Greece is one of my favorite countries in Europe and I’ve been there 8 times. There’s nothing like taking a week to explore some of the 6,000 islands in Greece and I have done that plenty of times with a lot of enjoyment. These are 10 Fun Facts about Greece!

1. Greek Gods were the Superheroes of the Universe

The Greeks have wonderful stories (myths) to tell about their many gods and goddesses, heroes, monsters, adventures and battles. Each Greek god had one or more magical powers that they used for a variety of things. The most important god in Greek mythology was Zeus, the god of the sky and the ruler of the Olympian gods. His weapon of choice was the thunderbolt. Others included Poseidon (God of the sea) and Artemis (Goddess of the hunt).

2. Name Days are more widely celebrated than Birthdays

Most common Greek names are based on religious saints. On the days that a saint is celebrated in the church, anyone named after that saint celebrates his or her “Name Day.” For example, on May 21 Constantin and Helen are celebrated. All Constantines (or variations such as Costa, Gus, Dino) and Helens (Ellen, Eleni, Lena) are wished a Happy Name Day by family and friends. 

3. The Olympic Games originated in Ancient Greece.

The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC in Olympia near Greece’s southwest coast. They were held every four years and lasted five days. The Olympic Games were in honor of Zeus – god of the sky and leader of the Greek gods. Events included running, wrestling, chariot races, boxing, horse races, and the pentathlon. Winners were presented with crowns of olive made from the branches of the sacred olive tree.

4. Beware of the Evil Eye!

Evil eye is believed to be a curse that is given by a glare that has negative intentions. Anger, envy, jealousy can cause the evil eye curse. The curse can cause bad things to happen to the person who received the curse, such as a string of bad luck or illness. Wearing a special charm called a mati (meaning “eye” in Greek) is believed to help prevent the curse from ever happening. They are found in homes and offices, on jewelry and keychains, and often over a baby’s crib. I’m not superstitious at all, but this is a thing in Greece for some!

5. Don’t Take a Boat (unless it’s seaworthy)

Greece is known for their beautiful islands, and you can go for a great sail around Santorini or Mykonos.But the country actually has no navigable rivers, because of the heavily mountainous terrain: 80% of the country, in fact. So no “on-a-boat” parodies here, folks. Sorry.

6. You Literally Can’t Get Away from the Sea

The longest point anywhere in the country is only 85 miles from the coast, and that coastline is 9,000 miles long — one of the 10 longest in the world. You literally can’t get away from the Sea, so don’t be afraid of water in Greece.

7. Grandma NEVER Moves Out

That’s right. Children live with their families until they get married, and then grandma and grandpa usually stay with that family until death. Retirement communities are rare in this country, and the Greek people has a lot of love and compassion for the elderly people in their family, which deserves some respect.

8: Greek People Like Sex The Most

And they’ve won this title for the past 10 years! Even the Brazilians ranked below them, only having it 145 times per year, in comparison with the Greeks’ 164. There’s a reason why Greek kids usually have a lot of siblings, and the relaxed islands vibes surely does something to the sex drive for the Greek people! They have a drive like no other nationality, according to the statistics.

9: There are 2 Tourists per 1 Greek

Greece is the only country in the world that has double the number of tourists in respect to its actual population that come to visit annually. Tourists love Greece and why shouldn’t they love a country with more than 250 sunny days a year and amazing food.

10: Greece Is In Fact Old

Athens has been continuously inhabited for more than 7,000 years. This makes it one of the oldest European cities ever, and definitely one worth visiting. Ancient Greek alphabet is still the oldest written language still in use today. That’s pretty impressive, if you ask me.

China seems to beg to differ, but all current archaeological discoveries continue to support Greece’s claim to this honor. Greece is indeed OLD.

I love the green lush landscapes, the food, the turquoise seas, the unique terrain and the incredible islands. Greece still has so much to offer, even after 8 visits for me. Some fun facts about a beautiful country!

Gustav

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