Ever since your parents gave you that illustrated edition of The Odyssey for your third birthday, your lifelong dream has been to visit Greece, a land…

…of gods and goddesses,
…of philosophy and fraternity letters,
…of olives and the Mediterranean,
…of swarthy men and buxom women,
…of rocky archipelagos and naked wrestling.

If you too find yourself intensely stirred by this nation, you may proudly claim yourself to be a hellenophile (someone who loves Greek culture); of course, if your inner stirrings had more to do with those scantily clad Greek heroes, you may simply be exhibiting unresolved latent sexuality characteristics. Either way, a trip to Greece could be just the thing to satisfy your inner yearnings of visiting a land that is the cradle of Western civilization and home to some of the most fascinating ancient structures in Europe (and catching a few rays in the process).

1. GET YOUR PAPERWORK DONE

Get a passport

As is the case when you travel to almost any foreign country, you need a passport to gain admittance into Greece (and, even more importantly, to get back home!). So go to the post office and shell out the required $65 - it'll be good for 10 years. You will have to provide some proof of citizenship (birth certificate, certificate of citizenship, certificate of naturalization, etc.) as well as two passport-sized photographs of yourself (smile!). Just remember that it'll take a month for your passport to get to you; otherwise, you'll have to pay extra cash for rush delivery.

Still want more information about the exciting world of passports? Then visit the U.S. State Department Passport Services. If you're one of those cannuck hosers from north of the U.S. border, then you can go to the Canadian Passport Office, eh?

Get a visa

If you are American, Canadian, British, Australian or a member of the E.U., AND you are going to stay in Greece for more than 90 days, then you need to get a special Greek visa. You don't have to get it in advance; however, you must apply at least 20 days prior to the end of your 90 days (for those with a liberal arts degree, that's the 70th day of your stay in Greece or earlier). You can purchase a three-month sticker visa for about $20. However, this visa prohibits you from working in Greece - only fun in the sun for you! To get a visa, you should call the Embassy of Greece at (202) 939-5818.