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Travel guide
Athens
3 days · 5 things to do
Best time to go: April to June, and September to October
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Welcome
Athens, in a few days
Athens means the Acropolis at sunrise, the lanes of Plaka at the foot of the rock, and roof terraces where you dine facing the floodlit Parthenon. The cradle of Western civilisation, still very much alive.
- Day by day
- D1 Day 1 2 things
- D2 Day 2 2 things
- D3 Day 3 1 thing
- Worth sorting before you go
- Words that help
- The practical page
- Packing checklist
The trip
Day by day
Map of the sights (numbers follow the suggested order). It prints with the base map.
D1
Day 1
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The Acropolis and the Parthenon · about 2 hThe rock above the city, crowned by the 5th-century BC temple to Athena, the Erechtheion and the Propylaea; go early to beat heat and crowds.
- Afternoon · Plaka free · about 2 hThe old quarter below the Acropolis, with neoclassical houses, stepped lanes and the whitewashed cottages of Anafiotika higher up the slope.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Herodion Hotel ↗ · All places to stay by budget →€150 a night
D2
Day 2
2 things to do · at your own pace
- Morning · The Acropolis Museum · about 1 h 30A modern museum at the foot of the rock, built over excavated ruins seen through glass floors, with a top-floor Parthenon gallery facing the temple.
- Afternoon · The Ancient Agora · about 1 hThe heart of ancient Athenian public life, with the well-preserved Temple of Hephaestus and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos housing a museum.
🛏️ Where to sleep · Herodion Hotel ↗€150 a night
D3
Day 3
1 thing to do · at your own pace
- Morning · Mount Lycabettus free · about 1 hThe highest hill in central Athens, reached on foot or by funicular, with a view over the whole city to the Acropolis and the sea.
Before you go
Worth sorting before you go
📶 eSIM data
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
Online the moment you land, no roaming bill.
Get one · Holafly
🛡️ Travel insurance
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
Health, luggage, cancellation.
Cover it · Ekta
💳 Fee-free card
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
Pay at the real rate, with no exchange markup.
Open one · Revolut
🚐 Airport transfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
A private car at a fixed price from the moment you land.
Book it · GetTransfer
Some links are partner links: we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Good to know
Flavours & local habits
🍽️ Worth tasting
- Souvlaki and gyros: grilled skewers and wrapped sandwiches, cheap and on every corner.
- Moussaka: aubergine, minced meat and béchamel, baked and served warm rather than hot.
- Greek salad: tomato, feta, olives and olive oil, and no lettuce in it.
- Grilled octopus: eaten on the harbour with a glass of ouzo.
- Baklava and loukoumades: layered pastry and fried dough, both soaked in honey.
⚠️ Best avoided
- Tavernas with photographs on the menu and a man outside waving you in, near the Acropolis above all: overpriced.
- Ask the price of fish by the kilo before you order. It is sold by weight, and the bill surprises people.
- Book summer ferries early, and treat the timetable as an intention rather than a promise.
- Carry cash. Small islands and village tavernas do not always take cards.
Getting by
Words that help
English ↔ Greek
| English | Greek |
|---|---|
| Hello | Γειά σας (yiá sas) |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώ (efharistó) |
| Please | Παρακαλώ (parakaló) |
| Yes | Ναι (ne) |
| No | Όχι (óhi) |
| Excuse me | Συγγνώμη (signómi) |
| Goodbye | Αντίο (andío) |
| Do you speak English? | Μιλάτε αγγλικά; (miláte angliká) |
| I don't understand | Δεν καταλαβαίνω (den katalavéno) |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κάνει; (póso káni) |
| Where are the toilets? | Πού είναι οι τουαλέτες; (pou íne i tualétes) |
| The bill, please | Τον λογαριασμό, παρακαλώ (ton logariazmó) |
| Help! | Βοήθεια! (voíthia) |
| Cheers! | Εις υγείαν! (is iyían) |
The essentials
The practical page
CurrencyEuro (EUR, €)
BudgetAbout €80 a day, mid-range
Best seasonApril to June, and September to October
PlugC/F · 230V
Tap waterSafe on the mainland, bottled on the islands
TippingAppreciated, round up the bill
Emergency112
EntrySchengen area: an ID card or passport for EU citizens, 90 days visa-free for UK, US, Canadian and Australian passports.
HealthNo specific vaccination needed. Make sure tetanus, polio and MMR are up to date.
Scan to open this guide online, always up to date.
https://offwegooo.com/en/guides/athens
Don't forget
Packing checklist
Have a good trip.
Guide made on offwegooo.com · Photos via Pexels · Details are indicative, check before you leave.