Yasou! Welcome to Greece!
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Greece... captivates visitors with its
spectacular Parthenon perched on top
of the Acropolis, beautiful Greek
Islands set in the deep blue Aegean Sea,
Greek mythology and home to the first
Olympic games.
Basic Facts
Capital ! Athens
Population ! 10,767,827
Area ! 131,940 sq. km.
Languages ! Greek
Religion ! Christian Orthodox
Industries ! Tourism, food, textile, chemicals, metal,
products, mining, petroleum
Currency ! Euro
Did You Know,..
1. Although, the first ancient games were held
in Olympia, Greece in 776 BC, they were
terminated under the Roman rule in 393 AD. It took
1503 years for the Olympics to return to Greece.
2. Nearly 80% of Greece is mountains.
3. Greece has more than 2,000 islands and approximately
170 are populated.
4. Greece has the most archaeological museums in the
world.
5. Greek is the oldest language spoken language in Europe at
over 3,000 years old.
6. The island of Rhodes has been inhabited since the Stone
Age.
7. Approximately 16.5million people visit Greece every year,
which is more than its population.
8. Thousands of English words come from Greece like
‘apology, alphabet and academy’.
Traditions
1. In the Greek culture, it is a tradition to name sons after
the father’s father and the girl after the father’s
mother.
2. It is a tradition to give five sugar almonds at Greek
weddings. This tradition started in France over 300
years ago and has become a popular tradition in Italy
and Greece. In Greece it is called Koufeta and each
almond symbolizes a wish for the newly married
couple…happiness, health, wealth, children and a long life.
3. It is a custom to call adults who are friends of the
family Thea (Aunt) or Theo (Uncle).
Festivals
Easter
Easter is the most celebrated and important festival for
Greeks. On Easter, eggs are died in a special red dye, which
symbolizes rebirth and nature. On Easter Saturday, families
prepare special meals. People gather in church before midnight
holding white candles lit with the ‘Holy Light’. At the stroke of
midnight there are drumbeats and fireworks to celebrate the
Resurrection of Christ.
Christmas in Greece
Christmas is also a very important festival for Greeks. On
Christmas Eve little boys go from door to door and sing
Christmas Carols to the beat of the drums. They are given
dried figs, almonds, walnuts and lots of sweets or sometimes
small gifts. In Greece, it is a tradition to give to orphanages and
hospitals instead of giving gifts to each other. On St. Basil’s Day,
which is on January 1
st
, gifts are exchanged with the family.
Famous Places in Greece
The Parthenon
The Parthenon was built on The Acropolis (in Athens), as a
temple for Athena, the Goddess by Pericles around 2,400
years ago in 438B.C. Today, it is Greece’s most
popular tourist attraction.
The Greek Islands
Tourists flock to Greece to see the mesmerizing Greek islands
mostly located in the Aegean Sea. There are approximately
6,000 islands and islets that make up the Greek Isles. Each
island has it’s own style of architecture. Only 227 of the islands
are actually inhabited.
Mykonos
Crete
Crete is the largest of all the Greek islands. The landscape
ranges from beautiful white sand beaches to the White
Mountains, which are made of limestone and are covered in
snow, until late the end of spring. According to Greek Mythology,
the Ideon Cave, located in Crete was the birthplace of Zeus.
Santorini
Santorini is the most visited island in the Greek Isles. In the 16th
century BC, a volcanic eruption devastated the island and
changed the island forever, The villages of Oia and Fira are
located along the edge of the cliffs lined with homes painted in
white set against the deep blue Aegean Sea which makes it one
of the most photographed islands in the world.
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