NEED TO KNOW

BANKS/CURRENCY

Banking in Greece is dominated by the four large institutions: National Bank of Greece, Eurobank Ergasias, Alpha Bank, Piraeus Bank.

However, there are many regional banks operating in Greece and branches of International banks in bigger cities.

It is also worth noting that banks have extremely limited opening hours in Greece.

Most will be closed by 14:30 Monday to Thursday, by 14:00 on a Friday and remain entirely closed at weekends.

You can find ATMs in every city for quicker and easier transactions.

Greece was one of the Eurozone members, with euros coming into circulation as the only legal tender starting in 2002.

Other currencies are not widely accepted in Greece, so if you find a street vendor willing to take an alternative currency as payment, be warned - you will probably end up paying a lot more than if you had used euros.

Euros are widely available at currency exchange offices throughout the world.

The offered exchange rates will vary, but whether you exchange your cash at home or in Greece, you will still need to shop around for the best exchange rate.

It is better not to exchange money in airports or hotels because rates are generally poorer there.

As a general rule, using ATMs for cash withdrawal is one of the smartest ways to get your holiday money.

The exchange rates applied are usually fair and they are convenient to use. However, do make sure you know what fees your home bank charges and watch the machine for the fees added by the ATM operator.

If your bank adds a per transaction fee, for example, then taking out larger sums less frequently would be the most sensible way to reduce overall costs.

Traveler’s Cheques are not usually accepted as direct means of payment in Greece.

You can exchange them at a currency exchange office or bank - but some banks will be reluctant to exchange cheques if you do not already own an account of them.

If you use Traveler’s Cheques in Greece, they should already be issued in euros in order to avoid high fees.

Due to poor exchange rates and limited options of cashing them, Traveler’s Cheques are falling out of favor.

CLIMATE

The climate in Chalkidiki is generally mild with limited rainfall whilst sunshine and warm summers are well known.

It enjoys over 300 days or around 3,000 hours of sunshine on average annually.

The lowest temperatures occur during December to February ranging between 3.5°C to 19°C, while highest temperatures occur during summer months and range between 23°C and 40°C.

If you are looking for a holiday with hot temperature, then July and August are ideal.

For those who prefer lower degrees and a refreshing sea breeze, they can visit Sarti on May, June, or September.

CLOTHING

One of the reasons that Sarti is the ideal destinations, is that you do not need to pack a lot.

Swimwear is the main outfit, casual summer clothes and shoes or just your flip flops and maybe a light jacket for the cooler summer nights.

If you travel off high season you might need warmer clothes.

In any case, you can find everything you need in the shops of Sarti. So worry no more about what you will wear. It is important to feel comfortable and enjoy your time here!

COMMUNICATION

If you come from another European country:

Recent EU legislation allows citizens of Europe to “roam like at home”.

This means “when you use your mobile phone while traveling outside your home country in any EU country you don’t have to pay any additional roaming charges.”

Typically, when you travel to other EU countries, you will not be charged any extra fees for calling, texting, or for using data.

The fees you will be charged when you travel to Greece will be exactly the same as what you pay back home.

If you come from a country not in the European Union:

The cost of roaming (particularly data roaming) outside the EU can be expensive.

To avoid running up steep bills, check the cost for roaming outside the EU with your provider before travelling.

DRIVING

Driving in Greece is a great way to explore the country.

Most people have no trouble driving the main roads of Greece, and there are main roads leading to all of the major tourist destinations.

About speed limits in Greece, it is not so difficult to remember.

And the roads are usually well signed.

In cities, you should drive at a steady pace up to 50 Km/h.

In country roads you are allowed to drive at speeds of 110 Km/h.

In the freeway, the speed limit in Greece is usually restricted to 120 Km/h.

There are very strict rules about the use of seat belts, which is mandatory for everyone who drives or sits in a vehicle where seat belts are provided.

If you are traveling with a child who is 3 to 11 years of age or up to 135 cm tall, they must be in a proper child restraint which you can rent from Hire Car agencies.

Child seats are also mandatory for kids who are younger than 5, and only kids and teens older than the age of 10 can travel in the front seat of a vehicle.

