Athens

Travel to Athens

All the major airports across the UK offer flights to Athens. There are plenty of carriers too, which keeps the price down, making Athens attractive for a long weekend as well as a full-on holiday destination. Flights take under four hours and arrive into Athens International Airport.

On arrival in Athens

The airport lies about 20 miles outside Athens and there are a variety of ways to get to your accommodation. Car hire is available but unless you're planning on exploring the surrounding area a vehicle is unlikely to be useful in the city. There are a couple of shuttle buses that run direct into the centre, as a well as some local routes that stop at the airport. There is also a direct rail link from Athens Central Rail Station, sometimes known as Larissis Station, and the airport is on the metro network too. Taxis are also available and can be a good choice for a large group.

Getting around Athens

Athens is very compact and large sections of the centre have been pedestrianised, making it very easy to explore on foot. The metro system is fairly comprehensive and many of the stations feel like museums as they display artefacts found during building works. Buses and trams also cross the city and into the suburbs, with taxis on hand if necessary, although traffic is often very bad.

Travelling further afield

The nearby port at Piraeus opens up the Mediterranean and it's easy to get a ferry to a bewildering number of destinations. Regional trains offer a limited service but it's easy to travel as far as Thessaloniki and the Pelopponese, and even to Istanbul, but you get what you pay for with faster and smoother trains costing significantly more. Intercity coaches are also popular and serve a variety of cities across the country as well as into Turkey, Bulgaria, Macedonia and Albania. Hiring a car will get you to all the hard-to-reach areas if you're after more ruins and ancient cities.