5 Tips to Know Before Travelling to Athens

The mountain of Athens, Greece, the host of the first official modern Olympics, birthplace of Hades, home to Zeus, bars inhabited by Bacchus now playground for tourists and locals alike. The capital of Greece is overflowing with restaurants, entertainment, history and walking, lots of walking. Let’s start with the basics, the climate, the summers are hot, and the winters are cool but never really cold, so pack for this. If you are headed there during the summer, the sun is out for most of it, pack yourself some loose-fitting clothing and some comfortable shoes as the streets are not all modern and the hills are unforgiving. The main airport is Athens International Airport (ATH) which is situated around 40kms East of the city centre. The drive is about 40 minutes with traffic not accounted for , if you are in need of a car in Athens then utilise enjoycarhire.com, they are a comparison site that will help you find the best deal. Getting there with a long list of sites to see is not advisable as there are so many. Arriving with the idea of what you would like from the 5000 year old city might be best, start maybe with an area to stay like Syntagma square which is right in the centre of the action, great jumping off point to take in some of the sites like the Panathenaic Stadium where the first Modern Olympics were held, close by is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which is where the changing of the guard happens, also head over to restaurant Oinapothiki for some traditional Greek fare, it’s owned and operated by the people behind the bar, been that way for years, ask them about it. You could opt for something a little different and stay in the area of Kolonaki, young posh and filled with interesting shops, this area is ideal for boutique buying. As with the rest of Athens you are never too far away from another great lookout and Lycabettus Hill is perfect to have a look at where to go next. So,of course, you can’t leave here without seeing the Acropolis and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, Koukaki is the perfect area to stay in to get close to these monuments. There’s a hotel near the Acropolis that is called none other than Divani Palace, perfect for when you want feel that royal blood flowing through your veins, bit pricey but we only live once, that’s why you’re in Athens in the first place right? A number of people come to Athens and see it at the end of their trip because it is a perfect home base for getting to any one of the countless islands that Greece has on offer, great to get in an island holiday but don’t miss out on what Athens has to offer, you will regret it.