Flights to Athens

Exploring the visual delights of Athens

Athens is overflowing with jaw-dropping attractions that will capture your imagination. It is home to the Acropolis, the Kerameikos and the visually stunning Panathenaic stadium, among others. The bustling metropolis hosts countless architectural delights that attract hordes of tourists. The Acropolis Museum is one of the most prominent architectural icons in Athens. The structure was constructed using glass and steel; it houses thousands of priceless artefacts from the Acropolis monuments. It is a great place to learn about the Greek cultural heritage. The city offers a wide array of dining, shopping and nightlife options. It has something for every visitor.

Best months for Athens

The ideal time to travel to Athens is in spring and autumn when the weather is pleasant, the hotels are cheaper and the attractions are less crowded. On the other hand, summer attracts larger crowds. Despite the heat, the period between June and September is a great time to experience a wide variety of local festivals, including the Lycabettus, Athens or Hellenic, Rockwave and the Athens International Dance festival. If you want to travel between December and February, make an effort to pack an umbrella - precipitation is high during this period.

Before you go

Depending on the time of year, you need to pack appropriate outfits. Temperatures can reach up to 45 degrees Celsius in summer. Also, keep in mind that smaller restaurants and retailer outlets in Athens do not accept credit cards. Despite relatively low crime rates, it is prudent to avoid placing your wallet in the back pocket while in public spaces.

Local Athens advice

Taxis, buses and the Metro provide regular city transfer services from Athens International Airport. Taxis are available outside the main terminal building. Rates vary considerably and it is necessary to request the driver to reset the metre before moving. You can access the Metro rail station by going up one level from the arrivals hall at the airport. A pedestrian bridge links the terminal and the station. The tickets are available from a kiosk and travel time to downtown Athens is roughly 45 minutes. The bus station is located in front of the terminal buildings.

Although you will find accommodation easily without booking in advance for most of the year in cities and mainland towns, the same cannot be said about resorts and islands. Tour companies usually pre-book most of the rooms for the whole season. Non-package guests often stay in budget hotels or apartments.

Airport Athens ATH

Athens International Airport - Eleftherios Venizelos, named after the former Prime Minister of Crete, is the most important airport in Greece. It is near the Greek capital and since 2001, replaces the old Hellinikon Airport. In an annual global survey conducted by the British company Skytrax in 2005 and 2006, Athens airport was awarded the best airport in Southern Europe. Scheduled flights as well as charter and low-cost flights operate to Athens throughout the year and on a seasonal basis. Particularly cheap flights are operated by Easyjet or Aegean Airlines. A direct flight from London to Athens will take about 4 hours.

• URL: Official website
• Parking: Short stay and long stay parking in 3 car parks for about 4400 vehicles.
• Nearby cities: Athen (19 km), Kallithéa (22 km), Piraeus (27 km)
• Directions by car: The airport is linked to the town centre via the motorway Attiki Odos (toll)
• Stations: Train station next to the Terminal with a link to Athens line 3 underground and urban trains.

Location

Car: Opened on 29/03/2001, the airport is about 28 km or 18 miles east of Athens city centre, near the Athens suburbs Koropi, Spata-Loutsa and Markopoulo. From the south, Athens airport can be reached on the six lane motorway Attiki Odos (toll motorway). The suburbs southeast of the capital (eg Ilisia, Zografou, Vyronas, Kaisariani, Papagou, Holargos, Ag. Paraskevi) are connected to the airport via the Ymitos on the ring road, several exits lead to the airport. Toll-free access to the airport is on Lavriou Avenue and other surrounding major roads. Coming from the southern suburbs or Piraeus, the toll can be avoided using Possidonos Avenue, Vouliagmenis Avenue, Vari-Koropi Avenue and then Attiki Odos motorway. The short-term parking zones P1 and P2 with a total of 1360 spaces are located directly outside the arrivals zone of the main terminal. Long term parking is available in zone P3 on the Attiki Odos motorway, with approximately 3378 parking spaces.

Train and bus: Athens and the port of Piraeus may be reached using the Metro Line 3 between 5.30 am and midnight. The S-Bahn and the airport buses also serve the city. Overall, three national bus lines and six express bus lines X 92 - X 97 operate services to the airport. The metro line 3 runs from the airport to the major central metro station Monastiraki, where you change to line 1 to Piraeus and Kifissia. Passengers travelling to or from the railway station Larisis can use Line 3 to Syntagma station and then use the underground line 2. The journey to Syntagma or Monastiraki takes about 30 minutes depending on the time of day, to Piraeus approximately 60 minutes. There is also a rail link from the airport to Corinth.

Taxi: there are taxi ranks at the arrivals hall exit 3.