Ten Fun Facts About Greece
There’s a whole lot more to Greece than its incredible coastline and cuisine. If you’re eager to learn more about its ancient wonders and why a certain way of waving is offensive (all will become clear), we’ve rounded up ten fun facts about Greece to feed your curiosity...
1. Greek is one of the oldest languages still in use
Old habits die hard, and Greece has held onto its native language for over 3,400 years. The earliest written Ancient Greek can be traced back to 1450 BC, and has evolved to form what’s used today, known as Modern Greek. Around 13 million people speak it, and thousands of words in English and other languages are derived from it.
2. Waving with an open palm and spread fingers is considered offensive
When visiting Greece, be careful how you greet someone. Waving with an open palm and spread fingers (known as the moutza gesture) is considered the equivalent of the middle finger in other countries. It’s an easy mistake to make, so make sure you wave with your palm facing inward or with a closed hand. Alternatively, a simple ‘yassas’ (hello) will do.
3. Greece’s official name is the Hellenic Republic
So nice they named it twice, Greece is officially known as the Hellenic Republic. The word ‘Hellenic’ comes from ‘Hellas’, the ancient name for Greece. The country took on this title in 1830, after becoming independent from the Ottoman Empire. While Greece is commonly used in English today, the Greeks (known as ‘Hellenes’) prefer to use Hellas.
4. Football is Greece’s most popular sport
As with many parts of the world, football is the most popular sport in Greece. The country’s greatest sporting achievement occurred in 2004, when they stunned the world with a win at the UEFA European Championship (even defeating Portugal in their own stadium). Olympiacos is the country’s most successful team, having won the most domestic titles.
5. The first Olympic games took place in 776 BC in Olympia
Birthplace of the most iconic sporting event in the world, Olympia is located on the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula. The first Olympic games were held here in 776 BC, featuring running, jumping and throwing events. Winners were rewarded with a wreath of leaves and a hero's welcome back home – not quite the gold medals and fanfare seen today.
6. Feta is Greece’s national cheese
Perhaps the least surprising of our fun facts about Greece is that their national (and favourite) cheese is feta. On average, each Greek will eat 30lb of feta a year – half their entire yearly cheese intake. And who can blame them? This salty, crumbly creation pairs well with meats, vegetables, pasta or simply just a healthy glug of olive oil.
7. 'Name days’ are often more significant than birthdays
In Greece, birthdays are often overlooked in favour of name days. These are the feast days of the saint that a person is named after, and it's a time to enjoy traditional food and drink alongside family and friends. The Greek Orthodox Church assigns specific saints to each day of the year, and people named after a saint celebrate that day. Many Greeks with non-traditional names simply pick a saint they admire, or celebrate on the Feast of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
9. Two of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World were located in Greece
The Statue of Zeus (located in Olympia) and the Colossus of Rhodes were two Ancient Wonders of the world that used to be found in Greece. The former was a 40ft gold and ivory-plated statue of Zeus, and the latter was a 108ft bronze statue of Helios. Neither stands today, with Zeus being destroyed in a fire in the fifth century AD and Helios in an earthquake in 226 BC.
10. They paint their doors blue for multiple reasons
As you might have noticed, the Greeks (particularly in the Cyclades) love a bit of blue. Drenching doors, windows and rooftops, the colourful coats of paint are applied for multiple reasons: to ward off evil, to reflect the sea and sky, to symbolise national pride (when they were banned from displaying their blue and white flag during the Ottoman occupation) and to attract tourists.
