This travel guide is full of tips on how plan your dream holidays in Athens. This amazing city is known for being the heart of ancient civilisation and Europe’s oldest capital. It’s where the democracy, philosophy, science, first schools, taxes and cities were born. Athenians can be proud of their delicious cuisine and having the most ancient attractions all over the city. This places feels like one giant museum under the open sky that truly takes you back in time.
Table of Contents
What to Visit in Athens
Athens is the capital and the biggest city in Greece, located in the central parts of the country. It lies on the shores of the Aegean Sea with the nearest beach only 10 km away from the city centre. The city covers the area of 38.96 square km with the population of over 3 million people. Athens is the oldest city in Europe, dating back 3,000 years ago.
Don’t leave Athens without seeing:
- Acropolis and Parthenon
- Theatre of Dionysus
- Odeon of Herodes Atticus
- Areopagus
- Ancient Agora
- Roman Agora
- Hadrian’s Arch
- Temple of Olympian Zeus
- National Gardens of Athens
- Panathenaic Olympic Stadium
- Syntagma Square and Parliament
- Plaka and Anafiotika
- Monastiraki and Flea Market
- Kerameikos
- Philopappos Hill
- Lykavittos Hill
- Piraeus
- Voula, Glyfada, Varkiza
Read more: What to See and Do in Athens – Top Tourist Attractions
Daily Excursions From Athens
- Corinth
- Sounion
- Piraeus
- Voula and Glyfada
Read more: Best Day Trips from Athens
Hiking in Athens
The city of Athens was built on seven hills and the best ones for the daily hike are the Acropolis, Areopagus, Pnyx, Tourkovounia, Hill of the Nymphs, Philopappos Hill and Lykavittos Hill. If trekking is what you’re after, you should try some other trails around Athens like Monastery of Kaisariani, Tsagkarada to Damouchari, Mount Parnitha or Palamidi Castle in Nafplio.
Viewpoints in Athens
If you want to see Athens from above, it’s best to climb the hills this amazing city owns. That’s where you find the most stunning panoramas of the city. If you want to sleep, dine or have a drink with the best views of Athens, you should also check the hotels, plus the rooftop bars and restaurants such as:
- Hotel Grande Bretagne (GB Roof Garden)
- King George Hotel (Tudor Hall Restaurant)
- Hilton Athens (Galaxy Bar)
- Plaka Hotel (Roof Garden and Snack Bar)
- Melia Athens Hotel (Sky Lounge Bar)
- Electra Metropolis Hotel (Roof Garden)
- Novotel Athens
- Athens Gate Hotel
- Athenians Modern Apartments
- Zillers Hotel
- InterContinental Athenaeum Athens
- New Hotel (Art Lounge Restaurant)
- Couleur Locale
- Hytra
- Bios Rooftop
- 360 Cocktail Bar
- Acropolis Museum Restaurant
- MS Roof Garden
- Dionysos Zonar’s
- A for Athens.
Beaches in Athens
Being right on the Aegean Sea, Athens can really be proud of its beautiful coastline and the sandy beaches in Voula, Glyfada and Varkiza. If, however, you wish to visit the Greek islands such as Paros, Mykonos or Santorini, you can either fly or take the ferry from the Piraeus seaport in Athens.
Read more: The Most Beautiful Beaches in Athens
Where to Stay in Athens
The most popular neighbourhoods to stay in Athens are Plaka and Monastiraki. That’s because they are the oldest parts of the city located at the foot of the Acropolis. But, Athens is divided into many districts where you can find a cosy accommodation: Acropolis, Plaka and Anafiotika, Monastiraki, Syntagma, Thiseio, Psyri, Kolonaki, Koukaki, Exarcheia, Omonia, Gazi, Kerameikos.
