How to Travel to Greece for Christmas
In Greece, Christmas is observed primarily as a religious holiday rather than a commercial one. While presents are exchanged, other delightful customs also fill the days from the feast of St. Nicholas on December 6 through Epiphany on January 6. Christmas caroling, feasts, get-togethers with family and friends and attendance at religious services add to the festivity of the season. With a little advance planning, you can spend a memorable and meaningful Christmas holiday in Greece.
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Instructions
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Instructions
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Greece is full of picturesque views such as this one. Plan your itinerary. Pick firm dates for your trip. This will make it much easier to check and compare plane fares, hotel rates and rental car costs and to make reservations for your visit. If you are not staying with family or friends, choose the exact city or town where you will stay. Include special sights or activities which you do not want to miss. Prepare a travel budget based on what you can afford to spend. Even a rough vacation plan will serve you well as you work to firm up the details of your trip.
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You will need a passport to travel to Greece. As soon as your plans are in place, book your flight and reserve your hotel room and rental car. The earlier you do this, the better, as flights, cars and accommodations are more limited the closer you get to the holiday. If you do not have a passport, apply for one immediately. Normal processing time for passport applications is four to six weeks. Expedited service is available for an additional fee and processing time runs two to three weeks.
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A heavy winter coat is not necessary in Greece in December. When packing for Christmas in Greece, don't make the mistake of thinking you will need parkas and snow boots. The average temperature in Greece in December is around 59 degrees, so slacks, thin sweaters and maybe a light-to-medium jacket should be sufficient. If you are taking holiday gifts along, consider shipping them separately rather than paying the airline rates for extra baggage.
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Don't worry about obtaining a visa. U.S. citizens are able to enter Greece without a visa under the Schengen Agreement for periods of 90 days or less.
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Greek coins and currency may come in handy. Consider learning Greek. While you can probably function quite well with English in the metropolitan areas, it's always fun to be able to converse in the native language. Consider a group or independent study of Greek or pick up a phrase book to take along in case you find yourself in need of it.
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Tips & Warnings
Remember the time difference between the U.S. and Greece and allow yourself a day or two to overcome jet-lag before plunging into too many activities. Do not expect Christmas in Greece to be identical to Christmas in America. The best part of experiencing a new culture is the differences.
If you attend religious services in Greece, be aware of their customs. Some churches such as the Greek Orthodox have communion only for the members of that religion, and not everyone is welcome to receive. Follow along and do as the congregation does, or sit and observe respectfully.
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- Photo Credit christmas-tree and christmas gifts image by Maria Brzostowska from Fotolia.com landscape of greece image by ronnydee from Fotolia.com passport image by isatori from Fotolia.com the jacket image by anna karwowska from Fotolia.com greek coins - heads image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
