For other places with the same name, see Athens (disambiguation).

Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína), is the capital city of Greece with a metropolitan population of 3.7 million inhabitants. It is in many ways the birthplace of Classical Greece, and therefore of Western civilization.

Understand

Old Athens

See also: Ancient Greece

The first pre-historic settlements were constructed in 3000 BC around the hill of Acropolis. According to legend the King of Athens, Theseus, unified the ten tribes of early Athens into one kingdom in around 1230 BC. This process of synoikismos – bringing together in one home – created the largest and wealthiest state on the Greek mainland, but it also created a larger class of people excluded from political life by the nobility.

By the 7th century BCE, social unrest had become widespread, and the Areopagus appointed Draco to draft a strict new law code (hence "draconian"). When this failed, they appointed Solon, with a mandate to create a new constitution (594). This was the great beginning of a new social revolution, which was the result of the democracy under Clisthenes (508).

In the 5th century BCE, Athens reached the peak of its fame. It was the most powerful Greek city-state, and the center of Greek cultural life, hosting perhaps the greatest cultural advances in all of human history. Fields of study like science, philosophy, history, and medicine were developed for the first time by Athenian scholars in this period, known as Athens' "golden age".

Later on, Athens became part of the Macedonian empire under Alexander, and still later part of the Roman empire. While it was no longer politically significant, its intellectual reputation gave it a special status until, in the year 529, Emperor Justinian ordered Athens' academies to be closed, and the empire's intellectual center moved to Constantinople.

Athens was thriving and prosperous during the Crusades, actually benefiting from the Italian trade during this period. However, this fruitful period was short-lived, as Greece suffered badly under the Ottoman Empire, only to recover in the 19th century as the capital of independent Greece. In modern times, the Athens urban area has grown to a population of 3 million. Athens has turned into a large and bustling city, but as a result it also suffers from congestion, pollution, and poverty.

Modern Olympic Games

Athens hosted the 2004 Summer Olympic Games. While most of the sporting venues were outside of the city - in various locations throughout Attica- the entire urban area of Athens underwent major lasting changes that have improved the quality of life for visitors and residents alike. Aside from the excellent transportation infrastructure that was completed in time for the 2004 Olympics (from new freeways to light rail systems), the city's historic center underwent serious renovation. Most notable among the city's facelift projects are the Unification of Archaeological Sites (which connects the city's classical-era ruins and monuments to each other through a network of pleasant pedestrianized streets) and the restoration of the picturesque neoclassical Thissio and Pláka districts.

The ancient Olympic Games took place in Olympia from 776 BCE to 394 AD. It is a lengthy day trip from Athens to visit Olympia, but quite interesting.

Architecture

Athens was just a small provincial village when it was chosen in the 1830s to serve as the national capital of the modern Greek State. Although it had a prestigious past, the city's political, economic and cultural importance had declined over the centuries, leaving behind only its classical ruins as a reminder of better times. With the decision to move the national capital from Nafplio to Athens, architects and city planners were hired to build a new city next to the classical ruins, with grand neoclassical homes and public buildings, large city squares, green spaces, and wide avenues, making a conscious, decisive turn from the city's Ottoman past. The city regained its importance in Greek civilization, and by 1900 had evolved into a very attractive cosmopolitan city, with abundant neoclassical architecture harking to the nation's past.

The 20th century however, marked the rapid development of Athens. The city suffered minor damage during WWII, and suffered extensive urban planning in the decades that followed, as the nation rapidly industrialized and urbanized. In the 1960s and 1970s, many 19th century neoclassical buildings, often small and private, were demolished to make way for office buildings, often designed by great Greek architects. The city also expanded outward through rash development, particularly towards the west, as its population grew by absorbing job-seekers from the provinces. With the onset of the automobile, public officials reduced the city's public transportation services without foreseeing the traffic gridlock and smog that would menace the city by the 1980s.

By the late 1980s and early 1990s, the city's reality led to a rude awakening among local and national officials and, coupled with the country's new found remarkable prosperity, large scale projects began to slowly regenerate the city and undo some of the damage of recent decades. Over the course of the next 15 years, money was poured into new transportation infrastructure projects, the restoration of surviving neoclassical buildings, the gentrification of the city's historical center and the renovation of many former industrial areas and the city's coastline. The restoration of charming neoclassical buildings in the city's historical center has been accompanied by the construction of attractive post-modern buildings in newer districts; both of which have begun to improve the aesthetic essence of the city. Athens today is ever evolving, forging a brand new identity for the 21st century.

Climate

Athens
Climate chart (explanation)
J F M A M J J A S O N D       57     12 5       47     13 5       41     16 7       31     20 10       23     26 14       11     31 18       6     33 21       6     33 21       14     29 17       53     23 13       68     18 10       69     14 7 Average max. and min. temperatures in °C Precipitation+Snow totals in mm
Imperial conversion J F M A M J J A S O N D       2.2     54 41       1.9     55 41       1.6     61 45       1.2     68 50       0.9     79 57       0.4     88 64       0.2     91 70       0.2     91 70       0.6     84 63       2.1     73 55       2.7     64 50       2.7     57 45 Average max. and min. temperatures in °F Precipitation+Snow totals in inches

Spring and late autumn are the best times to visit Athens. Summer can be extremely hot and dry during heatwaves, but this rarely happens. Winter is definitely low season, with the occasional rainy or snowy day, but also an ideal time to save money while enjoying the city without countless other tourists.

Whilst peak traffic hour can be a bit smoggy on the main roads, on most sunny days the skies are azure blue. The main reason attributed for the pollution of Athens is because the city is enclosed by mountains in a basin which does not allow the smog to leave. The government's ban on diesel vehicles within Athens and the early 1990s initiatives to improve car emissions have greatly contributed to better atmospheric conditions in the basin.

Orientation

Hellenic Parliament by sunset.

The sprawling city is bounded on three sides by Mt. Ymettos, Mt. Parnitha and Mt. Pendeli; whilst inside Athens are twelve hills [the seven historical are: Acropolis, Areopagus, Hill of Philopappus, Observatory Hill (Muses Hill), Pnyx, Lycabettus, Tourkovounia (Anchesmus)], the Acropolis and Lykavittos being the most prominent. These hills provide a refuge from the noise and commotion of the crowded city streets, offering amazing views down to Saronic Gulf, Athens' boundary with the Aegean Sea on its southern side. The streets of Athens (signposted in Greek and English) now melt imperceptibly into Piraeus, the city's ancient, and still bustling, port.

Places of interest to travellers can be found within a relatively small area surrounding the city centre at Syntagma Square (Plateia Syntagmatos). This epicentre is surrounded by the districts of the Plaka to the south, Monastiraki to the west, Kolonaki to the east and Omonia to the north. Further afield is the port of Athens, the Piraeus.

The Acropolis is the ancient high city of Athens, a prominent plateaued rock perched high above the modern city with commanding views and an amazing array of ancient architecture, mostly from the Classical period of Ancient Greece, the most famous of which is the Parthenon. A visit to Athens is not complete without visiting the Acropolis - hundreds of tourists each day accordingly make the pilgrimage.

Gentrified during the 1990s and now very popular with tourists, Plaka is a charming historic district at the foot of the Acropolis, with its restored 19th-century neoclassical homes, pedestrianized streets, shops and restaurants, and picturesque ruins from the city's Roman era. Thissio, to the west side of the Acropolis, is very similar and now houses many restaurants and cafes. Between the two is Monastiraki, a very bohemian district increasingly popular with tourists, with stores selling a variety of items including antiques, cookware, souvenirs, arts and crafts, movie posters, punk culture, funky clothing, and pretty much anything you can think of. Another part of Plaka is Anafiotika and is on the northernmost place. There you will find the first university of Athens before it was relocated in central Athens. Its an oasis of calm and quietness, and there are many green spaces which are part of the green space of Acropolis.

Plaka's boundaries are not precisely defined. Clear borders are the Ancient Agora and Plateia Monastiraki on the west, the Acropolis and Dhionysiou Areopayitou street on the south, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Leoforos Amalias on the south-east, and the west part of Mitropoleos street, up to the cathedral on the north (but Mitropoleos street and Leoforos Amalias, though boundaries, shouldn't be considered part of Plaka, since they have a modern and fairly non-descript atmosphere). The north-eastern and eastern boundaries are a bit less well defined, but if you're south of Apollonos street and west of Nikis street you'll probably feel like you're still in Plaka.

Syntagma Square is named after the Greek constitution (syntagma) that was proclaimed from the balcony of the royal palace that overlooks the square on 3 September 1843. The former palace has housed the Greek parliament since 1935.

Syntagma Square is a good point from which to begin your orientation in the city, and has been beautified within the last few years ago, and the manic Athenian traffic has been re-routed. it contains cafes, restaurants, fast food outlets, a new metro stop, airline offices.. The square serves as an occasional rallying place for demonstrations and public celebrations.

Omonia Square (Plateia Omonias) is the centre of Athens, and is composed of the actual square together with the surrounding streets, open areas and assemblage of grand buildings that include banks and offices. The neighbouring area of Exarcheia (Εξάρχεια) to the north, dominated by the Athens Polytechnic and its famous band of anarchists, is a bohemian district with lots of bars and clubs visited by students, intellectuals and people who are into alternative culture. Kolonaki is near Lykavittos Hill. The district's borders are not very sharply defined; it covers the south and southeast slopes of Lykavettos Hill north of Vassilisis Sofias Avenue. Kolonaki is the posh area of central Athens. Traditionally the home of the in-town rich, it's the location of a number of foreign embassies and several prominent archaeological schools, including The American School and The British School. It also has the city's greatest concentration of trendy fashion boutiques, and many, mostly upscale, cafes, bars and restaurants.

Get in

By plane

Athens airport is a major hub in the Aegean, Balkan and East Mediterranean regions. American, Air Canada, Delta, Emirates, and United maintain non-stop flights from North America (some are only seasonal), while a large number of European carriers fly direct into Athens.

The airport

The new 1 Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH  ^IATA) , 27 km east of the city centre near the suburb of Spáta, opened in 2001 as part of the infrastructure improvements in preparation for the Olympics, and is allegedly now one of the more attractive and efficient major European airports, though some old Athenian hands say they miss the messy atmosphere of the old Hellenikon. The airport has excellent public transit connections to the city (see below) and the usual array of food stands, duty-free shops, and other airport services.

There is a tourist information station in Arrivals with the latest literature put out by the Tourist Information Department; this is useful for getting information of arranged local festivities in Athens and Attica. They will also have a printed brochure of ferry information from Piraeus and other Attica ports.

There is also a small museum on the top floor with an interesting history on Athens, and a space for temporary exhibits.

Trolleys are available at the airport, you will find them in the baggage hall on arrival and they use coins the same way supermarket trolleys do. Insert a euro coin to release a trolley; you get it back by returning the trolley to its original position.

If you stay in Athens for a short time, consider leaving part of your luggage in a baggage storage. It is run by Pacific Travel, and is in the end of left-hand wing, arrivals level. Storage time varies from 6 to 36 hours and sizes vary from small to large. The only inconvenience is that the same queue is used for collecting and for leaving – allow extra time before your flight. No automatic lockers can be found in the airport. There is also a locker facility at Syntagma Square, central Athens (Leaveyourluggage.gr).

