The Savvy Sabbatical Guide to Athens

For the most tourists, I’m sure three days is more than enough time in sweltering, graffiti-tagged Athens. Outside the ancient ruins, the Greek capital may seem to lack character and charm to some. So why did I stay for two weeks? This is the beautiful reality of being on sabbatical. You settle in places for longer than deemed necessary and move past the basics of the tourist trail. Behind the never-bare walls and litter-filled streets is a passionate city of artists and activists. There is a modern design culture in Athens unlike any other and I had a hunch it would be a strong hub for my sabbatical. So come give Athens a chance.

The Best Time to Visit Athens

Hot and crowded, Athens is not at its best at the peak of summer. So much of the city is covered with graffiti and litter, there is no point in detracting further from its charms with scorching temperatures and masses of sweating tourists. Better to wait for the shoulder seasons to enjoy the Greek capital. Weather in May or September will still be plenty warm and sunny.

How Much to Spend

A one-way flight to Athens from the US in peak season will cost at least $500. If you’re elsewhere in Europe, expect to pay about $100, or perhaps a little less, on a budget airline. Peak season dorms run $30 to 40 per night. Private rooms run all over the map from $55 to $300 a night. Sit down meals in restaurants and cafes run about $12-20. Street food like sesame bread and cheese pies are just a few euro. If you’re self-catering, you can get by with about $25 a week for groceries. The Metro may seem minimal with just three lines, but it’s a reliable way to get around the city. Tickets are $1.50 a pop and valid for 90 minutes, including subway and bus transfers.

Greece is part of the EU and uses the euro as currency. Assuming a 1:1 conversion to USD won’t hurt your bottom line too much.

How to Get to Athens

The Athens airport welcomes flights from all over the world, and is connected directly to the blue M3 line of the city’s Metro and the Suburban Rail, which is favored by locals. Special airport metro tickets must be purchased for about $10 traveling to or from the airport. Make sure you validate your ticket before boarding! Otherwise, hefty fines apply.

A railway station is located a bit north of the city center, between the Attiki and Omonia Metro stops. Routes are predominately regional, such as to Thessaloniki.

Coming in from the islands? Ferries dock at Piraeus which is directly served by the green M1 line of the Athens Metro. You’ll be in the city center in under an hour.

How to Get Around Athens

The Athens Metro is very modern with smooth rides and spacious, well-lit trains. There are only three lines. Line 1 or the Green Line — also called ‘the Train’ by locals — runs aboveground from the port of Piraeus, where you can catch ferries to the islands, through Monastiraki, Omonia, and beyond. Line 2 or the Red Line centers around Syntagma Square and the Acropolis. Line 3 or the Blue Line serves the airport, as well as Syntagma and Monastiraki.

There are also plenty of safe metered taxis available and an extensive bus service, which can be used in concert with the Metro. A $1.50 Metro ticket is valid for 90 minutes, including any line changes or transfer to a bus route.

What to Pack

Even in shoulder season, Athens can be hot, hot, hot. Stick to lightweight clothing and use plenty of sunscreen. Don’t forget a hat and sunglasses, especially when visiting the Acropolis. Wear very comfortable shoes sightseeing — thoroughly exploring the ancient ruins or even just one of the city’s museums can take all day.

As in many large cities, pickpockets can be a real danger on the Metro and at crowded tourist sites. I don’t love money belts but swear by good crossbody bags. PacSafe and TravelOn both produce good quality anti-theft bags with extra measures against sticky fingers.

Women traveling alone may want to wear a fake wedding ring to stave off unwanted attention from men. Lack of interest doesn’t always send a clear message to would-be paramours, but a husband — even an absent one — does. (Even after several dozen destinations, Athens remains one of only a few places where I had to flash a fake ring to escape street harassment.)

Standard two-prong European plugs are the norm in Athens and WiFi is generally reliable.

Where to Stay

Tourists tend to stick to the Plaka and Monastiraki districts. The cheapest dorms you can find will probably be near Omonia. Book these with caution. Omonia Square has a rough reputation, particularly at night. The neighboring Exarchia district is still gritty, but more student and artist populated. It’s also within walking distance of the National Archaeological Museum. I spent two weeks in Exarchia in an Airbnb and simply stayed in after dark. There are neighborhoods I’ve felt more comfortable in, but ultimately I was safe.

Where to Eat

The Plaka and the streets surrounding the Acropolis are naturally packed with cafes and bars. You can enjoy a decent sit-down meal for $10-15. The Acropolis Museum’s second floor restaurant actually gets impressive reviews with meals under $15. Another hot spot for sit-down restaurants is the upscale Kolonaki neighborhood. It’s a rare clean corner of Athens, filled with dining and nightlife options, as well as boutique shopping.

For cheap eats, grab something to go. Koulouri — sesame seed bread rings — sit in piles at carts on the corner. Many cafes and bakeries sell salty feta cheese stuffed pastries. Both of these light meal options only cost a few euro.

Personally, I prefer stay somewhere with a kitchen and just cook for myself in Athens. Solo dining is not as welcome in Greece as it is in France or Italy, and therefore not as fun.

What to Do

Central to any visit to Athens is the Acropolis. The earlier you can get there the better. It is very hot in the afternoons and quite crowded. Unlike Pompeii, where there were only two spots I really struggled to get a good photo, at the Acropolis, I felt like I was constantly fighting the crowd. The Acropolis Museum down the street is a must visit. While 30 euro admission to the Acropolis may feel a bit overpriced, the museum’s 20 euro ticket is worth every penny.

When the heat or noise of the city becomes too much, the National Gardens, bordering Parliament, make a pleasant escape. If you can’t stand even to be outdoors anymore, take refuge in the massive National Archaeological Museum. With two sprawling floors of sculpture, pottery, blown glass, metalworking, and more, this is a must-visit for any art or history lover. You can easily spend an entire day getting lost among this extensive collection.

Tourists come out in droves for the Changing of the Guard ceremony, which starts near Syntagma Square every Sunday at 11am.  The early bird catches the worm. If you aren’t one of the first people to arrive and score a spot by the western face of the parliament building, your chances of a good view are slim to none. As the military parades in and out, anyone parallel to Syntagma Square is relegated to a median. During the ceremony itself, there’s a frantic jockeying for position as everyone relocates along the street.

Much of Athens is covered in graffiti, but if you can learn to see past the crude tags, there are some real gems by professionally trained and internationally recognized artists. Large murals by INO and Alex Martinez pepper the neighborhoods around Exarchia, Gazi, and Monastiraki. Alternative Athens runs an extensive tour of notable pieces. It was easily the best street art tour I’ve been on. With a friendly, knowledgeable guide who never minded waiting while we took tons of photos, it was a great value for the money.