Athens is one of the most impressive capitals of the Mediterranean with its rich history, fascinating mythology, delicious food and friendly people. In this Athens travel guide, you will find all the information you need to know before traveling to Athens. This guide will answer all your questions such as when to go to Athens, how many days to visit Athens, how to get there, where to stay, what to eat, what to drink and what to do.
Things to Know Before Traveling to Athens
- Athens is the capital of Greece and the oldest continuous capital city in Europe.
- You must have a Schengen visa to visit Greece.
- The currency is Euro.
- Athens is generally a safe city, but you need to be careful against purse snatching which can happen anywhere.
When to visit Athens?
Athens, as a city that experiences all the beauties of the Mediterranean climate, is a suitable destination to visit almost any time of the year.
Spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) are the best times to explore the historical and natural beauties of Athens, with mild weather conditions and not too many tourists.
The summer months make sense, especially if you like it hot and maybe want to take a sea vacation. However, temperatures can be quite high during this period and the tourist crowds are at their peak.
Winter is the ideal time for those who want to explore cultural events and museums with cooler weather conditions and less crowds.
I used to prefer the spring months, but the last time I was there I went at the end of December and it was over 15 degrees, so it was like spring again.
How many days to visit Athens?
The center of Athens is not very big, but there are many historical and touristic places to visit in Athens. You can easily visit the main tourist spots in 2-3 days. However, if you want to visit the museums of Athens in detail and go to the seaside or the nearby islands in summer, you should spend at least 1 week.
When deciding how long to stay in Athens, you should consider the number of places you want to see and your travel style. Even if you go in winter, if you want to travel more leisurely and experience the atmosphere of the city like a local, it would be better to spend 5-6 days. If you are going to visit the tourist spots quickly, as I said, 2-3 days will be enough.
Where to Stay in Athens? Athens Accommodation Guide
First of all, I’ll explain the neighborhoods where you can stay in Athens and share my hotel recommendations for different budgets. I reviewed each of the hotels in detail by looking at their reviews.
- Plaka and Monastiraki: Plaka, the historical center of Athens, and Monastiraki, one of the oldest and most vibrant districts of Athens, are the ideal areas for easy access to everywhere.
Plaka and Monastiraki Recommended Hotels: The Dolli at Acropolis, Electra Metropolis, Hellenic Vibes Smart Hotel, The Marble Suites, Muse Urban Suites, Ergon House, Athenian Foss, Sweet Home Hotel, Rastoni Athens Suites
You can check here all available hotels in Plaka and Monastiraki.
- Syntagma and Kolonaki: Syntagma, which is considered the center of Athens, and Kolonaki, the most luxurious district of Athens, are ideal areas for those looking for a more luxurious accommodation experience. Because luxury hotels are usually located in these neighborhoods.
Syntagma and Kolonaki Recommended Hotels: Gatsby Athens, Project 3 Urban Chic Hotel, InnAthens, Hotel Lozenge, Athens Capital Center Hotel, Academias Hotel, King George, Mosaikon Glostel(Hostel)
Here you can check all available hotels in Syntagma and Kolonaki.
- Psiri: Psiri, the bohemian neighborhood of Athens, stands out with its wide variety of dining options. I can recommend it especially for those who want to be close to the nightlife.
Psiri Recommended Hotels: 14 Reasons Why, Moon And Stars Athens, Downtown Athens Lofts, 18 Micon Str, A.P. Acropolis View Apartments, The Urban Nest, Melo, The Artist, Nin&Bau Sarri2, NLH Kerameikos, City Circus Athens(Hostel)
You can check here for all available hotels in Psiri.
Benim son gidişimde konakladığım otel bütçe dostu Kimon Hotel Athens idi. Çok basit, küçük bir odada kaldım. Yeri çok rahattı benim için. İsterseniz şuradan inceleyebilirsiniz.
The hotel I stayed at on my last visit was the budget-friendly Kimon Hotel Athens. I stayed in a very simple, small room and it was very comfortable.
Click here for all suitable Athens hotels.
Athens Transportation Guide
You can easily walk to most places in Athens. But to save time and walk less, public transportation or taxi can be used in between.
To get from Athens Airport to Athens city center, you can take metro number 3, which costs 9€ one way and 16€ round trip. By bus, the X95 bus costs 5.5€ one way. Taxi transportation is normally 40€, 55€ after 12 midnight.
