Other Economy Hotels In Or Near The Plaka
The Hotel Tempiis a nice little hotel on traffic free Aeolis street, just a block or two from Monastiraki Metro station right on Agia Irini Square which is full of cafes, restaurants and bars. The Cecil Hotel occupies a beautifully renovated neo-classical building in the heart of old Athens, close to the Ancient Market and the City Market. It is located near the most central pedestrian street of Athens, the Acropolis, and the Plaka and Psiri are only a short way away. Cecil Hotel offers easy walking access to numerous tavernas, restaurants and many places like cafes, nightclubs and cinemas, offering all forms of daytime and evening entertainment for which Athens is famous. Very economically priced too. If the Attalos is full, these two hotels are the closest.
If you are looking for something cheaper than a C-catagory in Athens like a pension or youth hostel for example see my Budget Hotels Section. Most of the really cheaphotels are cheap because they are in neighborhoods that nobody wants tostay in,either because they are not particularly nice areas or are too far from the sites. For more choices visit my Athens Guide Hotels Page. To search for more hotels in Athens by category, location, price or popularity use this link to Booking.com’s Athens Page
C Staying At Exarheia
Exarheia area is very close to the center of Athens. This is the most alternative area of Athens. With a good and a bad sense. In Exarheia you will find the most alternative bars, restaurants, and people.
On the other side, this is the most revolutionary part of Athens. Protests start from Exarheia, and you may find police giving fights with people belonging to the anarchist groups. Its not easy to judge Exarheia. It has its character. You either love it or hate it.
Exarheia is not the safest area of Athens to stay at. If you are young and wild, you may want to choose it for its feeling and to get a better sense of Athens. If you are a more conservative traveler, stay away from it.
Psiri Best Area To Stay In Athens For Nightlife
For those who love the late nightlife, Psiri is the most ideal place to stay in Athens. The center of parties and nightlife in Athens lies surrounding Iroon Square in Psiri neighborhoods heart.
Another appeal to Psiri for those who are only here for a day or two is that it is adjacent to Thiseio. This makes it near a great number of the must see attractions of Athens.
Psiri always has something going on as the capitals most exciting night spot neighborhood. This ranges from live band performances in bars to special guests or parties at the various nightclubs.
The district also offers you scores of unique shops to explore. You may decide that the Monastiraki Flea Market is too ordinary for your tastes. The independent stores here will undoubtedly provide you with something more unique.
As the nightlife center of Athens, Psiris bars and restaurants remain open late into the night . By day or night, Psiri always feels laid back and relaxed.
This is what makes it ideal for people who love to party, travel like a local or off the beaten path, enjoy culture and city life, and who enjoy adventures or backpacking.
Neighborhood highlights in Psiri include the Emporikon Theater, Iroon Square, Theatro Kofon Ellados, Boiler Bar, Spinster Bar, Athens Escape Room, The Clumsies Bar, Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea, Museum of Greek Gastronomy, and the Statue of Pericles.
Also Check: Dog Friendly Places To Stay In Austin
What To Do In Metaxourgio Area
Although this area is probably not suitable for families, it will definitely appeal if you are after new artistic trends and a more alternative vibe. The area is also budget friendly, as there are many small restaurants / mezedopolia with low prices and friendly people.
In terms of attractions, you can visit Athens Municipal Gallery though perhaps the best attraction of Metaxourgio area is the street art and the random small galleries.
Where To Stay In Athens: Plaka
Great area for: Sightseeing Ambience Restaurants Families All Ages
The oldest part of Athens, Plaka is smack dab in the citys ancient heart, tucked just beneath the Acropolis.
Plaka is perfect for outdoor cafés, strolling down picturesque laneways dripping with flowers, and generally enjoying the best Athens has to offer. All of this beauty and convenience, of course, comes with some company: Plaka is the most popular area to stay in Athens for tourists, and is busy as a result.
Still, Plaka is one of the best neighborhoods to stay in Athens on a short visit to the city, focused on sightseeing. If you are visiting Athens for the first time, or want to pack in the most sightseeing during a short visit, consider staying in Plaka.
