Practical information : Move & Laze around Central Greece
Budget & Tips
While free activities are few and far between in the big cities, it's still fun to jog around the marble stadium of the 1896 Games in Athens or along the waterfront in Thessaloniki. Elsewhere, the nature of mainland Greece is rich with possibilities and most outdoor activities won't cost you a cent, whether it's swimming in Halkidiki or hiking in Pelion. For diving, canoeing or mountain biking, unless you come equipped, you will have to rent the equipment: many stores and associations offer quality equipment for rent
What's very local
Dancing is practiced by all during the great celebrations that punctuate the national life: you can learn some traditional steps by joining the circle on the occasion of these panigyri. The celebrations of Pure Monday, 41 days before the Orthodox Easter, will hold many surprises for you: Greeks eat fasting food to mark the beginning of Lent and then gather in the city (mainly on the hill of Filopappou in Athens or on the seafront in Thessaloniki), where popular songs and dances take part in the festival. On this occasion, the tradition also wants that great contests of kites are organized.
Your documents please
Public swimming pools are not necessarily easy to access: many require medical certificates. On the coast, a boating license is mandatory to rent a sailboat or a motorboat in Greece: normally, the coastal license is sufficient for the captain alone, but some rental companies will ask for an additional guarantee, with a second person who knows how to navigate on board. Scuba diving is regulated to avoid looting of ancient wrecks: any archaeological find must be reported to the port authorities or to the police. Solo diving is forbidden, as well as underwater hunting (even if you will see locals with harpoons in their hands). Finally, windsurfing and kitesurfing are normally forbidden to children under 16 years old, without a parent's consent
To be booked
If you want to participate in events such as the Athens Marathon (www.athensauthenticmarathon.gr), keep an eye on the dates and do not miss the registration deadline. Elsewhere, on the coast, for all diving or kitesurfing courses, you will have to book in the most touristic places. There is no need to book weeks in advance, but the high season can be quite busy, especially in Chalkidiki, so it is better to get information beforehand.
Main events
Prestigious cultural festivals are organized all summer long in Greece. It is impossible to list them all! In the capital alone, the Athens Festival hosts performances from June to September in the open-air theater of Herod Atticus while other performances are given in the Lycabet theater and other spaces in the city. The Festival of Epidaurus, of international renown, is known for its classical Greek theater, including the tragedies of Aeschylus and Sophocles, as well as high-level opera performances. Although located in the Peloponnese, special buses are often chartered from Athens.
During the rest of the year, sports enthusiasts can also watch the dates of the major championship games of the soccer and basketball teams.
Tourist traps
Some sports can be dangerous. This is the case for diving on the coast or canoeing in the Vikos Gorge in Epirus. It is therefore essential to contact professional schools and rental companies.
