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Athens is quickly becoming one of Europe’s most exciting, alternative and contemporary cities. This Athens travel guide shows you how, where and why Greece’s capital city is worth more than a brief visit – from someone who lived there.
Being in Athens is to understand how misunderstood Greece’s capital is. People cite initial disappointment upon finding a city whose grittiness and edginess don’t meet expectations for a city to be entirely coated in gleaming classical Greek architecture.
Yet, to visit Athens is to see a reinvented city beyond its ancient and troubled past. While its classical highlights are a historical must-see, getting to know the city deeper will give you a better understanding and overall experience.
Athens is one of the world’s oldest cities, steeped in over 3,400 years of history. It’s where modern life as we know it began – seen as the cradle of civilisation, the birthplace of philosophy, and the birthplace of democracy.
It’s a city that has been continuously occupied, destroyed, rebuilt and reinvented.
I loved nothing more than living there for close to two years, uncovering its historical layers and piecing together its contradictions. Deep down, Athens is rebellious, fiesty and beautiful. My Athens travel guide is designed to encourage deeper travel. It’s a checklist of what to see and do and how to get around, but also about local knowledge and the people happy to show you their city so that you can get the most out of your stay here.
This is How to Travel to Athens – A City Guide for Greece’s Capital
Article Contents
Why Visit Athens?
In recent years, economic turmoil of the Green Debt Crisis blighted the country and its capital. So much so, it’s still branded by it. In reality, people never stopped visiting Greece, contrary to what was heard or advised. In 2013, as the ‘crisis’ was still in flow, nearly 18 million people visited the country, and 2.6 million travellers visited the city of Athens. With a total population of around 10 million, that’s a lot of visitors.
Not everything is as black and white as it seems when we hear something negative about a destination. Athens remains pivotal to recovery and is home to a startup generation and artistic regeneration – a space that is changing, thriving and carving its mark as an emerging European hotspot.
TOP TIP: Having the time to dig a little deeper uncovers a whole new side. When planning your visit, factor in more than a 24-hour stay and avoid cramming in a list of Athens highlights based on a handful of ancient sites. The historical attractions of Athens are a must, but the city’s character and evolution are notable to experience as well.
There are plenty of ways to see Athens and understand it differently.
How to Get to Athens – Getting There and Away
Flights to Athens
While it’s sometimes necessary to travel on Europe’s budget airlines, I’ve also flown to and from the UK and domestically in Greece with Aegean Airlines, the national carrier. Aegean is a little more expensive than the budget airlines you love to hate, but you pay for comfort and an overall better service.
Internal flights from Athens to Thessaloniki and nearby islands such as Skyros and Santorini start at around €40 each way, which is cheaper than the hours spent on a ferry for a similar price. Of course, use Athens as a base to visit Greece’s hotspots, as many do, but don’t neglect it. Give yourself time on either side of a mainland or island adventure to see the city in depth.
Athens Airport to Athens City Centre Transport
The Athens Metro gets you to the very centre for €10
The Athens metro is well-signposted at the airport. If you are curious like me, you can stare out the window for over 15 stops – it’s the same line (Blue Line 3) that takes you to the Monastiraki stop.
Note: A special airport travel ticket is required.
The X95 bus takes you to Syntagma Square for €6
The bus is a more cost-effective option for a longer, more city-view journey.
The bus stop is right outside the arrivals hall – follow the signs.
A taxi to and from the airport to the centre of Athens is €35
A handy cost to split if you are sharing, carrying a lot of luggage, arriving late at night, or averse to taking metros.
However, the taxi drivers in Athens can be a force to be reckoned with if you are just a margin outside of the boundaries they deem the city centre.
Book a local ride with Welcome Pickups for €40.
If you want a taxi journey that’s a bit more insightful and helpful, try this service. It’s similar to a standard taxi, but with an Athenian touch – ask questions, get recommendations and make an instant buddy in the city (all drivers are verified). You can download the app from the website, making it easier to find and contact your driver. You can also book day trips, multi-trip stops and sightseeing experiences.
Getting Around Athens
Public Transport
Athens’ public transport is not as extensive as London, Berlin, or Tokyo’s, but it’s still a modern mass transit system. It connects a city of over three million people! You can choose among the metro, intercity buses, trolleybuses, trams, and the overground suburban railway network (TrainOSE).