Closest Metro Station: Akropoli .
Alice Inn A hip and eclectically decorated Inn, this place gives you the benefits of having your own apartment with the convenience of a hotel. All the rooms are bright and spacious, and all have unique decorations throughout. Guests get access to a DIY breakfast in the morning, and can use the kitchen for other meals if desired. High marks for very friendly staff, comfort, and decor. Gets a 9.2/10 on Booking.com.
Check Availability & Prices onBooking.com
Looking for More Affordable Options in Plaka? Check Out These Properties
Athens Plaka Neighborhood. Photo: Travel Passionate
You May Like: Places To Stay In Bordeaux Wine Region
Glyfada Where To Stay In Athens In Summer
Glyfada is something unique as an upper class Athens Riviera resort. This resort town counts Greek politicians, tycoons, and foreign oligarchs among its visitors. They come here for the sun, sand, and sea that lie only a brief drive away from Athens the capital.
The resort is really luxurious. It offers a number of private beaches, a golf course, trendy cocktail bars, and luxury shops and boutiques. The enclave also delivers enough restaurants, shops, and nightlife to keep you from having to go into Athens proper at all .
Glyfada really delivers if you are shopping for something special, particularly for a smaller resort enclave that still offers massive selections of stores. Among the brands you will easily find here are Zara, H& M, Gap, Boss Menswear, Mango, Tommy Hilfiger, Marks & Spencer, Sephora, Pull and Bear, and Claires to name a few.
They are sprinkled in with the local designer shops and boutiques. When you are ready for a break from the dazzling array of shops, you can try visiting the Sea Turtle Rescue Center here.
You can also easily access neighboring towns from Glyfada if you get bored. Nearby lies Vari with its enormous restaurants featuring grilled meat. Vouliagmeni has developed into a spa resort along its beautiful natural lake. It enchants visitors who take the time to come see it.
Koukaki The Hippest Neighborhood In Athens
This is the university area of Athens, below the Acropolis, and largely residential. As a result, it is quieter than some other neighborhoods of the Greek capital. If you go to Philopappou Hill Park, you can expect some wonderful views over the city.
It is not an area where you can expect to find lots of hotels. However, there are rental apartments that offer you more independence as long as you are happy to eat out or self-cater. If you want to get a flavor of Greek life, albeit, in a city, this is a district to investigate.
Koukaki is home to the National Museum of Contemporary Art , a former Fix brewery on Syngrou Ave, now displays works by Greek and international artists. The Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum has 4,000 pieces of Lalaounis work, is an international center for the ancient art of goldsmithing and other traditional crafts, also a must-see attraction.
You can hike up Philopappos Hill to visit the Philopappos Monument and the prison of Socrates. Enjoy the nightlife with a good selection of bars, restaurants, and traditional cafes at Geogaki Olympiou Street and Drakou Street.
It is close enough to the center of Athens that you can easily access its most important landmarks without making your base in a busy neighborhood.
Stay in Koukaki if your preference is to rent an apartment, you want to be close to, but not in, the center, you want to be able to escape the crowds.
Where to Stay in Athens Near Koukaki:
Read Also: Cheap Places To Stay In French Quarter New Orleans
Where To Stay In Gazi / Kerameikos
To be fair, if the main reason you are going to Athens is the nightlife, anywhere you stay can be good. Small bars are literally everywhere, and it wont take long before you come across a few.
However, if you are looking for some clubbing, the best area to stay is Gazi, close to Kerameikos metro. There are plenty of all-day cafes and restaurants, as well as a selection of late bars and clubs. The backstreets between Kerameikos and Metaxourgio metro are also home to small, hidden bars.
Apart from the nightlife, there are plenty of things to do around Gazi. Benaki Peiraios Museum, one of the best museums in Athens for contemporary art is a ten minute walk from Kerameikos metro. Check their website to see whats happening sometimes there are as many as four parallel exhibitions.
