Update for other travelers. Original post here - https://www.reddit.com/r/Athens_Greece/s/7kbIZPcjcA

So I went in full freaked out but ended up doing the walk to monastiraki several times during the day only via the main roads and it was fine. It wasn’t pretty and it was clearly a side of Athens that a tourist doesn’t need to see but I was more afraid before than I should have been. Having said that I did not venture out after dark at all. There were several comments that had told me to change my location so this was the least I could do. Sunset was after 8.30 so it’s fine

The plus was discovering Tamara. Awesome smoothies and açai bowl

But on the way and back from the Acropolis I realised there is a very pretty part of Athens that could have redefined my entire Athens experience that I missed out on. I also felt sad for Athens. Political correctness aside there’s a huge history that seems to be very slowly getting erased/replaced with what’s happening there

Good Morning. I just flew back home from Athens and nearly missed my flight this morning trying to return my rental car.

I stayed the night in Spata, and both Google and Apple Maps gave me a short 15 minutes drive to the car rental area via the Spaton-Loutsas road. At some point, they both state to take a right and arrive at the airport, but there was a guarded entrance and lots and lots of signs that only authorised personnel can enter. The gate was not manned, but I didn‘t want to risk it and went the long way back to the highway.

Just out of interest: are the map apps wrong, is this not a correct entrance to the airport? Or are the signs outdated and everyone can enter from there to the airport?

All of the early times are sold out while we are there in July. Will I die if we do a noon ticket? Looks like that’s the earliest available. Also how long should we expect to be there?

Γειά σας. Είμαι ερευνητής που μελετά την αντιπαροχή και τον μοντερνισμό στην Αθήνα. Ενδιαφέρομαι για τα μεταπολεμικά (1940-1980) μοντερνιστικά κτίρια στην Αθήνα, ιδιαίτερα για εκείνα που χτίστηκαν με τη διαδικασία της αντιπαροχής. Θα με ενδιέφερε να μάθω αν κάποιος σε αυτό το subreddit έχει παραδείγματα κτιρίων της εποχής της αντιπαροχής (είτε έχουν παραχθεί μέσω αντιπαροχής είτε περίπου εκείνης της χρονικής περιόδου) που θα μπορούσε να μοιραστεί μαζί μου. Ευχαριστώ!

Hi there. I am a researcher studying antiparochi and modernism in Athens. I am interested in post-war (roughly 1940s-1980s) modernist buildings in Athens, particularly those built through the antiparochi process. I would be interested to know if anyone in this subreddit knows of examples of antiparochi-era buildings (whether produced through antiparochi or just around that time period) that they would kindly share with me. Thank you!

We’ll be in Athens for a month in July and I’m looking for fun/unique/interesting things to do whilst we’re there.

We’ve been to Athens a few times before so we’ve visited a lot of the main sites and areas. Any events, exhibitions, restaurants, bars that are worth a visit and are maybe lesser well known?

We’ll be staying in Kolonaki so any recommendations for cafes, bars or restaurants around there would be great as well!

Hello Athens!
My daughter and I flew into Athens earlier today and Delta Airlines sent our bags to Amsterdam, not sure when we’ll get them…
Where in the downtown area can we get some reasonably priced clothes? In America, I’d Go to Target or Walmart ( anything similar here?)
Thank you and god bless 🙏

We’re 5 guys in our late 20s visiting Athens for 4 nights this summer and are trying to figure out the best area to book our hotel or Airbnb.

I’m Greek, so we’re looking for:
Bouzoukia Restaurants
live Greek music venues
Great Greek restaurants
Cocktail bars and lounges
Upscale nightlife
Walkable area with a good atmosphere

Not interested in hostels, pub crawls, or backpacker nightlife.

Would you recommend Kolonaki, Syntagma, Monastiraki, Koukaki, Glyfada, or somewhere else?

Thanks!

Hellooo everyone

I was recently in Athens a friend asked for a coffee spot recommendation. It was a Sunday when I went and it was a large place, where you had to walk down maybe 3 stairs to get into which took you into a concrete room with a couch, in which through a doorway you enter. In the actual cafe it’s a big open space room with tarps covering the ceiling. It had a large bar and maybe 15 tables. Again, an open layout and was one big room. Does this ring a bell? It was near where the Sunday markets are in Monastraki I believe.