On Foot
Athens is a walkable city, with the main sights within a small circuit. However, if you wish to explore the neighbourhoods, visit the beaches, or escape the summer heat, the Athens transport system provides quick, easy access.
Getting around Athens is easy with its rail, metro and bus transportation system.
Athens Metro
Athens has three metro lines connecting you to the city’s far reaches, including the airport at one end and the coastal areas and port of Piraeus (for island ferry connections) at the other. It’s one of the cleanest, most efficient, and easiest-to-use metros. For a historical ride, the Green Line (1) is the oldest, established in 1869.
- Line 1 (Green): Kifisia to Piraeus
- Connects the suburb of Kifisia in the north with the Port of Piraeus in the south, passing through Monastiraki.
- Line 2 (Red): Anthoupoli to Elinike
- Connects the northern suburban area of Anthoupoli with coastal Eliniko in the south, passing through Syntagma and Akropoli.
- Line 3 (Blue): Aghia Marina to Athens Airport
- Connects the site of the church of Agia Marina in the west to the airport in the east, passing through Doukissis Plakentias, a northern suburb of Athens.
Athens Transport Tickets and Prices
You can purchase Ath.ena tickets for €1.20 for a single fare up to 90 minutes, €5.70 for a bundle of five tickets, €4.10 for a 24-hour pass, and €8.20 for a five-day ticket.
TOP TIP: You can also use these tickets on the metro, buses, trolley-buses, trams and Suburban railway (excluding airport journeys, which are subject to a separate charge).
Get an Ath.ena ticket – short journeys, multi-day passes and e-tickets.
Taking a Taxi in Athens
Athens has plenty of yellow taxis, yet it is not devoid of game-playing, rip-off taxi drivers, as in many other cities. I had no issues most of the time, bu I always insisted on using the metre.
LOCAL TIP: The Free Now taxi app in Athens (essentially the city’s version of Uber) offers a more reliable service, better value for money, and peace of mind. Some of my best conversations have come from these drivers, too. There are some real characters with great stories to tell.
Things To Do in Athens – Sightseeing Guide
See Ancient Athens
There is no way you can miss climbing the sacred rocky Acropolis and surrounding archaeological sites. The ancient structure of the Parthenon gloriously sits atop this hill overlooking the city as a reminder of it.
The archaeological sites of Athens are undoubtedly the city’s main draw. A €20 combo ticket gets you into the following seven areas:
- Acropolis of Athens (including north and south Slopes)
- Ancient Agora of Athens (including Ancient Agora of Athens Museum)
- Roman Agora of Athens
- Hadrian’s Library
- Olympieion
- Kerameikos (including Archaeological Museum of Kerameikos)
- Aristotle’s School – Lykeion Archaeological Site
Get tickets. ► Combo ticket for seven sites, with skip-the-line access.
Book a tour ► Two-hour guided tour of the Acropolis, with skip-the-line entry.
TOP TIP: If you are going to purchase a combo ticket on-site, do not purchase it at the Acropolis of Athens where you will be stuck in long queues. Instead, purchase at one of the smaller and quieter sites, and bypass the lines when visiting the Acropolis.
Don’t miss The Temple of Olympian Zeus – one of the ancient sites in Athens.
Athenian history stands beyond the city centre fringes. If you don’t have enough time to travel around neighbouring small towns and villages from Athens, such as Delphi or Nafplio, but want a taste of the stunning coastline and historical monuments not far from the capital, consider a trip to the 440 BC hilltop Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion.
Poseidon was constructed by the same Athenian who also rebuilt the Parthenon temple in Athens, so it’s one way to connect the history of Athenian rulers and architectural feats alongside the coastline. Doable as a half-day trip from Athens, it’s easiest to travel the coastal road by bus to the Poseidon Temple, as this step-by-step guide shows.
Book a tour ► Half-day guided tour of Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.
Experience Local Athens
The layers of myth and legend, history and culture, antiquity and knowledge are intertwined with today’s entrepreneurial, cultural and artistic renaissance, transforming Athens and the rest of the country. It’s best experienced by spending some time visiting its varying neighbourhoods. Switch from the pedestrianised areas of Thissio with its café culture, the bustling Monastiraki and its flea market, island feel Anafiotika, upmarket and trendy Kolonaki and Psiri, edgy and anarchist Exarcheia and the residential, nightlife pumping Gizi.
