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Athens Travel Guide

Athens is truly an old city, from Acropolis to busy streets you can check out what do to, where to eat and stay in the below Athens travel guide.

Athens travel guide

If you know anything about Greece you know that Athens is one of the epicenters of the history and culture that has been developing since it was founded in 508 BC. But in the modern world, Athens is a perfect city for all types of tourists from historians to party people.

Girl sitting on a rock in from of Parthenon in Athens

For me, Athens was a destination that I will start my Asia trip with so I spent there three days (which is more than enough) before going on my flight to Singapore. Let me mention that Athens is one of the best connection flight-wise cities in the world and you can find an amazing amount of cheap direct flights that will get you all over the world.

The city is filled with historic sculptures and buildings that will leave you in ave no matter where you look, but there is also a bad part of Athens in the near city center, and that is the cities garbage problem which is causing a lot of problems for the locals and tourist in the summer.

Girl posing in front of Ancient building in Athens

What to expect in Athens

Language in Athens

Greek is the main language being spoken in Athens, but it is really easy to communicate in English which I was surprised with.

Currency in Athens

Euros are the main currency in Greece. Greece is still a country of the Europan Union and it has adopted the Euro as its currency since 2002.

Girl overlooking Athens city center in Summer

Credit cards and ATMs

I had a really easy time paying with cards anywhere that I went, and the ATM-s are almost on every corner but have in mind that it all depends on what banks you are since the Unicredit group does not have their ATM-s in Greece. I would recommend as always to keep the cash near you to pay for museums in case that their devices don’t work.

Girls standing at Parthenon stairs

Climate in Athens

Athens is easy to travel all around the year, like most Greece as a whole. I have been there in the middle of September and the temperatures where around 28*C which is decently hot for that time of the year.

Cost of food in Athens

Athens has a bunch of great cheap fast food meals. You can find Gyros, Kebab, Burgers and much more from 2-5 Euros. For perspective, the McDonalds Big Mac Menu will cost you 6 Euros.

Mid-range restaurants will cost you around 5 to 12 Euros and the food is amazing but you will have a hard time finding great restaurants in the city center since they are located a little bit outside it around 5 minutes walking from the city center.

Girl walking to acropolis in Athens
Girl posing in front of carpets in Athens

Getting around Athens

Public Transport

Athens is amazingly connected all around, from the Airport to the city center metros, you can easily get anywhere you want by Google Maps, but if you wish you can find the whole map of connections here.

Quick hint: You can take an X95 bus directly from the airport to the city center (Syntagma station). The trip will take around 1 hour. Or you can take a metro M3 to the same station which will take your around 57 minutes give or take. You can also take the same bus and metro back to the Airport.

Hotel entrance in Athens

360 Degrees

Modern style hotel that is located in the center of Athens offers great value. 360 Degrees has a rooftop restaurant and bar that offers an amazing view of the whole of Athens, and it is even more beautiful at night when lights lite up at the Acropolis. Check out 360 Degrees.

Location: Pl. Monastirakiou, Athina 105 52, Greece
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: €100 +

Kallimarmaro Apartment

This is my go-to accommodation when visiting Athens, located in a quiet neighborhood that is close to everything, Kallimarmaro Apartment is an amazing apartment that has all the modern appliances that you can think of and there are a few amazing restaurants nearby that you can visit. Check out the amazing Kallimarmaro Apartment.

Location: Pl. Varnava 7, Athina 116 36, Greece
Accommodation: Apartment
Price range: €60 +

Outer side of yellow hotel in Athens

Best Western Plus

Located just 1km from the New Acropolis Museum, Best Western Plus is a prime accommodation for a lot of tourists mostly because of its location and budget-worthy price. It has all the appliances that a well-suited and modern hotel can have and it also has a buffet breakfast in which you can have a great start to your day. Check out Best Western Plus.

Location: Timoleontos Vassou 22, Athina 115 21, Greece
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: €80 +

Herodion Hotel

Looking for a honeymoon-like accommodation in Athens? Then you have found it, Herodion Hotel is located right next to Acropolis and offers an amazing view of the most iconic attraction of not only Athens but maybe the whole Greece, also Herodion Hotel has a rooftop that you can sit on and have a nice drink after a long day of exploring.  Check out Herodion Hotel.

Location: Rovertou Galli 4, Athina 117 42, Greece
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: €145 +

Herodion hotel in Athens
Herodion Hotel, photo from: booking.com
Herodion hotel in Athens 2
Herodion Hotel, photo from: booking.com

Electra Hotel Athens

A hotel that has been open for the past 10 years and has been renovated just recently, you know that everything is spot on here, from the breakfast to the rooms. Also, Electra Hotel Athens is located next to Syntagma Square which is the main tram station and bus station in all of Athens, so you can easily get to any part of the city very quickly. Check out Electra Hotel Athens.