Most recommended hotels in Athens:
- Central Syntagma Square Studios in Athens – Shell
- Miramare Hotel Voula
Read more: Best Hotels in Athens with the Acropolis View
What to Eat in Athens
Athens is famous for its delicious cuisine and there is a good reason for that. It’s considered the healthiest diet in the world with fresh veggies, grilled meat and best olives and cheese products used in everyday cooking. The most popular Greek dishes are:
- Olive Oil and Olives – used in many Greek dishes
- Thyme – most traditional Greek herb
- Kolokythoanthoi – fried zucchini flower staffed with rice and cheese
- Tzatziki – meze dip made of yoghurt, cucumber and herbs
- Greek Salad – fresh veggies with plenty of feta cheese and olives
- Spanakopita – savoury pastry pie filled with spinach
- Saganaki – Greek fried cheese
- Dolmades – wine leaves stuffed with rice and herbs
- Fasolada – white beans soup with veggies in a tomatoes sauce
- Keftedes – fried meatballs served as meze or with rice
- Souvlaki and Gyros – grilled meat with veggies and mixed with chips, served in a pita bread
- Moussaka – eggplant and potatoes pie with minced lamb, topped with béchamel sauce
- Pastitsio – pasta with minced meat topped with béchamel sauce
- Octopus – grilled or with pasta but best served with Ouzo
- Ouzo – sweet alcohol made from grapes and flavoured with anise
- Alpha Beer, Mythos Beer – best beer in Greece
Read more: Traditional Greek Food and Rooftop Bars and Restaurants in Athens (with) (Acropolis View).
How to Get Around Athens
The best way to get around Athens is on foot. You can easily walk to the main tourist attractions as these are close to each other. I would recommend walking because you will be able to see most of the ancient ruins from the outside. If you want to reach more remote places (Cape Sounion or Athenian beaches) hiring a scooter is a good idea. Alternatively, you can use the tube to travel around the city or the tram to get to the beach.
The Athens International Airport Venizelos is located roughly 30 km from the city centre. How to get from Athens airport to the the city centre:
- Bus – line X95: Athens airport to Syntagma Square, runs 24/7, duration – up to 60 min, cost – €6 (£5.5).
- Tube – line 3: Athens airport to Syntagma Square, opens from 6.30 am to 11.30 pm, runs every 30 min, duration – up to 60 min, cost – €10 (£9) (valid for 90 min).
- Suburban railway - Proastiakos, modern electric train from the airport to central railway station in Athens; departs from the same platform as the tube, opens from 5.30 am to 9 pm, duration – 40 min, cost – €10 (£9). Once in Athens, you can use the same train ticket to reach other locations in Athens (valid for 90 min).
- Taxi – use exit 3 when leaving the airport to find the taxi rank, duration to Syntagma Square is approximately 30 min, daily flat rate – €38 (£35), night flat rate – €54 (£48).
From Athens, you can sail off to the most beautiful Greek islands (Paros, Mykonos, Naxos, Santorini and many others). To be precise, there are 3 main ports in Athens you can take a ferry from: Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrio. The best websites for the Greek Island Hopping from Athens: Ferryhopper (ferryhopper.com), Greek Travel Pages (gtp.gr) or Direct Ferries (directferries.com).
Types of ferries in Athens:
- high speed ferries - €100 (£90)
- car/passenger ferries - €60 (£54)
Ferry Companies in Athens:
- Blue Star Ferries
- Hellenic Seaways
- Minoan Lines
- Seajets
- Golden Star Ferries
- Aegean Speedlines
- Fast Ferries
Public transport in Athens is well organised. There are buses, trams, trains and the tube and you only buy one combined ticket to use all. If you are pressed for time, use the tube.
There are 3 long tube lines crossing at the heart of Athens, Syntagma and Omonia Square. The green line takes you to Piraeus Port where you can take a ferry if travelling to the Greek islands. The blue line goes directly to the airport of Athens and the red one is useful if you need to get to the main rail station Larissa. The tube is open 6.30 am to 11.30 pm and the prices for the travel tickets are as follow:
- Single travel pass – €1.40 (£1.30), use for up to 90 min
- Daily travel pass – €4.50 (£4)
- Three day pass – €22 (£20), includes the return airport tickets
- Five day pass – €9 (£8), airport fares paid separately
If you plan to stay in Athens only, driving is not recommended as such. The roads are always busy so you may end up being stuck in the traffic. One way system, chaos on the roads, cars crossing on the red light and speeding seems sort of normal for those who lived in Athens.
