Concerts marked the new opening hours of the Greek museums

04 April 2014 / 19:04:47 GRReporter

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Photo: kathimerini.gr

The extended opening hours of Greek museums are already in force. From 1 April to 31 October, when Greece is a tourist destination for millions of foreigners, visitors will be able to attend them from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.

For this purpose, the Greek Ministry of Culture has recruited 1,122 seasonal staff, including guards of archaeological sites, cleaners, sales people and others. They began working, along with their colleagues with permanent employment contracts, at the National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis, the temple and the sanctuary of Poseidon at Sounio, at Epidaurus, Mycenae and another 27 archaeological sites and museums in Greece.

The full list of the archaeological sites is as follows:

1. Acropolis of Athens, Theatre of Dionysus, Ancient Agora of Athens

2. National Archaeological Museum, Athens

3. Archaeological Site of Olympeion, Athens

4. Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens

5. Archaeological Site of Sounio

6. Archaeological Museum of Thessaloniki

7. White Tower, Thessaloniki

8. Museum of Byzantine Culture, Thessaloniki

9. Archaeological Site of Epidaurus

10. Archaeological Site of Mycenae

11. Archaeological Site of Olympia

12. Museum of Ancient Olympia

13. Archaeological Site of Delphi

14. Archaeological Museum of Delphi

15. Royal Tombs of Aigai, Vergina

16. Archaeological Site of Delos

17. Archaeological Site of Akrotiri, Santorini

18. Archaeological Site of Lindos, Rhodes

19. Sanctuary of Asklepios on Kos

20. Castle of Neratzia, Kos

21. Archaeological Site of Kameiros, Rhodes

22. Archaeological Museum of Rhodes

23. Acropolis of Ialyssos, Rhodes

24. Archaeological Site of Knossos, Crete

25. Archaeological Site of Phaistos, Crete

26. Psychro Cave, Lassithi, Crete

27. Archaeological Site of Ancient Corinth

28. Palace of the Knights, Rhodes

29. Archaeological Site of Mystras

30. Spinalonga Islet

31. Old Fortress of Corfu

32. Palamidi Fortress, Nafplion

33. Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete

The seasonal employees were selected by the supreme council for the appointment of staff in the public sector. Their contracts are for a period of seven months and their pay is at least 750 euro. The gross pay is set at 850 euro but the amount may increase if it includes the marriage allowance or the extra pay for working on Sundays and holidays.

Photo: the Archaeological Site of Lindos, Rhodes

The decision introducing the extended opening hours also contains a recommendation to the employees to wear white shirts or blouses and navy blue trousers or skirts.

The first day of the new opening hours was celebrated with various events. The National Archaeological Museum in Athens hosted an opera concert, and other places different musical and dance performances.

According to Minister of Culture Panos Panagiotopoulos, by the beginning of the summer season, there will be free wireless internet connections in 88 Greek museums. This will allow visitors to see the exhibits and obtain information about them without the help of a curator.

At the same time, there is an increase in average room rates in almost all popular destinations in April, compared with the prices during the same period last year.

The highest difference is reported in Agios Nikolaos on Crete, where prices have risen by 31% (from 72 euro to 94 euro). In Elounda, which is a traditionally expensive destination, the increase is in the range of 5%, the average price being 155 euro. In other regions of Crete, however, prices have fallen. In Chania the average price per night is 5% lower than in last April (61 euro compared to 64 euro in 2013). The most significant decline in prices, 23%, is reported in the region of Ierapetra, where today's average price per night is 50 euro compared with 65 euro in April 2013.