Athens, cradle of great artists and philosophers of antiquity, is a city that knows how to fascinate.
There is no place like Athens where you can immerse yourself in one of the most ancient cultures , and with this mini-guide, I want to provide you with some useful information for planning your trip.
Let’s go!
When to go to Athens
The best time to organise a trip to Athens is definitely in spring or autumn, because in summer the heat really gets to you.
We went in early June and it was already 30 degrees.
How long does it take to visit Athens?
My advice is to devote two to three days to visiting Athens.
From Athens, you can decide whether to rent a car and explore the other wonders of Greece such as the Meteors, Delphi, the Peloponnese, or take a flight and head to one of the many Greek islands.
If you are short on time, you may also decide to take advantage of an organised tour such as those offered by GetYourGuide👇
Is Athens an expensive city?
No, Athens is not a particularly expensive city and, by booking your flight and hotel in advance and choosing carefully where to eat, you can save a lot.
The advice would be to eat street food for lunch which, besides being cheap, is also really delicious.
The gyros (a pita stuffed with pork, vegetables and chips), for example, costs around €3-4.
In most Athens restaurants, then, water is free. They will bring it to you in a carafe.
Finally, most attractions are within walking distance of each other and can be reached on foot, saving on transport.
How is it best to get around Athens?
As mentioned above, the centre of Athens is best explored on foot as the main attractions are all close together.
Alternatively, you can take the bus and metro and the ticket costs €1.40 and lasts 90 minutes.
You can make as many changes as you like.
There is also the daily ticket (€4.50), the 5-day season ticket (€9.00) and the 3-day tourist ticket that includes travel to and from the airport (€22.00).
Children up to 6 years of age travel free on all means of transport.
As for the pram, there are lifts at every metro stop.
There are no turnstiles at the entrance and tickets must be validated before boarding.
Where can tickets be purchased?
Public transport tickets can be bought at metro and train stations , tram stops, and bus ticket offices .
Tourist bus
There is also the GetYourGuide tourist bus, which stops at the city’s main attractions.
It is very convenient because you can get on and off as many times as you want, and it allows you to enjoy a panoramic view of the city from above – Click here.
How to get from the airport to the centre of Athens
Athens Airport is 20 kilometres from the city centre.
To get to Athens from the airport, you can take a taxi (20 minutes, they are parked at the exit) for a fixed price of €38.00, during daylight hours.
Between midnight and 5am, the price rises to 53.00€.
To get to the city centre from the airport, you can also take the metro, which is much cheaper.
A one-way ticket costs €10.00, return €18.00. The ticket is bought directly inside the station.
The first ride leaves the airport at 6:35am and the last one at 11:35pm .
Estimated journey time to Syntagma Square is 40 minutes.
To get to Athens from the airport, one could also use train and bus, but in the first case, one might have to change lines, and in the second case, the estimated time of arrival is 70 to 90 minutes, so these are the two least recommended means of transport.
If the intention is to explore other places in Greece, on the other hand, the best option for getting around is definitely with a rented car.
You can compare the offers proposed by rental agencies and save 70% by booking a car on the DiscoverCars portal.
You can find out more by reading this article in which I talk about it.
Where to stay in Athens
The best area to stay in Athens is definitely the centre, so the districts of Plaka and Monastiraki, with the Acropolis and other main attractions within easy reach.
We enjoyed our stay at the Plaka Hotel.
The location, with exceptional views of the Acropolis, is very central, the breakfast is great and the price is really competitive! Book here.
▶ Do you need travel insurance? As a reader of BimbeinViaggio, you are entitled to a 5% discount!
Read on:
1. Athens: 2 and 3-day itinerary
2. Meteors
