Athens Travel

FAQ

– Is it safe to go to Athens? Athens is visited by millions of people every year and is considered to be a safe destination, even for solo female travelers. Most visits are trouble-free, but be weary of pickpockets on the metro and close to crowded tourist sights. – Is Athens expensive for tourists? As most most other European capitals, Athens is certainly not cheap, but it is not very expensive either. How much you should budget strongly depends on your preferences and needs. One way to save money is by buying combo tickets to museums and planning ahead. – Is Athens walkable? The historical center of Athens is very walkable. A pedestrian grand promenade snakes around the Acropolis and links key archeological sites. The city also offers affordable public transportation. – Best Areas to Stay in Athens? The best neighborhoods in Athens are Plaka, Monastiraki, Koukaki, Syntagma, Kolonaki, and Psyrri. They are very walkable, offer great hotels and short-term rentals, plenty of restaurants, cafes and nightlife.

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Best Time to Visit

Greece is a tourist destination beloved worldwide, and summer is the most crowded season of all, especially in July and August. Spring is, perhaps, the best season to travel to Greece, as the main cities such as Athens are not so crowded and the prices are quite a bit lower. June and September are the best months to visit Athens when the beaches around the capital are full of entertainment. If you love hiking, don't miss Athens in autumn.

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Athens International Airport (ATH)

Athens International Airport (ATH) is located at Spata, 33 kilometers (20 miles) southeast of Athens. A taxi ride to the city-centre will cost a flat rate of €40 between 5 am and midnight and €55 between midnight and 5 am. The fixed fares include the basic fare, VAT, extra luggage charges and road tolls. The Metro's Line 3 (Blue Line) Nikaia–Airport is another option to go to the centre. The journey to Syntagma takes around half an hour. Airport busses are made available to Syntagma (X95), Pireaus port (X96), Kifissou Avenue (X93) and Elliniko (X97). The travel time to Syntagma and the other areas in town takes around 1 hour and around 1.5 hours to Pireaus port.

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Public Transport

The Metro stations are well worth seeing as they are kept spotlessly clean. At the Syntagma and Acropolis stations you will find a large collection of antiquities on display. There is a tram from the centre (Syntagma) running along the coast to Glyfada (50 minutes) and Voula (60 minutes). Buses, trolley buses and the Metro run until around midnight. The tram runs between 5:30am and 1am (until 2:30am on Friday and Saturday). Airport buses all run 24/7. The airport bus tickets are not valid for other public transport services but only for a single journey. Ferries out to the island leave from the harbor in Piraeus or from Rafina.

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Taxi

There are lots of taxis, but it is normal to share one with other tourists in order not to be surprised if the driver picks up additional passengers along the road who are going in the same direction. The drivers have taximeters and fixed prices. Uber has been banned in Athens and you only have access to Uber Taxi.

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Post

Stamps can be bought in most tobacconists and kiosks selling postcards. Syntagma Square has a full service post office right across from the Parliament building.

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Pharmacy

In case of a medical emergency you should phone 166 for an ambulance. Greek pharmacies aren’t usually open in the afternoon or at weekends. Bacacos (or Mpakakos) pharmacy is centrally located close to Omonia Square.

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Electricity

Greece uses the Type F electrical plug with two round pins, same as in many countries in Continental Europe. The standard voltage is 230 volts, but some hotels have special plugs for 110 or 120-volt shavers.

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Telephone

Country code: +30 Area code: 210

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