Athens Travel Guide

Athens abounds with hills, and many are so barren they surge upwards and unpopulated out of the cityscape. Of all these hills, the standout is Mount Lycabettus, rising like a limestone fist from below. Its base is think with pine forest, and at its summit stands the whitewashed chapel of Saint George. The twin peaks at the top of Mount Lycabettus...

It was a grey cold day at the Syntagma square, but still, as every day at 11AM, the changing guard of the Parliament building went on. This ceremony is 24 times daily but the main one takes place each Sunday at 11 am. If you go on Sunday, make sure to be there early , cause its gets crowdie . Even though I made some photos (as everybody else) I...

The New Museum of Acropolis opened for the public on 20 June 2009. One of the basic reasons this museum was built for was that the greek governement wanted a good place to put the sculptures of Parthenon that are the last 200 years in the British museum. The 5th century B.C. Parthenon Marbles, were removed from the Parthenon by the British diplomat...

There are many souvlaki/kebab places around Monastiraki square and they are always packed with people, mostly tourists of course because of the location (4’ walk from Acropolis main entrance. The main problem is that these eateries focus on these customers and not locals that will return if they are satisfied with food and service. But a friend...

Mc Donalds nener had any chance in Greece, we have so many better fast food options (nothing can beat a good souvlaki) that it makes no sense to visit the famous Mc Donalds. There are even local similar places that offer the same food with McDonalds (burgers, salads, etc) but with much better quality (eg Goodys that use local products and have...

A great lunch spot on a square in Plaka. I was able to sit outside with a jacket on, 2 days before Christmas. It was 16c and sunny that day... I just chose it because some locals were eating there - usually a reliable indicator! Could have been the owner’s family, I suppose... A wonderful aubergine salad to start with. Then saganaki - baked eggs,...

Cubanita is a great latin club in Psyrri which usually has a live band and very often incredible dancers who will take your breath away. It gets v v crowded and hot though so if you can't stand the heat . . . If on the other hand you want to dance like a wild thing and make new friends, this may be the place for you. Dress up. Girls shld remember...

They like to confuse people as they change the name of this club almost every year, I remember it as Next (some great goth nights and even a New Years Eve when we drunk like there was tomorrow), then Underworld, then Texas Necropolis, then Sin City, and now Seven Sins… so… ask me before your visit :) It used to be a gothic club but since September...

ALLOU is the only amusement park in Athens opened in 2002 that attract more than 2 million people with many events that change 3 times every year. Next to allou fun park there is Kidom a classic luna park for little children for the ages 6-12 year old

Athens underground system is fast, clean, efficient and relatively easy to navigate. Because of the ongoing economic crisis it is currently undergoing regular shutdowns due to strikes, but the website gives you advanced warnings of these so that you can plan around them. It's one of the oldest subways in the world, but it wasn't until the 21st...

If you are not considering to take the metro or a taxi to the city centre, then the bus can be your choice. Line X95 Syntagma Line X96 Piraeus Line X93 Kifisou Avenue Line X97 Dafni

Athens International Airport has a bit of a reputation for bumpy landings, but the views are spectacular. Since the collapse of the national airline, Olympic Airlines, the airport took a nosedive in passengers, but the growth of Aegean Airlines and the improving economy have helped it back on its feet. Emirates even started scheduled flights with...

We enjoyed walking around in the Plaka area of Athens in the evenings. I did my souvenir shopping during this time. I always try to pick up something that my friends, family and coworkers would really like to have. So, I bought several bottle openers and Mati charms. Since, the owners of where I work are Greek, they appreciated getting the Mati...

Like all major metropolitan areas, the City of Athens has much to offer visitors in the way of shopping. The downtown area (around Ermou Street) hosts a few large shopping centers but mainly keeps visitors busy with its quaint shops in the tourist areas and boutiques in certain upper class sections. Go north for the most Malls and south for...

My favourite shop to buy dry fruit and nuts is the one in the corner of the central Public Market . I can always find fresh products, and I buy walnuts and raisins, danes, and all sorts of different other things depending on the season. The shop belongs to Mr. Athanasios Avgerinos

Athenians tend to leave Athens during august, the noisy center becomes peaceful and friendly and although many stores and restaurants are closed it’s great to see the city like this (I can even cycle down the central avenues, a suicide attempt during the rest of the year). But in August there’s also a lovely full moon, the most impressive as it is...

Athenians tend to leave Athens during august, the noisy center becomes peaceful and friendly and although many stores and restaurants are closed it’s great to see the city like this (I can even cycle down the central avenues, a suicide attempt during the rest of the year).But in August there’s also a lovely full moon, the most impressive as it is...

Street Peddlers selling designer knock-off purses (I believe). Common sense tells me so. If you think you're buying the real thing, it probably isn't. Lots of vendors in the early hours are selling fruit for the day!