Location: Ermou 5, Athina 105 63, Greece
Accommodation: Hotel
Price range: €120 +

Where to eat in Athens with girl standing in the middle of the street

Traditional tavern-style restaurant To Paradosiako is a paradise for meat lovers serving every kind of meat that you can imagine from lamb, rooster, chicken to pork. To Paradosiako means “the traditional” therefore you won’t be disappointed if you are looking for authentic Greek dishes. The restaurant is in the mid-range price range, but you can expect to received large portions with sides such as salads cheese and more.

Location: Kolokotroni 59, Athina 105 60, Greece
Price range: €

Do not be surprised if you can’t find Diporto in the first try since it is located in a basement with two broken doors outside that use as the entrance to the restaurant. Seating only around 20 seats Diporto is popular in the tourist and local community. The menu is made for only that day and everything is hand made on the menu, so you can expect authenticity and traditional dishes whenever you visit Diporto. Prices are medium to high but trust me it is worth the effort.

Fruit and bread on a black plate

I have visited a great number of breakfast bars in my traveling experience, but this is by far one of the best and most delicious ones. The sizes are huge, and it is old hand-made with love and care. You need to order a cafe latte with scrambled eggs and you won’t be disappointed.

Location:  Vourvachi 5-9, Athina 117 43, Greece
Price range: €

Located in Gazi (a neighborhood in Athens), The Butcher Shop is a local meat eatery offering free-range, organic, and 100 % Greek meat that will melt in your mouth. The menu is decently large but very simple and offers everything from burgers to traditional Greek dishes such as souvlaki and artisanal cold cuts and cheese from all over Greece.

Location: Persefonis 19, Athina 118 54, Greece
Price range: €€

Girl sitting in front of Parthenon in Athens

Acropolis

This is by far the most popular attraction in the whole of Athens, and it will always be crowded. People usually say that you need to go there early, but I have gone there around 14.00 and there were not a whole lot of people there. There are a lot of things to see when climbing to the Acropolis, so be sure to bring some water if you get thirsty while climbing. Keep in mind that the entrance is not free and the fee is 20 Euros for Adults. Tours are also one of the great ways to explore the Acropolis and learn about the rich history from experts.

Girl posing in front of entrance to Parthenon

Parthenon

When you think of Acropolis and see the pictures of it Parthenon is probably the temple that is most featured on those photos. Completed back in 423 BC, this former temple dedicated to the goddess Athena is a staple of Athens and the whole Greek culture. Also, it is located at the top of Acropolis so be sure to climb if you want to see it up close.

Plaka Neighbourhood

The Plaka is one of the most famous neighborhoods in all of Athens, located just below the Acropolis it is filled with not only restaurants and bar, but all kinds of souvenirs shops that you can buy and bring to your family and friends, and trust me you will find something for everybody. The prices range from 1.5 Euro for magnets to around 5 Euros and more for the little statues of Parthenon.

Girl looking at Athens city center while sitting on Acropolis walls
Girl standing at ancient stairs in Athens

Panathenaic Stadium

Panathenaic Stadium is one of the most iconic attractions of Athens next to Acropolis. It is located just 5 minutes walking from the Acropolis and it is a former Olympic stadium that can still have events. Built back in the 144 AD, it was renovated in 1896 and today it can host around 80 000 people, it is the only stadium in the world that is entirely built of marble.

Acropolis Museum

An incredible museum that was designed by Swiss architect Bernard Tschumi, the Acropolis Museum is truly a work of art similar to its namesake Acropolis. Acropolis Museum offers a different kind of view to the Greek and Athens history through the glass panels and open spaces, showing the foundations of the ancient building down below. Tickets cost around 5 Euros in the winter season and 10 Euros in the Summer season, but there are also cheap tours in which you can learn everything about this museum.

Girl looking at Athens city center from Acropolis

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

Located on the hill of Acropolis and you will see it when climbing up, this Roman-era concert hall was raised in 161 AD on the orders of the Athenian Magnate Herodes Atticus. The theatre was restored in the 1950s when the stone tiers were rebuilt using the same marble from Mount Pentelicus. You can also take some amazing pictures that feature the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.

National Archaeological Museum

Athens’ National Archaeological Museum is one of the largest and richest in the world. The galleries are jammed with star-studded pieces from all over Greece and feature some of the best-known artifacts such as Mask of Agamemnon and Antikythera wreck.

Girl looking at Mount Lycabettus in Athens
Girl standing in front of entrance to acropolis museum in Athens

Lycabettus Hill

If you wish to look at the city from the highest peak and have an amazing aerial view of it, Lycabettus Hill is a place that you have to visit. Quick note, you don’t have to climb the whole way to the top, since there is a cable car that can take you there. The prices of a cable cars are 7.50 Euros. There is also a restaurant and a bar on top of the hill so you can have a relaxing couple of minutes on the highest peak of Athens.

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