Athens

The high season in Athens runs from April through October. July and August are the busiest months — seriously crowded and seriously hot — so we wouldn’t necessarily recommend visiting then.

For a much more relaxed trip, a city trip in March, April, or October is the sweet spot. Things pick up a little during Easter and fall breaks, but it’s still nothing like summer.

With temperatures around 68°F, spring and late fall are honestly the best time for sightseeing.

Even a single day gives you a solid overview and gets you to one or two highlights. But the more time you have, the better — there’s a lot to discover.

To see Athens’ most important sights and still have time for a few great meals, four days is the sweet spot.

If you want to add a day trip to Delphi or Meteora, or squeeze in a boat tour, plan for six or seven days instead.

Larger stores and most attractions accept cards. But many restaurants and smaller shops are still cash-only, so don’t plan on going fully cashless in Athens.

ATMs are easy to find almost everywhere. Just make sure you withdraw from an official bank ATM — some of the standalone machines charge outrageous fees.

Bank ATMs do charge fees too, but they’re reasonable.

Athens is a pretty affordable city — the main exceptions are a few museums and the Acropolis. Here’s a quick overview of what things cost:

Round-trip flight to Athens: 150 to 500 euros
Stay at a decent mid-range hotel: 80 to 170 euros
1-liter bottle of water at a kiosk: 1 euro
Espresso at a coffee stand: 1 euro
Cappuccino at a café: 4 euros
Koulouri (sesame ring): 0.50 to 1 euro
Dinner at a restaurant: 8 to 20 euros
Gyros pita at a street stall: 3 euros
Glass of wine: 3 to 5 euros
0.4-liter beer: 2.50 to 5 euros
Acropolis: 24 euros in summer, 12 euros in winter
Other attractions and museums: 5 to 12 euros
Metro ticket: 1.20 euros

Even if summer gets seriously hot, make sure you bring sturdy footwear. The Acropolis is definitely not the place for flip-flops — the terrain is uneven and slippery.

Sunscreen and a hat are also non-negotiables.

Beyond that, don’t overthink it. If you forget something, you can find pretty much anything in Athens that you’d find back home.

No power adapter needed either — all standard European plugs work in Athenian outlets.

You’ll be totally fine with English in Athens. It’s rare to meet someone — whether at a restaurant, hotel, or shop — who doesn’t speak at least a little.

Every now and then you’ll come across someone who speaks a bit of German too, but that’s less common.

People in Athens are genuinely friendly and helpful. If there’s a language barrier, someone nearby will usually step in to help.

Short answer: Athens is a safe city.

That said, in busy spots — the Acropolis, the metro, large squares, crowded cafés — keep an eye on your bag, just as you would in any major European city like Cologne or on the Grand Place in Brussels.