READ MORE ► What Are the Best Neighbourhoods in Athens? Faces of the Capital.
Book a tour ► Two-hour alternative Athens tour. See a few sites and viewpoints that only locals know.
One of the best views of Athens is from the Anafiotika neighbourhood.
Experiencing local Athens shows you the city’s alternative side beyond the ancient sites.
The other picture of Athens – its gritty, street art lanes full of vendors, small businesses and galleries.
Explore Modern Athens
Creative enterprise is what makes modern-day, alternative Athens. Artistic transformations are happening all over the city, from the masses of street art to the contemporary art museum and in the revival of green spaces, boulevards and urban squares. Shells of old hotels have been artistically restyled. Greek cuisine has been reinvented without losing traditions. Younger generations lost to the brain drain have moved home to form startups to help their fledgling city. And when the sun goes down, Athens continues its gritty vibe with a bustling nightlife you might not have expected.
READ MORE ► The Creative Transformation of Athens
READ MORE ► How to See Modern Athens
Modern-day Athens is built upon the boom of creative enterprise, more so after the Crisis.
Find the Alleyways in Athens filled with art exhibits – like this one filled with old neon light signs.
Athens Tours and Experiences
Dig deeper into Athens through walks and experiences to uncover more of the local life and perspective.
Street Art in Athens
Athens is said to have the largest collection of city street art globally, and here it is nearly everywhere you look, emerging in the early 1990s as a social-political voice. While some unsightly ‘tagging’ graffiti appears in some spaces, the most detailed designs and messages are found mainly in the Exarchia, Monastiraki, and Psirri neighbourhoods.
However, there’s a lot to learn about the Greek street art scene and being introduced to the critical artworks on a street art tour, with one of the artists, is the best way to learn the stories behind the movement in the city. It is also an insightful means of understanding Athens’s modern face and complexities.
READ MORE ► Street Art in Athens and Where to Find it
Street art in Athens is everywhere. This one of the praying hands on a residential building is one of the most famous.
A lot of Athens street art is a critical look at the society and politics of the city and Greece.
The Athens Riviera
For those who don’t have time to venture to the famous Greek islands, there is still a chance to experience island life without boarding a ferry . The 40-mile stretch of scenic coastline along the Saronic Gulf, known as the Athens Riviera, is just 25 minutes away from the city’s centre.
The coastal areas of Glyfada, Voula, Alimos, Agia Marina and Cape Sounion are accessible by metro or car. They teem with life in sea-view restaurants, coastal walks, and on their beaches.
Hire your skipper with a local company like Saronic Sails, who will take you out on the water and cruise alongside the stunning Athens coastline – a city surrounded by sea.
Sailing the Athens coastline.
READ MORE ► Visiting the Athens Riviera
Book a trip ► Athens Riviera sunset sailing cruise. Want to join a small group instead of hiring a private skipper? This four-hour cruise includes scenic swimming and snorkelling spots and wine at sundown.
Traditional Greek Food Tour in Athens
Fresh and straightforward ingredients define the Greek favourites everyone knows and loves – souvlaki, moussaka, Greek salads, feta cheese, yoghurt and honey, olives, Cretan cuisine, and sweet treats like loukoumades (Greek doughnuts).
In Athens, you can hop between third-generation food stores, restaurants offering traditional foods and cooking methods, and locally recommended restaurants, cafes and hangouts. With more Tavernas, historical kitchens and food stores than you can even keep up with, it’s hard to know where to sample the best Greek food in Athens.
So I turned to global food experts, Culinary Backstreets, for a tour around Athen’s much-loved food spots. This tour wasn’t just about sampling Greek food but about learning the cooking methods, stories and cultures behind traditional tavernas and family businesses, from the famous fishmongers’ market and recommended places only locals know and love.
A traditional Greek food tour in Athens is a delicious introduction to understanding local tastes and traditions.
Athens Wine Scene
While Greece isn’t known for its wine, the wine scene in Athens has grown over the past few years in an attempt to highlight homegrown varieties to international wine lovers. Whether you want to savour the finest Greek wines (or try a selection of worldwide finds), the opening of wine bars in the centre of town – mainly in Syntagma – is a testament to the growing trend.
