Modern Athens is truly a dream for budget travelers.

But rather than trying your luck at just any budget hotel, check out our five favorite budget hotels in Athens. These picks are clean, charismatic, and welcoming, plus most of them offer outstanding views to boot!

More Athens tips:
• 5 Tips for an affordable vacation to Athens
• Cheap eats in Athens that locals love
• Athens: Parks and gardens for some good, green fun

Marble House

Neighborhood: Koukaki & Makrygianni
Doubles from $49

Looking to truly escape? The Marble House is located in a quiet cul-de-sac in a relaxed neighborhood. Rooms feature bursts of color, plus mini-fridges and free Wi-Fi. There is also a wonderful patio and bar and an even lovelier staff. Read the full review

A chic seating area at the Art Gallery Hotel.

Art Gallery Hotel

Neighborhood: Koukaki & Makrygianni
Doubles from $107

The Art Gallery Hotel feels like home. Unsurprisingly, this hotel is filled with original artwork from the hotel’s owner, Ada. While decor and furnishings create an antique dreamland, the amenities are modern and up to today’s standards. Read the full review

A balcony room at Tempi Hotel.

Tempi Hotel

Neighborhood: Monastiraki
Doubles from $38

Don’t judge a book by its cover… and certainly, don’t feel discouraged when looking at the Tempi Hotel’s dreary exterior. Inside, clean, minimalist rooms sparkle. The staff is friendly, and there is a communal kitchen that also serves as a bar and lounge. Read the full review

You can’t beat the view from balcony rooms at Phaedra Hotel.

Phaedra Hotel

Neighborhood: Plaka
Doubles from $61

You might not be able to find it on your map (don’t worry, we’ll help!), but that seclusion and quietness make the Phaedra a great place to rest. Rooms offer charm from a long-gone era, and the balcony rooms are ideal for people-watching. Read the full review

Hotel Kimon is like staying in a modern townhouse.

Hotel Kimon

Neighborhood: Plaka
Doubles from $45

The Hotel Kimon knows how to make an entrance — it welcomes guests with a grand marble entryway. Rooms are simpler, but still appealing, with artwork, wrought-iron bed frames, and amenities such as air conditioning, TV, and free Wi-Fi. Ask ahead for a balcony room to make the most of your stay. Read the full review

The post Best budget hotels in Athens for 2024 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Nevertheless, discovering the best Greek cuisine on a budget can be a bit tricky, despite the comparatively low Southern European prices. And telling the difference between a tourist trap and an authentic local restaurant can be a challenge unless you know what to look for.

That’s why we turned to the experts at Spotted By Locals to help us find the best cheap eats in Athens.

Athens travel tips:
• 5 Easy ways to save on a trip to Athens
• Athens hotels under $100 per night

Cheap eats in Athens: 4 restaurants locals love

Follow these tips by Athens locals and you’ll never have to worry about unpleasant surprises!

Feyrouz

Address: Agathonos 2

Feyrouz is a small street food bar specializing in lahmajoun (Middle Eastern pizza) and other delicacies based on traditional recipes from Antioch, Turkey, the home of the family running this joint. Their hearty vegetable- and meat-based pastries, pide bread, and soups and sweets are traditional with an experimental twist. Everything is cheap yet delicious, while the modern, minimalist atmosphere and huge windows are perfect for a quick bite throughout the day. A lahmajoun plus dessert won’t cost you more than €6 per person.

Santorinios

Address: Dorieon 8

There’s a lot going for having lunch or dinner in the Greek metropolis, but nothing beats enjoying some fava or kalamarakia (fried squid) at a taverna surrounded by the beautiful whitewashed walls on a Greek island. Thanks to the relaxed atmosphere at Santorinios, you don’t have to hop the next ferry to Santorini; instead, you can enjoy this feeling in the very center of Athens. At €4 per dish, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better place to sample Greek mainstays, such as the aforementioned fava, which local Margarita reckons is the best in Athens.

Syntrimmi

Address: Amfiktyonos 33

Syntrimmi has become a true local favorite since it opened a little more than a year ago. This century-old communal house turned-co-op, just a stone’s throw away from the Acropolis, is an all-day cafe and bar with a selection of excellent Athenian beer and organic wine (just €2 for a 250ml carafe). It also has a menu of locally sourced small plates — we recommend you try their filling gigantes (giant beans) and dakos (crusty bread topped with tomatoes and cheese). Each dish should set you back less than €4. Drop by on a Thursday evening, and you can listen to traditional live Greek music on the side for no extra charge.