We arrived to Athens in the afternoon and hopped on the metro to get to our hotel. And what to i realise when I get there.. All my cash is stolen!!!!!!! 510euros plus 100turkish lira. All gone. I've travelled many countries around the world been to the worst of all places but NEVER EXPERIENCED ANYTHING LIKE THIS! Disgusting!!!!! I now hate the...

I swear I'm going to start pretending I don't speak English. I just fell for this scam not an hour ago, and went Googling to see if anyone else had had the same experience at a bar calld Reina. My very first day in Athens and a friendly guy named Peter asks me the time... you can guess the rest. I don't drink, and I knew something was up, but I...

We travelled to Athens Airport many times in the past but this was the first time we took a taxi for the transfer to city center. Having heard all the crazy stories about taxi drivers in Greece, we wanted to play safe so we pre-booked our transfer and got a fixed price (39euros). We chose Athens Taxi Quality (http://www.athenstaxiquality.com/)...

Around 1 pm, June 26, we hailed a yellow taxi, late model Mercedes C200 CDI, license number TAB 6180. We had just arrived in Piraeus about an hour late due to a delayed ferry. As I hailed the cab, I was holding my small dog in a satchel. My husband was by my side with our other small dog also in a pet carrier. We asked the taxi driver if he could...

This is a scam that I foud multiple times on Athens. If you are eating at a restaurant, the waiter will open a large bottle of water and put it on your table. Then will charge you for it, even if you dont ask for it. Also, he may walk up, after he sees you are a tourist and place some food on the table (it was Titziki for us). You think this is a...

Many restaurants pretend that they have made a mistake and they over charge your bill. They do it purposely because usually people don't check and pay what they have been asked. If you see that you cannot eat what you are brought because it is burnt don't just be disappointed with your bad luck, but demand to be brought another one. Deny to pay...

I thought I was prepared and packed Dramamine, Rolaids & Tylenol. I don't have allergies so I did pack any medicine for that. I had the sniffles from the cigarette smoke and automotive exhaust fumes and it progressed to severe allergies. I found a pharmacy that had one kind of medicine for allergies. I took it but it would work only slightly. I...

Like you can imagine, Greece is a mediterranean country. You can expect rain, a lot of wind and of course the sun. We were in continental greece in november and it was hot in the day and cold in the night. Make sure you bring a sweater for your night walking. In the day a short can be good. Remember that you can enter in some religious site with...

The days were very nice, but the weather at night was a slight chill at times. I suggest a warm jacket or coat. Make sure you bring film and batteries because you don't want to miss any of the many sights Athens has to offer.

An old gas factory made by some industrial buildings, is now a live industrial museum. This factory, once closed was gradually transformed into a versatile cultural centre and now it hosts several events. When I was there people were preparing a stage for a concert(it was afternoon) and walking around you could meet some small modern art...

Only 8 kilometers out of Athens, in mount Hymettos, this monastery is a good example of Byzantine art. I read that a taxi costs about 15 €, and it is served by bus 224, but with the recent crises I can't guarantee it.

“Far from Airport 12.4 miles (19.96 Km)” Be forewarned that it is NOT close to the airport. I paid a cab driver 55 Euros one-way at night to go to this hotel. From what I could tell, there isn't public transportation near it either. Pines Hotel Chelidonous Artemidos 2 Nea Kifissia Athens. 14564 GR (210) 620-5011 On one side the hotel, faces the...

In 2004 the Olympic Games returned to their ancient birthplace and the city of their revival. Athletes from all nations united in Greece to engage in noble competition. The Athens Olympic Games combined history, culture and peace with sports and Olympism. The people of Greece hosted these unique Games on a human scale, inspiring the world to...

In Athen you have two big football clubs, AEK and Panathinaikos. And then you have Olympiakos in Piraeus which is not far either. These are all major european teams with many stars on and really worth watching if you are in Athens when they play at home. Be a little careful when leaving the stadium, especially if they have lost the game as a few of...

Marathons can nowadays be run all over the world, but the annual Athens Marathon has a special appeal and significance to runners world wide because of its tradition: It commemorates the run of the soldier Pheidippides from the Marathon battlefield to Athens in 490 B.C., to bring Athenians the news of the astounding victory of the Greeks over the...

It’s on all those annoying lists of ‘places you must see before you die’ but the city’s centrepiece, the Parthenon, and the Acropolis, the rocky hill on which it stands, really do live up to the hype. It’s more impressive than ever now that most of the scaffolding has come down and a massive restoration project launched in 1983 is finally nearing...

Starting at the foot of the Acropolis, the old area of Plaka is a maze of narrow, cobble-stoned, medieval streets that twist through ancient sites, tourist-packed squares and lovely Byzantine courtyards. The best way to explore it is simply to get lost among its enchanting passages. The most beautiful section of Plaka is Anafiotika, a cluster of...

Athens is wonderful to walk, even we, Athenians love to do it! The Rough Guide Map of Athens is the only thing you will need to get around It has not only the map of the whole city, but also of Piraeus, Kifissia market and an extra , more detailed picture of Plaka-Monastiraki. Also a metro map, sights/shops opening schedules a huge selection of...