The following bars are three of the most well-established bars in town, each with their unique décor, vibe and offering, mixing wine tasting with accompanying savoury Greek snacks. Attending these establishments to sample the best Greek wines is a must for any wine enthusiast.
- By the Glass
- This modern bar has a swanky vibe, set by the mood of its two-tone red and black décor. As by the name, the vast wine selection is available by the glass and also hosts wine classes and private parties.
- Heteroclito
- A quiet alley off the busy Ermou shopping street hosts this cosy establishment with an extensive and exclusive Greek wine selection. One of the city’s most well-known and loved, the two owners and its staff love to impart their wine knowledge and will see you try more than you had initially planned.
- Oinoscent
- The Guardian named this wine bar one of ‘Athens Best Bites’, and it is one of the city’s younger establishments. Found on Voulis street, it has a more relaxed atmosphere and attracts the younger crowd. Specifically, Oinoscent is known for having some of the best snacks to accompany your wine, especially the traditional rusk-like bread.
Many wine bars are scattered throughout the city centre.
Nightlife in Athens
Athens at night is pumping, and choosing what bars to visit and in what areas can be overwhelming. You’ll only scratch the surface on a single visit to the city. Here’s a pick of my favourite bars to start.
- Six Dogs
- Enter a basement that turns into a huge bar and outdoor garden space, and you’ll find yourself within what has become one of Athens’ most popular and much-loved bars and gig spaces. It’s even busy on Sunday afternoons, where locals congregate for coffee and a chilled hangout.
- Drunk Sinatra
- 60s-style class with a modern, funky vibe, right in the historical centre of Athens. Dine all day and drink all night.
- Tranzistor
- A colourful café and bistro by day and a bustling club bar by night, this place draws in the crowds from laid-back socialites to the party crowd.
Athens Walking Tours
I take walking tours in every city I visit. Walking tours with local experts always give me a good sense of navigation and knowledge beyond the guidebooks. I’ve worked with Athens Insiders on many occasions – from orientation walks to an afternoon filled with wine tasting, alongside a tailor-made neighbourhood tour around Kolonaki and Exarchia.
You can customise a walking tour based on your interests, such as food, history, photography or even something specific like yoga or choose from the already extensive portfolio. Natalie, Anthia, and Alex are an outstanding, dedicated team who love their city, and I can’t recommend them enough.
READ MORE ► Best Athens Walking Tours
Consider one of the many Athens walking tours on offer and see parts of the city you otherwise would not know.
Traditional Greek Dancing in Athens
The merriment of music and dance often accompanies excellent food – the Greeks are known for it. Most people know the sound of the famous Greek bouzouki, a guitar-like instrument, and many more are keen to learn the ‘Zorbas’ dance that accompanies its catchy, well-remembered tunes.
Tavernas are typically not without a traditional musician or a stereo blasting old songs that get the Greek people up during and after dining. Look for announcements at local tavernas for Bouzouki-Zorba nights, where tourists are welcome to join in and learn with locals or simply follow the music.
Active Ways to See Athens
From bike rides and hidden walking tours, Segways and motorised scooters, Athens can be explored with adrenaline. Who needs the hop-on-hop-off bus when you can stroll and glide by its back streets, parks and hidden treasures?
Athens by Bike
Athens is a great city to explore on wheels with grid-like streets and long avenues connected by squares.
Book ► A 3-hour e-bike tour of historical Athens, combining ancient and modern neighbourhoods and monuments.
Book ► A 2-hour sunset bike tour of Athens, riding through the city and stopping at ancient sites and elevated viewpoints.
Segway in Athens
Ramp up the speed and cover more ground in Athens leisurely by Segway.
Book ► A 3-hour segway tour of the best of Athens’ landmarks. Cover more ground with a knowledgeable local guide.
Athens by Sea and Sport
An Olympic legacy city by the sea, Athens should also be seen from its shores and its sporting venues.
Book ► A Kayaking tour to Cape Sounion. Start your trip in Athens and make your way along the Athens Riviera coastline for an alternative view of the city.
Book ► Olympic Games practice at the Athens Panathenaic Stadium. Try classic sporting techniques and take a race in the world’s first modern sport’s stadium.
