Travel guide Central Greece

You will be amazed by the thousand and one ways of preparing coffee in Greece. To order it, ask for: éna elliniko, in other words "a Greek"! In summer, there's nothing like an iced coffee that can be drunk chilled (made with Nescafé) or freddo (made with espresso). Coffee can be ordered without sugar (sketo), slightly sweet (metrio) or very sweet (glyko).

The famous Greek salad is called choriatiki and simply means "village". Since the Second World War, the rural exodus has been a very important reality in Greece. This implies that the vast majority of city dwellers come from a chorio, a village. The Greek is generally very attached to it and often owns a second home there

The iconostasis is the set of icons hanging in a particular place in each Greek house. Since the quarrel over images in the 7th century, which saw the victory of iconologists over iconoclasts, Orthodoxy has enshrined the cult of icons. In fact, the Greeks kiss the icon when they enter a church and then sign themselves three times.

The mati means "the eye", meaning "the evil eye". This notion is part of a popular superstition that is widespread in Greece. If you suddenly start yawning, feel tired or have a headache, you will most likely be given a se matiasan: literally, "the evil eye has been cast upon you".

Comparable to Spanish tapas, mezzedes (the plural of mezze) are more a gastronomic habit than a culinary specialty. It is a very convivial part of the meal: we cook dishes that will be placed in the centre of the table, letting everyone choose what they want. The famous tzatziki and tarama are not the only delights.

You will often find in Greece that Greeks answer "no" with a slight raise of the eyebrow. Taxi drivers do not have the exclusivity of this sibylline and somewhat expeditious response. On the other hand, the "yes" is accompanied by a small headbutt to the side, sometimes with the eyes closed. Subtle! Easier to observe than to explain.

The only Greek alcohol exported throughout the world, originating mainly from the green island of Lesbos, without a doubt the cradle of ouzo. But to drink ouzo like the locals do, arm yourself with a large glass, pour the ouzo, water and ice cubes, without deviating from this order. When ouzo is poured too quickly, the alchemy and taste are altered.

On the program: the procession of the Epitafios on Friday, the mass on Saturday evening followed by a big meal and mayiritsa (a giblet soup), lamb on the spit on Sunday, and on Pentecost Monday, 50 days later, a new celebration. Anyway, being in Greece during Easter week is an experience to be lived!

The karpouzi in Greek is the fruit of the summer. Watermelons are bought by the kilo in supermarkets and from street vendors on the roadside. And it's often the gift of the house, in the taverns, after a good meal in the middle of the dungeon. The region of Greece that produces the most is the Elide, west of the Peloponnese on the side of Olympia.

These are the newsstands that are often open late at night and on holidays. The peripteras, owners of such a kiosk, are usually stuck in a cheerful junk shop. In addition to newspapers, there are also cigarettes, drinks, chewing gum, souvenirs and postcards... And this list is not exhaustive!

The tavli is the Greek version of backgammon or backgammon. This game is very popular in Greece and is played for hours on the terraces of cafes. You usually order it with your drink or follow the sometimes colourful games played by your neighbours. Often dice throws are followed by flowery expressions.

With 15,000 km of coastline, some 2,000 islands and 5 seas, I thalassa, "the sea" in Greek, is a very present element in the landscape. Crystal-clear and often warm, it is incomparable for swimming and diving, but it is not as full of fish as it looks, even though the country has the largest European fishing fleet.