
Dinner: Usually we will ask for a salad, two main dishes, and a large bottle of mineral water, usually within 15 to 20 euros. Salad: Greek Salad (3-4 vegetables topped with a large piece of slightly salty cheese) 5 euros; or Cucumber & Tomato Salad (only cucumbers and tomatoes) 3 euros.
Main dishes: Musaka (a special food steamed with eggplant and minced meat and cheese) 6 euros; Souvlaki (a large skewer of grilled meat with salad, potato chips or rice) 7 euros, Stuffed Tomato (tomatoes) , green peppers are hollowed out, filled with rice, and steamed with sauce) 6 euros; Pasta 6-7 euros.
Drinks: Small Bottle Water 1 Euro; Big Bottle Water 1.5-2 Euros; Freshly squeezed juice 3 Euros; Red wine 3-4 Euros per glass, depending on the situation.
Special reminder: Greek restaurants all have cover (some restaurants say bread & tissue on their menus) for about 1 euro, which refers to the disposable paper tablecloth and what was brought to you at the beginning. Slices of bread, if butter is added, may range from 2 to 3 euros.
It is recommended to eat around Omonia or Monastiraki Square, which is cheaper than around Syntagma Square. There are many small restaurants around the famous Student & Traveler's Inn, but we don't like the Taverna Plaka Restaurant recommended in many travel books. First of all, the service attitude is not good. We ordered an ordinary fish steak at first. The waiter said no, and insisted on recommending us to eat something expensive. We didn't listen, and he became visibly impatient. The food tastes average. At the final checkout, I found that the meal itself was less than 15 euros, and the cover cost us nearly 4 euros extra. It was just ordinary slices of bread with two pieces of butter. It was not worth it.
(5) Shopping
The famous ERMOU (ΕΡΜΟΥ) Street is between the two squares SYNTAGMA and MONASTIRAKI. There are two FOLLI FOLLIEs alone, but all of them are on this street. The shops are closed on Sundays. At that time, you can go to the alleys near the Acropolis in the PLAKA area to buy souvenirs in small private shops.
A major specialty of Greece - olive oil: a small bottle of about 350ml, about 4 euros, there are also bottles of Salad Dressing (salad oil) mixed with olive oil and vinegar; natural skin care products extracted from olives, cream , soap and the like are all good;
T-shirts: about 10 euros each, good cotton is more expensive.
Scenery postcards usually cost 0.25-0.3 euros each; refrigerator magnets cost about 2 euros each; calendars with pictures of the Greek islands’ scenery range from 3 euros to 7 euros for small ones.
A variety of gold and 925 silver jewelry. Because we are not very interested in expensive jewelry, we didn’t remember the price. However, the unique metal necklaces in some small stores attracted me and the prices were also very low. It’s expensive, but I’ve heard that you can find better designs in SANTORINI (Santorini Island, also translated as Santorini Island), so I’m not in a hurry to buy it.
I also attached it from /
There are many practical guides like this over there
Just search the Aegean Sea and you will find a lot, it is simple and convenient
Reference materials:/