I'm going on a trip to ATHENS on 2023

Cheap and budget places to sleep in Athens

Athens city guide (Greece)

"Freedom consists in owning one's life." This phrase of the famous Greek philosopher, Plato, is only one of those that have marked the course of the history of human beings. This and many others that have emerged in the Greek capital, are the ones that, today, follow attracting thousands of curious and philosophy lovers, for knowing the cradle of this discipline.

However Athens is much more than history and monuments. It is a modern city, which has a gastronomic richness, worthy of the Mediterranean culture. Worth walk its streets on foot and live life of this city both day and night, while discovering its culture or stop to talk to one of its citizens, very friendly people willing to serve the visitor.

A city ​​with a very pleasant climate throughout the year, with somewhat lower minimums in the coldest times, but during the day they rise 16 degrees in winter or until 20 in spring, reaching, even, 28, in autumn.

Walking through its streets is to know in situ some of the most famous monuments in the world; It is saying goodbye to the day with dawns difficult to forget and, above all, is to enjoy unique moments in a perfect city to travel as a couple, alone or as a family, because the tourist is always well received.

The weather in Athens

Best areas to sleep in Athens

When we travel, we always look for accommodation that suits our needs, tastes and pocket. One of the main advantages of visiting Athens is that it has a wide variety of accommodations, from the most luxurious hotels, through other more modest or apartments of different styles and capacities, all of them scattered around the different corners of this historic city.

Do not forget, by the way, that from the 2018 you have to pay tourist tax for sleeping in Greece. The fee varies between 0,5 € and 4 € per day depending on the category of the hotel or accommodation you have chosen to sleep.

Next we tell you what are the best areas to find accommodation and the characteristics of each of them:

El heart of the city of Athens and the favorite place of the Athenians. Without a doubt, it is one of the places they boast most. A place always busy and very happy, where any day you can enjoy the concerts of music that are organized.

Without leaving it, in addition, you find the building of Parliament or the tomb of the unknown soldier, who is guarded, 24 hours a day, by two guards dressed in a suit, curious at least.

There are many tourists who take a picture with them, as do those who visit Buckingham Palace in London. Also in this square is the luxurious hotel Grande Bretagne, preferred by great personalities.

And if you are one of those who like to visit the shops of the towns you visit, this is undoubtedly the best area to do it, since the commercial lung and some of the most important stores are around this square.

This is one of those neighborhoods that you you fall in love as soon as you see them. It is the oldest in the city and, how could it be otherwise, in it too there are some important monuments, such as the Roman Agora or the Lisícrates Monument.

It is a very lively area, very popular with tourists and it is striking how well some neoclassical houses of the nineteenth century are preserved. All this makes traveling through its streets like doing it through a time museum. In fact, it is one of the most photographed.

It's the place property for buy souvenirs, but also to enjoy the famous gastronomy Athenian, because there are numerous food outlets or to go out for a snack or a drink at night and enjoy the terraces and nights rather warm, especially in summer and early fall.

Also located in the center of Athens, it is the shopping area par excellence, with pedestrian streets and very nice so you just have to not have to worry about traffic.

If you stay in this area, you will never miss places to visit or activities to do. In addition, in the Monastiraki market you can practice your dribbling skills, since this is a widespread practice in Athens, at least, in this type of markets.

A very well connected area, in which you we recommend the visit to the subway, because it is the oldest station in the city and has managed to preserve very well the touches of other times. At daybreak, you can enjoy a typical greek appetizer Or a drink to celebrate you're on vacation.

And, of course, you can also have monuments or places of cultural interest, such as Museum of Popular Art or the Adriano Library.

Luxury, modernity and a daytime activity very nice shake hands in this neighborhood located in the center of the city, from which you can easily access the Lycabettus Hill, from where you can enjoy the best views of the city. You know: you take height and everything looks much better.

Kolonaki is a very safe and pleasant neighborhood to walk quietly both day and night. In it are the shops of the most luxurious firms in the city, as well as those of prestigious designers.

If you are one of those who like to stay in areas where in addition to daytime leisure, you can also enjoy a restaurant and cocktail bars at night, this neighborhood is ideal because there is a wide variety of terraces and businesses of hospitality that offer you different options, depending on your tastes.

Is hipster neighborhood of Athens, where the terraces abound, graffiti is part of the decoration of the streets and breathes a bohemian air and freedom, which is nice to walk through its streets and see how these different artistic movements are mixed with what is considered one of the most important cities in the world at the level of historical monuments.

