So you’re planning on visiting Greece, have Greek friends, or want to go to a Greek restaurant and, of course, it all seems “Greek to you“.
Well, don’t fret. “Maria’s Greek Tip of the Month” explains how Greeks go about their lives, whether that’s eating out and drinking their drinks, how to boost your health with the famed Greek Diet, or even how to accept a “kerasma” (treat) or even celebrate Easter and Christmas.
So drop by this page regularly to learn some basic tips and insight into the Greek way of life and culture and prepare to immerse yourself into #yournextgreeceadventure for the complete Greek experience.
In the words of English poet Percy Bysshe Shelley:
“We are all Greeks. Our laws, our literature, our religion, our arts have their root in Greece.”
Percy Bysshe Shelley
- Eating Out the Greek Way
When visiting a popular destination in Greece, choosing a place to dine can seem daunting, especially when there’s so much choice. The best way to select a good restaraunt or taverna is to check out where the locals are eating. This is a pretty good indication that the quality is good and the dishes are as close as possible to the original. - What Do Greeks Do for ChristmasIn Greece, families and friends celebrate on Christmas Day around a dinner table set in its best with tints of red and green for the season.
- What Do Greeks Do on New Year’sGreeks begin to celebrate the coming of the new year on December 31. The celebrations are focused – as always – around food and family.
- How to Drink Ouzo, Raki or TsipouroGreece’s three main alcoholic drinks – ouzo, tsipouro and raki – are mischievous ‘spirits’ and should be enjoyed at a slow pace always accompanied by titbits of food – known as “mezedes” – and plenty of water.
- Five Ways to Boost Your Health Greek-styleBoost your health and well-being with these five basic Greek ingredients and bring the taste of Greece to your kitchen.
- What’s Greek ‘Kerasma’ All About?“Kerasma” means “treat” or “to be treated” and it is one of Greeks’ favorite ways to show affection, hospitality, or to flirt.
- What Greeks Do on Orthodox EasterGreek Orthodox Easter is the biggest celebration in Greece marked by a mass exodus from the urban centers to the countryside. The reason lies both in faith as well as in the need for city-dwellers escape and welcome spring in the forest, the fields or on the beach.
- How to Enjoy Coffee Like a GreekWhen it comes to coffee, Greeks know it, make it, and enjoy it and the numbers prove it. From the all-time summer favourite “frappe” to the omnipresent Greek coffee, the art of coffee in Greece is much like every other Greek food- and drink-related practice. It’s about the “parea”.
- Basil: King of Greek Herbs & CultureThere, in every Greek yard, on every porch, in every garden, on every window sill, outside the door, on every balcony – large or small, stands a proud basil plant.
- How Do Greeks Drink their Beer?For the Greek, drinking beer is a more of a summer pre-drinking outdoor activity. But how do Greeks drink their beer?
