Greece: Instructions for Use, the Practical, On-site Assistant for the Enthusiastic (Even Experienced) Traveler (Instructions for Use Travel) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Not what, but how. Greece: Instructions for Use contains everything that other guides simply dont have the expertise or space to include, making it ideal for:

~leisure and business travelers
~students studying abroad
~new residents in Greece

No art. No history. No hotels. No restaurants. As elegant as it is useful, Greece: Instructions for Use is the ideal sidekick to any destination guide. This well-organized, in-depth, color-coded compendium keeps indispensable information at your fingertips:

~Greek buses, trains & ferries
~International and cell phoning in, from, and to Greece
~Eating & drinking like a local
~Tipping, shipping, and shopping
~Driving, parking, filling up, and road signs
~Saving money without sacrificing experience
~Traveling by air internationally and within the EU
~Making it less Greek to you with a mini phase book, and more...

Whether your destination is islands or inland, take along the travel expert that fits in your pocket. From preparation to repatriation, Greece: Instructions for Use provides the essential information you need, at the moment you need it. Just remember...

*When all else fails, Read the Instructions!

From the Publisher

Friends don't let friends travel to Greece without a copy of Greece: Instructions for Use. -- Christopher Elliott, Ombudsman, National Geographic Traveler

I've looked at a lot of guidebooks, but absolutely none are filled with as good and useful info as this one. It's the only guide you need to enjoy your stay: even repeat visitors and residents of Greece will be surprised at how much they can learn. I only wish it existed the first time I came to Greece!- Chuck Owens, President, U.S. Military Retirees Association of Greece (USMRAG)

A true traveler needs three things when embarking for a new destination: local knowledge, common travel sense, and common courtesy. This guide provides the first two; it is up to the reader to bring along the third. -- Bernard J. "Hutch" Hutcheon, International Travel Guide

So comprehensive, so readable, I wish we'd had this guide for official U.S. Government travelers when I was posted at the Embassy and Consulate General here in Greece. There are literally hundreds of nuggets. It's not easy to snapshot the rapidly changing Greek environment, but Kat's done it. -- Alec Mally, Former First Secretary, U.S. Embassy in Athens; Social-Economic Counselor, USUN

A clever compilation of the best, most accurate info on modern Greece and tips found nowhere else, all presented in a clear, convenient and compact guide. It focuses on positive solutions, and it's suitable for absolutely anyone planning to be in Greece...and yes, even Greeks! Bravo! -- Spyros Skareas, Guide & Tour Leader

It will be "all Greek to me" in the best possible way with this invaluable little book! -- Sally Watkins, Top-125 Travel Super Agents, 2004-2008

You can learn about Greek history, hotels, and beaches from any guide, but none are filled with as good and useful information as Greece: Instructions for Use. -- Chuck Owens, President U.S. Military Retirees Association of Greece

In a country where changes happen continuously and without notice, you can "live your myth" with a lot more ease and understanding by taking along Greece: Instructions for Use. -- Kerri Michael, Tour Director and Greece inhabitant

The splendidly helpful Instructions for Use series is unique in that it doesn't tell you WHAT to see or do but HOW to do it. Greece is the subject of the latest entry (Italy and France have preceeded it), and it may be even more necessary, especially for first-time travelers.

Greece, after all, uses an alphabet few of us see outside of college fraternities and sororities, so this book's excellent language guide alone means a lot. In addition to info on ordinary forms of transport in Greece, the Instructionsincludes info on a wide array of nautical options-not just large, ship-like ferries but barges, hydrofoils, catamarans and caiques-each making different demands on purse and person. And tucked in-between all the major instructions are handy and often surprising minor ones, such as Don't buy produce off a pickup truck and Do bring plenty of mascara. -- Bill Marsano is an award-winning travel writer

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Product Details

• Paperback: 109 pages
• Publisher: Illustrata Press (July 22, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885436459
• ISBN-13: 978-1885436450
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 4.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,426,376 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't leave home without it!, September 5, 2009

By	Reader Views "www.readerviews.com" (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

Reviewed by Irene Watson for Reader Views (8/09)

Third in the series "Greece: Instructions for Use" by Kat Christofer is definitely a must-have for your trip to Greece. This small, pocket-sized, book has more information in it than any other travel book I know of. And, the best part is the size; it can easily slip into a pocket, purse or backpack and take up hardly any room.

Christofer, a resident of Athens and a Greek mainland and island traveler since 1997, knows the travel industry well. She provides pre-trip planning on her website as the first step and this book follows. (I just wish I had it before my first trip to Greece!) The first thing in the book she addresses is the language. Although I found everyone I encountered in Greece spoke English well, it is good to know some of the common words and use them. As Christofer states, "Build bridges, not stereotypes."

Christofer also has "worth noting" and "prosoxi" throughout the book. For example, one prosoxi is "There is absolutely no service during a taxi, bus, or metro strike." Worth noting is "There is always a strike on May 1, which is the official Labor Day holiday commemorating workers' rights."

This concise book covers getting around by car or train, as well as by bus, metro, tram, taxi and on foot. It also covers currency and credit cards, eating and drinking, shopping and vital tourist information if you need police or medical/dental care.

I've been to Greece and found out many of the things Christofer writes about on my own, and in some cases the hard way. It would have been much easier if I would have had this book with me and known what to expect. Driving in Athens itself will forever have you appreciate the "low-key" traffic in the United States! If only I had known....

Concise but complete, simple but comprehensive, economical but valuable, "Greece: Instructions for Use" by Kat Christofer is an absolutely superb book to have on your next trip to Greece. Don't leave home without it! (And be sure to check out the other guides for Italy and France.)

1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Don't Leave Home Wiithout It, September 30, 2009

By	Bill Marsano (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews

By Bill Marsano The splendidly helpful "Instructions for Use" series is unique in that its slim, pocket-size guides don't tell you WHAT to see but HOW to do it. Greece is the subject of the latest entry in the series (Italy and France have preceded it), and it may be even more necessary, especially for first-time travelers. Greece, after all, uses an alphabet few Americans see outside of college fraternities and sororities, so this book's excellent language guide alone with be of inestimable help. And in addition to ordinary forms of transport, Greece offers an unusually wide array of nautical options--not just large, ship-like ferries but barges, hydrofoils, catamarans and caiques--each of which makes its own different demands on purse and person. Tucked in-between all the major instructions are handy and often surprising minor ones, such as DON'T buy produce off a pickup truck (here, we're used to thinking the pickup has just come from the farm . . .) and DO bring plenty of mascara (it's extremely expensive in Greece). And in addition to all this you get a link that allows you to download a handy (and free) trip planner. So . . .Don't Leave Home Without It, and Remember to Carry It With You.--Bill Marsano is an award-winning travel writer.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars These are just our favorite guides, September 12, 2009

By	Rebecca Shrager (Atlanta,Ga.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

We used the the one for Italy (we took it on our second trip and still used it more than any of the others we bought), and for France, too - priceless. I just got the one for Greece and it looks wonderful...can't wait to use it on our October trip. They're little gems, full of info you can't find anywhere else - whatever I was looking for...I found! They're tiny, too, so they're easy to keep handy in any pocket. Don't leave for Greece without it!