The car allows you to travel to other places such as the Sounion Cape or Corinth. If you want to rent a car in Athens (Europcar: europcar.com), it's going to cost you at least €50 (£45) per day, plus you have to pay the deposit on the top of that. It's best to rent the car from the airport: airport-athens.com/car-rental.php
Renting a scooter in Athens is a brilliant idea! I think it's the best way to travel to more remote places within and outside the capital. I used it to travel to Kerameikos, around the Exarcheia when chasing the street murals and to go to the beach.
Hiring the scooter is cheaper, lets you go faster and avoid traffic. After the heavy dose of morning exploring, it's such a bliss to spend an afternoon at the seaside at Glyfada or Voula. The daily price to hire a scooter in Athens is €25 (£23) and my recommendation is to use the x company.Cab drivers are easy to find on the Athenian roads. All you need to do is look out for a yellow taxi coming your way. They surprisingly resemble the ones in the New York! Sharing your cab with strangers is also common. Be prepared the driver may pick up some people on your way but everyone pays separately.
The average fare for the journey around Athens is €7 (£6). There's a base fare of €3.50 (£3) for each trip and the charge fare of €0.74/km during the day. Uber is available in Athens.
Athens Travel Guide – Cost and Budget
Athens is an affordable travel destination in Greece. If you’re backpacking Athens, you shouldn’t spend more than £50 per day. That’s assuming you are staying in a dorm room (so called domatio is the Greek B&B), eating the street food like Gyros or Suvlaki, taking the tube and seeing the most important attractions.
If you travel to Athens on the mid – range budget, you shouldn’t spend more than £90 daily. This will cover staying in a nice hotel room, eating at local taverns, taking the taxi across town and paying for site entry fees.
If you’re after the luxurious holidays in Athens, your daily budget will be around £210. That allows you to stay in the high end hotel, dine in the trendy restaurant, drink delicious cocktails and book the tour guides around Acropolis.
| Accommodation | Food | Transport | Attractions | Avg Daily Cost | |
| Backpacker | £20 | £10 | £5 | £20 | £55 |
| Mid-Range | £40 | £15 | £10 | £25 | £90 |
| Luxury | £120 | £40 | £20 | £30 | £210 |
Athens Travel Guide – Best Time to Visit
Best time to go to Athens for the sightseeing is between March and May (spring) or September to November (autumn). Those months bring the average temperatures between 17°C to 25°C and very few showers.
The following events are held in Athens in spring: the Independence Day (25th March), the Orthodox Easter holidays (March or April), the Labour Day (1st May) and Athens Technopolis Jazz festival (late May). In autumn there is the Athens International Film Festival (September).
If you want a beach holidays in Athens, you should travel in summer from June to August. That’s when the temperatures are the highest between 30°C and 34°C and the sea temperature up to 25°C. The summer in Athens is perfect to visit the Athens Riviera (Voula, Varkiza or Glyfada beaches) where you can swim in the waters of the Aegean Sea. If you want to escape the heat in Athens, you should go to the nearby islands such as Paros, Mykonos or Santorini.
The following festivals are held in Athens in summer: the Athens – Epidaurus Festival (June to August, music, dance and drama under the open sky of the ancient Odeon of Herodes Atticus at the Acropolis), The Athens Moon Festival (August, many tourist sites (including Acropolis) are open all night with free admissions).
