The much quoted phrase "it's all Greek to me" is certainly accurate. I've lived in Greece since 2000 and still pronouncing even the simplest of phrases defeats me. I know what I mean but my accent leaves a lot to be desired so rarely does anyone Greek have a clue what I'm talking about. But having an appreciation of a few basics does help so I hope you enjoy having fun with these small pointers before you come to Greece. 

A slight exaggeration, you don't need one if you're just visiting the country, but if you want to buy property in Greece, then you definitely need to obtain an AFM because without it you can't even open a bank account let alone pay for a house.

If you're a property owner in Greece but don't live in Greece, we strongly advise you to pass through the "something to declare gate" at customs when you enter Greece and declare any cash you have in your purse or wallet.

Athens the glorious capital city of Greece. This is a city of extremes, the ancient rubs shoulders with the modern. Reminders of Greek history are found on every corner of every area. And even though it suffers its share of modern crimes, it is still one of the safest cities in Europe.

Anyone owning property in Greece must declare it on form E9.

This applies to new buyers and existing owners.

The form only needs to be submitted to your local tax office once, but if you buy additional property, you will have to submit again with the updates. In other words, the E9 form is a record of all the property an individual owns in Greece. It is the responsibility of the owner to declare all their property - they will not be reminded to do it, the Greek computer systems aren't as yet able to cross reference the information. And if you don't submit it and then keep it up-to-date - YOU WILL BE FINED.

When talking about why people relocate to a Greek Island, I have heard cliches such as "I wanted to escape the rat race" or "I wanted to escape from the real world". Around the globe there is a fad of TV reality programs that include those that document the stories of those who have "escaped". Or so they thought.

Greeks living abroad will of course need to contact their Embassy to renew their passports etc., and might find this section handy. But really we have included it for those who are not European and will need a visa to enter Greece.

Ayios DimitriosAccording to Greek Orthodox tradition, every day of the year is dedicated to a Christian saint or martyr. January 7 for example, is the day of Saint John the Baptist and it is the name day for all Greek people named Yannis (or Ioannis = John, male) or Yanna (or Ioanna, female). A person's Name Day is considered more important than the same person's actual birthday and it is always celebrated in Greece. How do Greek people celebrate their name days? If a friend of yours has his name day, then you should give him a call and wish him "Hronia Pola". If this is translated, then it means "Many Years" and it is a wish for good health and prosperity. You should ask him if he will accept visits at his house.