Greek Life is home to some of the earliest advocates of a slow-paced lifestyle in Europe—locals spend an average of over 8 hours a day on meals, a tradition that has remained unaffected by the passage of time and has persisted for many years. Living in Greece for an extended period will surely provide you with profound experience.
Greeks have a habit of taking afternoon siestas, typically from 2 PM to 6 PM, during which the vast majority of stores, banks, and other commercial institutions are closed. This means they do not work for nearly the entire afternoon. This is because a more formal dinner is about to come, and they must conserve their energy. Dinner officially begins at 8 PM—bars and restaurants in the streets are bustling with voices and laughter. Greeks usually only drink during meals and never solely for the purpose of drinking—because their aim is not to become intoxicated, but to relax and enter a slightly tipsy sociable state. Such dinners often last until 1 AM or even after 3 AM the next day.
“At first, I really thought dining with Greeks was purely a waste of time, but gradually getting used to it made me realize that this slow-paced life is incredibly comfortable.” On Mykonos Island in the Aegean Sea, sunbathing during the day and hanging out in bars at night, where nothing significant occupies the mind throughout the day; on Santorini Island, spending over 3 hours enjoying the world’s most beautiful sunset in the town of Oia; on Crete Island, spending an entire afternoon sitting in the Palace of Knossos in conversation with the divine; on Corfu Island, watching and repeatedly mimicking the traditional songs and dances of the locals…
This realm cannot be reached without a slow approach. Therefore, the unbearable “slowness” of life has transcended geographical and cultural factors to become a common means of rejuvenation for people worldwide.