High Season (Jun – Aug)
- Tourist crowds in Athens
- Prices most expensive
- Air 34°C, Sea 25°C
- Athens Summer Festival
Mid (Mar-May, Sep-Nov)
- Less crowds in Athens
- Hotel prices drop by 20%
- Air 18°C-25°C, Sea 19°C
- Athenian spring and autumn
Low Season (Dec – Feb)
- Hardly no tourists in Athens
- Hotel prices drop by 50%
- Air & Sea 15°C
- Wet rainy winter
Athens Travel Guide – Average Monthly Temperatures
Athens is the hottest during summer from June to August. Those months bring daily temperatures between 30°C and 34°C with August being the hottest. Athens is the coldest during winter form December to February. Those months bring the average temperatures between 13°C and 15°C with January being the coldest.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| High Temp (°C) | 13 | 14 | 17 | 20 | 25 | 30 | 33 | 34 | 29 | 24 | 19 | 15 |
| Low Temp (°C) | 7 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 24 | 20 | 16 | 12 | 9 |
| Avg Sea Temp (°C) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 22 | 20 | 17 |
Athens Travel Guide – Average Monthly Precipitation
Athens is the wettest in winter from December to February. In fact, December is the month when it rains the most so the average rainfall of 98 mm and 11 days of showers are to be expected. On the contrary, Athens is the driest during summer from June to August with roughly 6 mm to 11 mm of rainfall and one day of showers a month. It hardly ever snows in Athens.
Although, winter is not a popular season to visit Athens, the prices tend to drop down and discounts of up to 50% are pure bargains. December is also the month when you get to see how Christmas is celebrated in Athens.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Rainfall (mm) | 57 | 47 | 41 | 31 | 23 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 14 | 53 | 58 | 98 |
| Rainfall (days) | 9 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 11 |
Athens Travel Guide – Practical Information
This part of my travel guide is full of tips on what to expect during your vacation in Athens. For more information on language and local time, religion, electricity plug, internet, currency, visa, safety and health matters in Athens, just follow my comments below.
Population and Language – Athens is the capital of Greece with over 3 million people living in it. The official language is Greek and most Athenians speak English.
Religion – 98% Greek Orthodox Church and others (Catholics, Muslim, Jewish)
Local Time – There is 1 time zone in Athens: UTC+2 hours.
Electricity – Athens runs on 230V voltage. There is 50Hz and the plug type C and F. Getting an adapter is recommended.
Internet – The internet in Athens is available almost anywhere (hotels,restaurants and many public places). The cybercafes are the history. It’s recommended to buy a cheap sim card and mobile internet on arrival. Best prepaid sim cards in Athens are: Cosmote, Vodafone, and Wind.
Money and Currency in Athens
Money – There are plenty of ATMs in Athens. Most major banks have the branches around the Syntagma Square. Visa and MasterCard Debit or Credit Cards are accepted. Having some cash to pay the street vendors is a good idea.
Currency – The official currency in Athens is Euro (€) (EUR).
Visa Requirements for Athens
Visa – EU citizens don’t need visas to travel to Athens, Greece. There is the Schengen Zone Area that allows free travel with no passport or border control. The UK left the EU on 31st of January 2020 meaning the UK citizens can spend up to 90 days within the Schengen Area (during any 180 day period). Valid ID document is required. If you are coming from Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Americas you don’t need the visa if your trip is less than 90 days. Your passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months before your travels.
Safety in Athens
Safety Travelling in Athens is pretty safe if you take the precautions. There’s a political stability and very little crime. Omonia Square is one place to avoid at night – there are many homeless sleeping on the streets, the drug dealers and prostitutes are common. Be also aware of the pick-pockets operating on the tube (particularly the Piraeus–Kifisia line), busy streets of Omonia and the Monastiraki Flea Market. To avoid scam from the taxi drivers, best to use the app from Beat or Taxiplon. In pubs and bars watch out for ‘bombes’ as they are used to spike your drink. There is a Tourist Police (Touristikí̱ Astynomía) operating in Athens and you can call them on 171 with any problem that bothers you.
Emergency Numbers – In Athens dialing 112 will connect you to the emergency services for free. The numbers for each emergency services in Athens are: Police – 100, Ambulance – 166, Fire – 199, Forest Fire – 1591, Coast Guard – 108, Counter – Narcotics -109, Tourist Police – 171, Social Aid – 197.
Health and Travel Vaccinations in Athens
Health – Traveling to Athens in Greece requires no vaccinations. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that everyone is covered for the diphtheria, tetanus, measles, mumps, rubella and polio, hepatitis A, hepatitis B regardless of their destination.