There is free Wi-Fi in the airport, which is limited to 45 minutes, with no promise of security.

There are indoor glass purpose-built 'smoking rooms' inside the airport, both in the departure desk area and also for passengers on landing before luggage retrieval.

From the airport to the city

From the airport you can reach the city:

• By Metro to the city center for €10 (one way). Group tickets (2 or 3 persons) are also available and they provide some discount (see below). The airport Metro line is an extension of Line 3 (blue line) that takes you to the central Syntagma and Monastiráki stations.

At the airport, both metro trains and suburban trains pass from the same platform. If you are travelling to the city centre, you should take the metro trains.

Don't forget to validate your ticket before going down to the platform and boarding a train (there are validation machines at the top of the escalators in the ticket hall). Failure to validate your ticket at the start of the journey can mean a fine of up to €200. The ticket inspectors are rigorous and won't hesitate to call for police assistance if you start to object.

Not all Metro trains from Athens go to the airport; typically the airport trains run every half hour, while trains in the intervals don't go the whole route. Airport trains are indicated on the schedule and by an airplane logo on the front of the train, they are also announced by the signs on the metro platform. It's useful to go to the Metro station the day before, explain to the agent (most speak English) when you need to be at the airport, and ask what time you should catch the airport train from that station. You can also get this information at the airport metro station, which has a desk staffed most hours by someone who speaks English. It's possible but not necessary to buy your ticket in advance; buying in advance though means you won't risk missing your train if you find at the last minute you don't have change for the ticket machines and have to stand in a line to buy it from the agent.

• By Suburban Railway to Larissis Railway Station for €6 via change at Ano Liossia Station. Suburban trains are not as fast as the metro trains. A change at Ano Liossia to Line 2 (red) or Doukissis Plakentias to Line 3 (blue) of the metro can take you to:
  • The Omónia and Syntagma stations (Line 2).
  • Northern Greece and the Peloponnese, by train from Larissis station (Line 2).
  • The Monastiraki and Syntagma stations (Line 3).
• By express bus: X93 to Kifissos Coach Station, X95 to Syntagma Square (Lines 2 and 3), X96 to Piraeus Port (Line 1) and X97 to Elliniko metro station (Line 2) for €6.00. It takes 45 min to 1.5 hrs depending on traffic. Buses, unlike Metro, operate 24 hours a day.
• By local bus: An unnamed bus departs frequently in front of the Sofitel Hotel to Koropi metro station (€1.80, 15 mins.) From there you can take the metro to Athens (€1.40.) According to the metro website the ride is €10 but as of late 2017 the station official confirmed that it is only €1.40. You can also take local bus 308 from Koropi metro for the same price.
• By taxi: If you take a taxi be careful. Taxi rides to the centre cost €38 during the day and €50 during the night. Ask if the price includes toll costs.

It is advisable to get a free copy of the city transport map in the airport – in the city it is extremely helpful.

Be aware that Greece has a long tradition of labour unionism and Greeks are never shy to go on strike, especially in view of the difficult economic situation the country has been in. Inform yourself of possible strikes in advance using relevant websites.

By regional coach

Regional coaches (KTEL) connect Athens to other cities in Greece. The fleet of buses has been upgraded, which makes the journey pleasant and safe. For some destinations one can also use the buses of the railroad company (OSE, see next paragraph) that might be international, but can also be used for in-country transport. At times there are collaborations with companies from adjacent countries such as Turkey, Bulgaria,Serbia, Macedonia and Albania, so it's advisable to ask on both the bus and the train companies about the available options.

There are two KTEL coach stations, one at Liosion (near Aghios Nikolaos station on the Green line) and the other at 2 Kifissou Avenue .

By train

The national rail service, Trainose, connects Athens to other cities in Greece. However, the national railroad system is limited compared to other European countries, in effect having only two lines. One goes south to the Pelopponese. The other goes to the north, connecting Athens with the second major city in Greece, Thessaloniki. From there the line continues further to the north and all the way to the east, passing through many other cities of northern Greece and eventually reaching Istanbul.

There are two types of train you can use; normal, slow, type of train equipped with beds, and the so-called new 'Intercity' type which is more expensive because of a 'quality supplement fee' that grows with distance. For example, travelling from Athens to Thessaloniki by the 'Intercity' type will save one hour at most, but the ticket will be almost twice the price. 'Intercity' tends to be more reliable, yet more 'bumpy' than the normal train. As of late 2014 there are international trains to Belgrade, Serbia and Sofia, Bulgaria via Thessaloniki.

By boat

The port of Piraeus acts as the marine gateway to Athens, and is served by many ferries. Cruise ships also regularly visit, especially during warm months. Generally, pedestrian ferry users will be closer than cruise passengers to the Metro station providing access to Athens; walking distances can vary considerably.

Cruise passengers on larger ships usually reach the main cruise terminal by port shuttle bus; otherwise, it can be a non-trivial walk. Smaller ships (e.g., 1200 or fewer passengers) may dock near the terminal...an easy walk. From the terminal, pedestrians face a safe, level walk of over a mile to the Piraeus Metro station; taxis are readily available to go there, but are not inexpensive.

By bus from Albania

Several travel agencies offer bus service between Tirana and Athens, also stopping at several other cities in Albania. Cost is usually €30 between Albania and Athens (same cost regardless of the city in Albania).

• Alb Trans, +30 210 520 21 85, albtrans06@yahoo.com, €25, http://www.albtrans.net stops in the following cities: Tirana, Durres, Kavaje, Rrogozhine, Lushnje, Berat, Fier, Ballsh, Krasta, Memaliaj, Tepelene, Athens.

• Albatrans, albatrans.com.al, info@albatrans.com.al, +355 42 259 204, €30

• top-lines.al, Albania: +355 42233050 albtoplines@hotmail.com, Greece: +30 2105203350-1 toplines@otenet.gr

• Papadakis Bros S.A., +30 210 52 02 551-3 (Athens), +355 42 22 41 03 (Tirana)

• Osumi Travel, 210 52 49 268 (Athens), 42 2255 491-2272 644 (Tirana), €30, or €25 between Gjirokaster and Athens, osumitravel@live.com

• Alvavel, +355 0422 34629 (Tirana), +355 0542 42476 (Elbasan), +355 0822 42847 (Korca), +355 0522 34446 (Durres), +30 210 5222436 (Athens), €30

Get around

Public transport in Athens has improved by leaps and bounds since the year 2000. The simple €1.20 ("integrated") ticket lets you travel on any means of transport—metro, suburban trains, trams, trolleybuses, buses—with unlimited transfers anywhere within Athens (except the metro airport line east of Doukissis Plakentias and the airport buses) for 70 minutes, and you can also get a €4 ticket valid for 24 hours, or a 3-day "tourist" ticket for €20 that includes one round-trip to the airport.

System map

By metro

A Line 2 train in Anthoupoli station

The Athens Metro is efficient and attractive, and generally the only pleasant way to get around Athens. Many metro stations (i.e. Syntagma) exhibit artifacts found during construction. Eating and drinking is forbidden in the metro system. During rush hour, it can become very crowded. There are three lines:

• Line  M1 : Piraeus – Kifissia, connects the port of Piraeus and the northern suburbs of Athens (Kifisia station) via the city centre. Be sure that you keep an eye on your personal stuff when using this line, and be prepared for people getting in the train and asking for money.
• Line  M2 : Anthoupoli – Elliniko connects western and southern Athens via Athens centre.
• Line  M3 : Aghia Marina – Doukissis Plakentias – Airport connects the western suburbs with the eastern suburbs (Halandri and Doukissis Plakentias stations) and the International Airport.

Validate your ticket at the validation machines upon entering the station. Failure to do so will entail a hefty fine if you are caught by ticket inspectors. The standard metro fare is €1.40 (as of June 2016) for trips between all stations except the Airport line, east of Doukissis Plakentias. This allows travel with all means of public transport and unlimited transfers for 70 minutes.

A 24-hour ticket for all public transport in Athens, apart from the Airport line, costs €4.50. This needs to be validated only once, at the start of the first journey. The standard fare to or from the Airport is €10 (as of August 2016), €18 for a return trip within 48 hours, €14 for a one-way trip for a 2-person group and €20 for a one-way trip for a 3-person group.

There are often several entrances to the stations and often they go straight to the platform, so remember which entrance is for which. It is open from 05:00 to midnight.

By suburban railway

The Suburban Railway (Proastiakos by Trainose) is a new addition to Athens's public transportations network. The line starts at Piraeus, passes through the main line train station (Larissis) in Athens, and forks at Ano Liosia west to Corinth and Kiato and east towards the Airport.

By tram

The new Athens Tram connects the city centre with the southern suburbs and has connections with the metro lines. There are three tram lines:

• Line  T3 : Peace and Friendship Stadium – Asklipeio Voulas Hospital connects Faliro with the southern suburbs and runs along the coastal zone.
• Line  T4 : Syntagma – Peace and Friendship Stadium connects the city centre with Faliro.
• Line  T5 : Syntagma - Asklipeio Voulas Hospital connects the city centre with the coastal zone and the southern suburbs.

Ticket prices are the same with Athens Metro (€1.20 for 70 minutes)

By bus

Athens is served by a network of diesel buses, natural gas buses and electric trolley buses run by the Athens Urban Transport Organisation. The integrated ticket costs €1.20 and allows for multiple trips within 70 minutes, including transfers to the Metro or Tram and it's available in most kiosks. Trips to the Airport cost €5. If you tend to stay for more than a week then a weekly pass for €14 is the most cost-effective. It gives you unlimited rides on almost all public transit (bus, tram, train, subway) for 7 days. You only need to validate once, before first use. Buses will not stop unless you signal the driver by raising your arm. There are no arrival time signs in any of the stations.

By taxi

Canary yellow taxis are a common sight in Athens and are a reasonably priced way of getting around (if you can avoid the traffic jams). The starting fee is €1.19, after which the meter ticks up at €0.34/km ("rate 1") or €0.64/km ("rate 2"), with a minimum fare of €3.20. Rate 1 applies through Athens city limits, including the airport, while rate 2 applies outside the city and from midnight to 05:00. Legal surcharges apply for calling a taxi by radio (€1.60), trips to or from the airport (€3.20) and heavy bags (€0.32). Tipping is not necessary, although it's common to round up to the nearest full euro.

Taxi fare fraud is not as widespread as it used to be, but it still happens, so insist on the meter and make sure the rate is correct. At busy tourist locations, drivers try to con with a set rate that is ridiculously high (e.g. €20 for a short trip). In these cases, it is best to find another and again insist on the charge shown on the meter. If you feel you have been overcharged, ask for a receipt (they are obliged to give one) and take the plate number, then phone the tourist police to report the driver on 171.

Taxi drivers rarely obey the rules of the road. Expect that if you are leaving Athens on an early flight the driver will drive aggressively to get you there as quickly as possible.

Taxis are considered to be fairly cheap in Athens. Therefore, you can expect to share the ride during rush hours if you can find one, and at night after the Metro has shut down. If you hail a taxi which is already occupied (occupied taxis have a brightly lit TAXI sign on top of the car) the driver will ask where you want to go to before letting you in to join the other customers. Strikes by cabbies and public transit are common, so be prepared and watch the local news.

