Very popular team sports
Soccer. Across Europe, Athens' boiling-hot stadiums have earned the same reputation as those in Turkey. The Karaïskakis, home to Olympiakos Piraeus (historically the club of the working class), or the Panathinaikos Olympic Stadium (that of high society) promise hell to visitors, and the "derby of eternal enemies" is always a hot topic.
But throughout the country, football is a real craze with huge political, social and financial implications. The Ellada Superleague (1st division) pulverizes TV ratings and attracts punters to Opap offices. The capital's demographic supremacy is palpable, with more than half the clubs hailing from the greater Athens area. Only the "black" PAOK Thessaloniki have created a surprise in 2019, ending thirty years of Athenian reign. But their owner, Ivan Savvidis, a Greek-Russian from Georgia, is preceded by a reputation as a sulphurous businessman. In 2018, during a decisive match against AEK Athens, he didn't hesitate to enter the pitch armed with a pistol.
As for the national team, its main feat is its surprise victory at Euro 2004 (after seeing off France in the quarter-finals).
Basketball. Basketball is the country's other major sport, and its two flagship clubs are... Panathinaikos and Olympiakos! The team were European champions in 1987 and 2005, and runners-up in the 2006 World Cup. And today, the team is spearheaded by Athens-born NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who plays for Milwaukee and was voted the league's best player 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!
