Greece can be very hot in the summer, so there are plenty of tourists visiting the country each year. That is why there are lots of hotels and places to stay in, especially on the islands. The hot weather means there’s plenty to do outside too! The scenery is often very stunning so there’s plenty to see.

There are lots of museums, archaeological sites, and outdoor theatres to go to. And because of the oceans that surround the islands, there’s also sailing and water sports. In the winter you can go mountaineering or skiing if there is enough snow!

The Greek people love to cook at home. Restaurants are not as popular as they are in this country, but they very often go out to a place called a kafeneion, which is a bit like a coffee house that sells snacks and delicious sweet pastries.


Greek Food

The Greeks are very fond of their food and are famous for their hospitality. Generally girls learn how to cook from a very early age and it is traditional to pass recipes down through the generations.

Have you ever eaten any Greek food? How about feta cheese pie, olive oil, tzatziki or dolmades? These are traditional Greek foods.

Tzatziki is a mixture of cucumber, yoghurt, olive oil and garlic. The Greek people eat this as a dip, with fish, aubergine or courgettes, or anything really!

Dolmades are actually stuffed vine leaves: a special rice mixture is wrapped in the leaves and this is a typical part of the first meal at Lent. It comes from Macedonia originally.

There are some very unusual dishes too: how about onion-boiled eggs? This is a dish that comes from Thessalonika.

A traditional Greek meal would include mezedes, which are starters, fogakia, which are small dishes that can be a starter, a side dish to go with your main meal, or it can be a supper dish or even a main course (if you’re not very hungry!), as well as the main meal and a dessert!

And when you’ve finished eating, it is traditional in Greece to throw your plate on the floor and smash it!


Special Occasions

Carnival celebrations usually start on Tsiknopempti where people put on theatrical shows and other events. There are masquerade parties, parades of floats, majorettes, ballet groups and lots of loud music.



The streets all over the country are filled with bright colours and noise and people get dressed up in traditional Greek costumes.

The end of the celebrations comes with the Koulouma, which is a traditional party where lots of people fly kites!


Houses

The houses in Greece can be very unusual looking: some of the villages on the islands have very closely-knit buildings, which makes them look very unique, and there are lots of small staircases and little pathways to explore!



The inside of a traditional house can be very particular to the region: this one is very typical of traditional houses on the island of Ipiro








But did you know that there are some Greek buildings that are actually carved out of the mountains! This one is found on an island on the Aegean side (to the right) of the Greek mainland.

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