3.1 million people live in Athens, the capital. The official language is Modern Greek. English is the most widely-spoken foreign language. German, Italian and French are also spoken to some degree within the tourist industry. The country has a typical Mediterranean climate.
Winters are cool in the north and mild in the south.
Summers are hot and dry with temperatures between 24 degrees C to 32 degrees C between May and October. The summer heat however is often cooled by northerly breezes. There are about 3,000 hours of sunshine per year in Greece. Cash can be withdrawn from ATMs in most banks. Service charge is included in restaurant bills and rounding up the bill is a good way of leaving tips.