Athens is the capital of Greece, and it’s one of the oldest cities in the world. Staying in Athens will allow you to explore some amazing museums, neighborhoods, and some of the best cultural events in Europe. But if you are wondering where to stay in Athens, this is your ultimate guide with the best hotels and neighborhoods.
BUT ALSO CHECK:
- For Luxury: Grande Bretagne
- For Acropolis Views:Electra Metropolis
- For Families:Coco-Mat Athens BC
- 5-Star:King George
- Best Rooftop:Electra Palace
- Best Swimming Pool:The Dolli
- In Plaka: A77 Suites
- In Koukaki:Acron Urban Suites
With more than 5,000 years of history, Athens is one of Europe’s most culturally and historically rich cities. It has many cute neighbourhoods, picturesque restaurants, and interesting things to do and explore (including some tropical sandy beaches). But as in every big city, you need to know where to stay to make your trip as efficient as possible and maximize your time in this fascinating city.
I was born in Athens and lived there for over 25 years, so I will share all the secrets and tips below.
So…let’s dive in or click below quickly:
- Best Area Overall
- Best Area For Sightseeing
- Best Area for Families
- Best Area for Young Couples
- Best Area on a Budget
- Why Stay in Athens after all?
- How Many Days Do You Need in Athens
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- Best Area to Stay in Athens: Plaka is the best area to stay in Athens (see hotels in Plaka), but Kolonaki, Petralona, Monastiraki, and Koukaki are also great and safe areas to stay. Plaka is definitely the most touristic area, but it is also the most picturesque. Avoid areas such as Exarcheia, Gyzi, Plateia Vathis, Kypseli, and Omonoia Square, as they are considered less safe.
- Best Hotel in Athens: Coco-Mat Athens BC
- Best Luxury Hotel in Athens: Hotel Grande Bretagne
- Best Budget Hotel in Athens: Plaka Hotel
- Best City Villa in Athens: Athenee Residence by K&K
- Safest place to stay in Athens: Plaka, Kolonaki, Koukaki, Monastiraki, and all the areas around the Acropolis (Thission, Petralona, Filopappou) are considered super safe. Syntagma Square is not as secure as it is usually the epicentre of demonstrations and riots. Also, Exarcheia, Kypseli, Gyzi, and Omonoia are less safe. They are worth your visit, though!
- How many days do you need in Athens? If you are in a rush, 2 nights in Athens should be ok, but if you want to explore the city more, I suggest you spend 4-5 nights. But in general, you will be better off visiting a Greek island and spending more time on the beach!
- How to Move Around in Athens: if you stay in Plaka, Monastiraki, Koukaki, Petralona, Thission, or Kolonaki, then everything will be within 30 minutes walking distance, but if you want to move around, then you should hop on the Athens Metr,o which is very safe, clean,n and reliable
- Best Neighbourhood in Athens: Plaka, Monastiraki, Kolonaki, Petralona, Koukaki, Filopappou, and Thission
- What is the best area to stay in Athens on a budget? You can find excellent, amazing budget hotels in Plaka or around the Acropolis temple. Athens is a very budget-friendly city, and you can find a great apartment / flat in the center of Athens for less than 50 euros per night! Kolonaki and Plaka areas in general are more expensive, though.
- What is the best area for nightlife in Athens? Gazi and Keramikos are the nightlife centres of Athens, but you will find lots of cute bars and wine restaurants behind Syntagma Square (Kolonakiou Square)
- Where to Stay in Athens with Family: Plaka and Kolonaki are great options as they are both very safe and quiet residential areas – see also my list of the best family hotels in Athens
- Is it safe to walk in Athens at night? Yes, it is generally safe as long as you avoid certain areas (Such as Omonoia Square, Gyzi, Exarcheia, Syggrou Street, etc.). I have never felt threatened in Athens, but common sense should be applied everywhere you travel…
- Greek Island tour from Athens: Hydra, Spetses, Poros, and Aegina islands are all great options for taking a mini day-cruise from Athens.
So, let’s start with the basics…
Why would you want to stay in Athens?
There are two main reasons why you would want to stay in Athens for a few days:
- It has some of the most significant archaeological sites, museums, and cultural events in the world
- If you are flying from outside of Europe (like the US, Canada, or Australia), Athens is your stop before you take a flight or a ferry to an island like Santorini, Mykonos, or Crete.
How Many Days do you need in Athens?
Athens is a city of more than 4 million people, and it would be naive to think you can explore all its neighbourhoods and areas in a few days.