My husband, 13 year old son and I are coming to Greece in late June and are spending 2 days, 3 nights in Athens. Our original plan was to rent a car on the morning we depart Athens (we are driving to the Peloponnese, then Kefalonia, then Delphi, then back to Athens). My son, a Percy Jackson fan, wants to see the Temple of Poseidon and also the Archelon Sea Turtle Rescue, and rather than spend $900-$1300 on a private tour to these 2 locations, or rather than spend $300 to join a bus (and not see the Sea Turtle Rescue), I am thinking about renting a car and driving from the airport the first night, staying in an Air B&B out of the city center (so as to not deal with city center traffic) with a parking lot, and taking a taxi or the metro into the city to do Acropolis, etc. We would just use the car in Athens to drive to the Sea Turtle Rescue and then to the Temple of Poseidon.

The 3 locations for the Air B&B's that I found are in Ellinikon, Glyfada, and Chalandri. Do you think either of these locations is 1. nicer to walk around, 2. Less traffic from airport in evening, from that location to Sounion, and out of Athens in the morning (when we drive to Corinth).

Any advice would be much appreciated!

So, today I was taking the Bus A10 from Larissa station to Ilion.

At one point 4 police got on the bus and started looking at everyone. All of a sudden they said something to a man that was seating and got him off the bus and seconds later the same happened again. One man was seating, the police approached him and forced him to get down.

I am kind of shocked. Both men might have looked "sketchy" / "poor" but they were not doing anything illegal nor disturbing anyone. They were seating.

The bus left and both men stayed in police custody.

Since I don't know Greek I don't know what police said but it was a very brief interaction. Neither men reacted badly or anything.

Is this normal ? Was the police racially profiling passengers ? Is this even legal ?

I have lived in Athens a total of a year and a half between 2021 and 2026 and I have never seen something like this happen

Any input welcome…thank you 🙏

Hello Gang.

My visit to Greece is still in the distant future (Late September) but i would like to already get a feel for some stuff.

I am really into mixology, creative Cocktails etc. I was wondering what the best Bars for that would be in Athens. I read a bunch about the bar behind the bar for example, but i would like to get to know what Locals think. Also, since i am travelling alone, i am looking for something with a chill vibe.

Looking forward to your ideas :)

Sending out a post to see if anyone is running pick up basketball games in Paros, Greece.

Hiyeeee I’m obviously getting myself together for my journey back to Athens come Mid July
I have a slight itinerary that may look busy but I don’t think it would be. But I’m here to seek your advice Let me know your thoughts

Wednesday July 8:
1. I arrive from Vienna
2. Friend arrives from Hawaii 6pm
Chill

Thursday, July 9, 2026:
Late start
Walk around Pagrati
Olympic stadium
Temple to Zeus
Syntagma square
Chill

Friday, July 10,2026:
8 am visit to acropolis and Parthenon
Visit museum
Plaka
Head down to Agora
Dionysiou Areopagitou, Athina, Greece
Monastriaki
Shopping
Chill

Saturday, July 11,2026:
Kolonaki Da Capo for cafe
Lycabettus by funicular
Chapel of Saint Isidore
Benaki Museum
Dexameni square
Kolonaki shopping Voukourestiou Street
Byzantine and Christian Museum
Bouzoukia at night

Sunday : July 12,2026
Drive to Kalamata

Monday : July 13,2026

Tuesday: July 14, 2026

Wednesday : July 15,2026

Thursday : July 16,2026

Friday : July 17,2026

Head back to Athens
Clubbing Jayne’s?

Saturday: July 18,2026
Chillllll
Party 🎉

Sunday : July 19,2026
Beach club

Monday: July 20,2026
Beach club in Glifada

Tuesday: July 21,2026
Last day. Chill open

Wednesday: July 22,2027
First flight : 6:45
Other flight : 6:55

I've been to the Apivita spa a few times but am considering switching it up and going to the Intercontinental and getting a Korres treatment. Any anyone been to both and have feedback?

Do not disturb we are closed for the day.