Plaka District in Athens

By car

You can rent a car at the airport where most of the major international companies have a presence. There are also several large local companies which will deliver the car outside of the airport.

By bicycle

Athens is not a friendly city for bicyclists, as it does not have many bicycle lanes, and the car drivers tend to drive quite aggressively. Nevertheless (or maybe because of this) riding a bicycle in Athens has become lately some sort of a political (counter-)action, especially by young people with an alternative lifestyle. In general, tourists not familiar with the terrible Athenian traffic are not advised to use a bicycle as a principal means of transport. But within the network of pedestrian streets in the historical city centre, rides are safe and can be quite enjoyable. A bike hire scheme is at its fledgling stages; its bike station is in Technopolis.

The "My City with a Bike" initiative, taken by the General Secretariat for the Youth and several NGOs, offers free conducted tours with free bikes every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 15:00 all year round except for the rainy days. Booking 10 days in advance is required, either by email (admin@anthropos.gr) or phone (+30 8011 19 19 00).

On foot

With the exception of a few touristy streets, Athens is an incredibly unpleasant place to walk (compared to other Western cities). Athens' horrendous traffic can make crossing the street in many areas a hair-raising proposition, and walking down many streets is an unpleasant experience of noise and pollution. Cars and motorbikes parked blocking the pavements (illegal but ubiquitous) can also make a stroll difficult. The humidity of summer is exhausting, and there are few parks to provide an escape from it. Fortunately, much of the traffic-plagued area of the city can be avoided by judicious use of the new Metro, which goes most places a visitor would want to see or walk around in.

However, several central streets have been pedestrianized. A mostly car-free archeological walk starts at Vasilisis Amalias Street, passes in front of the New Acropolis Museum, Acropolis, Herodion Theatre, Thiseio (Apostolou Pavlou Str), Ermou Street and ends at the popular area of Kerameikos (Gkazi) where there are many bars and clubs. Pleasant walking can also be had in Plaka, especially its upper reaches, and in much of Kolonaki. The National Garden can provide a welcome respite from the heat and noise of the city centre. Even in Plaka and Kolonaki, your walk is likely to be interrupted by loud motorcycles zooming down the narrow lanes, shattering the peace and making you worry about your safety.

Talk

Please see this section at the country level for a full discussion

While Greek is the official language in Greece, many Athenians speak English and those in the tourist industry are likely to also speak French and German. Almost all signs are written in Greek and English.

See

Discounted entry for students and the disabled As in the rest of Greece, students get heavily discounted entry to most tourist attractions in Athens. Present your ISIC international student card. The Acropolis and the main archaeological sites offer free entrance for students. Cards are examined and any out-of-date will be rejected. Most attractions in Athens offer free or discounted admission for disabled people living in the European Union (badge or card required). The discount is not advertised and you have to ask staff to get the information. You will also be offered assistance and lifts access if necessary.

At first glance, Athens seems entirely to be composed of nasty, four- to six-story concrete buildings, lacking character and badly in need of a paint, but if you look beyond that, you will find little gems tucked in among the grey. The areas at the foot of the Acropolis, Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio are home to many wonderful Neoclassical buildings, trendy and traditional cafes and shops, narrow winding streets, and incredible views of the Acropolis. Little Greek Orthodox churches are tucked in among the concrete, often in the most unexpected places. These are usually beautifully decorated with icons and brass fixtures inside, but make sure you're appropriately dressed (no short sleeves or bare legs is a good rule of thumb, as a mark of respect).

• For the best views of Athens, head to the top of Lycavittos (Lycabettus) Hill. You can either walk from Kolonaki (the path starts 15 minutes from Evangelismos metro stop, and will take 30 minutes to walk up the winding, but paved and not steep, path) or you can take the funicular railway (€6.5 for a 2 way trip) from the top of Ploutarchou Street in Kolonaki. Either way, be sure to wear flat shoes, and bring lots of water in the summer. From the top you can see the whole city, the port of Piraeus and, on a clear day, the island of Aegina and the Peloponnese. Have a drink at the cafe there, and pay a visit to the chapel of St George.
• If you're lucky enough to be in Athens for the Easter Weekend, you'll see the spectacular sight of hundreds of people making their candlelit way down the hill on Easter Saturday night as part of the Easter Vigil procession.

The Erechtheion at the Acropolis

Acropolis

The 1 Acropolis of Athens   was the ancient fortified town of Athens, dating back to the Late Bronze Age. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic role and the many iconic buildings of the Greek Classical age, among them the Parthenon, the Erectheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. The key landmark of Athens, visible from afar, Acropolis dominates the Athenian sky and symbolizes the foundation of modern culture and civilization. Many portions of the site are undergoing major, needed renovations. Some views will be marred by scaffolding.

The Acropolis is open daily. Summer opening times: 08:00-19:00, Winter opening times: 08:00-15:00. Telephone: +30 210 3214172. The normal entrance price is €20. The price is discounted or free for many categories of individuals, such as under-18s and European university students. A €30 ticket can be purchased which also provides admission to various other Athens historic sites within five days. If possible, arrive early to avoid heavy crowds, and summer heat when relevant. The queue to buy tickets can be very long - expect to wait more than an hour. If you cam, buy tickets online from your phone https://etickets.tap.gr. The ticket is then sent by email with a QR code which will be scanned at the entrance gate. There are also a limited number of free days for the public listed each year - check the website.

Entrance is from the west end of the Acropolis. From the Akropoli metro stop and New Acropolis Museum, walk west along Dionysiou Areopagitou Street and take the first right on to Theorias; from the Thissio metro stop west of Monastiraki, walk west to Apostolou Pavlou Street, turn left on it, and walk south to turn left on Theorias. From Plaka, you can walk south up steep Mnisikleous Street as far as you can go and turn right on Theorias. Following European regulations, disabled access to the Acropolis can be gained by means of special paths and a purpose-built lift on the north face of the hill, only for the use of those in wheelchairs.

A canteen with a wide range of food and drink is reached before you get to the ticket kiosk - but beware: refreshments are available only at exorbitant prices. You will definitely need a bottle of water with you in the hot summer, so either bring it with you or buy it from the kiosk on Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, just outside the entrance. There are water fountains within the site, but the water isn't always cold.

Guides can nearly always be found offering to show you around - at a price - at the point where tickets are checked. As an alternative, ask for the free leaflet published by the Archaeological Resources Fund, which includes a ground plan of the site and valuable information on the various monuments.

Additional historic sites and artifacts at the foot of the Acropolis are also included in the admission ticket. Most notably:

• 2 Theatre of Dionysus. Classical Athens' main theatre, the first theatre ever built. Many of the great Greek plays were performed here for the first time. According to Plato's Symposium, it could hold an audience of 19,000 spectators. Aristophanes' The Clouds, mocking Socrates, was first performed here, and Plato considered this play to be a contributing factor in Socrates' trial and execution.  
• 3 Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This theatre, built in 161 CE, is still used for concerts and plays. The stone backdrop is still preserved to a remarkable height of 3 stories, because it was incorporated into a later fortification on the site.  

Other ancient sites

• 4 Pnyx (Ancient Greek: Πνύξ; Greek: Πνύκα, Pnyka) (500 m (1,600 ft) west of the Acropolis). If Athens is the birthplace of democracy, then Pnyx is its cradle. Around 507 BC this rocky hill, overlooking the Akropolis, became the meeting place the ekklesia, Athens' early democratic assembly. This site thus witnessed addresses by Pericles, Aristides and Alcibiades during the "Golden Age" of Athens, and had a capacity for 6000 to 13,000 hearers. The site was redesigned several times creating three distinct phases in its history, until the ekklesia moved to the Theatre of Dionysos some time during the first century BC. During the Roman era Pnyx was instead used as a sanctuary of Zeus. Free. (updated Apr 2018)

The Tower of the Winds and the ruins of the Roman Forum

The Acropolis - birthplace of modern Western civilization.

The Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Gate seen from the Acropolis

• 5 Ancient Agora (just to the west of Plaka and easily walked to by following the pleasant section of Hadrian (Adrianou) Street leading west from Hadrian's Library). The site of the Ancient Agora in a green space with a beautiful view of the Acropolis. From the agora you can walk towards Acropolis. Extension of the agora is the Roman Forum. Contains the following sites: 

• 6 Temple of Hephaestus. The best preserved ancient Greek temple, 5th century BC. 
• 7 Stoa of Attalus. This reconstructed ancient building is used as a museum housing relics found in the Agora.  

• 8 Kerameikos. The site of the ancient cemetery of Athens. It also houses the Dipylon Gate, where the Panathenaic procession would begin. It is a museum showcasing many of the grave stele and other archaeological items found on the grounds. 
• 9 Roman Agora (Roman Forum). At the west end of Plaka, it houses the Tower of the Winds, an eight-sided tower with a different wind deity on each side, the remains of ancient shops, and a fountain. 
• 10 Agias Apostoli. One of the oldest churches in Athens (11th century), stands near the Agora. 
• 11 Temple of Olympian Zeus. Only the ruins remain today. The column that has fallen and can still be seen in pieces was brought down during a thunderstorm about a century ago. 
• 12 The Lyceum (Λύκειο, Lýkeio). An ancient temple here hosted lectures by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, and early meetings of the Athenian Assembly. Aristotle made the temple the home of his school, the Lyceum. It hosted the world's first zoo and botanical garden, as well as a library which preserved classical Greek works for centuries afterwards. Rediscovered in 1996, the site can now be viewed outdoors. Entrance is from the north, from the same entrance as for the Byzantine and Christian museum. €2. 
• 13 Plato's Academy. This house of study was founded by the famous philosopher Plato. His equally famous follower Aristotle studied here for 20 years before leaving to found a school of his own. The site is an outdoor free park where you can see the excavated ruins. The ruins are not well explained or particularly impressive. The exact coordinates given here are for a sign which best explains the various ruins in the park. The site is a long unpleasant walk from all other historic sites, or a single bus route which runs slower than walking on the crowded streets. 

Dafni monastery

• 14 Daphni Monastery, Athinon avenue, ☏ +30 210 5811558, 1eba@culture.gr. Tu and F 08:00-15:00. An 11th-century Byzantine monastery and UNESCO World Heritage site. Damaged by an earthquake in 1999, but has now been fully restored. Free admission. (updated Mar 2018)
• 15 Kaseriani Monastery and Gardens, Kaseriani Monastery (It's easiest to take a taxi.), ☏ +30 210 723 6619. A nice escape from the city in the foothills of Mount Hymettus. Walking trails. There's a functional monastery one can walk in, and several ruined chapels or basilicas up on the walks.  

Modern sites

• 16 Panathinaiko Stadium, Leof. Vasileos Konstantinou, ☏ + 30 210 75 22 984-6, info@panathenaicstadium.gr. The stadium that housed the first modern day Olympic Games of 1896. Earlier versions of the stadium date as far back as 330 BCE. It's an enormous, white, marble stadium, with a horseshoe configuration. 5€ entry. (updated Mar 2018)
• 17 Lycabettus Hill. A 200m hill bordering the Kolonaki district. You can reach the top by walking or by a funicular railway (small charge). There is a cafe-restaurant with a great view of Athens towards the sea. From halfway up looking towards the sea there are astonishing views of the Parthenon with the blue of the sea glimpsed between its columns. 
• 18 National Theatre, Agiou Konstantinou 22. A low but imposing building erected between 1882 and 1890 by architect Ernst Ziller in the eclectic style of that age, commissioned by King George I.  

