Restaurant and taverna food tends to be very simple, rarely involving sauces but with full use of local olive oil and charcoal grills. All restaurants have a standard menu which includes the availability and price of each dish. A good proportion of the restaurants will serve international dishes. Hours are normally 1200-1500 for lunch and 2000-2400 for dinner.Opening hours vary according to the region and local laws. Waiter service is usual.
National specialities:
• Dolmades (stuffed vine leaves).
• Moussaka (aubergine casserole with minced lamb, cinnamon, red wine and olive oil).
• Kebabs and avgolemono (chicken broth with rice, eggs, salt and lemon juice).
• Taramasalata (a dip made from fish roe, bread, onion, olive oil and lemon juice).
• Squid (kalamari) or octopus.
• Keftedes (hot spicy meatballs).
• Tzatziki (a dip made from yoghurt, olive oil, garlic, shredded cucumber and dill).
• Salads ( feta cheese, tomato, cucumber and fresh olive oil).
• Gigantes (large white beans).
• Kolokithakia (small boiled courgette with oil and lemon).
• Baklavas (filo pastry filled with almonds and topped with honey, vanilla and sugar).
• Loukoumades (honey-drenched pastry puffs).
National drinks:
• Retsina wine (made with pine-needle resin).
• Ouzo (an aniseed-based clear spirit to which water is added).
• Local brandy (sharp and fiery).
• Greek coffee (thick and strong, and sugared according to taste).
• Greek beer is a light Pilsner type.
Tipping: 12 to 15 per cent is usual.

This is centred in main towns and resorts with concerts and discos. Athens offers many local tavernas, particularly in the Plaka area, and ouzeris (typical Greek bars). Regular concerts and evening shows are also held at the Odeion of Herodes in Attica. Nightclubs featuring Greek bouzouki music are extremely popular. There are some casinos in Greece, such as the Mount Parnes Casino in Athens, the Corfu Casino in Corfu and the Casino at the Grand Hotel Astir in Rhodes.

Special purchases include lace, jewellery, metalwork, pottery, garments and knitwear, furs, rugs, leather goods, local wines and spirits. Athens is the centre for luxury goods and local handicrafts. The flea markets in Monastiraki and Plaka, below the Acropolis, are all crowded in high season. Regional specialities include silver from Ioannina, ceramics from Sifnos and Skopelos, embroidery and lace from Crete, the Ionian Islands, Rhodes and Skiros, fur from Kastoria, alabaster from Crete and flokati rugs from the Epirus region. Note: (a) Visitors should be aware that many ‘antiques’ sold to tourists are fake; it is illegal to export any item of real antiquity without a special permit from the Export Department of the Ministry of Culture. (b) Non-EU citizens can get a refund on Greek VAT (4 per cent on books and 18 per cent on nearly everything else); the process is fairly complex, but well worth it. Non-EU visitors may buy goods from certain shops bearing the sign ‘Member of the Tax-Free Club’ and have the VAT refunded, in cash, at special refund points at the airport. Ask store owners and tourist information offices for details.

These vary according to the season, location and type of shop, but a rough guide follows: Mon, Wed, and Sat 0900-1430, Tues, Thurs and Fri 0900-1430 and 1730-2030. Note: Most holiday resort shops stay open late in the evening.