DIRECTORY A-ZTRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIESfrom offi ce to offi ce varies
dramatically; in some you’ll
get info-a-plenty and in oth-
ers you’ll be hard-pressed to
fi nd anyone behind the desk.
EOT offi ces can be found
in major tourist locations,
though they are increasingly
being supplemented or even
replaced by local municipal-
ity tourist offi ces (such as in
the Peloponnese).
The tourist police (p 774 )
also fulfi l the same functions
as the EOT and municipal
tourist offi ces, dispensing
maps and brochures, and
giving information on trans-
port. If you’re really stuck,
the tourist police can help to
fi nd accommodation.
Travellers with
Disabilities
Access for travellers with
disabilities has improved
somewhat in recent years,
largely thanks to the Ol-
ympics. Improvements are
mostly restricted to Athens,
where there are more ac-
cessible sights, hotels and
restaurants. Much of the
rest of Greece remains inac-
cessible to wheelchairs, and
the abundance of stones,
marble, slippery cobbles
and stepped alleys creates
a further challenge. People
who have visual or hearing
impairments are also rarely
catered to.
Careful planning before
you go can make a world of
diff erence. The British-based
Royal Association for Dis-
ability & Rehabilitation
(Radar; %020 7250 3222;
http://www.radar.org.uk; 12 City Fo-
rum, 250 City Rd, London EC1V
8AF) publishes a useful guide
called Holidays & Travel
Abroad: A Guide for Disabled
People, which gives a good
overview of facilities available
to travellers with disabilities
in Europe. Also check out
http://www.greecetravel.com/
handicapped for links to local
articles, resorts and tour
groups catering to tourists
with physical disabilities.
A couple of options:
Sailing Holidays (www.
charterayachtingreece.com/
DRYachting/index.html) Tw o -
day to two-week sailing trips
around the Greek islands in
fully accessible yachts.
Sirens Resort (www.hotel
sofgreece.com/central/
loutraki/sirens-wheelchair
-accessable-resort/index.html;
Skaloma, Loutraki, Corinthia)
Family-friendly resort with
accessible apartments, tours
and ramps into the sea.Visas
The list of countries whose
nationals can stay in Greece
for up to three months with-
out a visa includes Australia,
Canada, all EU countries,
Iceland, Israel, Japan, New
Zealand, Norway, Switzerland
and the USA. Other countries
included are the European
principalities of Monaco and
San Marino and most South
American countries. The list
changes – contact Greek
embassies for the full list.Visa Extensions
If you wish to stay in Greece
for longer than three months,
apply at a consulate abroad
or at least 20 days in ad-
vance at the Aliens Bureau
(%210 770 5711; Leoforos Alex-
andras 173, Ambelokipi, Athens;
h8am-1pm Mon-Fri) in the
Athens Central Police Sta-
tion. Take your passport and
four passport photographs
along. You may be asked
for proof that you can sup-
port yourself fi nancially, so
keep all your bank exchange
slips (or the equivalent from
a post offi ce). These slips
are not always automati-
cally given – you may have
to ask for them. Elsewhere
in Greece apply to the local
police authority. You will likely
be given a permit that will
authorise you to stay in the
country for a period of up to
six months.
Many travellers get around
the need for an extension by
visiting Bulgaria or Turkey
briefl y and then re-enteringGreece. If you overstay your
visa, you will be slapped with
a huge fi ne upon leaving the
country.Wom e n T r av e l l e r s
Many women travel alone
in Greece. The crime rate
remains relatively low and
solo travel is probably safer
than in most European coun-
tries. This does not mean
that you should be lulled into
complacency; bag snatching
and rapes do occur, particu-
larly at party resorts on the
islands.
The biggest nuisance to
foreign women travelling
alone is the guys the Greeks
have nicknamed kamaki.
The word means ‘fi shing
trident’ and refers to the
kamaki’s favourite pastime:
‘fi shing’ for foreign women.
You’ll fi nd them everywhere
there are lots of tourists:
young (for the most part),
smooth-talking guys who
aren’t in the least bashful
about sidling up to women in
the street. They can be very
persistent, but they are usu-
ally a hassle rather than a
threat. The majority of Greek
men treat foreign women
with respect.Work i n g
EU nationals don’t need a
work permit, but they need a
residency permit and a Greek
tax fi le number if they intend
to stay longer than three
months. Nationals of other
countries are supposed to
have a work permit.Bar & Hostel Work
The bars of the Greek islands
could not survive without
foreign workers and there are
thousands of summer jobs
up for grabs every year. The
pay is not fantastic, but you
get to spend a summer in the
islands. April and May are the
times to go looking. Hostels
and travellers hotels are
other places that regularly
employ foreign workers.