Accommodations: Nearby cheap hotels 

Feast with friends at Kritiko Steki for the unique cuisine of Crete. Photo: Dimitris Hall
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Kritiko Steki

Address: Koilis 20

Crete is one of the most distinct parts of Greece — it has its own dialect, customs, and cuisine. In fact, the Mediterranean diet is actually based on Cretan culinary traditions. At Kritiko Steki (“the Cretan hangout”), you can discover many Greek specialties as well as local variations of dishes you’d only find in Greece’s largest island. Try the Sfakiani pita filled with cheese & honey or the snails in red sauce. You can expect the price to stay below €12 per person for the whole experience — including the obligatory raki.

Your favorite cheap eats in Athens

Have you been to Athens and know a good spot for local cuisine? Let us know in the comments below.

The post Cheap Eats in Athens: 4 spots for Greek cuisine on a budget appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

As things stay relatively cool, we think a walk in one of the city’s many parks makes for a perfect, cost-free way to spend time between visits to the Acropolis and the Agora.

National Garden of Athens

Metro: Exit at Syntagma (line 2 or 3)

Located in central Athens right behind the Greek Parliament Building, the National Garden of Athens makes a scenic place for a stroll. The garden is filled with plenty of gems to discover, including a smattering of ancient runes, a duck pond and a small zoo. For a fix of greenery in the city (and a nice spot to eat your Cheapo-friendly souvlaki), we can’t think of a better place.

Pedion tou Areos

Metro: Exit at Victoria (line 1)

The Pedion tou Areos Park is marked by a large statue of King Constantine I on a horse and a memorial to soldiers who fought in the Battle of Greece. Like the National Garden, the Pedio tou Areos Park offers plenty of greenery and no shortage of peaceful paths to explore.

One of the largest parks in the city, it also boasts a popular playground. Stop by before or after visiting the nearby National Archaeological Museum, but don’t linger past sunset; we’ve heard the scene gets slightly sketchy after hours.

Kifissias Park

Metro: Exit at Kifissia (line 1)

Kifissia is an attractive, affluent suburb on the northern side of Athens. In addition to some shopping and eating options, the neighborhood offers a lush botanical garden. If you’re itching for a taste of local life, take the metro out here and explore the expansive greenery. (Bonus tip: If you’re in town during April or May, you can catch the annual Kifissia Flower Show, which brings a colorful variety of flora to the neighborhood.)

Where else to walk?

Well, these are our Athens park picks, Cheapos. But we’re no Socrates: If you’ve seen better spots for strolling in the city, set us straight by leaving a comment!

And if you’re interested in reading more tips for Athens and Greece, have a look here.

The post Athens: Parks and gardens for some good, green fun appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

For the budget traveler, there are tremendous bargains to be found, but you also have to be careful to avoid some of the surprisingly more costly aspects of Athens.

Budget tips for Greece
• 10 Tips for saving in Southern Europe
• Visiting Crete: Exploring Greece’s largest island

5 Tips for saving on a trip to Athens

Take a look at some ways to save and have a wonderful time getting to know one of the world’s oldest cities.

1. Getting to and from the airport

Your first opportunity to save money will be immediately after you’ve landed on the ground. The international airport in Athens is 33 kilometers from the center, making it a relatively short but expensive cab ride (around €38). Cut down your costs by taking public transport from the airport, with a choice of either a €10 ticket on the underground metro (Line 3) or a €6 ticket by bus (X-95) to the city center (Station Syntagma). The metro runs until midnight and the bus runs 24-hours a day.

2. Indulge in Greek street food

Athenians adore their savory pita-filled munchies, and delicious, affordable street food is synonymous with Athens. As your sense of smell will let you know, throughout the city you are never far from a food stand grilling tasty meats. For €2, you can grab a chicken or pork souvlaki — otherwise known as a gyro or a kebab to the uninitiated — which comes packed into pita bread with creamy tzatziki yogurt sauce, fresh veggies, and a handful of french fries. You’ll never be so happy with eating cheap.

See famous sculptures like the Jockey of Artemision for just a few euros. Photo: Ryan

3. Find those museum discounts

Athens is an absolute dream for lovers of history and architecture, and admission prices to museums are quite moderate compared to most of Europe year round. Especially good news for those coming in the winter, the city decided to cut admission prices in half for many major sites in an effort to give locals easier access to their cultural treasures.

This means those lucky enough to visit between November and April can pay €10 to visit the Acropolis and €5 to visit The National Archaeological Museum. Students also get major discounts or free admission year round to many museums, just be sure to present your ID to get a reduced price or free entry.

