10+ Useful Travel Tips for Marathon City | Greece
Updated: Nov 30, 2021
This is it! You’ve just booked your ticket to Marathon. Now what? Despite having to wait a few more days, weeks, or months to get there, you can start to prepare. The following are useful travel tips you should know before heading to Marathon, because forewarned is forearmed.
Book Early
During high season (July - August), the earlier you book your tickets or your hotel, the less you’ll pay. If you are traveling during the high season you should book ferry tickets 2 weeks in advance as Greeks starts their holidays and the demand for ferries increases.
Shopping Hours
Throughout Greece, shops, department stores, and supermarkets are open from 9 AM-9 PM. As far as small stores and local shops in Marathon, the hours are as follows:
9 AM-2:30 PM & 5:30-8:30 PM on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays
9 AM - 3 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Shops are usually closed on Sundays, except for mini-markets and kiosks {periptero}.
Siesta Hours
Siesta time is a sacred tradition of the Greeks, spanning back many centuries. “Hours of common silence,” are from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm during the summer months.
Cafeterias, Restaurants & Nightlife
Café take away, open around 6 o'clock till 6 PM,
Food take away, open usually 2PM-1AM
Cafeterias around 9 o'clock till midnight
The restaurants 12:00 - 1:00
Bars from 20:00-3:00
Keep in mind though that each place usually has it's own schedule and the closing hours always depends on the fun you are having! There is no way a bar is going to be closed when the party is going :)
Free Wi-Fi
In Greece, except in remote areas, you can get an internet connection in hotels, cafés/bars for free and for as long as you want. Don’t be afraid to ask for the password if the connection is secured; this is common practice in Greece. Alternatively, you can buy a prepaid internet card at a kiosk {periptero}.
Free Water
You can drink water from the tap in Marathon. In restaurants you may ask for tap water, bottled water will cost yοu 2€.
The Cigarette in Greece
It is estimated that roughly 50 percent of Greeks smoke. While a ban on smoking indoors has been introduced, it is still very common to enter a café or restaurant where people smoke, although a lot of new places are enforcing the ban. But when it comes to outdoor smoking, it is allowed almost everywhere.
Do Not Flush Toilet Paper {please}
Do not throw paper in the toilet: this sign is omnipresent in Greek toilets. You are kindly requested to use the bin for this purpose. Why? Simple. Greek sewage pipes are 50 millimeters in diameter and easily get clogged if toilet paper is flushed. Don’t forget that Greece is an ancient civilization. And although sewage pipes are not that old, they just cannot support the quantity of flushed paper. And if you are worried about possible issues, the bins are emptied at the end of each day and usually have a lid.
Driving | Rent a car
If you are planning on renting a car keep in mind that motorcycles won’t stay behind you when driving and tend to zigzag a lot, while other drivers may overtake you on the left or the right. Therefore, be vigilant and try to refrain from driving in the Greek capital, but on the islands or Marathon things are much better. To rent a car visit Vistakis Rent a Car or call +306944398408.
Be Taxi-Smart
Taxi fares in Greece are rather cheap, except for the airport rides. But in the city, you can find taxis virtually everywhere. Once you’ve flagged one down, the driver may ask you your destination first before deciding if it suits him or not. While this is unusual elsewhere, in Greece, it is common. Also, do not be surprised if the driver stops to take other people while you’re in it. Few drivers do it, but it may happen. And if it does, note that you will not share the fare with them. In Marathon to get a taxi though you should call +302294091300
Important telephone numbers
To report any theft, loss, or any other major issue, contact the Tourism Police. The agents are fluent in many languages and can offer help and information (they are not tourist guides, however, so refrain from asking for specific touristic things). You can reach them by dialing 171 from all over Greece 24/7.
Some additional useful telephone numbers are:
100 - police
166 - medicine aid
199 - fire department
Don't forget
a plug adapter as electrical outlets in Greece supply electricity at 220 AC
always use sunscreen!
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