Board on a ferry to Athens, the heart of Greece and dive into ancient history, wander through charming neighborhoods and savor delicious Greek cuisine!
Athens beckons! Immerse yourself at the cradle of Western civilization, where old tales echo from every decaying structure. Stroll through the shadow of the Acropolis, where the Parthenon stands as a reminder of a bygone age. Explore the Agora, an ancient marketplace where philosophers argued and democracy flourished. Athens is more than simply a museum; it's a thriving city where history meets the present. Wander through lively Plaka, a tangle of beautiful lanes packed with stores and cafés, or have a frappe (iced coffee) at a rooftop bar with stunning views of the city stretching under the Acropolis. By day, see archaeological treasures, and by night, absorb the contagious vitality of a city that never sleeps.
Athens has more than simply ancient ruins. Discover hidden jewels like the Anafiotika district, a lovely tangle of whitewashed buildings that cling to the hills under the Acropolis. Stroll around the National Garden, a calm sanctuary within the metropolitan surroundings, or explore Psyri's vibrant street art culture. Foodies will be delighted by Athens' culinary scene, which ranges from delectable souvlaki and fresh fish to innovative interpretations on classic Greek cuisine. With its rich history, lively culture and hidden gems, Athens guarantees an amazing journey for every visitor. Begin planning your vacation today!
Starting your holidays from Athens is the best option since the capital of Greece is connected with most of its islands. From there, you can spread to the Cyclades, North Aegean Islands, Dodecanese, Crete, as well as to the islands of the Argosaronic Gulf!
Cars are allowed on most ferries running to Athens, for an additional fee and children usually travel for half price!
- There is a choice of regular and High-speed catamaran ferries running frequently to Athens with stops along the way. How to get to Athens ferry ports is easy by reading our recommendations!
There are 3 ferry ports in Athens (Attica Peninsula)
- The port of Piraeus is the largest and busiest, serving ferries to the Saronic Islands, Crete, Cyclades, Dodecanese and North Aegean Islands. The port of Piraeus has 12 gates, each of which serves a distinct ferry route
- Rafina Port is located on the northeastern part of the Attica peninsula. It is the nearest port to Athens International Airport and services ferries to Andros, Tinos and Mykonos. In the summer, there are boats to Paros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini, Syros and Crete
- Lavrio's port is located on Attica's southern coast, near Cape Sounion. All year, there are frequent departures from Lavrion to Kea and Kythnos, with occasional ferry departures to Chios, Lemnos and Kavala. During the summer, there are infrequent ferries to Syros, Tinos, Andros, Paros, Naxos, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Milos, Serifos and Sifnos
Give a departure port and a date and find all possible ferry connections to and from the ports of Athens!
Notice: Each year and depending on the period, there may be more or fewer connections to Athens. The biggest shipping companies (ferry operators) announce the new ferry schedules from and to Athens by the end of December and the rest of them by January-March each year!
How to get from Athens Int. Airport to Athens city center
Athens is 33 kilometers northwest of Athens International Airport and 10 kilometers east of the Piraeus Port. You have three choices for getting from Athens International Airport to Athens city center:
By metro
Take Metro Line 3, which connects Athens Airport to the city center. Trains operate every 30 minutes, seven days a week, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The ride from the airport to Syntagma Station (Athens Downtown) takes 40-45 minutes.
You may buy tickets using the Automatic Ticket Issuing Machines in all Metro Stations.
Further details regarding the itineraries of the metro lines can be found here.
By public bus
Take the X95 bus from the airport to Syntagma Square in Athens' city center. Service is available 24/7, including holidays. Bus tickets are offered at the info/ticket kiosk (placed outside the Arrivals between Exits 4 and 5), or aboard (ask the operator) at no extra cost.
If you prefer to be better organized, click here and find all possible bus routes departing from Athens International Airport.
By taxi
Taxis are accessible at the designated taxi waiting area on arrivals Level A, exit 3. Taxis from the airport to the city center cost €35 from 5:00 a.m. to midnight, and €50 from midnight to 5:00 a.m. You may want to book online to minimize delays.