The Greek authorities also have very little tolerance for drunk driving, and anyone with more than 0.05% blood alcohol will have to face the full consequences of the law in Greece.

Also, in the interest of increased safety, the use of mobile phones while driving is banned in Greece.

Being caught without a driver’s license in Greece is a very serious offense, so make sure you bring your international driver’s license.

UK drivers and residents of EU nations can drive in Greece using their license from home however everyone else will need an International Driver’s License.

LANGUAGE

While in Sarti, you do not need to worry about communicating.

English is the main language that locals are very fluent.

Many of the owners in restaurants, hotels, shops, etc.

Also speak German and in some cases, you will also find people speaking Hungarian, Serbian, Czech, and they will help you with anything you will need.

PETS

If you consider travelling with your pet, it is better first to contact your hotel and confirm that it is pet friendly.

In many cases there are hotels which accept pets but in order to be sure, it is better to contact them first.

TIME ZONE

Greece is in the Eastern European time zone.

Eastern European Time - is abbreviated as EET

Eastern European Summer Time- is abbreviated as EEST.

Greece is GMT/UTC + 2h during Standard Time

Greece is GMT/UTC + 3h during Daylight Saving Time

Greece does utilize Daylight Saving Time. In Europe daylight saving time is often referred to as "Summertime."

Daylight Saving Time starts onSunday March 28, 2021 at 3:00 AM local time.

Greece ends Daylight Saving Time on

Sunday October 31, 2021 at 4:00 AM local time.

WATER

One thing you should remember while in Sarti, is that tap water is not drinkable.

You can use it for anything but drinking.

You can buy bottled water in supermarkets in normal/cheap prices.

ELECTRICITY

The Public Power Corporation manages the power supply in Greece.

In general, Electricity works normally without major problems.

During peak usage such as hot days when air conditioners are overloading the power company's systems, or during storms, particularly when there are high winds, power outages can occur.

Thinking about the unnecessary energy consumption and the protection of the environment, we advise you, during your holiday stay, not to overuse the air conditioning in your hotels and most important not to let it work while you are not in the room.

The same applies with lighting and electric devices.

We can all contribute to the protection of the environment and also to take care of our safety and do not forget the appliances on while you are away.

TRAVEL BY CAR

Travelling by car is a cozy option because you can manage your own time, stop wherever you want and bring anything with you not having in mind the baggage weight.

Most of the guests each year choose to travel to Sarti by car.

This option will also give you the opportunity to explore all the beautiful places around with your own vehicle.

The 2 main border crossing points that most tourists use to enter Greece and reach Sarti, are the station of Promachonas in Bulgaria-Greek borders and the Evzoni station in North Macedonia-Greek borders.

Depending on how long you will wait at the crossing point, by the time you will enter Greece from Promachonas, it will take you about three to three and a half hours to get to Sarti.

If you choose Evzoni crossing point, you will need about two and a half to three hours to reach Sarti.

All of the above of course if there is not much waiting at the borders and if you do not find much traffic.

TRAVEL BY AIR

The nearest large city to Sarti is the city of Thessaloniki. You can fly into Thessaloniki from any one of several large European cities.

At the airport there are three options you can choose to reach Sarti.

First you can take the Bus from Halkidiki bus station (about three and a half hours bus ride).

You may rent a car at the airport and drive to Sarti.

Or, if you prefer not to drive in a foreign country, arrange transportation for you from Thessaloniki airport to Sarti and back.

One- way transportation by taxi costs approx. 140 Euros for a group of up to four people.

Here are some directions in case you choose to rent a car and drive to Sarti:

When you leave the airport, continue straight, through a traffic light, following the signs to Chalkidiki.

This road feeds onto the road to Chalkidiki. When you reach Nea Moudania, follow the signs to Sithonia (if you miss this exit you will find yourself on the way to Kassandra and must turn around!).

Continue on this road, following the signs to Nikiti - Ag. Nikolaos - Vourvourou and then to Sarti.

You can also choose Neos Marmaras route which, although is one hour longer, however it offers amazing views of the coast line of the west part of Sithonia.

Watch the speed limit on the road, there are many road traffic controls.