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the bottom of the Greek Parliament

• 19 Syntagma Square. Check out the Parliament building and the newly restored Grande Bretagne Hotel. Also, catch the changing of the guards in front of the Parliament every hour on the hour. Their uniforms and walking style are very fun to see. Make sure you don't stand on the wrong side of them if you want to take a picture. If you accidentally do so, they will knock their gun and, as they are not allowed to speak, someone else from the guard will kindly ask you to change position. 

• 20 Hellenic Parliament Building. Formerly the royal palace, lining the eastern side of the square and guarded by kilted and pom-pommed soldiers - the evzones (ev-zone-ees). 
• 21 Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. 

Museums and galleries

Because of its antiquity and influence, Athens is full of museums and galleries. The major ones are the National Archeological Museum near Omonia, the Acropolis Museum by the Acropolis, the Benaki and Museum of Cycladic Art in Kolonaki, the Agora Museum near Monastiraki, and the Kanellopoulos and Folk Art Museums in Plaka.

The visual arts have a big role in the Athenian life. Next to big institutions such as the National Gallery and the Benaki Museum, many small private galleries are spread across the city centre and the surrounding areas, hosting the works of contemporary visual and media artists. Bar galleries have sprung up, where you can have a drink or a coffee while visiting an exhibition.

Archaeology museums

• 22 National Archaeological Museum of Athens, 44 Patission Street, ☏ +30 213 214 4800, eam@culture.gr. This is the largest and most popular of Athens' many museums, and is usually very crowded. Its vast collection includes treasures unearthed from Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann; a staggering array of sculpture including the earliest known Greek figurines dating from around 2,000 BC; frescoes from the volcanic island of Santorini; and remains of Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known mechanical computer. It is recommended visitors make several visits to absorb it all. 10€ entry. (updated Mar 2018)
• 23 New Acropolis Museum, Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, ☏ +30 21 0900 0900, info@theacropolismuseum.gr. This long-overdue replacement for the musty old museum opened in 2009. Its design looks very "modern" from the outside, but on the inside it's very intuitive. The top floor is a clever reproduction of the Parthenon with all the sculptures in the right places (and impressive views in every direction). Lower floors contain other finds from excavations, beautiful and interesting and well explained. in Makryanni just below the Acropolis, the museum is easily accessed from the Acropolis metro station. €5. (updated Mar 2018)
• 24 Kanellopoulos Museum, 12 Theorias & Panos Streets (Plaka), ☏ +30 21 0324 4447, info@pacf.gr. Tu-Su 08:00-15:00. A small but excellent museum displays artifacts from Mycenean Greece on, and includes some wonderful Persian artifacts. Apr-Oct: €4, €2 reduced; Nov-Mar: €2. (updated Mar 2018)

Art museums

• 25 Benaki Museum of Greek Culture, 1 Koumbari St. & Vas. Sofias Ave.. W F 10:00-18:00; Th Sa 10:00-00:00; Su 10:00-16:00. Visit the beautiful Neoclassical main building which houses collections of Greek art, from ancient times through the Byzantine period and the modern state. Open late and for free on Thursday evenings. The museum shop is a good place to buy souvenirs. There is a small selection at high prices but the quality is excellent. €9, students, seniors, people with disabilities and teachers €7; temporary exhibitions €7/€5; €20 Benaki Museum Experience ticket entitles the visitor to one entrance per exhibition in all the Benaki Museum buildings, valid for 3 months. (updated Dec 2017)

The Museum of Cycladic Art

• 26 Museum of Cycladic Art. W-F, open late on Th. Holds the second largest collection of Cypriot antiquities in the world outside Cyprus, after the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Some of the most popular exhibits include the Cycladic figurines, the idols from Early Bronze Age Cyclades, whose style greatly influenced modernist work in the 20th century, and Cypriot pottery and Ancient Greek artifacts, especially the ‘Scenes of Daily Life in Ancient Greece’ display, which is popular with families. They also sell great souvenirs, and lunch is available at the elegant Aethrion Café. If you are lucky, there may be a quirky temporary exhibition too (with no extra entry fee), as they hold archaeological, modern and contemporary art exhibitions. 
• 27 Greek National Gallery, Michalakopoulou 1. Just south of Kolonaki, this museum exhibits Greek art from the 18th-20th centuries, and some El Greco and post-Byzantine art. 
• The National Art Gallery is at Michalakopoulou Street, close to Evangelismos metro station and is one of Greece's main art institutions and features paintings and works of art from some of Greece's and Europe's best from the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis is given to popular Greek contemporary artists including Giannis Tsarouchis, Domenikos Theotokopoulos (a.k.a. El Greco), Theodors Vrizakis, Nikolaos Kounelakis, Nikiforos Litras, Konstantinos Parthenis, Maleas, Giannis Moralis and others
• 28 Benaki Museum of Islamic Art, 22 Ag. Asomaton & 12 Dipilou Streets – Kerameikos. Th-Su 10:00-18:00. An excellent collection which anyone interested in Islamic art will want to see. The museum was opened in 2004 as a branch of the Benaki, but is in a different part of town in two connected buildings. €9; students, seniors and teachers €7. (updated Dec 2017)
• 29 Museum of Greek Folk Art, 22 Panos str., Plaka. M W-Su 08:00-15:00. An excellent museum of its type. Too often neglected by visitors to Athens, even though it is in the heavily touristed Plaka neighbourhood. Displays include artefacts, tools, primitive painting, folk pottery and interior decor. It is particularly strong on costume and embroidery. €2; students from non–EU countries, senior citizens from EU €1; under 19, students from EU (with ID), and people with disabilities free. (updated Dec 2017)
• 30 Athens Municipal Art Gallery (Pinakothiki), On Pireos n° 51, near the Koumoundourou public square, ☏ +30 210 3231841. M-F 09:00-13:00 and 17:00-21:00. Paintings of Greek painters of the first half of the 20th century are displayed. 
• 31 Vorres Museum, 1 Parodos Diadochou Constantinou St., Paiania, Attiki (Public transport: Metro Line 3 to Nomismatokopio, then bus 125 or 308 to 1st Agias Triado stop. Alternatively: Metro Line 3 to Koropi, then bus 307 to 2nd Agias Triados stop). Sa Su 10:00-14:00, weekdays by appointment only and for groups of at least 20 people. A diachronic museum of folk and contemporary art in Paiania, East Attica, Greece. Its grounds cover 320,000 m² (80 acres) including several buildings, gardens and courtyards. Its collection includes over 6000 pieces covering 4000 years of Greek history and art. The museum was donated by the Vorres family to the Greek state. €5, students €3. (updated May 2015)

National Historical Museum (Old Parliament)

Averof ship museum

Other museums

• 32 National Historical Museum (Old Parliament), ☏ +30 210 3237617, info@nhmuseum.gr. Tu-Su 08:30-14:30. In the old parliament building on Stadiou Street a little northwest of Sytagma Square, this museum contains a large collection of historic documents such as the first constitution of Greece, furniture, equipment from the revolution. If you are lucky you may see the old session room. €3. 
• 33 Numismatic Museum. Situations just north of Syntagma Square, the building of the museum is one of the most beautiful in Athens, and was built by Ernst Ziller and was used as the residence in Athens of Schliemann. The collection contains thousands of ancient coins and ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval figurines. 
• 34 Museum of Greek Popular Musical Instruments. 1-3 Dioyenous, Plaka. A very interesting museum which includes exhibits of traditional Greek musical instruments, with recordings of most of them. 
• 35 National War Museum, 2 Rizari, ☏ +30 210 729-0543, +30 210-7252974. Nov-Mar: 09:00-17:00, Apr-Oct: 09:00-19:00. Not in Kolonaki, but just across the street, the National War Museum is the only significant surviving public project of the military dictatorship which ruled Greece 1967 - 1974. The museum's displays are old fashioned and biased towards the more successful periods of Greek military history. The tanks, artillery guns and aircraft on display outside the museum form the most interesting part of its collection, and can be visited for free. €4. (updated Sep 2016)
• 36 Park of Maritime Tradition, Palaio Faliro. Including the historical warships Georgios Averof and Velos. (updated May 2015)
• 37 Hellenic Air Force Museum, Palaio Faliro. A number of old planes from as far back as the 1930s can be seen here. (updated May 2015)
• 38 City of Athens Technopolis (At Peiraios Avenue & Persefonis Street, next to the Kerameikos metro station). An industrial museum of incomparable architecture. The centre has assisted in the upgrading of a historic Athens district. (updated Apr 2017)

Do

• Every Sat/Sun you can join a free bike tour of the old area of Athens. To take part in this, you should contact the NGO Anthropos [1] or call 210 8838914 but you can just turn up if you aren't able to contact them in advance. Groups meet at 10:40 outside Thissio metro station.
• If the weather is good, head out of town on buses A2, B2 or E22 from metro station Sygrou, or the tram from Syntagma to the beaches to the south of Athens. Just get off wherever the sea takes your fancy. Be aware though that beach-side cafes can hit you hard with prices of food and drinks. If you are the only person getting on the bus, be aware that you need to flag the bus down to get it to stop or it will just fly on by.

• EasyCruise, ☏ +30 211 2116211. Syngrou Avenue 362, Kallithea, 176 74 Athinai. The infamous cheap flight company now runs a variety of cruises from Greece [Athens] to Turkey and surrounding islands such as Mykonos, Paros and Syros. For the classic enthusiast, their tour company visits Acropolis, Epidavros, Nemea, Mycenae, Corinth, Olympia and Delphi. 

Parks

In the National Gardens.

Several of Athens' hills - Lycabettus and Pnyx (see above), 1 Philopappos hill, 2 Ardettos hill - are planted with pines and other trees, and are more like small forests than typical urban parks.

• 3 National Gardens, behind the Parliament building (Between the Parliament and Zappeion buildings.). dawn-dusk. A Peaceful and beautiful park in the centre of Athens, easily the coolest place to hide from the summer sun. Wander around, check out the quirky art that seems to sprout up every now and again, look on in disbelief at the "zoo", sit on one of the benches, enjoy the luxuriant flowers and vegetation, marvel at the turtle and duck ponds, have a frappe in the cafe, and spot one of the resident tortoises exploring... it's a fun place to hang out. 
• 4 Pedion tou Areos (Field of Mars). Covers 27.7 hectares, near the National Archaeological Museum. (updated Dec 2017)
• 5 Dionysiou Aeropagitou street. This landmark street starts from the Temple of Olympian Zeus at Vasilissis Olgas Avenue, continues under the southern slopes of the Acropolis near Plaka, and finishes just beyond the Temple of Hephaestus in Thiseio. The street has been pedestrianised, forming a scenic route. The entire route provides visitors with views of the Parthenon and the Agora (the meeting point of ancient Athenians), away from the busy city centre. 