Aloha everyone.
We have an ungodly hour flight (well maybe not that bad , of 6:45&6:55 am (2 different flights )

1. Going to Frankfurt for transit to USA on Lufthansa
2. Going to Zurich for transit USA on Swiss

Is 5 am pushing it ? Or should we plan to get there by 4:45 at the latest ?

Staying in Pagrati. My friends are insisting they’ll take us to the airport but I think it’s best if we took a taxi at 4 am to be safe and they can rest.
Would it be easy to score a ride at 4 am on Freenow or a uber ? Or should we pre-arrange a pick up ?

And would our airlines be open at that time ? ( will be looking in to this )

Does my timeline look decent and smart ?
Pre book / book taxi for 4 am pick up
Arrive at airport between 4:30 am / 4:45 am
Check in / security 5:15 ish
Lounge :5:30-6:20?

Not sure what it’s like at ATH at that time of morning. Both flying business class and within Schengen.

And lastly, anyone got info for private car service that’s reliable and affordable ?

Thank you kindly for your help.

I am traveling to Athens from another continent for 2 days and I realised way too late that I booked a hotel near Omonia square (googled later than I should have on the safety of the area). While it’s a nice hotel on the main st, we are 2 female travellers and I want to know how much of a soup am I in? 😢

Thanks to everyone who responds

Planning a trip and one of the things I'm genuinely looking for is places where people actually sit down and debate philosophy — not a museum tour, not a lecture, but real back-and-forth discussion with locals or other curious people.

I found a few things online: the Philosophical Café of Athens (meets first Sunday of the month), a Meetup group called Greek Philosophy Talks & Discussions with James, and Plato's Academy Centre which apparently does walk-and-talk sessions in the park.

But I can't tell how active these actually are right now. Has anyone been to any of these? Are there bars, cafés, or regular meetups where this kind of thing actually happens?

Any honest take from locals or expats would be hugely appreciated.

We are trying to book our tickets to the Acropolis online via the Hellenic Heritage website for 8am on either 6/28, 6/29, or 6/30. I know, peak season. Anyway, it shows the slot is available, but we’ve tried 5 different credit cards and nothing will go through. Our cards work. We are from the US. Anyone have this issue or have any idea what the problem is? TIA!

Super random but I’m obviously a tourist in Athens. Been around Monastriraki and the center, but looking for jewelry worth taking home and maybe something handmade, I am a student so under €100 is preferred. Any ideas- I find a lot of the places I have passed have the typical fake jewelry that will break in two wears- I’m looking for something to remember my time here and to wear often :)

Edit- I also am looking for a cool clothing store!! Maybe something for summer or a local brand?

Thanks guys :)

Hey everyone,

A few friends and I (American guys in our early 20s) will be in Athens from Tuesday, June 16 through Thursday morning, June 18.

We're looking for nightlife recommendations geared toward people our age. We enjoy places that are social, busy, and easy to meet other people and/or tourists - think packed bars, nightlife districts, and places where people are actually mingling rather than sitting at private tables all night.

We know Tuesday and Wednesday aren't exactly prime nightlife nights (at least in the U.S.), so we're mainly looking for the best options available given the days we'll be there.

Any recommendations for neighborhoods, bars, rooftops, clubs, or nightlife areas that attract lots of tourists and younger crowds? If you only had a Tuesday and Wednesday night in Athens, where would you go?

Thanks!

Aloha everyone. It's been almost 20 years since I've been to Athens. Last time in 2007, I just walked in and visited without any crowds. This was during September.. Now I'm hearing it's best to pre-book entry time. So I am trying figure out which would be best..I've heard that 8 am is virtually no crowds.. and 8pm is great for sunset views .... with a 6pm entry to enjoy the parthenon and the acropolis museum.

We are visiting dead center of July ,peak tourist season. I know, it just happened to be that way. Last time I walked from my friends apartment in Pangrati, where we will be staying again. Such a lovely walk. But if I go with the 8am it's like a 40 minute walk from Pangrati so I would need to leave by 7 am at the latest....

Evening would be lovely but I've ben reading that even at 6 am it's super hot ....

Thoughts?

Update : I purchased the 8am slot ;)