Did You Know?

Glorious Greece: Did You Know?

April 24, 2017

AdventureWomen travels to the ancient country of Greece in September, 2017. On this fun and active adventure vacation, you’ll delight in the warmth of the Greek people, the beauty of the classic architecture, enjoy Greek cooking at its finest, and hike through scenic white-washed villages drenched in mythology, history, and charm.

But…do you know the official name of Greece or how deep the rivers are or what the national cheese is?

Here are 9 interesting facts about Greece you may or may not know!

Colorful laundry drying in the warm Greek sun

#1: Greece doesn’t have navigable rivers. The land in Greece is 80% covered in mountains (one of the most mountainous countries in Europe!), and the rivers that flow are too shallow for anything bigger than a small boat to navigate.

Oia village on Santorini island, Greece

#2: Greece’s official name is the Hellenic Republic.

#3: People in Greece tend to be portrayed as short, however the average height of Greek men is over 5’10”, which is taller than the average American male!

#4: Voting is mandatory in Greece! Every citizen of Greece must vote during election time, which is why voting turnouts in Greece are always the highest in Europe.

#5: When Greeks are named after a Christian saint or martyr, that saint’s celebration day becomes their “name day” and is celebrated like a birthday.

#6: In Greece, waving with your fingers outstretched is considered offensive. Greeks wave with a closed palm.

#7: Greek is the oldest written language still in existence today.

#8: Greece has the most archaeological museums in the world.

And finally…

#9: The national cheese is feta! This delicious cheese is eaten more in Greece than in any other country.

The acropolis , Athens, Greece

There are still spots on our trip to Greece departing in September 2017. Please consider joining us!