Grab a table in the shade and a beer for a cheap cafe break. Photo: Mark H.

4. Not every drink is cheap

You’ll quickly realize that Athenians love to relax, chat, and enjoy a drink. There’s an abundance of cafes and bars all throughout the city. During the day it’s not hard to find yourself a cappuccino for less than €2 at a nice cafe or a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice for only €1.30 from an outdoor vendor.

For alcoholic beverages, the prices can go up astronomically, with cocktails regularly costing €7 to 9! For the budget conscious, it’s best to stick to local wine (€5-7 per 1-Liter carafe) at the restaurant or to grab a bottle of beer for €1-2 from a shop and enjoy a drink outside on a square with a view facing the Acropolis.

We love airy rooms and the view from Phaedra Hotel. Photo: Booking.com

5. Take advantage of the affordable hotels

Good news, Cheapos! Athens is heaven for travelers that would rather save their money for an extra shot of ouzo than an expensive accommodation. There are tons of hotels that offer private rooms in Athens for $50 and under. If you book in advance, you can find even cheaper rates.

These budget hotels might not be the fanciest spots in town, but a lot of them ooze a friendly Greek charm that makes up for the lack of modern glitz. Search through our listings of 40+ budget hotels in Athens.

Have you been to Athens recently? Tell us how you saved money on your trip!

The post Athens: 5 budget travel tips for a Greek vacation appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a run down of what the upgrade brings:

New and improved

A mere 400-meter shift from its previous spot at the top of Acropolis, the new museum sits at the start of the hill’s slope atop ancient ruins of the Byzantines. To compensate for sitting directly on artifacts, the entrance’s glass floors allow visitors to view excavations directly under their feet.

The museum itself is dazzlingly modern and almost 14 times larger than the old museum (closed in 2007). A budget of about €130 million was invested in the four-level structure, providing chic displays, light-senitive glass walls, and illuminated open floors. The café level on the third floor provides a gorgeous view of Athens, and the terrace is an ideal escape from the bustle and hustle of the touristy Plaka district.

What to see

The layout of new Acropolis Museum follow’s a timeline that’s captivating and easy to follow. Small placards in English run throughout the levels, offering short and simple explanations for displays, time periods, and cultural formations.

The ground floor slopes upwards as vases, tools, toys and jewelry from the Neolithic period (around 3000B.C.) line the walls. Dozens of sculptures (from 600B.C. to 79B.C.) that were once votives to the Greek gods make up the second floor display. The layout lets visitors inspect pieces from all sides, from the stunning four Caryatids to other impressive models of Greek gods and heroes.

Photo courtesy of http://www.newacropolismuseum.gr.

Perhaps the museum’s most magnificent display is the Parthenon exhibit on the top floor. A short informative video explains the Parthenon’s exhibit, history, and architecture in a simple and captivating way.

Both first timers and history buffs will ooh and ahh at the former Parthenon adornments of the metopes, frieze, and giant pediments. It’s a refreshing overview that’s fun and engaging for all visitors.

The best way to tackle the Acropolis

The Acropolis is as magnificent in size as it is in historical depth, and most of what is left in good condition remains indoors for protection. A good tip is to visit the new Acropolis Museum before trekking towards the Parthenon, ancient theaters and agoras; it does wonders to help visualize the past.

As a bonus the archeologists responsible for digging up the thousands of artifacts actually hang around inside the museum, waiting to give visitors a brief lesson about any questions that might arise.

The new Acropolis Museum is an excellent opportunity for visitors to wrap their heads around Greek history in a beautiful setting. It’s quite possibly the best bang for your euro on a Greek vacation.

Hours: Tuesday – Sunday: 8 AM to 8 PM. Closed Mondays.
Admission: €1
See www.theacropolismuseum.gr for more details.

The post Athens: Visit the new Acropolis Museum for €1 appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Athens in a flash

Tourcaster, a group whose ‘casts we can’t get enough of, offers a free 25-minute overview of the Greek capital. The audio tour covers the city’s history, some main attractions, and top nightlife spots.

Indie Athens

Sure, this podcast is still Greek to us, but it’s less talk and more music—stuff from local bands, to be precise. Aneksartho Mhlo’s rock dispatch provides a perfect playlist to get you in an Athens frame of mind.

Learn Greek

The Hellenic American Union, based in Athens, offers a series of short podcasts that incorporate basic vocabulary and easy exercises so you’ll remember your plate from your please. Consider the series a perfect tool for those of you who like to ask for help, fight about grades, or talk about superstitions in Greek!