Nature

Vouliagmeni

Lake Vouliagmeni

• 6 Parnitha National Park. Well-marked paths, gorges, springs, torrents and caves do the protected area. Hiking and mountain-biking in all four mountains remain popular outdoor activities for many residents of the city. 
• 7 Lake Vouliagmeni, Vouliagmeni. Immediately to the south of town and very close to the sea, a rare geophysical formation is to be found that gave the suburb its modern name: Lake Vouliagmeni ("Sunk Lake"), a small brackish water lake fed by underground currents seeping through the mass of Mount Hymettus. It was once a large cavern that collapsed following an earthquake, probably during the early Middle Ages. The outline of the collapsed cavern roof can be clearly discerned from a distance. The lake stands at a 40 cm elevation. It continues deep inside the mountain in an underwater cave never fully explored, as its end seems impossible to trace even by employing sonar detection. Many underwater expeditions have been carried out in order to chart it, and a few amateur divers have drowned trying. Because of its constant and comfortable water temperature (24 degrees Celsius year round), the lake functions as a year-round spa, there is an entrance fee. In the area operates a restaurant-bar. 8€, children under 5 for free. (updated May 2015)
• 8 Sea Turtle Rescue Society Archelon, Glyfada (50 min by tram from central Athens). They are regularly looking for volunteers who are willing to work on their own costs and are able to take care of injured sea turtles. (updated Dec 2017)

Sport

Faliro Sports Pavilion Arena

• Watch football ie soccer: Athens has six teams playing in Superleague, the top tier of Greek football. These are:

AEK Athens play at the 70,000-capacity Olympic (Spiridon Louis) Stadium, 10 km northeast of city-centre, while their former stadium is rebuilt.

Apollon Smyrnis play at the 15,000 seater Georgios Kamaras stadium, 5 km north of Syntagma.

Atromitos play at the 10,000 seater Peristeri Stadium, 3 km northwest of Syntagma.

Olimpiacos play at the 32,000 seater Karaiskakis stadium in Pireaus, 1 km east of the ferry port.

Panathinaikos play at the 16,000 seater Apostolos Nikolaidis Stadium, 160 Leof. Alexandras, 1 km northeast of Syntagma.

Panionios play at the 12,000 seater Nea Smyrni stadium, 2 km southwest of Syntagma towards Piraeus.

• Watch basketball: Athens teams playing in the Greek Basket League, the top tier, are Olympiakos (at Peace and Friendship Stadium in Piraeus), Panionios (at Nea Smyrni), Peristeri (next to Atromitos) and AEK and Panathinaikos (both at Galis Olympic Hall, Marousi).

• 9 Nautical Club of Vouliagmeni, Vouliagmeni (on the eastern edge of the Mikro Kavouri, adjacent to the Astir Palace Hotel). The club admits members and their guests and operates a marina, a waterskiing school, junior and Olympic competition sailing boats and facilities, an open-air, heated swimming pool, two rocky beaches, members' indoor and outdoor lounges, a gym, and a restaurant. The pool hosts swimming, finswimming, synchronized swimming and water polo teams and the respective training schools for children. (updated May 2015)
• 10 Glyfada Golf Club, K. Karamanli, Glyfada, ☏ +30 2108946820, fax: +30 2108943721. M 12:00 (winter schedule) or 13:00 (summer) to sunset, Tu-F 07:30 to sunset. (updated May 2015)

Theatre and performing arts

Athens is home to 148 theatrical stages, more than any other city in the world.

• Athens Festival (Athens-Epidaurus Festival). Runs from May to October each year. offers a wide spectrum of events covering almost every taste. Outside Athens, try to attend a performance at the ancient theater of Epidaurus - a truly unforgettable experience. (updated Dec 2017)

In addition to a large number of multiplexes, Athens plays host to a variety of romantic, open air garden cinemas.

The city also supports a vast number of music venues, most notably:

• 11 Athens Concert Hall (Mégaron Musikis). This venue attracts world-famous artists all year round. (updated Dec 2017)

Cultural activities

View towards Acropolis from Stavros Niarchos Cultural Foundation

• 12 Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre (Politismou Idrima Stavros Niarchos) (Leof. Andrea Siggrou 364, Kallithea 176 74), ☏ +30 216 8091000. 06:00-20:00 (gardens open till 22:00 in summer; National Library open 06:00-00:00). This complex in the seaside suburb of Kallithea has stunning views from its terrace all the way to the Acropolis on one side and of the coast on the other. Evening concerts and other cultural events take place here. The building, gardens and complex alone are worth a visit, and a free shuttle bus is provided from Syntagma Square. Check the web site for the free (optional) tours in English. The collection of the National Library of Greece is being transferred here, and one wing of the building contains an opera house (this part can only be visited as part of a free tour, if you are not attending an event in the auditorium). Free. (updated Jan 2018)

Buy

Souvenir shop in Plaka.

Although a huge city, Athens has relatively few shopping malls or large department stores; the small, family run shop still conquers all. Souvenirs are of course available everywhere that tourists go. Other shopping opportunities are antiques, museum reproductions, embroideries and other folk art goods, and Greek food and drink products. Here is an overview of the Athens shopping scene:

• Plaka is lined with souvenir shops, most of them selling cheap souvenir knick-nacks, though there are a few higher-quality shops. Prices can be high for good quality items.
• In Athens, the Flea Market has two meanings. The sign next to Monastiraki station at the beginning of Ifaistou Street claims that you are entering "the Flea Market of Athens." The street is lined with second-hand and surplus shops of every description. Few of them are of much interest to the visitor, though towards the west end of the street there are some interesting shops selling old books, posters, and Greek and other music recordings. The real Flea Market is held on Sunday mornings in Plateia Avissinia at the western end of Ifaistou Street. There is incredible assortment of used objects, antiques, and junk.

• Vrettos distillery (see below, under Drink) sells bottles of its own ouzo and other liqueurs.

• Among all the souvenir and second-hand stores in the area, Martinos at 50 Pandrossou (+30 210/321-3110)stands out as a genuine antique shop, offering top quality items from Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. Prices are also top of the line, so this is a shop for knowledgeable antique buyers in the market to do some serious spending. Remember that taking antiques out of Greece and into your own country may be subject to the laws of both countries and be sure you're familiar with them before taking anything old home.
• Kolonaki is the upscale, hip, and artistic shopping area. Kolonaki offers the usual range of shops for an upscale neighbourhood; art galleries, hip clothing boutiques, and antique stores are common. The area is small and along with the small streets north of it, including Skoufa, Anagnostopoulou and the pedestrianized Tsakaloff, are ideal for simply wandering around. 1 Plateia Kolonaki(Kolonaki Square) There are also plenty of shops along Patriarchou Ioakim and Haritos streets and their cross streets.
• Another area is Kifissia.
• For a more reasonable price tag, try Ermou Street, beside Syntagma Square. Turn right off Ermou at the MAC makeup shop and you'll find yourself on Aghiou Markou and other small streets which have a wide range incredibly cheap shoes, bags, jewellery, gifts and homewares.

• Street vendors, with their wares laid out on blankets on the pavement, can be found in many places where tourists congregate, especially in Plaka and Monastiraki. Their goods are mostly forgeries, cheap knock-offs, and illegal CDs. These vendors are unlicensed, which is in violation of Greek law, and you may notice them vanishing as soon as a policeman is in sight, to reappear the instant the police have gone. They are best ignored. (This warning doesn't apply to vendors of fruit, nuts, etc., from street carts, who are usually legitimate.)
• Laiki (People's market), Divaki Pindou and Ioanni Theologou. A fruit, vegetable and fish market. Good fun. 

Shopping malls

• 2 The Mall (Neratziotissa station (Metro Line 1 and suburban rail)). The biggest shopping mall in Athens with a large variety of shops, cafés and restaurants and, arguably, one of the most "hi tech" cinemas in the city. (updated Dec 2017)
• 3 Golden Hall. A shopping mall at Kifissias avenue in Maroussi. It has shops with luxury brands, luxury cafés, bars, and restaurants. (updated Dec 2017)
• 4 Athens Heart. A shopping mall close to the centre of Athens. (updated Dec 2017)

Eat

Traditional restaurants (sing.: taverna, pl.: tavernes) in the side streets of the Plaka district

The districts Kolonaki and Plaka are especially good areas for dining out.

For quick, decent and low-budget meals that do not fall into the commercialized fast food category, try a souvlaki (pronounced soo- VLAH-kee), mainly grilled meat (pork or chicken) vegetables (tomato and onion slices) and Greek tzatziki (pronounced tzah-TZEE-khee) which is yogurt enriched with garlic and cucumber. All the above (often accompanied by French fries) are wrapped inside a thin slice of pan bread, named pita (PEE-tah). Prices of souvlaki vary according to the confidence and/or nerve of the cornershop owner, but usually cost from €1.70 to €2.20, and another €5 for drink, salad and French fries for a total no more than €7. Take away is cheaper than if you sit at a table. You can get souvlaki just about everywhere, especially in tourist areas. The best souvlaki stands in central Athens are both in Monastiraki, adjacent to each other and just off the main square in front of the Metro stop: Savvas at Mitropoleos 86-88 and O Thanasis at Mitropoleos 69.

If you're interested in a sandwich, cheese pie, spinach pie or the equivalent of a fast snack, try Grigoris (Γρηγόρης) or Everest, two chains of fast food in most districts of Athens and the rest of Greece. Goody's is the Greek equivalent of McDonald's and offers a fair variety of tasty meals, including pasta, different salads, burgers etc.

• Ta Duo Adelfia (Τα δύο αδέλφια), Papagou. The best souvlaki in this part of Athens. A giro will cost around €2. 
• Thanasis, Grigori Kousidi. Good souvlaki, try there "pitta kalamaki kotopoulo me sauce" (Chicken kebab wrapped in a pitta with sauce). A gyro will cost about €2.20. 
• Anatolitiki Kebap, corner of Formionos and Ymmitou, Pangrati. Neighborhood taverna offering kebaps (Aaatolian and Armenian style), chicken giros (giro koutopoulo), other wonderful foods from Ottoman cooking. The Giaourtlou Kebap is a unique dish originating in Turkey, it is a must try at this restaurant. The owner goes weekly to buy the freshest Dodoni feta from Preveza. The horiatiki salads are worth the visit. very reasonable. 
• Karavitis, 33 Arktínou (near Pafsaníou), ☏ +30 210 75 15 155. a severely traditional taverna where the speciality is stamnaki, or beef, potatoes and cheese cooked in tomato sauce in an individual clay pot. The fried zucchini here are also always good. Mostly patronized by Greeks, but there is an English-language menu. 
• Barba Yannis, Emmanouíl Benáki 94, ☏ +30 210 33 00 185. Old fashioned simple taverna, popular with students and working people; seems to be always open. 

• Lefka, Mavromiháli 121, ☏ +30 210 36 14 038. A long-established traditional taverna with spacious outdoor seating. Closed Sundays. 

• Rosalia, Valtetsiou 58 (Exarxeia), ☏ +30 210 3302933. A tavern that serves simple, traditional Greek meals. 

