Cookies Policy
Cookies are small text files that a website stores on your computer or mobile device when you visit the site. These files allow the website to remember your actions and preferences (such as login, language, font size, and other display preferences) over a period of time, so you don’t have to re-enter them whenever you come back to the site or browse from one page to another. Cookies can also be used to remember information about your session on the site or to track your usage for analytics or advertising purposes.
There are different types of cookies:
- First-party cookies: These are cookies set by the website you’re visiting (in this case, felicitaofathens.gr). Only that website can read them.
- Third-party cookies: These are set by a domain other than the one you are visiting, typically when the website incorporates elements from other sites (like images, social media plugins, or advertising).
- Session cookies: These are temporary cookies that last only for the duration of your browsing session on the site and are deleted when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies: These remain on your device for a set period of time after you’ve left the website (they have an expiration date). Persistent cookies help the site remember you when you return after a long time.
We use cookies on our site for the following purposes:
- Essential Functions: Some cookies are necessary for our website to function properly. For example, if our site uses a cookie consent banner, a cookie will be used to remember your choice (whether you accepted or declined non-essential cookies). Without essential cookies, certain features (like navigating between pages or remembering items in a cart, if we had e-commerce) would not work correctly. (Note: Our current site is primarily informational, and we do not have user logins or e-commerce, so the use of essential cookies is minimal.)
- Preferences: Cookies might be used to remember your preferences, such as the language selection (English or Greek) or other settings, so that you get a personalized experience and do not have to set preferences each time you visit.
- Analytics: We use analytics cookies to understand how visitors engage with our website. Specifically, we use Google Analytics – a popular web analytics service provided by Google. Google Analytics sets cookies (first-party cookies on our domain) to collect information such as which pages you visit, how long you stay, how you found our site (e.g., via search engine or referral link), and information about your device and browser. The data Google Analytics collects is aggregated and anonymized, meaning it does not identify you personally. This information helps us gauge the performance of our site and identify areas for improvement (for example, which pages are popular or if certain pages have errors). We have configured Google Analytics to anonymize IP addresses (masking them) to further protect your privacy. Examples of analytics cookies we might use include: the _ga cookie (used to distinguish unique users and with a typical expiration of 2 years) and the _gid cookie (used to distinguish users in a single day, with a 24-hour expiration). These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve site performance.
- Functionality and Other Third-Party Services: Our website includes certain third-party features that may set cookies. For example, we have an embedded Google Map on our contact page to show our location. When you view this map, Google may set cookies on your device (these are third-party cookies from Google) to remember your preferences and track usage of the maps feature. We do not control these cookies, but they might include cookies like NID (which stores user preferences and has a typical expiration of 6 months) or others related to Google’s services. Additionally, if we ever embed content from social media (like an Instagram photo feed or a YouTube video) or provide social sharing buttons, those services might set cookies as well. However, at present, our social media buttons are simple links, and we do not embed other external content that sets cookies (besides Google Maps).
- Advertising: Currently, we do not use any advertising cookies or targeted advertising on our site. We do not show third-party ads that would track you. If this changes in the future, we will update this policy and seek any necessary consent.
In summary, the cookies in use on our site are primarily aimed at ensuring basic functionality and gathering anonymous analytics data. We do not use cookies to collect personally identifiable information or for advertising purposes at this time.
For transparency, here is more detail on the main cookies and similar technologies that may be in use:
- Consent Cookie: If a cookie consent banner is used, once you make a choice, a cookie (often named something like cookieConsent or similar) will save your preference (e.g., that you accepted cookies) so that we don’t keep asking you on every visit. This is a first-party, essential cookie and typically lasts for a certain period (e.g., a year) unless you clear your cookies.
- Google Analytics Cookies:
- _ga: Used by Google Analytics to distinguish unique visitors by assigning a random ID. Duration: 2 years.
- _gid: Used to distinguish users within a 24-hour period. Duration: 24 hours.
- _gat: Used to throttle request rate (limit the collection of data on high traffic sites). Duration: 1 minute.
- There may be other Google Analytics related cookies or local storage usage, especially with the latest Google Analytics 4 (GA4). All serve the purpose of understanding user interactions on the site.
- Google Maps Cookies: When the Google Maps widget is loaded, Google may set multiple cookies on your device. According to documentation and observation, these can include:
- NID: Stores user preferences and possibly personalization of ads (if you’re signed into your Google account, for instance). Duration: about 6 months.