The Technopolis centre, a short walk from the metro, hosts concerts and exhibitions check out their website for more information.
In terms of ancient sites, dont miss Athens ancient cemetery, Kerameikos. Located between Kerameikos and Monastiraki metro stations, it is an impressive open space which is often overlooked by tourists.
Hotels in Gazi Athina Art Apartments
This is one of the best options around the Kerameikos area. These modern lofts are close to the metro station and the heart of the nightlife, yet far enough for a quiet nights sleep. The apartments have indoor hot tubs and fully equipped kitchens, while there is a shared rooftop pool and garden for all guests.
Divani Apollon Palace & Thalasso Athens Greece
A classy hotel in Vouliagmeni area, right on Athens Riviera, the Divani Apollon Palace and Thalasso is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World. It is the perfect place by the coast, if you want to relax in style. The rooms are luxurious and spacious, with open balconies, and some of them have a spa bath.
One of the highlights of the Divani Apollon Palace is its awarded spa and thalassotherapy centre. Including pools, saunas and different types of baths, it is the perfect place to relax before or after spending some time on the hotels private beach.
In terms of bars and restaurants, the Divani offers numerous options, from laid-back pool-side bars to the hotels signature fine-dining restaurant.
The hotel is a quick taxi ride from the upmarket Glyfada area, which is especially popular with visitors and expats.
Also Check: Where To Stay In Playa Del Carmen Mexico
Crete Where To Stay In Greece For Adventure
One of the top places to stay in Greece for adventure is the beautiful island of Crete. I spent three months there scuba diving and trust me, if youre in Greece and are hungering for a hefty dose of adventure head on over to Crete.
With Evelin Dive Center, located near Rethymnon, I dove into underwater caves filled with prehistoric mammoth bones! Talk about adventure, right? If scuba diving isnt for you, then you can always go hiking in the Samaria Gorge or learn how to parasail or kitesurf right on the Aegean Sea.
As the largest island in Greece, there is plenty to do on Crete for the thrill-seekers out there. Trust me, theres more than just archeological sites and pristine beaches in Crete!
Best Hotel In Greece Ilio Maris Mykonos
Take me back to my slice of paradise at Ilio Maris! This hotel drips luxury and is one of the best hotels in Greece. Whats better than taking a dip in the turquoise waters of the swimming pool while watching the sunset over the Aegean, with a cocktail in hand? This hotel is certainly worth the splurge!
Recommended Reading: Best And Cheapest Places To Stay In Las Vegas
A Staying At The Commercial Area And Plaka
If you choose to stay at the Commercial Area and the area of Plaka, you will find yourself right in the heart of Athens.
The Plaka area is like a small village in the center of Athens. It is below the hill of Acropolis with old, traditional houses and many restaurants, cafes, monuments and things to do.
Plaka is an excellent place to stay, as it is conveniently placed regarding museums, Acropolis, the underground station of Acropolis and the main shopping street of Athens, Ermou street.
The prices are of course higher here, and you will not easily find a value for money hotel room. If you are planning for a budget of under 100E per night, you will find yourself in a standard type of room, which on the other side- will be close to everything. This is also a safe area to stay in.
Psiri in Athens is also a nice neighborhood to stay if you want to stay near the center of Athens. Psiri is full of bars and restaurants. Psiri used to be a very poor neighborhood in Athens, which got renovated and is now quite popular with the younger generation of Athenians. Even though it was trendy and was visited by the hipsters of Athens a decade ago, it is now being snubbed by them.
The best hotels to stay in Plaka are:
2. Electra Palace Hotel in Plaka:
It’s All Happening At To The Zoo
Got time between flights? Looking for something to do after seeing the Acropolis? Go to the zoo! The Attika Zoological Parkopened in May of 2001 and after the Acropolis it is probably the most interesting place in Athens. If you have a layover in Athens before your flight to the islands or home, why sit around and look at stressed people when you can see one of the happiest collections of animals in the world. The zoo in Spata is one of the most humane and is the third largest bird collection in the world! It is a short ride from the airport and if you are traveling with kids it is a surefire way to keep them happy and interested in what would normally be wasted time. For more information see theAthens Zoological Park Page
Read Also: Places To Stay In Milos Greece
What Is The Best Neighborhood To Stay In Athens
We often get asked, What is the Best neighborhood to Stay in Athens?. If you want the mainstream and quick answer, we would suggest Plaka, Acropolis, Kolonaki or Psiri.