• Yantes, Valtetsiou 44 (Exarxeia), ☏ +30 210 3301369. A tavern with a garden serving organic dishes. 
• Filippou, 19 Xenokratous, ☏ +30 210 72 16 390. A long-established taverna serving some of the best and most authentic food in Athens. Seating is indoors and outdoors, though it's hard to find a seat in the latter during pleasant weather. 
• To Kioupi, Platía Kolonakíou, ☏ +30 210 36 14 033. Known among some expatriates as "the hole in the ground," this is a basement taverna serving authentic, inexpensive traditional Greek fare. 
• Κωστας (Kostas), 5 Pentelis (take Metropolis from Syntagma Square, turn left on Pentelis). Kostas was recommend by a local as "the best Souvlaki in Athens." 

• McDonalds. It's the same everywhere, but here it has a slight Greek slant. 
• PALLS, 30 Apollonos st., ☏ +30 210 3246008. original falafel and bagel 

At the end of Mitropoleos, just around the corner from the Metro station, is a trio of famous souvlaki shops — Thanasis, Savvas and Bairaktaris (Μπαϊρακτάρης) — which are, depending on who you ask, the Mecca or the Hades of souvlaki lovers. At any of the three, if you take a seat and ask for a souvlaki, you'll be served a plate with meat, pita and chips for around €9. But, if you ask cashier for a pita-souvlaki, you'll get the same stuff in a sandwich to take away for around €1.70.

Budget

Adrianou, which runs along the north side of the Acropolis from Thissio in the west to Plaka in the east, is packed with tavernas. Many are touristy and a little on the pricy side, so try to pick one that also has locals as customers. Expect to pay a little extra at any place that has views of the Acropolis.

• 1 O Xristoforos (Ο Χριστόφορος), Kalyvia Thorikou, ☏ +30 22990 48266, info@oxristoforos.gr. Grill house, enormous portions, better get one portion for every 2 persons. (updated Apr 2018)

Mid-range

• Avalon, Leokoriou 20 (at corner with Sarri street - Psiri), ☏ +30 210 3310572. Open until 01:30. 
• Byzantinó, Kidathineon 18 (at Kydathineon and Adrianou), ☏ +30 21 0322 7368. at the epicenter of the Plaka tourist-quake, is significantly better and more authentic than the seemingly identical restaurants which line the streets of this intersection. Large portions of traditional Greek fare served in a pleasant outdoor seating area. Service is generally fast but can slow down when the tour groups crowd in. (updated Mar 2018)
• Damigos (Also called "Ta Bakaliarakia", which means "codcakes"), 41 Kydathineon (Plaka), ☏ +30 210 322 5048. Claims to date back to 1865 and though it's been refurbished, it still looks very old. This is a really good, traditional, simple restaurant with authentic food, specializing in the eponymous codcakes, and serving excellent wine from the family vineyards. It used to close in the summer months, but now opens in June. 
• O&B Athens All Day Bar Restaurant, Leokoriou 5 (Psiri - Thisio. Next to Ermou Street), ☏ +30 210 3312950. The Bar - Restaurant of the O&B Athens Boutique Hotel, offers gourmet Greek food and all day food and coffee. 
• Orea Penteli (On Psiri square), ☏ +30 2103218627. Another "mezedopolio" with live music in an old restored building. 
• Pairs Keròs, Taki 16 (Psiri square), ☏ +30 210 3212858. Refining "mezedopolio" with live music every evening. Open also on lunch hours. 
• Platanos Taverna, 4 Dioyenous (Plaka), ☏ +30 210 322 1065. is one of the oldest tavernas in Plaka with a pleasant outdoor terrace under a huge plane tree, though some old Athens hands have complained that the food has become lacklustre. (updated Mar 2018)
• Skolion, Katsikogianni 5, ☏ +30 210 3246098. On Agii Anargiri square -- Psiri. A "mezedopolio" where local singers sing rempetika music. 
• Zeus Xenios (pronounced and sometimes spelled Zefs in modern Greek), Mnisikleous 37 (at the very top of Mnesikleous Street), ☏ +30 21 0324 9514. literally in the shadow of the Acropolis, offers quieter and less expensive dining than the many touristy tavernas lining Mnesikleous whose touts will try to snare you as you walk up the hill. The view isn't as spectacular as you might expect, but the outdoor seating is very pleasant and the traditional Greek dishes include some unusual ones, like grilled peppers in yogurt sauce. The price includes a bottle of water, an appetizer plate and garlic bread. (updated Mar 2018)

Splurge

• Cafe Avissinia, Kinetou 7, ☏ +30 21 0321 7047, cafeavisinia@gmail.com. A remarkable restaurant, serving refined and creative innovations on traditional Greek dishes in a chic setting. It is on the square of the same name which is the venue of the main Athens flea market. This is an interesting place to come for lunch, where you can sit enjoying the upscale food and ambiance while looking out on the gritty bazaar of the Flea Market. Moderately expensive, and unfortunately no open wine, though they do have a short but well-chosen list of Greek bottled wines. Open for lunch and dinner. Those considering walking there for dinner from Plaka or the Monastiraki Metro should be aware that the intervening area, while fine by day and not known to be particularly dangerous even at night, it does take on an uncomfortable "Bladerunner" atmosphere after dark. 

Kosher dining

Athens has only one kosher restaurant, Gostijo, a Sephardi restaurant in Psiri.

Drink

Cafe in Kolonaki district

• Greeks love to socialize, and Athens buzzes long after its other European counterparts have laid their heads down to sleep. 20:00 is the earliest most Greeks will consider going to eat out, and clubbers start to get ready at about midnight. Many Athens clubs relocate to the beach during the summer months. Cafes spill onto the streets and the sound of lively conversation is everywhere in the evenings.
• Have a frappé, the delicious Greek version of cold coffee. It is nothing like the frappé you find in other countries. Served sweet, medium, or without sugar, with or without milk. Delicious with Bailey's too.
• A 'club zone' is in the coastal district, running to the east- if you go there and you are lucky, you can actually get to listen to non-Greek music. There are also many clubs and pubs in the center of Athens.
• Go to the Psyrrí area (Monastiraki or Thisseio stop, Lines 1 and 3 and Line 1 respectively) for a number of smart bars and small clubs. It is the area immediately north of Ermou street between these two metro stops.
• There are more and better bars in the area north of Ermou street between Monastiraki and Syntagma than there used to be. Aiolou and Kolokotroni streets offer a fair variety of cafés and bars. Magazé, 6dogs, Booze and all the bars on Karytsi square (a small square at the end of Christou Lada street, behind Klafthmonos square on Stadiou avenue) can get very busy on Fridays and Saturdays, with visitors having their drinks even on the streets outside from spring through autumn, when the weather is nice.
• The area around the Kerameikos station, called Gazi (Γκάζι, gas) has been the gay village of Athens for quite a few years. Since the opening of the metro station, in 2007, the neighbourhood has attracted all kinds of crowds. This is a home to dozens of bars, cafés and clubs, gay or not, and to small theatrical scenes, the latter one especially to the northeast of the area, towards Metaxourgeio.
• Balux, Vassileos Georgiou B No. 58 Asteria, Glyfada. Arguably one of the best bars in Athens for the specific style, to call it a bar is an understatement. Balux is large complex set right on the water in Glyfada, one of the trendiest areas of the city. It is open during the summer for swimming in the ocean or pool all day and turns into a lounge and full club at night. Where Athens' wealthy go to party. 

The Plateia Exarcheia square and nearby streets like Solomou have lots of clubs and bars.

• Taximi, Cnr. Harilaou Trikoupi and Isavron, ☏ +30 210-363-9919. 
• Rebetiki Istoria, 181 Ippokratous, ☏ +30 210 2587455. One of best rebetica clubs, often open in summer when most others are closed. 

Kolonaki Square (Plateia Kolonaki; its official name is Plateia Filikis Etaireias, but no one ever uses it) is bordered with cafes whose customers tend to be mature Athenian movers and shakers for whom the area is the traditional in-town home. Most of these cafes serve desserts, light meals and drinks, and most of them are expensive. They tend to be liveliest late at night. One of the best established, and most prestigious, is Lykovrisi. Not many foreigners visit these cafes, but the visitor may find they make for interesting people-watching.

• Showroom, Milioni 2 & Irakleitou. Nice cafe/restaurant. €5 for a beer. 
• Oréa Ellás ("Beautiful Greece") with two entrances 59 Mitropóleos and 36 Pandhróssou, Monastiráki (but just a minute's walk from Plaka; the cafe is upstairs) is a combination cafe and gift shop. The cafe, open all day but not after 18:00, offers coffees and alcoholic drinks and a limited range of snacks and sweets, in a wonderful old fashioned setting with stunning views of the Acropolis out the windows. The shop, called Kendro Ellinikis Paradosis (Centre of Greek Tradition) is an excellent place to buy souvenirs, which are more expensive but vastly better than the knick-knacks offered by the cheek-by-jowl tourist shops lining the street outside.

• Ydria, 68 Adhrianoú, ☏ +30-210-3251619. This sprawling cafe-restaurant that takes up a large part of Platía Paliás Agorás along Adhrianoú St. at the western end of Plaka, is a good place for daytime coffee or a before or after dinner drink. They also serve food, though if you're there for a meal you'll be directed to a different seating area, so tell the waiter when you arrive if you just want a drink. This is the most pleasant cafe in a square packed with them; despite the Plaka location it's relatively quiet, with snatches of views of antiquity from the mostly outdoor seating. Particularly popular with younger Greeks, though all ages and nationalities will feel comfortable. Prices average or slightly below for Plaka, which still means not cheap, though the ouzo comes in hefty shots, and if you order the giant "ouzo platter" (€25) of appetizers with them, it will easily suffice for three people. 

• Vrettos at 41 Kydathineon, Plaka is a very atmospheric 100 year old distillery which makes its own ouzo, brandy and liqueurs, and sets up a bar at night where you can order them by the glass. They also offer wine tastings selected from 100s of Greek wines between 10:00-16:00.

• Costa. Standard stuff, but has a nice air conditioned and quiet upstairs seating area overlooking the square. €3-€4 for a coffee. 
• 1 Metamatic_taf (Taf), Normanou 5, Monastiraki (close to Monastiraki Square and metro station in Normanou street), ☏ +30 21 0323 8757, home@metamatictaf.gr. 10:00-04:00. Independent space organising and hosting cultural events related to all forms of artistic production, and a point of social gathering. Great cocktails and a variety of jazz/soul music. €. (updated Apr 2017)

Cafes

• Playce, Str. Papagou 128. A really nice cafe where you can play board games whilst drinking your coffee. Very popular. 
• Filion Cafe. Start the day with a double shot of dark espresso at this cafe in the Kolonaki neighborhood, just north of Syntagma Square. 

Clubbing & Night Life

Athens is famous for its vibrant nightlife. The Athenians like to party and will do so almost every night of the week. The choices are plenty and they appeal to all tastes and lifestyles. In general, things get started pretty late: after midnight for bars and clubbing and after 22:00 for dinner at the city's tavernas, Athens Restaurants and bar-restaurants.

Hip areas include Gazi, Psirri, Metaxourgio, Exarcheia, Monastiraki, Theseion and Kolonaki. Traditional Greek evenings can be spent in Plaka.

Many of Athens' hottest clubs and bars are in Psirri. Gazi has changed tremendously. Most of the galleries, mainstream bars, restaurants, clubs and Greek nightclubs here (featuring live Greek pop singers) are trademarked by their industrial design, as many of them are housed in remodelled—and once abandoned—factories. Gazi is one of the trendiest areas of Athens nightlife. You can get there by metro line 3 at Kerameikos station.