Where to Stay in Athens
Hostels in Athens
City Circus is the most recommended city hostel. A four-story 20th-century mansion turned boutique hostel in the funky Psirri neighbourhood; it’s known for its alternative vibe and great city views from its balconies and rooftop hangouts. Prices from €30.
Yellowsquare Athens took over the central-city site formerly occupied by the Selina hostel brand, retaining the building’s prime, front-row seat view of the Acropolis from its rooftop bar. Dorms and private rooms feature bold colour blocking in red, yellow and blue, while communal rooms mix styles from retro to monochrome.
Athens Backpackers is also highly rated, with dorms, private rooms, and an Akropolis-view rooftop bar. It’s located in the Makrigianni neighbourhood, on the fringes of the local hip area of Koukaki and a short walk to Monastiraki. Prices from €20. See the picture below for its studio room offering.
Budget Hotels in Athens
Airotel Alexandros is located on a quieter side street right next to all the action of Mavilli Square. An elegant hotel that’s so centrally located offers excellent value for money with spacious rooms and an extensive breakfast buffet. It’s also a five-minute walk to the metro station – fares start at €70.
Max Brown Hotel Downtown is an urban design hotel, with industrial style and retro trims. Formaly known as Dave Red hotel, it was a renovation of the former Athenian Headquarters for the Communist Party of Greece, the red decor touches, the name, and its rebellious spirit, is a nod to the building’s history. The hotel is located north of the centre, one block behind Omonia Square – an area that always had a notorious reputation years ago, but has since cleaned up (the square is now a fountain feature). While Omonia retains a gritty edge, it’s become a hub for hotels, since the square is at the end of Athinas street, which leads straight to Monastiraki. Turn right out of the hotel, and it’s a short walk to the edgy Exarchia neighbourhood. Prices start from €100 for a double room.
The Duluxe Double Room at Max Brown Hotel Downtown (the bed is as comfy as it looks).
The Max Brown breakfast room, rooftop hot tub, games room, and bar.
Athens Boutique Hotels
Grecotel Pallas Athena is one of my top choices not just because I stayed there on my first visit to Athens with a fantastic group of friends but also because it’s bold and artistic. This art-boutique hotel in the very centre of the city (close to the Monastiraki and Acropolis metro stations) is awash with bold colour, glamorous design features from the flooring patterns to the decor, funky furniture and rooms that each come with their distinct artistic flairs – like wall paintings of smurfs, Spiderman, forests and volcanoes. It’s no wonder it has become a popular setting for fashion shoots and art exhibits. Prices start from €300.
Athens Hotels With a View
BED in Athens is a minimalistic design hotel located in the cool Psiri area that connects with Monastiraki. It also has a rooftop bar with views of the Acropolis, perfect for sunset. Prices start from €80.
Evripides Hotel, nearby, offers a very similar experience; where it lacks sleek decor, it makes up for with stunning terrace views. Prices from €80.
The Athens Gate Hotel is easy to pass by from the outside, shrouded by the traffic of bustling Syngrou Road, but the appeal lies in the concealed panoramic views of some of the city’s most-loved ancient sites. Located directly opposite the grounds of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, pick one of the rooms with a balcony view of Hadrian’s Arch and the gleaming temple columns, and awake to the golden views of the city that most visitors chase. The dining terrace on the 8th floor beats this view. The sweeping canvas starts with Filopappou Hill before reaching the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill, accompanied by a great range of continental morning treats or dinner or a glass of wine to watch the city’s ancient hilltops glow at sundown. Prices start from €95.
Studio Apartments in Athens
Athens Studios is ideal for those looking for something more homely, open-plan and with self-catering facilities. I lived here for a month while looking for my rental apartment, and there are a few options to choose from, whether solo or studios large enough for six people.
Not only is the building minutes from the Acropolis metro, the main historical sites, and the old neighbourhood of Plaka, but it’s also part of a more expansive hostel set-up. The neighbouring Athens Backpackers building gives you access to a bar and a cafe, laundry facilities, and free weekly events where you can meet other travellers. Prices start from €110.
Live With Locals in Athens
One of the ways I got to know different neighbourhoods and meet Athenians was by using platforms like Airbnb in Athens, where I could rent a spare room for around 50 Euros a night. I would deliberately pick a new area each time since the people you stay with give great local recommendations and tips, or invite you out with their friends.