How to get from Athens Int. Airport to the port of Piraeus
You have 3 alternatives for getting transported from Athens International Airport (ATH) to the port of Piraeus: metro, bus, or taxi.
Metro
The most convenient alternative is to use the subway. The metro station is conveniently positioned near the airport's arrivals area. Piraeus is served by the blue line (M3) of the metro system. The travel takes around one hour, with trains running every 30 minutes. A ticket costs €9 (about. $10.33 USD).
For further details about metro lines and schedules, click here.
Bus
The most cost-effective choice is the bus. The X96 bus route runs from just outside the airport arrivals hall to Piraeus port. The travel takes around 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on traffic. Buses operate every 30-40 minutes, with tickets costing €6 (about $6.90 USD).
Please, click here for more information about the bus itineraries.
Taxi
Taxis are the quickest mode of transportation. A taxi travel from Athens International Airport to Piraeus Port takes around 35-45 minutes, depending on traffic circumstances. Taxis are widely accessible at the airport, with fares ranging from €80 to €95 (about $92.00 to $109.63 USD).
Taxis are waiting to pick you up just outside the arrivals terminals. Otherwise, you can book a private transfer by clicking on the link.
How to get from Athens Int. Airport to the port of Rafina
You have 2 options in order to get to the port of Rafina from Athens International Airport:
Bus
This is the most affordable choice. The KTEL bus route connects Athens International Airport with Rafina Port every 1-2 hours, taking roughly 30-40 minutes depending on traffic circumstances. The bus stop is located outside Exits 2 and 3 of the arrivals hall, just in front of the Sofitel Hotel. Tickets may be purchased immediately on the bus using cash (euros).
Click here to find out more about the bus schedules towards the port of Rafina.
Taxi
This is the quickest and most convenient choice, particularly if you have luggage or are going in a group. A cab travel from Athens International Airport to Rafina harbor usually takes around 20-30 minutes and costs between €65 and €80. Taxis are easily accessible outside the arrivals hall at the airport.
Taxis are ready to pick you up just outside the airport's building. Please, click here for further clarification.
How to get from Athens Int. Airport to the port of Lavrio
Bus
Taking the KTEL bus is a more affordable option. The bus stop is located outside the airport arrivals hall; watch for signs to Lavrio or Cape Sounio. Buses run every hour and the travel takes around 1 hour 45 minutes with a transfer at Markopoulo. Tickets are around €8-€12. Keep in mind that you may need to wait for the connecting bus at Markopoulo.
Follow the link and find more information about your transportation with a bus to the port of Lavrio.
Taxi
This is the most convenient alternative, particularly if you have luggage or are going in a group. The taxi rank is located directly outside the arrivals terminal. The travel takes around 40 minutes, depending on traffic conditions, and costs between €70 and €90.
Grab a taxi outside the airport's main bulding and reach your destination in the fastest way possible.
How to get from Athens to Piraeus harbor
Piraeus Port is approx. 10 km west of Athens and well connected by public transportation. Here-under your options for how to get from Athens to Piraeus harbor:
By metro
The metro is the quickest and most convenient means to go from Athens to Piraeus port. The ride takes around 18 minutes and costs €1.40 (single ticket price as of October 2024). The metro line 1 (green line) connects Athens metro station (Monastiraki) to Piraeus port.
Click on the link and get more information about the metro lines that connect Athens' city center with Piraeus.
By public bus
Several busses link Athens with Piraeus port. The travel takes around 30 to 60 minutes, depending on traffic circumstances. A single ticket costs €1.20 as of October 2024. The most convenient bus lines are 040 (from Syntagma Square) and 049 (from Omonoia Square), which take you right to the port terminal station.
Further details about bus itineraries can be found here.
By taxi
Taxis are the most convenient alternative if you have a large amount of luggage or are going in a group. The trip duration varies depending on traffic conditions, but it normally takes between 20 and 30 minutes. The cab rate from Athens city center to Piraeus port might range between €20 and €30, depending on the distance and traffic conditions.
