Very popular team sports
Soccer. All over Europe, the boiling stadiums of Athens have acquired the same reputation as those of Turkey. The Karaiskakis, home of Olympiakos Piraeus (historically the club of the working class), or the Olympic Stadium of Panathinaikos (the club of the upper class) promise hell to visitors and the "derby of the eternal enemies" is always very hot.
But throughout the country, football is a real craze with huge political, social and financial implications. The Ellada Superleague (the first division) is blowing away TV ratings and driving punters into the Opap offices. The demographic supremacy of the capital is felt and more than half of the clubs are from the Athens metropolitan area, so that the others seem to be just playing for keeps. Only the "black" PAOK Thessaloniki created the surprise in 2019, ending thirty years of reign of the Athenians. But its owner, Ivan Savvidis, a Greek-Russian from Georgia, is preceded by a reputation as a sulfurous businessman. In 2018, during a decisive match against AEK Athens, he did not hesitate to enter the field with a gun.
On the side of the national team, the main feat of the selection is its surprise victory at the Euro 2004 (after having removed France in the quarterfinals).
Basketball. Basketball is the other big popular sport in the country and the two leading clubs are... Panathinaikos and Olympiakos! The team was European champion in 1987 and in 2005, and vice-champion of the world in 2006. And today, the team is carried by the new star of the NBA, born in Athens, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who plays in Milwaukee, voted best player in the league for the 2018-2019 season.
Active vacations
On land. In Greece, one can take advantage of the great natural expanses to practice many sports, extreme or not. Mountaineering, paragliding, climbing, hiking, and more recently mountain biking are all popular activities for visitors. Specialized agencies and local information centers will guide you to these unique experiences that can be enjoyed throughout the country. Similarly, Greece also lends itself to ecological tourism, due to its extremely varied ecosystems: forests, mountains, rivers, lakes, gorges, caves, waterfalls... Everything is there. Finally, Greece is also a country of skiing which has a rather correct infrastructure. The ski resorts are located on the Parnassus mountain near Delphi and in Northern Macedonia.
On (or under) the water. It must be said that mainland Greece is not at the level of its islands for the practice of water sports. If you can find very nice beaches all along the coast to get into the water, scuba diving is strictly regulated, especially near archaeological sites. Permits must be requested in all cases from the local authorities. The same is true for underwater fishing, fishing from a boat or from the shore, which are subject to authorization from the local port authorities. And on most of the beaches, you will find water sports clubs offering jet-skiing, water-skiing, wakeboarding, towed buoys and other parasailing..
Tavli, a favourite pastime
Finally, a special mention to tavli, a local variant of backgammon, which Greeks are very fond of. It is played with friends or family whenever the opportunity arises: in a café, on a terrace, on a square, by the sea... With a small coffee or ouzo, accompanied by olives and mezzedes, there is only one goal: to throw the dice, to bring all the pieces back to one's camp and... to start a new game!