Hidden Athens

This podcast from amatuertraveler.com features author and travel guru Alf Meier as he discusses both Athens’ standard tourist sites and the city’s lesser-known gems, including those breathtaking beaches.

Greek Gourmet

Chef Sam Sotiropoulos focuses his delectable podcast on cheese—a mainstay of the Greek cuisine, but touches on other Greek dishes as well.  Yum!

Do you have suggestions for any other cool Athens-related podcasts? Leave a comment below!

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Build your map collection in Athens

Face it, if you’re planning to spend any time exploring Athens’ ancient past (and who isn’t?) you’re going to need a map. Confusion within the ancient city’s winding streets is normal, and most of the city’s ancient glories have been reduced to rubble. Even standing structures, such as the Acropolis, are surrounded by sites that could use a little explanation.

Here at EuroCheapo, we always recommend picking up free or cheap city maps whenever possible. In the case of Athens, we’re writing this advice in stone. For a cheapo souvenir, bring those maps home. Just imagine how great they’ll look framed and hanging in your rec room!

Digging for maps in Athens

Pick up free (or nearly free) city maps at one the city’s three tourism offices (also called GNTO or EOT):

The city’s main tourism office is located at 7 Tsoha (open 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. on weekdays).

If you’re flying into Athens, you could swing by the office in the Arrivals Terminal of Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (open from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays).

A super-central tourism “information desk” is also located at 26 Amalias, near Syndagma Square. (Open 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.)

For more information, visit the Greece Tourism Office website.

Also, be aware that many archeological passes, necessary to visit the sites, include detailed maps. Don’t toss these out after your visit! For more information about the archeological sites, including days that they’re free to visit, check out our “budget tips to Athens” article.

While you’re at it…

As long as you’re hitting the town, why not pick up anything that’s written in Greek? A menu or a brochure, which might appear totally unintelligible and even frustrating while in Athens, will become cherished reminders of your time in Attica.

Also see: Our list of recommended budget hotels in Athens.

Editor’s Note: This is our second post in our “Cheapo Souvenirs” blog series. Join us over the next four weeks as we suggest one cheap or free souvenir to bring home from each city we cover on EuroCheapo. Do you have a suggestion for another cheap souvenir in Athens? Leave a comment below!

The post Athens cheap souvenir: Archeological maps! appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

So, it’s no secret then that we love to watch the changing of the Evzone Guard in Athens’ Syntagma Square. The elite Evzones make up an infantry unit stationed in Athens and meant to guard the presidential mansion and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Some people refer to them simply as the “Presidential Guard“.

Every Sunday at 11 a.m., the changing of the guard, considered by tourists and locals alike to be the best free show in Athens, kicks off (literally; check out those pompom’d feet!) at the camp of the Evzones behind Parliament and travels down Vasilissis Sofias Avenue before reaching the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. For a brief period, traffic is even blocked on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue so the Evzone guards can strut their stuff in safety.

The changing involves high kicks, military stunts, and stoic faces. Seriously. Evzones are trained to tune out the paparazzi-like tourists who beg to take their photo alongside them. If you really want your photo taken with one of them, stand in an orderly line just below the steps in Syntagma Square. Onlookers are allowed up one-at-a-time for photos opps.

And, here’s a fun fact: The Evzones wear shoes that are carefully hand-made from hard red leather. Each sole has up to 60 nails in it!

For more fun facts, check out this great post by a “bootsnall” user.

Join us again tomorrow, Cheapos, for another free tip. Next stop on our Grand Tour? Barcelona!

The post Athens for free: Changing of the guard appeared first on EuroCheapo's Budget Travel Blog.

Here’s a short list of hot hip-hop and R&B spots in Athens.

Sunday: Bebek (Leoforos Ethnarchou Makariou 10, Faliro, 210-4834-190).

Tuesday: Boutique (Filellinon 15, Syntagma, 210-3231-315).

Wednesday: One Happy Cloud (Aristofanous 12, Psyrri, 210-3222-256).

Thursday: MAO (Plateia Agios Anargyron at Agatharchou 3, Psyrri, 210-3317-646).

Friday: L’AS (Leoforos Syngrou 259, Nea Smyrni, 210-9425-400).

Every night: Potopoleion (Panormou 113, Ambelokipi, 210-6911-672).

On Sunday February 4, budget-minded hip-hop fans should check out Nevma (signed to Family the Label) and Goin’ Through (two of the hottest Greek hip-hop groups) performing live outside of Village Park Cinemas in Nikaia at 7 p.m. Admission is—wait for it—free.

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