Taxis are everywhere in town. Otherwise, book a private transfer here.
What to see in Athens
The tour starts at the Temple of Olympian Zeus (6th c. B.C.), one of the largest in antiquity, and is close to Hadrian’s Arch (131 A.D.), which forms the symbolic entrance to the city. From there, walking along Dionysou Areopaghitou Street (on the south side of the Acropolis) you pass the Ancient Theatre of Dionysos (5th c. B.C.) where most of the works by Sophocles, Euripides, Aeschylus, and Aristophanes were performed. Continuing, you will reach the Ruins of the Asklepieion (5th c. B.C.) and the Stoa of Eumenes (2nd c. B.C.), and from there the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, which was built in 161 A.D. and is nowadays the venue of the performances of the Athens Festival.
From there you climb up to the sacred rock of the Acropolis, the site of some of the most important masterpieces of worldwide architecture and art, the most renowned of which is the Parthenon Temple. Apart from this, also impressive are the Propylaea, the Temple of the Athene Nike and the Erechtheion, while you must not skip a visit to the Museum, located close to the Parthenon. Moreover, from the rock, you have an impressive view of the city.
Only 300m away from the sacred rock of the Acropolis stands the impressive new Acropolis Museum, one of the most important contemporary works of architecture in Athens. It is made of steel, glass, and concrete and it houses 4,000 priceless finds from the Acropolis monuments that represent its history and function as the most important religious center of ancient Athens.
Coming down from the Acropolis you arrive at the Areios Pagos, the most ancient law court of the world. Opposite it is Philopappou Hill, with its beautiful cobbled little roads and the Roman monument by the same name on its top, while close by is the Pnyx, where the citizens of ancient Athens used to assemble and exert their democratic rights.
Walking farther along the pedestrian road you arrive at the Ancient Agora, which was the commercial, political, and religious center of ancient Athens. A visit to the archaeological site will allow you to become acquainted with the workings of Classical Athenian democracy.
From there, via Ermou Street, you arrive at the Kerameikos, the largest cemetery of the ancient city, with impressive tomb sculptures and stelae. The Iridanos River, sacred in antiquity, runs through the archaeological site.
However, the tour of enchanting Athens does not restrict itself only to these unique archaeological sites.
The “core” of the historical center is the Plaka neighborhood (on the eastern side of the Acropolis), which has been inhabited without interruption since antiquity. When you walk through the narrow labyrinthine streets lined with houses and mansions from the time of the Turkish occupation and the Neoclassical period (19th c.), you will have the impression of traveling with a “time machine”. You will encounter ancient monuments, such as the Lysikrates Monument, erected by a wealthy donor of theatrical performances, the Roman Agora with the famed “Tower of the Winds” (1st c. B.C.) and Hadrian’s Library (132 A.D.), scores of bigger and smaller churches, true masterpieces of Byzantine art and architecture, as well as remnants of the Ottoman period (Fetihie Mosque, Tzistaraki Mosque, the Turkish Bath near the Tower of the Winds, the Muslim Seminary, et al.). There are also some interesting museums (Folk Art, Greek Children’s Art, Popular Musical Instruments, Frysira Art Gallery, etc.), lots of picturesque tavernas, cafés, and bars, as well as shops selling souvenirs and traditional Greek products.
Continuing from Plaka you arrive at Monastiraki, a characteristic area of “old” Athens, with narrow streets and small buildings where the city’s traditional bazaar (Yousouroum) is held. Close to it is the Psyrri area, a traditional neighborhood which during the past few years has evolved into one of the most important “centers” of the town’s nightlife, with scores of bars, tavernas, ouzeris, clubs, etc.
However, the “heart” of the historical center is the traditional commercial neighborhood, with more than 2,500 shops of all kinds, which spreads out over the streets surrounding Ermou Street (the city’s best-known commercial street). The western “border” of the area is Athinas Street, where the foodstuff commerce is concentrated, reminding one strongly of the Middle East. Here are situated, among others, the neoclassical mansions of the Town Hall, the Municipal Market (where meat, fish, and vegetables are sold), and spacious Kotzias Square.