An apartment in Athens Studios.
Easy to Reach Greek Islands from Athens
Athens isn’t just about being locked into a busy metropolis either. You can also hit the beach and enjoy some coastal time close by in Attica – the broader region surrounding Athens.
Hydra, Poros and Egina
For those with limited time to spend cruising to the larger islands hours away, you can visit the three Saronic Islands of Hydra, Poros and Egina in a one-day tour. The islands – each with its unique architecture, history and microcosm of culture – are a two-to three-hour ferry ride from the port of Athens. While each deserves a day or two of your time, hopping between them is an accessible ‘Outer Athens’ day excursion.
Kea (Tzia)
For those looking for a locally beloved island, you can even overnight on the island of Kea – the Athenian getaway secret.
READ MORE: The Greek Island of Kea
Want to visit a Greek island near Athens? Kea is a beautiful Athenian hideaway.
Travel Athens: Inspiration and Further Information
DiscoverGreece.com
A comprehensive Greek tourism resource for further information on travel in Athens and throughout Greece to help plan your trips in and around the country.
ThisisAthens.org
The official site for the city of Athens has event listings alongside comprehensive travel and accommodation guides. You can also apply online for a “This Is My Athens” personal ‘greeter’ to show you around town.
I compiled this Athens travel blog with on-the-ground knowledge from two years living in the Greek capital. Any of its descriptions used on other sites and blogs without attribution is not information authorised by me for use.
Macarius says
Great article. I used it as a guide when visited Athens in October 2015. Worked on a small video project about Athens. Your guide helped me to organize and optimize time since we shot on more then 30 locations.
Amy says
Fantastic article! I am hoping to visit Athens next year, I’ve never been before.
Thanks for sharing, Can’t wait to to now!
Norman says
U know – it’s kinda weird. Athens (and greek as a whole) really suffers from bad press these days – especially here in Germany. Things are, politically speaking, really heating up.
one frequently forgets that greece is quite litteraly the cradle of european culture and just because of a few squabbles over money you should not neglect visiting the country. Quite to the contrary: Athens is a wonderful city! That being said: it is quite wonderful to read that others feel the same about the city!
Becki says
Yes, it get’s a lot of bad press. People diss somewhere based on their own high expectations that are never met or just follow the political trail. It’s my objective to show the other side of that, and a lot of people come here, spend more than a night and are pleasantly surprised. I moved here for the many reasons, but I just… get it.
As for money issues – the entire world owes one another money or rests on who has whose gold stocks. The US is in debt to China… do we ever diss them for that? People have to see the bigger picture for sure. All in good time and spreading the positive aspects of a place always helps!
Greig says
Bookmarked! Absolutely fantastic guide to Athens, with nothing overlooked! You really got my wanderlust bug kicked into high gear this morning Becki. Thank you!
Greig
Becki says
Did someone say GREEK FOOD again? 🙂
Miriam Risager says
I love your guides, Becki. They’re always so comprehensive and well researched. I’ve only been to Athens once, but would love to return sometime. Thanks for the inspiration!
Becki says
Thank you so much – always great to hear. And hope to see you here one say soon!
Lucy says
This is an awesome post Becki, really insightful and in depth. I bloody love Athens and can’t wait to go back, so I’ll definitely be using some of your suggestions when I do! Welcome Pickups look amazing in particular and honestly, the food always makes my mouth water!
Lucy
Katie Featherstone says
What a great comprehensive guide. I’m sure this will be really useful for lots of people who come across it. I loved the street-art in Athens!
Michelle says
This is a fantastic list and I can’t wait to visit Athens. I’m feeling pretty inspired.
Becki says
So glad to hear that!
Brenna says
This is great! I have been to Athens twice but always felt like I just scratched the surface of the city. I definitely want to come back while you’re there!
Christine says
Really nice and informative post on Athens. I’ve never been, but I’m sold thanks to the street art and Greek food 🙂
Abdel Hegazi says
Good one about Athens actually I am thinking to make my next first travel either to Slovenia or Greece but looks like it will be Greece. I follow your Facebook page and your site, and I am big fan of your travel and hints you keep mentioning after every spot you travel to!