It’s the end of the week, which means not much to me other than it’s another day. I don’t suppose weekends mean much to those who work 18 hours a day, seven days a week through the summer either. No clocking off early, no POETS day, down the pub early, ‘See you on Monday’ kind of hurried office departure, or anything like that. Simply another day at work. For those on holiday, another day of sun, sea and other things beginning with S, such as souvlaki, sunbeds, sensational views, safe swimming, spectacle and Symi. The Festival concerts and events continued last night with a concert in the main square, a brief blackout during the tech rehearsal, and then, I hope, a great time had by all.
You may wonder what those who work every day through the summer season do for holidays. You can’t book two weeks off between May and October if those are the months you make your yearly income, and as for going away to lie on a beach and read a book, why do that somewhere else if you can do it at home in your lunch break? (What lunch break?) Many people take their holidays in the winter months, as we did last Christmas, and unless you can afford to travel far south for sun, sea and S things, then it’s a case of staying at home or exploring Europe. For those who reside in Greece and pay tax here through the Taxisnet system, the good news is that you can now claim up to €600 in digital accommodation vouchers. In other words, the government are offering residents ‘free money’ to put towards their holidays, and to encourage out-of-season travel. The report I tried to read stated: The programme is designed to make holidays within Greece more affordable for Greek households while encouraging travel outside the peak summer season. Applications close at 11.59 pm on Friday, 21 August 2026.
I have to say, I started to read the report in Greek City Times, but even though I am eligible to apply for the scheme, I got lost among the details. It’s unlikely I’ll be applying for a €300 low-season travel voucher (as a ‘general applicant’, retired, non-disabled, no-children, married person), and I am not sure how many nights €300 would buy me these days. About two hours in some accommodation on Symi (the end of the market that’s so high, it would cost me two months’ pension just to stay for a week), or maybe five nights in other places. It might replace the money spent on getting to Athens and back by boat (though not with a cabin, perhaps), and I could easily get through that amount during a weekend in Rhodes or elsewhere, where a dinner for two can range from between €10.00 if you only have a giros each, to well over €100.00 if you go posh.
Still, it’s a great scheme, and if you want to read all the details and pick your way through all the possibilities of how to claim according to the various conditions, you can read the full article (in English) at Greek City Times.
I can’t help thinking that, with people unable to afford electricity and basic needs for families, this money might have been aimed at something more practical. It’s as if the thing that matters most to humans these days is a good holiday – tourism rules, got to get your Insta-pout photos in. ‘We’re giving you up to €600, but you have to spend it on leisure, not feeding the family…’ Then again, there is talk of a general election early next year
For me? No plans to travel anywhere until next spring. Last New Year’s Day, somewhere between Bucharest and Athens at 30,000 feet, we won two free flights on Aegean Airways. We’ve used one of these for Neil to go and see his various generations in November, but although the flights are free, the cost of accommodation, travel and subsistence prohibits me from going too. I might have a couple of days in Rhodes instead, so maybe I will apply for the travel voucher after all. Anyway, have a good weekend, or enjoy your next two-day shift at work, whichever.