Welcome to Athens, Greece! One of the most historic cities in the world! It is also the gateway to one of my favorite boat and bike holidays: island hopping and cycling the Cyclades and Saronic islands (use Promo code ATA50 to get 50 euro off of any BoatBikeTour booking).
Plan to spend several days exploring the bustling city of Athens. The city is soaked in history! Visit the Parthenon, the Acropolis, the ancient agora (old market), the temple of Zeus, and so much more!
Get up early to explore the historic streets before the crowds arrive to soak up the atmosphere, and then take a city walking tour to learn about the history and culture of Athens. Below are some of the best tours offered by my affiliate City Experiences, the city tour company I trust to give me an excellent overview and experience of whichever city I am visiting. Check out some of their tours below. Using my links helps to support the show at no additional cost to you – thanks!
When I took my ‘Best of Athens’ City Experiences walking tour, I was not only impressed with my guide’s knowledge, but that he knew how to time our entrance to the Parthenon to avoid the crowds. We hit the sweet spot between the opening rush and when the tour buses start arriving. I also loved how he had illustrations which showed us what the ruins we visited looked like back in the day, so we came away with a better appreciation of what we were seeing. Don’t waste your time visiting these architectural marvels without taking a proper tour or all you’ll see is rubble!
Key places to visit in Athens:
Acropolis Parthenon Tower of Zeus
Ancient Greek Agora Plaka neighborhood Temple of Hephaestus
Known for its delicious and healthy diet, Athens is a foodie’s dream! Be sure to take an Athens Walking Food Tour while there.
After exploring Athens, be sure to allow time to take a boat and bike Greek Island Hopping adventure [a ”boat and bike holiday’ is where you and around twenty other adventerous cool folks cruise from island to island, and then bike across the various islands. You are away from the hourdes of tourists while getting an up close look at each wonderful country and culture. Plus, you only unpack once!].
Check out these boat and bike adventure travel holiday podcasts:
Cyclades and Saronic Greek Island Hopping (see the real Greece) : Coming Fall ’23
Best Walking Tours and Things to Do in Athens
Ancient Athens Uncovered: Skip the Line New Acropolis Museum tour & Ancient Olympic Stadium
Day Trip from Athens: Meteroa monastery by train with lunch
TIP: Only choose the ‘Athens in a Day’ tour if you have just a single day so you don’t get exhausted. This tour is great, but to cover Athens in a day is a LOT!
It gets hot in the afternoon! Bring a wide brimmed hat and lots of sunscreen (maybe even an umbrella as a parasol?)
Greek Island hop vacation on a Boat and Bike tour!
Greece is a super popular country to visit and cities like Athens can get swamped with tourists. To get a more authentic experience, consider taking a boat and bike tour.
You only unpack once – yay! And you sleep in a comfortable cabin on your motor boat, which takes you island hopping to see some of Greece’s most treasured islands and landscape. You then take guided bike rides across the islands – away from the crowds and see small villages that may rarely see a tourist.
I used BoatBikeTours.com to explore the Cyclades and Saronic Greek islands and absolutely loved it! My exclusive Promo Code ATA50 gets you 50 euro off any BBT booking!
Another thing I loved about my boat and bike tour is that almost all of your meals are covered, so you have a pretty good idea of how much your trip is going to cost. I found the price very reasonable for all that we got.
I went with my sister, Terry, who while five years older is a lot more fit. She opted for a manual bike (as did four others in our group). The rest of us (I think wisely:) opted to rent an eBike. Greece is quite hilly! The beauty is, you and your partner can have different physical abilities yet both have a fun time wihtout killing yourself riding. You can always skip a biking day and just relax in the fishing village or sun on the deck.
Where to Stay in Athens
Athens is a VERY popular tourist destination with over 6.5 million visitors per year! There are accommodations in every price range.
Here are my recommendations for Luxury, Three Star and Budget lodging in Athens. Or use the Booking or VRBO links below to customize your search.
Luxury Athens Recommendation: Electra Metropolis Athens is the place to stay for great views of the city from the sun terrace. Located 200 m from Syntagma Square. Modern rooms with a classical twist.
Three Star Athens Lodging Recommendation: InnAthens is a designer hotel near Syntagma Square. Includes breakfast and is near the Metro.
Budget Athens Lodging Recommendation: Marble House is 300m from the Acropolis and is also near the Metro. Note: some rooms share a bath. Continental breakfast can be arranged.
Here are links if you want to explore other London accommodations:
Booking.com VRBO for apartment rentals
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When to Visit Athens
You can visit Athens year round, but some months are definitely more pleasant times to visit Athens than others.
The best time to visit Athens is in the spring or fall, when the weather is pleasant. Avoid the heat and the summer crowds, if possible. In the winter, Athens never freezes but many restaurants on the islands are closed. Temps can get chilly, so be sure to bring a warm jacket as the temperatures tend to hover between the 40’s and 50’s F during winter. Athens doesn’t get a lot of rain, and it comes mostly in winter, but I always pack a rain jacket. An umbrella can work as a parasol in the heat of summer.
Plan and Book Your Flight to Athens
The main international airport serving Athens Greece is Athens International Airport (AIA). It is located 14 mi (23 km) west of Central London. In season, there are direct flights from throughout Europe and the Middle East, and from JFK, year ’round, and Atlanta and Boaston seasonally.
How to go from the Athens Airport to downtown Athens
You can take easily the bus or metro to downtown Athens (metro is easier and faster). You have to buy your ticket from the machine in most cases. However, the Express Bus will let you pay the driver.
Metro Line 3 takes you to Syntagma Square in the heart of Athens. It takes 40 minutes and trains run every thirty minutes. Save a few euros by purchasing a round trip ticket, which currently costs €16.
The Express Bus is your another public transport option. Currently, one way tickets cost €5.50.
There are four express bus routes from the airport:
- Χ93: Airport – Kifissos Station (Estimated journey time: 65 minutes)
- X95: Airport – Syntagma Square (Estimated journey time: 60 minutes)
- Χ96: Airport – Piraeus port (Estimated journey time: 90 minutes)
- Χ97: Airport – Elliniko (Estimated journey time: 45 minutes)
I like to just get to Europe the least expensive way and then take a transfer flight from there.
If you are switching airlines, allow for delays by maybe spending the night in your first destination.
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Travel Checklist : Planning your Athens Trip
1. Choose which day tours you want to take to determine how many days you want to visit. Are you planning a boat and bike holiday while you are in Greece? (You’ll be happy you did:)
2. Choose approximate dates. You can go year ’round, but try to shoot for spring/early summer. Avoid the summer heat and crowds! If you want to visit some Greek islands during the winter, be aware that many places close for the season.
3. Search and book your airfare.
4. Book your lodging.
5. Plan your airport transfer (Hint: Take the Metro!)
6. Buy your Travel Insurance
7. If you are planning a Biking Holiday, please consider my affiliate BoatBikeTours.com. Use Promo Code ATA50 to get a 50 euro discount off of any BoatBikeTour.com cycling tours!
8. Then visit Trailblazer Wellness and mention Active Travel Adventures to get 10% Off any at-home custom training program so you are well prepared for your biking adventure!