However, it is not that easy to choose the best area to stay in Athens, as you may want to combine your visit with different experiences, which would require you to stay somewhere else.
For example, if you are visiting Athens during the summer, you may want to remain in the Southern Suburbs, so that you are closer to the beach and the excellent Night Beach Clubs that Athens has to offer.
Moreover, if you are a family wondering where to stay in Athens with Kids, and you are afraid of the protests that take place from time to time in the center of Athens, you may choose a safer area, which is also more friendly to families such as Kifisia, in the Northern Suburbs.
So, allow us to provide you with more information on where to stay in Athens, based on the advantages and disadvantages of each area.
Best Airbnb In Kifissia: Private Suite In Kefalari Kifisia
If youre looking for a comfy base from which to explore Kifisia, look no more. This modern ground floor flat has a garden area to enjoy sunset drinks and two sizeable double bedrooms perfect for the family!
Better yet, the elegant neighbourhood of Kifisia is all within short reach. Dont keep those shops and patisseries waiting any longer!
You May Like: Places To Stay In Lodo Denver
Books To Read While Traveling Greece
These are some of my favourite travel reads and books set in Greece which you should consider picking up before you begin your backpacking adventure
The Backpacker Bible Get it for free! Learn how to ditch your desk and travel the world on just $10 a day whilst building a life of long-term travel with an online income. To inspire and help the next generation of Broke Backpackers, you can now grab How to Travel the World on $10 a Day for free! Get your copy here.
Eleni : Gage writes here about his mother, Eleni, who was murdered by communist partisans during the Greek civil war. The book is an account of the way a life that was destroyed by war. Gages is a story of emigration and lossthemes essential to Greek cultureand also a study of how we cope with the tragedies of the past.
Ashes: Ashes is a suspenseful story of revenge, corruption, and conspiracy in Greek society.
Something Will Happen, Youll See: A collection of short stories about the working-class in the port town Piraeus. The stories focus on families, seniors, and young couples, who struggle to make ends meet. These stories give readers an insight into Greek life with the economic crisis.
Greece: A Travelers Literary Companion: This is a compilation of 24 stories and essays based on the ancient Greek myths and modern tales.
Where To Stay In Athens: General Description Of The Best Areas
In general, there are four main areas or zones, where you can stay in Athens.
The first area is the center of Athens, which features the main touristic places and has neighborhoods such as Syntagma, Plaka, Monastiraki, Kolonaki, Omonoia, Ilisia, Thiseio, Zografou, and others.
The second one is the southern suburbs, which is the beachside of Athens, with neighborhoods such as Vouliagmeni, Alimos, Glyfada, Voula, Elliniko, Faliro, and others. These are excellent areas to stay from May to September, as they are close to the beaches of Athens , but they are at least 30 to 45 minutes driving time away from the center of Athens and there is no easy metro connection from them to the center.
The third area is Piraeus, where the biggest port of Greece lies. It has the advantage that all the ships to the Greek islands leave from Piraeus port, so you will be close to the port. It has the disadvantage that it is 30 minutes away from the center of Athens, where all the historical sights are located.
The fourth area is the North Suburbs of Athens, with neighborhoods such as Halandri, Marousi, Kifisia. In short, these are residential areas, very safe, with a lot of shopping malls and restaurants but without anything interesting to see as a tourist. You may want to stay in these areas only for one reason: The protests that take place from time to time in the center of Athens. You wont find these at the northern suburbs of Athens.
A Map with the Main Areas that you Could Stay in Athens
Recommended Reading: Best Places To Stay In Austin Tx For Bachelorette Party