Public transportation costs €1.20 for a 90-minute ticket. If you buy a three-day unlimited transportation pass, it costs 20€ including airport transportation. A 24 hour unlimited pass without airport transportation costs €4.10 and a 5 day unlimited pass costs €8.2.
Athens Food Guide
The main flavors that stand out in Greece are Tzatziki, Dolmades, Kolokithakia, Horiatiki, Kolokithokeftedes, Moussaka, Melitzanosalata, Peinirli, Saganaki, Souvlaki, Gyros. I prepared an Athens food and drink guide where I explained all these flavors in detail. I recommend you to read this article where I also shared the most beautiful places.
The Ultimate Athens Food Guide
Athens Shopping Guide
Let me give a little information for those who want to shop in Athens. If you ask what to buy as a souvenir in Athens, I think more food and beverage style products are a good idea. Ergon House is a very nice place I can recommend for food shopping.
You can find all kinds of stores on Ermou Street, the most popular shopping street in Athens. You will definitely come here anyway. For those looking for classic tourist souvenirs, there are a number of souvenir shops in Monastiraki square and the surrounding streets.
Since Kolonaki is an upscale area, you can find chic boutiques and designer stores here. Voukourestiou street from Syntagma to Kolonaki is a street lined with luxury stores, so if you want to shop from luxury brands in Athens, this is your address. While you are in Kolonaki, I recommend you to visit the store called WATobject. They have very cute, design products.
If you are interested in vintage products, I recommend you to visit the boutiques in the Exarcheia neighborhood. Antique lovers can visit Monastiraki flea market.
Things to do in Athens
Athens, the center of ancient Greek civilization, is home to world-famous historical buildings such as the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and the Parthenon. Discover the mysteries of the past at the National Archaeological Museum and get a comprehensive view of Greek history and culture at the Benaki Museum. Get lost among antiques in the cobbled streets of Plaka and the flea market of Monastiraki. Watch the changing of the guard ceremony in front of the Greek Parliament in Syntagma Square, wander the graffiti-filled streets of Exarchia and discover new places and boutiques. Of course, there are many more things to see and do in Athens. For this reason, I have prepared a separate article for places to visit in Athens. A day-by-day itinerary is also waiting for you, I recommend you to read it.
Top Things to do in Athens – 3 Day Itinerary
Is Athens Cheap or Expensive? Athens Travel Budget
Athens is a very affordable city compared to Europe. You can eat great food for incredibly affordable prices. Now I’ll tell you a little bit about the prices.
Prices of street delicacies are between 3-5€. The prices of coffees in coffee shops are between 1.5-2.5€. In taverns, a meze platter is usually 5-8€ and seafood is around 7-10€. In more touristic places, it is 10-15€. Of course, prices are higher in fine dining restaurants.
Those looking for budget-friendly accommodation can find decent places for 30-70€. Mid-range hotels can also be found at prices between 70-150€. Luxury hotel prices usually start from 200€ and of course it is open-ended.
Now let me share my own travel budget. Especially when I am on my own, I care that the place I stay is central and clean. I don’t expect luxury, reasonable price and performance are important for me. For accommodation, I spent 90€ for a single room for two nights. For transportation, I spent 20€ for the 3-day unlimited use card I mentioned above, including airport transportation. My food and beverage expenditure was 172€. Coffees, breakfast, meals and cocktails were all included in this amount. I didn’t visit any museums on this trip, I only went to the Acropolis and paid 10€ entrance fee. My total trip budget including everything for 2 nights and 3 days was 292€.
Greek Islands Close to Athens
You can take a ferry from the port of Piraeus in Athens and visit some of the Greek islands for a day trip. Of course, you can also stay overnight, the choice is yours. I have also shared one way ferry times below.
- Aegina – 40 min
- Agistri – 1 hour
- Poros – 1 hour 15 min
- Hydra – 1.5 hours
- Andros – 1/2 hour
- Kythnos – 1.5/2.5 hours
- Spetses – 2 hours 15 min
I hope my Athens Travel Guide will be useful for you and you will plan a nice trip to Athens. If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments. If you have any extra suggestions, I would also welcome them in the comments. Have a nice trip!
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