Located in the center of Athens, next to Monastiraki Square, in Psiri you will always find artists, tattoo workshops; craft businesses, both food and decorative objects or jewelry. A neighborhood where the locals mix, with tourists who appreciate that contrast from other nearby streets where you can breathe a more classic atmosphere.

Es ideal to be well connected, meet local artists, enjoy Athenian cuisine in one of its many terraces, an impromptu concert of alternative music or, why not, know the house where Lord Bayron lived.

The best what you can see and do during your stay in Athens

With the big cities it happens that you have so much to see, that you don't always know which ones to prioritize, especially if you don't have much time to enjoy them. Therefore, at this point we tell you which you don't have to miss out on the city of Athens, the top 5 are:

The best time to travel to Athens

Athens owns a temperate mediterranean climate characteristic for its hot and dry summers and mild and rainy winters. The best seasons to travel to Athens they are spring and autumn. In these you can enjoy pleasant temperatures and the days have more hours of light than during the winter.

Athens in summer

Summers in Athens are usually characterized by high temperatures during the day and cool nights. During the months of July and August, the maximum average temperature in Athens is 33,5ºC and the minimum is below 21ºC.

During the summer, unlike the colder months, the chance of rain is almost nil, with an average of less than two days of rain during the months of July and August.

Athens in winter

The winters in Athens are temperate and the probability of rain is quite high. The minimum average temperatures during the coldest months are usually not below 5ºC, reaching maximum averages of 18º during the month of November.

From November to March rains are very frequent, with an average of more than twelve days of rain during some months, although they usually occur in the form of short and intermittent rains.

Transport cards and tourist passes

If the transport options are wide, clean and comfortable, do not forget to take into account the tourist passes of the city of Athens that are the following:

• I Venture Card Athens: You can choose from 1 day and up to 7. In addition to having discounts on transportation, you also have free access to certain monuments, just by buying this card, such as the Acropolis and the Parthenon.

• Athens Museum Pass: As its name implies, it is especially indicated to avoid queues at the main monuments of the city and have free access to some of them.

You can buy both cards before arriving in Athens, through their corresponding web pages or decide if you want to buy them, once in the city, also through this medium.

Best excursions around Athens

The monasteries of Meteora

Un Magic place look where you look and really unique, because it is a historical complex located on top of some cliffs.

In it there was a total of 23 monasteries. Today there are 13 of them, but you can only visit 6. If you want to do this excursion we recommend that you book 2 days, since you will have to spend one night.

From Athens, it takes about 5 hours and you can sleep in the accommodation of the towns of Katraski or Kalambaka. Municipalities with a lot of life.

A field trip ideal to enjoy of the tranquility of the place and for those who like to meditate or need to disconnect from the daily hustle and bustle.

Nafplio, the beautiful mythological city

Located in the Gulf of Argos, about 135 kilometers from Athens, this coastal town is ideal to meet the medieval constructions of this area of ​​Europe, as well as the Greek legends and mythologies more traditional

Quiet and very touristy, special mention deserves the  Palamidi fortress from which you can observe the entire city, as well as the building of the first Hellenic parliament. The hotel offer and bars, terraces or restaurants is really wide.

It has a special charm to have a coffee in one of the terraces that overlook the sea. From them you can contemplate the islet of Bourtzi, a castle that seems to float on the waters.

Following the promenade from the port, heading east, we will enjoy the views offered by the Gulf of Argolis, whose waters look like silver melted by the sun at sunset. At the end of the road, we will arrive at a small secluded beach in the village, where we can enjoy a good bath in Aegean waters.

Mycenae, the tourist destination in ancient Greece

On the way to Nafplio, do not forget to visit the Ancient City of Mycenae, built between the years 1600 and 1100 BC The buses that make the route Athens-Nafplio make a stop in the current Mycenae. Depending on the season, from this point you can take another bus or walk to the archaeological site.

Mycenae is one of the most important historical places of ancient Greece. The relevance of the city gave its name to the Mycenaean period.

Mycenae is currently a important archaeological site located 120 kilometers southwest of Athens. It is said that during the Roman Empire Mycenae was already an important tourist destination.

To get there you can do it in bus or renting a car (the fastest and most comfortable option).

Once in Mycenae, don't miss the Gate of the lions, that is, the main entrance to this ancient city; Treasury of Atreo, an ancient grave, as well as royal tombs.