plan your trip to athens

Where to stay

Athens is a big place with many options for accommodation. The party at Laas Estate is a bit out of the way and we wouldn’t recommend staying in that area, although it is near the airport with several hotel options.

If you are visiting Athens for the first time, definitely consider staying in the city centre where the action is. Check for accommodation in the following neighbourhoods: Plaka, Monastiraki, Thiseio, Syntagma, Kolonaki.

If you are looking for a more coastal stay there are many nice towns on the Attika coast although some may be a bit further away from the city centre. Some nice coastal areas with good beaches are Lagonisi, Varkiza, Voula on the west coast of Attika.

Getting around

There are several ways to get around Athens, including walking, taking the metro, or using a ride-sharing app:

  • Walking: Many of Athens' major attractions are within walking distance of each other.

  • Metro: The metro is a popular, affordable, and safe way to get around Athens. The metro has three lines (red, blue, and green) and runs from 5:30 AM until past midnight. Major transfer points include Omonia, Syntagma, and Monastiraki. A one-way ticket costs €1.20, but students and senior citizens pay €0.50, and children under 7 travel free. You can also purchase a 24-hour ticket as well as tickets for multiple days. Tickets can be purchased at the stations by cash or card at the ticketing machines.

  • Ride-sharing app: You can use the Uber app to request a ride at any time.

  • Taxi: You can also hail a taxi on the street or pick one up from a taxi stand near major tourist squares. Taxis in Athens are available 24 hours a day and are generally inexpensive. Most taxi drivers speak English, but some may not. Taxis in Athens usually don't have change for large notes, so it's best to have small bills and coins in Euros

  • Airport: To get to Athens from the airport, you can take the metro's Line 3 or one of the four EXPRESS airport buses. A one-way ticket for the metro costs €9 and is valid for 90 minutes on lines 1, 2, and 3.

If you are looking at extending your trip and checking our an island or two, there are direct flights from Athens airport to most islands and you can also catch a ferry from the main port of Piraeus or one of the smaller ports of Rafina or Lavrio. Book ferry tickets early as they disappear fast. There are many websites where you can buy ferry tickets from like ferryhopper.com and ferries.gr.

ANCIENT STUFF & OTHER ACTIVITIES

Many of Athens' major attractions are within walking distance of each other. You can explore central Athens on foot or take the metro.

  • Buy a sightseeing pass: The Athens City Pass includes admission to many popular attractions and museums, including the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, and the New Acropolis Museum. https://www.turbopass.com/athens-city-pass

  • Visit the Acropolis and Old Athens: This area of Athens is home to the Acropolis, the Herodeion Theatre, the New Acropolis Museum, and pedestrianized streets.

  • Visit the Acropolis Museum: This museum is located at the foot of the Acropolis and features archaeological remains and finds from the Acropolis. Items that are missing can be seen on a separate trip to London in the British Museum.

  • Visit the Ancient Agora: The Ancient Agora is part of a combined ticket with the Acropolis. It has many statues and artifacts on display and is worth a visit.

  • Visit the Museum of Cycladic Art: This museum is located in the center of Athens and focuses on the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus.

  • Visit the Panathenaic Stadium: This open-air U-shaped stadium has hosted cultural events and athletic competitions for centuries and is where the Athens classic marathon ends.

About 30’ outside the city at the bottom tip of Attica you can visit the majestic Temple of Poseidon in the area of Sounio. The temple is known for its beautiful sunsets.

Also worth visiting is the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre, it is a 10’ drive or you can get a bus from Syntagma square. Amazing place for a walk and to enjoy the views.

Check out Athens views and sunset at Lycabettus Hill. If a mini-trek up the hill is not your thing, take the cable car to the top. The entrance is on the corner of Aristippou and Ploutarchou streets. If you decide to walk down the forest path (the view is truly amazing), you will encounter Dexameni Square in Kolonaki, where you can grab a bite to eat.

beaches

Athens city centre is not on the coast but there are many coastal towns and nice beaches in the Attika area.

Some nice beaches on the west coast of Attika are: Vouliagmeni , Lagonisi , Mavro Lithari, Varkiza.

food & drink

Athens is full of nice restaurants and bars. Souvlaki is the classic Greek street food so make sure you try some. The neighbourhoods of Plaka and Psyrri have countless good small tavernas. You can’t go wrong with food in Athens as long as you avoid the very touristy spots around Monastiraki (but even those are not bad to be fair).

  • Brokies Moodbar - 20’ outside the city centre, Brokies is quite possibly the best bar/restaurant in Athens

  • Odori - nice vermouth bar with great pizza

  • The Clumsies – world famous cocktail bar

  • Baba au rum - great rum selection

  • Juan Rodriguez - Lively cocktail bar

  • Six D.O.G.S. – secret garden for nice drinks and coffee

  • Fysarmonika - our favourite meze place 15’ drive from the city centre

  • Kostas - this hole in the wall souvlaki place is a must (wait in line it’s worth it, only open weekdays)

  • Couleur locale – very nice rooftop bar with food and drink and great views. There are many other beautiful rooftops in the area with views of the Acropolis. Definitely check some out.

  • Ergon – nice food hall with many local vendors

  • Cherchez la femme - great cafe/brunch

  • To Lokali - greek pub with beautiful courtyard and good food

  • Hoocut - modern souvlaki

  • Kabethon - great meze restaurant

  • Louis Cafe - traditional kafeneion

  • Avli - small courtyard restaurant with traditional dishes