Within the boundary of Athens’ historical center also are the picturesque neighborhoods of Makriyianni (close to the Acropolis, where the new Acropolis Museum stands), Ano Petralona, Theseion (where you will find small interesting museums and scores of cafés, bars, and restaurants), Kerameikos and Metaxourgeio, as well as the Gazi area, with the former Gasworks, which now have been turned into a cultural center of the Athens municipality (“Technopolis”).
Athens Downtown
Syntagma and Omonia are the main central squares of the town; they are linked by Stadiou Street and Panepistimiou Avenue, along which some of the town’s most beautiful Neoclassical buildings have been erected. Dominating Syntagma Square is the Greek Parliament building and in front of it the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, guarded by the Evzones in traditional costume. From this square starts the beautiful National Garden (40 acres), south of which stands the impressive Zappeion Mansion (1874-1888). From there you can continue towards the Presidential Mansion (1897) and thence to the Panathenaikon (Kallimarmaro) Stadium, where the first Olympic Games in modern history were held (1896). From there, crossing the Mets neighborhood, the road leads you to the First Cemetery, the oldest one in Athens, basically an outdoor sculpture display with a wealth of wonderful monumental tombstones by some of the most important sculptors of the 19th and 20th centuries.
From Omonia Square starts Patission Street, a busy street with interesting buildings, amongst which are the Neoclassical mansions of the Polytechnic School and the National Archaeological Museum, which ranks among the leading museums in the world and hosts rare art treasures from the Neolithic era up to the Roman period. Close to the museum is the Exarheia area, a charming and very lively neighborhood, traditionally a meeting point and home to many students and artists. From Exarcheia, crossing the Neapoli neighborhood, you can climb the verdant Lycavittos Hill. From its top, you have a view of the entire city, all the way to the sea. On the other side of the hill is the Kolonaki neighborhood, whose boundary is Vassilissis Sophias Avenue, one of the most grandiose streets of Athens with beautiful buildings, many museums (Cycladic Art, Benaki, Byzantine and Christian Museum, War Museum, National Gallery) and green areas. In Kolonaki, which is considered to be the most “aristocratic” area of the center of Athens, you will find many shops selling expensive brands and high couture, modern restaurants, bars, and cafés, while it is worthwhile to take a stroll through the central streets with their art déco, art nouveau and interbellum buildings.
Athens suburbs
In the southern suburbs, located on the coast of the Saronic Gulf, a recreational and cultural park is being planned, comprising the existing sports facilities. They offer many opportunities to take a walk along the seaside, while you will also find many beautiful organized and free beaches, large shopping centers and nightclubs (especially during the summer). In the Maroussi suburb (north of the center) are the facilities of the Olympic Athletic Centre of Athens, where the majority of the athletic events were held during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Kifissia (north of Maroussi) is also worth a visit, with its beautiful villas and impressive mansions.
Moreover, if you wish to leave the center behind you, you may visit, amongst others, the neighboring town of Piraeus, Greece’s main port (which nowadays forms one big conglomerate with Athens), the Daphni Monastery (11 km. west), one of the most significant Byzantine monuments of the country (12th c.) with unique mosaics, the Kaisariani Monastery (5 km. east), which was founded in the 2nd century, the temple of Poseidon (5th c. B.C.) on Cape Sounion (58 km. south), following a wonderful route along the coast, the area of the battle of Marathon (490 B.C.) with the Tomb of Marathon, the archaeological sites of Eleusina (23 km. west), of Amphiareion (48 km. northeast), of Vravron (38 km. east) and Ramnous (close to Marathon), as well as the wonderful surrounding mountain massifs of Parnitha, Penteli and Hymettos, all suitable for hiking.
In Athens and the wider Attica area, you will find hotel accommodation of high standard, modern means of transportation, a wide choice of opportunities for shopping, dining, and nightlife, good service but above all the hospitality and warmth of its inhabitants. In a nutshell, Athens is a city that fascinates every visitor, during all seasons.
