Entry requirements | Organizing your trip | Visiting | Eating | Paying | Speaking |

Entry requirements

Passport and visa service

See the Visa section on the Travel webpages on the US Department of State website

Diplomatic representations

List and websites of U.S. Embassies, Consulates, and Diplomatic Missions

For more information

Embassy of the United States in Greece
6 Vas Sophias
10674 Athens
Phone: +30 210 7241811-2
Fax: + 30 210 7226510
fbright@compulink.gr

Organizing your trip

Means of transport recommended in town

Recommendation

In the USA, you can use Public or Private Transports: Public transport includes Rail and Bus services (present most of the time in all the cities). Private transport include taxi cab or limousine services.

Maps of urban networks

New York City Metropolitan
Los Angeles Metropolitan

Means of transport recommended in the rest of the country

Recommendation

The railroad network is good but trains for passengers are slower and less frequent than in Europe. The network of intercity buses is denser and tends to be cheaper. The network of the domestic airlines is very extensive. The plane is the mean of transport more used.

Rail companies

Amtrak

Flight from Greece

Several aircraft companies operate regular flights from Athens to the main cities of the United States like Washington, New-York or Chicago. Some of the main aircraft companies offering flights to the United States are British Airways, Olympic Airlines, Air France, Lufthansa, Swiss Air and KLM. To find out air connections from Greece to United States click here.

Traveling by yourself

Recommendation

If you drive in the USA, remember that each of the 50 states has its own set of traffic laws and regulations. Fortunately, most of the laws are the same.
The gasoline price in the USA is cheaper than in Europe for example. However, you still have to remember that the unit measure is the gallon (3.785 liters) and the price changes from one state to another.

Road maps

The United States Map

Find an itinerary

Google Maps
MapQuest
Live Search Maps

Visiting

Different forms of tourism

Historical

- Fort Sumter: Third System masonry coastal fortification located in Charleston harbor, South Carolina
- Liberty Bell: in Philadelphia, is an American bell asociated with the American Revolutionary War.
- Independence Hall is a US national landmark located in Philadelphia. It is a red brick building, built between 1732 and 1753, and designed in the Georgian style.
- Washington Monument is a large, tall white-colored obelisk in Washington DC.
- Pearl Harbor is a harbor and deep naval base on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
- Statue of Liberty in New York city.
- Ellis Island in New Yok was at one time the main entry facility for immigrants entering the United States.

Cultural

The United States has its cultural heritage from: American Cowboys; Cowboy Cattle Drives; Native American Indians; Native American Culture; American Sports; American Holidays (Thanksgiving); Country & Western Music; American Cooking.

Nature

The National Park System Includes 378 areas. Among them are 55 National Parks and 72 National Monuments. In 1998 the NPS units were visited by 287 million people. The Blue Ridge parkway in Virginia attracted the most visitors: over 19 million. With 10 million visitors the most frequently visited National Park was the Great Smoky Mountains NP. Other parks that attract many visitors are The Grand Canyon (4.5 million), Yosemite NP (3.5 million) and Olympic NP (3.3 Million).
Visit USA Tourist to see all the National Parks.

Religious

For more information go to the Religious Travel Association website.

Thermal

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming has the largest collection of geysers, hot springs and thermal phenomena in the world.

Beach

Some of the Most Popular beaches in USA are located in North Carolina, Florida, New York, Hawaii, Massachusetts and California.

Winter sports

The United States has around 750 cross country ski areas spread out all over the country. Cross-country and downhill skiing as well as snowshoeing, snowboarding, and dogsledding are the activities you can enjoy on public lands.

Outdoor activities

Outdoor activities are very popular. These include running, boating, camping, hunting, hiking, fishing, skiing, and rafting.

Shopping

American whiskey, fashion jeans are popular items for shoppers from other countries. The big shopping malls and discount stores are the favorite places for the Americans during the week end.

Tourism organizations

USA Tourist
Visit USA
USA Tourism

Eating

Food specialties

Appetizers: Crab Cakes ; Rockefeller Oysters; Crab Soup.
Main Courses: Chili con carne, Burgers, Chicken Gumbo, Shrimp Gumbo, Jambalaya, Country Ham.
Cocktails: Egg Nog, Southern Mint Julep.
Bakeries: Corn bread; Peanut brittle.
Desserts: President's cake; The King cake from New Orleans.

Drinks

Soft drinks like Coca Cola, Fanta, etc are the most drunk. Young people, above 21 years old, drink American beers like Budweiser and Coors. Wines and Bourbons are very much appreciated in the USA; you can find some interesting American wines from California, Oregon and other states. Imported international alcoholic beverages are also available.

Dietary taboos

None

Paying

Domestic currency

American Dollar

ISO Code

USD

To obtain domestic currency

It may be useful to arrive in the country with some dollars in your pocket. You may also change foreign currency into dollars at a bureau de change, use traveler’s checks or withdraw dollars directly from ATMs.

Possible means of payment

You can pay almost everything with your credit card. Another useful means of payment is the traveler's check because it is insured by the bank whereas cash is not.

Exchange rate on

Automatic Teller Machines (ATM)

To find out the locations of ATMs in in United States, click on the link to your credit card: Visa, Mastercard or American Express

Speaking

Official language

English

Other languages spoken

Spanish, in particular in Arizona, Texas, California and New Mexico. Other languages, such as Amerindian languages (Navajo, Hopi, etc.) and also Chinese, Japanese, Italian, German, Polish, Greek, etc. depending on the community of immigrants.

Business language

English.

Getting some knowledge

English as a Second Language (ESL) program offered by Universities or private schools. Foreigners can take English classes at different levels and improve their writing and speaking skills in English.

Free translation tools

Cambridge Dictionaries - Online Dictionary
Systran - Free Greek-English-Greek translator
Tranexp - Free Greek-English-Greek translator
Ectaco - Free Greek-English-Greek Dictionary

We can translate your foreign-language documents.

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