::NOBREAK::NAMED after the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena, the capital is an ancient and modern delight and the Greeks are proud of their heritage. You will find excavations at every turn and the whole city dominated by the Acropolis.
Pollution is sometimes a problem, but recent improvements made before the Olympic Games last year mean that now is a good time to be there. What better place to do business than the original city of democracy, learning, philosophical excellence and the arts?
Arriving: The state-of-the-art Eleftherios Venizelos international airport was finished in 2001 in readiness for the Olympics and makes flying into Athens easier than ever, says athensguide.com. It’s about 20 miles from the capital and the city centre can be reached via a new six-lane motorway or the new metro extension. Immaculate trains leave every 30 minutes and stop at all stations to Monastiraki in the centre of town. The names of each stop, and signposts in general, are now translated phonetically into English to make life easier for travellers.
Staying: After the surge in renovations in advance of the Games last year, you are in for a treat. The Hotel Grande Bretagne (grandebretagne.gr) is the ultimate in 1940s elegance. Forbes.com named its Alexander Bar the “best hotel bar in the world” last year and it boasts meeting rooms, spas and a range of suites overlooking the Acropolis. The Stratos Vassilikos Hotel, near the centre of the commercial district, will cater for most needs. Travel-guide-greece.com recommends the Electra Palace, with its rooftop swimming pool, in the shopping and entertainment district of Plaka. The hotel stands about 500m from the Acropolis.
Advertisement
Eating and drinking: Plate smashing fun? Well, not quite, but almost. The Greeks are renowned for their hedonistic nightlife of eating, drinking and dancing into the early hours, says travel.yahoo.com. Traditional meze-type plates are Greece’s real speciality.Greeks tend not to begin dinner until 10pm, so an empty restaurant at 7pm is no indication of the quality of the food. Fodors.com gives a useful breakdown of the different types of eatery available and what you can expect. Lunch is likely to be served at about 2pm and is often a lengthy, sociable affair.
Business etiquette: The linchpin of business dealings in Greece is personal relationships, says kwintessential.co.uk. The Greeks prefer to do business with friends, but becoming too chummy too quickly might cause offence. The preferred way to do business is face to face and appointments are ideally made one or two weeks in advance. Afternoons are usually reserved for lunch so are not a good time for business, says worldexecutive.com. Nepotism is not frowned upon either, so expect to find relatives working for the same company. Printed material should be written in both English and Greek and an interpreter is a good idea.
Advertisement
Spare time: Once business is taken care of, there is plenty to do, a good atmosphere to drink in, food to devour and a developing golf scene. Not to be missed is the Acropolis; athensguide.org gives details. Wordtravels.com recommends the National Archaeological Museum, which holds treasures including the earliest known Greek figurines dating back to about 2,000 BC. The Syntagma Square is the centre of government and worth a visit to see the skirt-and-pom-pom-clad guards change ceremoniously every hour. Get a preview at gogreece.com.
Talking Point: Not many foreigners speak Greek so locals will appreciate it if you make an effort with basics. Please is parakalo, thank you efkharisto and good morning kalimera. Rather confusingly, yes is ne and no is ohi. Look up more at www.kwintessential.co.uk. www.travel.timesonline.co.uk/businesstravel
ESSENTIALS