Plaka - Monastiraki are two ancient, historic and all-time classic Athenian neighborhoods popular with visitors, they do not have many big dance clubs and bars, but offer lively, traditional places to enjoy Greek culture year-round, and several rock and jazz clubs.

You will find plenty nightclubs with live Greek music along Syggrou Avenue and at the industrial strips of Iera Odos and Pireos Street in Gazi. In the summer months, the action moves to Poseidon Avenue and the coastal towns of Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni. Kolonaki is a staple dining and entertainment destination, catering to the city's urban working professionals who enjoy an after work cocktail at many of its bars that are open - and busy - until after midnight, even on weekdays. The clubs here are also very chic. Exarchia is where to go for smaller more bohemian style haunts that cater to artists and college students. At the foot of Strefi Hill is where you will find most of the bars and clubs, many of which play rock music. An alternative option of Athens nightlife.

Sleep

Grande Bretagne Hotel, one of the most luxurious in Athens.

Athens has a wide variety of accommodation options, from camping and hostels, right up to 5 star luxury hotels. For listings of specific hotels, see the individual district sections.

Camping

• 1 Dionissotis Camping (on the road that leads to Varibobi/Tatoi (Parnitha)), ☏ +30 210 8001496, +30 6977-261615, fax: +30 210 8001512, dionissiotis@hol.gr. It has a hall for breakfast, a minimarket, a swimming pool and a playground for the children. 115 places for tents. 6€ per person, 4€ per small tent, 6€ per large tent/caravan. (updated Jun 2015)
• 2 Nea Kifissia Camping, Potamou str. n° 60, ☏ +30 210 8075579, fax: +30 210 8075579. (updated Jun 2008)

Budget

• 3 Athens Backpackers, 12 Makri Street - Makryanni, Athens, ☏ +30 210 32 25 891, info@backpackers.gr. Standard backpacking hostel offering clean and comfortable beds, 24 hr reception access, and discounted wifi access. Great spot to meet other travellers. 
• AthenStyle, Ag. Theklas 10 Monastiraki (2 mins from Monastiraki metro station), ☏ +30 2103225010, info@athenstyle.com. Studios and hostel beds within walking distance of the metro. Each dorm has lockers. Artists have painted murals in the reception and some of the rooms, and there's a basement lounge with art exhibitions, pool table, home cimena and internet corner. The small rooftop bar is ideal for evening drinks. It produces a weekly art and culture guide. Yellow and green building. €16-50. 
• 4 Hotel Dioskouros Athens, 6 Pittakou Street, Plaka, Athens, ☏ +30 210 3248 165, fax: +30 210 3233359, hoteldioskouros@gmail.com. Offers simple clean accommodation in a central location. €15-20 per person in high season. 
• 5 Tony Hotel, 26 Zaharitsa Str., Koukaki, ☏ +30 210 9235761, tony@hoteltony.gr. 
• Hostel Aprodite (Aphrodite), 12 Einardou and Michail Voda corner 65, Athena 10440, Greece, ☏ +30 210-8810589, info@hostelaphrodite.com. Low-budget backpackers' hangout not too far from Larissa train station and Victoria Square, a bit north of the Omonia district. €12 for a 6 bed dorm, €14 for a 4 bed dorm, and more. Air conditioning €3 extra per person.. 
• 6 Orion, 105 Emm. Benaki & Anexsartisias str, ☏ +30 210 33 02 387-8, fax: +30 210 38 28 575. This small hotel is next to Strefi hill, offers nice view from its terrace and is in a calm area. Freshly renovated rooms and breakfast in communal kitchen. Internet included and sister hotel offers nice breakfast at the terrace, too. from 28 dbl. 
• 7 Hotel Elite Athens, 23 Pireos str Athens, ☏ +30 210 32 25 891. 10 minutes walk from Monastiraki; simple, decorated rooms with air conditioning and TV. There is also a bar and coffee shop on the ground floor. 

Mid-range

• Acropolis View Hotel Athens, Webster street 10, Athens, ☏ +30 210 32 25 891. Attention to detail is catered for in this hotel, with most rooms having a fresh lick of paint on them every year. Rooms have central heating and A/C, private baths and mini fridges, and some have balconies. Price from €88 for a single room in high season. 
• Hotel Acropolis House, 6-8 Kodrou, Plaka, ☏ +30 210 3226241, +30 210 3222344-45, fax: +30 210 3244143, htlacrhs@otenet.gr. The staff are very friendly and the hotel will hold your luggage if you are departing later in the day. Some of the older, more expensive rooms are very atmospheric; others are rather drab. bathroom ensuite is €87 (includes breakfast). 
• 8 Athos, ☏ +30 210 3221977-9. Patrou 3. Nice hotel in Plaka with roof-garden with a view of the Acropolis. 
• 9 Central Hotel, Apollonas St 21 (Plaka), ☏ +30 210 32 25 891. Designed by architect Stelios Demos, this hotel fuses modern art design with a classical Greek touch. Restaurant, daily buffet breakfast. Priced from €128 for a standard room in the high season. 
• 10 O&B Athens Boutique Hotel. A small boutique hotel in the center of Athens, close to sightseeing, shopping, and entertainment. 
• 11 Hotel Omiros Athens, 15 Apollonos Str, Athens, ☏ +30 210 32 25 891. Totally renovated in 2004, each of the 40 rooms feature air conditioning, a television and a mini fridge. 
• 12 Holiday Inn, Attica Avenue 40.2 km, Peania (between exits 17 & 18), ☏ +30 210 668-9000, fax: +30 210 668-9500, info@hiathens.com. Close to airport offers stylish rooms with Wi-Fi internet. Hotel houses the Ruby Restaurant and Golden Bar. Hotel offers complimentary gym, the sauna, indoor pool and the jacuzzi to its guest and free shuttle bus service to the airport daily but at a specific timetable. €100. 
• Fresh Design Hotel. A superb designer hotel within easy walking distance of the Acropolis in the centre of Athens. The rooftop bar and swimming pool has breathtaking views of the Acropolis - the perfect way to end the day's sightseeing or business. Online booking. 
• Periscope Hotel, 22 Charitos Street. An upscale (with prices to match) hip boutique hotel in Kolonaki with glossy, minimalist decor. This hotel used to be the Athenian Inn, and that name may still be found in some Athens hotel listings in guidebooks, but the former hotel has been so completely refurbished that it is now a totally different establishment. 

Splurge

• 13 Radisson Blu Park Hotel, 10 Alexandras Ave, Athens 10682, ☏ +30 210 8894500. 5 star hotel offering high speed internet access and express mail, late check out and foreign currency exchange. 
• 14 The St George Lycabettus Hotel Athens, 2 Kleomenous Street, 106 75, ☏ +30 210 7290711 19, fax: +30 210 7290439, info@sglycabettus.gr. Located in Kolonaki. This boutique hotel offers great views of the Acropolis. 
• 15 Hilton Athens. Just south of the Kolonaki district, this is the biggest hotel with the biggest pool in Athens. Fourteen floors and wonderful views everywhere you look. Also the "Milos Restaurant" is on site. 
• 16 President Hotel Athens, 43 Kifissias Avenue, 11523, Athens (Nearest metro station is Ambelokipoi, which is on Alexandras avenue. 5 min walk from Alexandras avenue is Kifissias avenue, and the hotel is 5 min walk from that junction.), ☏ +30 2106989000. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. A 4-star hotel renovated in 2004 with a lovely terrace bar and pool, 3 restaurants with view of the Lycabetus hill, and very accommodating personnel. The hotel is in an ideal location for catching the bus or the metro for the north suburbs of Athens (Kifisia, Marousi, Chalandri etc). Acropolis, Lycabetus hill, Syntagma square are all within 5 to 15 min taxi drive. ~€80 per night for a double bed room. 
• 17 Royal Olympic Hotel, 28-34 Diakou Athanasiou, ☏ +30 210-928-8400. In front of the Temple of Zeus and a few steps away from Plaka. Outdoor swimming pool, rooftop garden restaurant. Free wi fi and conference room available. 
• 18 Electra Hotel, 5, Ermou str. Syntagma Square, ☏ +30 210 33-78-000. A 4-star property in the heart of Athens. Within walking distance from all major historical sites and the business and commercial districts. 
• 19 Grande Bretagne Hotel, 1 Vasileos Georgiou A' str. (North edge of Syntagma square), ☏ +30 210 3330000. Traditionally the "best hotel in town," this historic luxury hotel with gilded woods, fine fabrics and chandeliers in the public areas has long been the accommodation of choice for visiting diplomats and power players. Prices from €300. 
• 20 King George Palace, 3 Vassileos Georgiou A' St, Syntagma Square, ☏ +30 210 32-22-210. Some rooms have a view of the Acropolis, and the Royal Presidential Suite has a private outdoor pool. The Tudor restaurant on the 7th floor has views of the Acropolis. 
• 21 Astir Palace Hotel, Apollonos 40 (Vouliagmeni, 25 km (16 mi) south of central Athens), ☏ +30 2108901765, +30 2108902000, fax: +30 2108962582. Sprawling across 75 acres of sun-drenched gardens on a pine-dotted private peninsula, the resort complex includes two hotels. (updated May 2015)
• 22 Holiday Inn, Attica Avenue 40.2 km, Peania (between exits 17 & 18), ☏ +30 210 668-9000, fax: +30 210 668-9500, info@hiathens.com. Close to airport, it offers stylish rooms with Wi-Fi internet. Hotel houses the Ruby Restaurant and Golden Bar. Hotel offers complimentary gym, the sauna, indoor pool and the jacuzzi to its guest and free shuttle bus service to the airport daily but at a specific time table. € 100. 

Connect

There are many free wireless hotspots across the city. Wi-Fi internet connection is available at Syntagma Square, Kotzia Square and Theseion. Alternatively, you can go to one of the many internet cafés in the center of the city. Many bars, restaurants and cafes offer free wi-fi for their guests.

The mobile network (3G/4G/4G+/GPRS/GSM) covers the whole city. Also, public phones are found all over the city and phone cards are available from most kiosks.

Stay safe

	Note: Visitors should always carry their passport or identity documents. Especially if you may be perceived as an African, Asian, Middle Eastern, or Hispanic or other darker-complexion ethnicity. Such persons should be especially wary when encountering police and, if detained, demand to speak to their consulate immediately (a right all persons have under international law). (Updated January 2013)

While Athens is generally a safe city, there have been a huge number reports of pickpockets on the Metro (especially at the interchanges with the line from Airport), buses and in other crowded areas, including Plaka. You will notice that natives travel with their hands on their bags and pockets and keeping their bag in front rather than on their side or back, which unfortunately is not without reason. You will probably be warned about pickpockets by hotel staff and friendly waiters, but this may be too late. Be extremely cautious and divide all your documents, cards and money into different places. Street crime is rare; when it happens, it's most commonly purse-snatching from women walking away from banks and ATM machines.