- OGPC, APISID, HSID, SID, SSID, SAPISID, etc.: These cookies are used by Google to measure the number and behavior of Google Maps users on our site. They might store information such as zoom level, geographic location shown, or other interactions with the map. Many of these cookies are long-lived; for example, it’s noted that some Google Maps cookies may expire 10 years after your last visit to a page containing a map (unless you clear them manually).
- It’s important to note we have no control over the cookies Google sets or the data they might collect via those cookies. This is governed by Google’s own privacy policies.
- Social Media Cookies: As mentioned, currently our site uses simple links for social media, which do not set cookies by themselves. However, if in the future we embed any social media widgets (like a Facebook “Like” button or an Instagram feed), those services could set cookies such as:
- Cookies to check if you are logged in to that social network (so you can directly like or share).
- Cookies for analytics/usage of the widget or for advertising purposes by the third party.
- Any such cookies would be third-party cookies set by the respective platform (e.g., facebook.com, instagram.com).
- We currently avoid such embeds to minimize tracking, but if used, we will update our cookie disclosures.
- Other Third-Party Cookies: If you follow a link from our site to external sites (like our reservation system or social pages), those sites will have their own cookies and policies. For instance, the external reservation platform might use cookies to manage your booking session. Those cookies are not used on our site but on the external site. Please refer to that platform’s cookie policy for details, as they are outside our control.
Consent: When you first visit our site, you may see a cookie notice or banner that alerts you to the use of cookies and asks for your consent for non-essential cookies (like analytics cookies). If you accept, the analytics and third-party cookies will be active. If you decline, we will withhold those and usually set only the essential cookies needed for site operation. You can change your mind at any time by adjusting your browser settings or, if available, through our website’s cookie settings.
Browser Settings: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. You can typically:
- Delete existing cookies: You can clear cookies that have already been set on your browser.
- Block cookies: You can configure your browser to block cookies from specific sites or from all sites.
- Allow cookies with exceptions: Some browsers let you accept cookies generally but specify exceptions (e.g., block third-party cookies or block cookies from certain domains).
- Notify before accepting: You can set some browsers to prompt you each time a site tries to set a cookie, so you can decide case by case.
Please note that if you disable all cookies, some features of our site (and many other sites) may not work as intended. For example, if cookies are disabled, the Google Map embed might not remember your zoom settings or may not load optimally, and our analytics may not function (which is fine for you as a user, but it limits our understanding of site usage). However, basic content browsing will generally still be possible.
For instructions on how to manage cookies in popular browsers:
- Google Chrome: Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
- Mozilla Firefox: Go to Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data.
- Safari (Desktop): Go to Preferences > Privacy (for Safari on iPhone/iPad, these options are in the Settings app).
- Microsoft Edge: Go to Settings > Cookies and site permissions.
- Internet Explorer: (legacy browser) Internet Options > Privacy.
You can also opt out of Google Analytics specifically by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, which prevents Google Analytics from collecting information on any site you visit (if the site uses GA scripts).
Do Not Track: Some browsers have a “Do Not Track” feature that can send a signal to websites that you do not want to be tracked. Our site currently does not respond to “Do Not Track” signals, because there is not a universal standard for compliance. However, we treat all users with the same standard of privacy, and we only use tracking in the limited ways described.
Cookie Consent Changes: If at any time you wish to change your cookie preferences for our site (for example, you previously accepted analytics cookies but now wish to revoke consent), you can do so by deleting our site’s cookies from your browser. Upon your next visit, the cookie consent banner should appear again (if applicable), allowing you to make a new choice. In the future, we may provide a more direct “cookie settings” link on our site for your convenience.
As a reminder, our website may contain links to external websites (such as our reservation system or social media pages). These websites will have their own cookie policies and practices. We have no control over the cookies that are set once you visit an external site. For instance, if you click on the Instagram icon on our site, you will be directed to Instagram’s website, which will set its own cookies and track your activity according to Instagram’s policies. We recommend that you read the cookie notices or privacy policies of any external websites you visit.
Additionally, any advertisements or embedded content from third parties (which we do not currently use) would also potentially set cookies. Always be cautious and review third-party policies when interacting with external content.
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, legislation, or our usage of cookies. When we make changes, we will revise the “Last Updated” date at the end of this policy. Significant changes may be communicated via a notice on our website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies.
By continuing to use our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Cookie Policy. If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other tracking technologies, please contact us.
Last Updated: December 24, 2025