The friendly stranger bar scam has been reported from areas of central Athens frequented by tourists, including Omonia, Syntagma, and Plaka. There have been some reports of fraud. Usually, someone will stop you and ask for directions. A couple of other men then arrive claiming to be police, showing a badge (obviously a fake one). They ask if you were getting drugs from the other man and then ask for your passport and wallet for verification. While you are busy trying to convince them that your passport is valid, one of them sneaks out some money from your wallet.

Another danger is pickpocket gangs operating in buses used by tourists, according to reports especially by tourists who have boarded the Airport Express Bus in Piraeus, and those at metro interchanges. As people are boarding the bus, a large group travelling together (who are often reported to be of various non-Greek nationalities) will divide itself into two, with half of them going on board and then stopping in the aisle to cause a jam-up among passengers trying to board through the door behind them, the other half then offering to help the jammed passengers lift their luggage on board. Just before the bus leaves, the half of this group on the bus gets off. Then, joining the other half outside the door, they all quickly disperse.

What has happened, of course, is that the passengers who were being "helped" with their luggage by some in this group were being pick-pocketed by others. The theft is particularly effective because it's directed at those leaving the country who are thus not likely to report it—many victims won't realise they've been robbed until they get to the airport or even until after they have got on the plane. Some visitors have claimed that certain bus drivers are party to these crimes by neglecting to open the rear door of the bus for boarding passengers, thus ensuring a tighter and more confused crowd of jammed passengers trying to board through the center door, making the criminals' job easier.

A variation of this is found in the Metro and its escalators where a gang moves in to block a part of a group so that they cannot exit the train, leaving one or two members behind and separated from the rest, thus causing confusion and giving the gang an opportunity to steal valuables. The gang may also try to split the group into individual people by "helping" with luggage or simply forcing themselves in between people on the escalators. This way, the tourists are focused on the person standing between them, trying to make sure he doesn't steal anything, while in fact there is only one gang member stealing items from the person last on the escalator. It is best to wear pants with tight pockets, keeping all valuables in the front pockets. Carry all bags on the front. Inside the bag, valuables should be kept at the bottom with a piece of rustling plastic wrapper on top of the items in the bag, so that anyone reaching into it would cause noise. Zip up everything and lock if possible, and avoid bags with smooth zips, so when the gang tries to open the zip, you would feel movement.

Patission Avenue, one of the busiest streets in Athens

Athens is one of the most political cities in Europe. Demonstrations and riots are common and accepted as part of everyday life and democracy by most Athenians. Keep abreast of news of demonstrations, and avoid them if you don't want to run the risk of being arrested or tear-gassed.

Anarchist and leftist groups often target police, government, and corporate targets during the night. It is unlikely that tourists would be hurt, as the anarchists usually take care to damage only property as opposed to people. Nonetheless, parking by a McDonald's, police station, or bank could result in your car being damaged.

Rough areas

Athenians hold negative perceptions for the areas around Omonoia Square and locals advise you to avoid these areas late at night. Omonia is notorious for pickpockets and prostitutes, so keep an eye on your belongings.

There are many people who use drugs in the open even during the day and can be a harrowing site for those not used to it. It is strongly advised not to bring children here for too long. Particular places to avoid are roads right of the National Archaeological Museum and the south end of 3 September St.

There are many beggars and homeless people who walk around the streets asking for money or food. Often they use children as sympathy tools. Places to avoid are Vathis Square (can be populated by druggies using even at 17:00), the roads on the right of the National Archaeological Museum (almost a gathering place for the beggars of the city - the density is enormous) and the south end of 3 September Street.

The back streets of Piraeus are probably also places where its unwise to wander around late at night. Sofokleous Street (a major street south of Omonia), especially the western part near Pireos Street, has developed a reputation for crime and drugs; some Athenians will advise you to avoid it even during the daytime. Some may also argue that wandering around the Zappeio gardens and the Pedion Areos parks at night time may not be wise.

Cope

Embassies

• Armenia, 95 Konstantinou Paleologou Ave, Khalandri, ☏ +30 2106831130, fax: +30 2106831183, embassy.athens@mfa.am. 
• Australia, Level 6, Thon Building, Kifissias & Alexandras Ave, ☏ +30 2108704000, fax: +30 2108704111, ae.athens@dfat.gov.au. 
• Austria, Vass. Sofias Avenue 4, ☏ +30 2107257270, fax: +30 2107257292, athen-ob@bmei.gv.at. 
• Brazil, Platia Filikis Eterias 14, ☏ +30 2107213039, +30 2107234450, fax: +30 2107244731, embragre@embratenas.gr. 
• Bulgaria, Stratigou Kallari 33A, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106748106, +30 2106748107, +30 2106748108, fax: +30 2106748130, embassbg@otenet.gr. 
• Canada, Ioannou Gennadiou 4, ☏ +30 2107273400, fax: +30 2107273480, athns@international.gc.ca. 
• China, Dimokratias 10-12, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106783840, fax: +30 2106723819, chinaemb_gr@mfa.gov.cn. 
• Colombia, Kyprou 40, ☏ +30 210 623 1453, fax: +30 210 623 1877, info@colombianconsulate.gr. (Consulate). (updated Apr 2017)
• Croatia, Tzavela 4, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106777033, +30 2106777037, +30 2106777049, fax: +30 2106711208, croemb.athens@mvpei.hr. 
• Cyprus, 2A Xenofontos Avenue, ☏ +30 2103734800, fax: +30 2107258886, cyempkl@hol.gr. 
• Denmark, Mourouzi 10, ☏ +30 2107256440, fax: +30 2107256473, athamb@um.dk. 
• Egypt, 3, Vassilli Sophias Avenue, ☏ +30 2103618612, fax: +30 2103603538, embassyegypt@yahoo.com. 08:30-16:00. 
• Estonia, Messoghion Ave, Athens Tower Bldg 2-4, ☏ +30 2107475660, fax: +30 2107475661, embassy.athens@mfa.ee. 
• Finland, Hatziyianni Mexi 5, ☏ +30 2107255860, fax: +30 2107255864, sanomat.ate@formin.fi. 
• France, Vass.Sofias Ave 7, ☏ +30 2103391000, fax: +30 2103391009, ambafran@first.gr. 
• Germany, Karaoli & Dimitriou 3, ☏ +30 2107285111, fax: +30 2107285335, info@athen.diplo.de. 
• Hungary, Karneadou 25-29, ☏ +30 2107256800, fax: +30 2107256840, mission.ath@kum.hu. 
• India, Kleanthous 3, ☏ +30 2107216481, +30 2107216227, fax: +30 2107211252, indembassy@ath.forthnet.gr. 
• Indonesia, 99, Marathonodromon Street, 15452 Paleo Psychico, PO.BOX : 65181, ☏ +30 210 677-7692, +30 210 674-2345, toll-free: +30 694 646 0015, athena.kbri@kemlu.go.id. (updated Jan 2018)
• Ireland, Vass.Constantinou Ave 7, ☏ +30 2107232771, +30 2107238645, +30 2107232405, fax: +30 2107293383, athensembassy@dfa.ie. 
• Israel, Marathonodromon 1, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106705500, fax: +30 2106705555, ambass-sec@athens.mfa.gov.il. 
• Italy, Sekeri 2, ☏ +30 2103617260, +30 2103617261, +30 2103617262, fax: +30 2103617330, ambasciata.atene@esteri.it. 
• Japan, Ethnikis Andistaseos 46, Chalandri, ☏ +30 2106709900, fax: +30 2106709980, embjapan@otenet.gr. 
• Republic of Macedonia, Papadiamanti 4, P. Psychico, ☏ +30 210 674 9585, fax: +30 210 674 9572, athens@mfa.gov.mk. 
• Malta Embassy, Vass.Sofias Avenue 96, ☏ +30 2107785138, fax: +30 2107785242, maltaembassy.athens@gov.mt. 
• Netherlands, Vass.Konstantinou Avenue 5-7, ☏ +30 2107254900, fax: +30 2107254907, ath@minbuza.nl. 
• Norway, Vass.Sofias Ave 23, ☏ +30 2107246173, fax: +30 2107244989, emb.athens@mfa.no. 
• Portugal, Vass.Sofias Ave 23, ☏ +30 2107236784, +30 2107290096, +30 2107257505, fax: +30 2107290955, embportg@otenet.gr. 
• Romania, Emmanuel Benaki 7, ☏ +30 2106728875, +30 2106728876, fax: +30 2106728883, romaniaembassy@romadsl.ondsl.gr. 
• Russia, Nikiforou Litra 28, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106725235, +30 2106726130, fax: +30 2106749708, embraf@otenet.gr. 
• Saudi Arabia, Marathonodromon 71, Psychiko, ☏ +30 2106716911, +30 2106716912, +30 2106716913, fax: +30 2106749833, gremb@mofa.gov.sa. 
• Serbia, 106, Vassilissis Sophias Ave, Consulate 25, Evrou St, ☏ +30 210 777-43-44, +30 210 777-43-55, fax: +30 2106749833, beograd@hol.gr. 
• South Africa, Kifissias Ave 60, Maroussi, ☏ +30 2106106645, fax: +30 2106106640, embassy@southafrica.gr. 
• Spain, Dionissiou Areopagitou, 21, ☏ +30 2109213123, +30 2109213237, +302109213238, fax: +30 2109213090, emb-esp@otenet.gr. 
• Sweden, Vass.Konstantinou Ave 7, ☏ +30 2107266100, fax: +30 2107266150, ambassaden.athen@foreign.ministry.se. 
• Switzerland, Iassiou 2, ☏ +30 2107230364, +30 2107230366, +302107299471, fax: +30 2107249209, vertretung@ath.rep.admin.ch. 
• Turkey, Vass.Georgiou II 8, ☏ +30 2107263000, fax: +30 2107229597, info@turkishembasy.ondsl.gr. 
• United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Ploutarchou 1, ☏ +30 2107272600, fax: +30 2107272723, info@fco.gov.uk. 
• United States of America, Vass.Sofias Ave 91, ☏ +30 2107212951, +30 2107294301, fax: +30 2106456282, usembassy@usembassy.gr. 

Go next

• Piraeus - the harbour of Athens, and Rafina (on the east coast of Attica) are the departure points for a large number of ferry services to the Greek Islands and other destinations in the eastern Mediterranean, including ports in Italy, Egypt, Turkey, Israel and Cyprus. Fast hydrofoil, catamaran or helicopter services also take you to the Greek Islands. Italy is easily approached by boat from Patras (take a train or a bus to Patras).

• The port of Lavrion in southern Attica is being increasingly developed as a ferry port, especially for (some) Cyclades routes. Rafina and, especially, Piraeus remain the main hubs for the Cyclades and the Dodecanese.

• The closest islands, suitable for a day trip from Piraeus, are in the Argosaronic (or Saronic) gulf: Hydra, Aegina, Poros, Spetses and Salamina. Kea (also pronounced Tzia) is a very nearby destination, too, less than two hours from the port of Lavrio. If what you are thinking is an island further away from Piraeus, like Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini or any of the Dodecanese or Northern Aegean isles, you should probably consider with extra days off Athens because of their distance from the mainland. Flying is also an option to the more distant islands.

• Day trips to the Corinth Canal, the ancient theatre at Epidaurus and to the ancient sites of Olympia, Delphi and Mycenae are easy with a rental car. Other towns along the Peloponnese such as Nafplion are charming and worthwhile.