So, here is my suggestion for Athens:
- If you are heading to one of the Greek islands (like Santorini or Mykonos), this is your first time in Greece, and you only include Athens because your flight doesn’t go directly to an island, then you only need to stay two nights in Athens. You will then see the basics like the Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki, and Syntagma Square, and then…you will be off to a marvelous sunny island!
- If you want to dive into the history of Greece and Athens while visiting more areas and neighbourhoods, I suggest staying at least 4 nights in Athens. You will then be able to see less touristic areas, visit more hidden museums, and also take a ride to the marvellous Athens Riviera seaside areas (southern suburbs like Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, Varkiza)
- If you are NOT interested at all in visiting museums, archaeological sites, cultural events (such as the famous summer Greek Festival), and you can’t wait for the time you will be next to a pool or a beach bar, then DO NOT STAY AT ALL in Athens. Yes, it’d be nice to spend a few days there, but you will be bored to death, and in the end, it will feel like a waste of time since you will only have limited time in Greece. You should instead spend more days on an island or at any other beachside resort.
1. Best Area To Stay In Athens (overall): Plaka
The best area to stay in Athens is the Plaka neighbourhood. Plaka is close to the famous Acropolis temple, the Acropolis Museum, Syntagma Square, Ermou shopping district, the bars and clubs of Gazi, and the Greek Parliament.
If you have ever seen a picture from Athens, then chances are it was from Plaka…
READ ALSO: Best Hotels in PlakaThe thing with Plaka is that you won’t find large chain hotels and resorts but rather smaller (and cuter) boutique hotels and apartments. While staying in Plaka, you will be within 20 minutes’ walking distance from all major attractions in Athens, so it is a perfect location-wise.
- Best Hotel in Plaka: Electra Metropolis Hotel
- Best Apartment / House in Plaka: Athenian Nich in Plaka
Other safe and cute areas in Athens that you can stay in and explore:
- Kolonaki: the oldest residential posh area in Athens, with lots of boutique shops and bars
- Monastiraki: a buzzing square close to Plaka with lots of Greek restaurants and small shops
- Koukaki: a quiet residential area very close to the Acropolis but less touristic (lots of modern B&Bs in Athens are here)
- Syntagma Square: the main Athens square opposite the Greek parliament that traditionally has some of the most luxurious hotels in the city (I do not recommend staying there as most of the riots and demonstrations take place there)
- Psiri: it used to be full of brothels and of-laws, but it’s now a very casual place full of theatres and boutique restaurants (people call it the “Soho of Athens”)
- Gazi / Keramikos: once the Gas Production factory of the city, it’s now a hippy area where lots of artists prefer to live; it is also the neighbourhood with the liveliest clubs and bars of Athens
2. Best Areas to Stay for Sightseeing in Athens
Suppose you stay in Plaka, Koukaki, Syntagma, Kolonaki, Psiri, and around the Acropolis Temple in areas such as Thission, Filopappou, or Petralona. In that case, you are within 20-30 minutes walking distance from any major attraction in Athens.
The main attractions in Athens are (in no particular order):
- Acropolis temple (Google Maps)
- Acropolis Museum (Google Maps)
- National Archaeological Museum of Athens (Google Maps)
- Syntagma Square & the Greek Parliament (Google Maps)
- Walk on Ermou Street (Google Maps)
- Wander in the Plaka neighbourhood (Google Maps)
- Walk to Filopappou Hill (Google Maps)
- Thission and Ancient Agora (Google Maps)
- Nightlife in Gazi (Google Maps)
- Nightlife behind Syntagma Square (Google Maps)
- Benaki Museum (Google Maps)
- Museum of Cycladic Art (Google Maps)
- Panathenaic Stadium (Google Maps)
- Cape Sounion (Google Maps)
- Best Hotel in Monastiraki: 360 Degrees Hotel
- Best Apartment / House in Monastiraki: Mythos Luxury Suites
- Best Hotel in Syntagma: Hotel Grande Bretagne
- Best Apartment / House in Syntagma: The Athenians Modern Apartments
3. Where To Stay with Family in Athens
Apart from Plaka, other significant areas where you can stay with your family in Athens are Kolonaki and Petralona. These are safe and quiet residential neighbourhoods.
- Best Hotel in Kolonaki: Bohemian Suites Athens
- Best Apartment / House in Kolonaki: Kolonaki 8 – Design Suite
4. Best Area For Young Couples in Athens
They are both very cute, quiet, and close to all attractions and romantic walks. But if you are not the romantic type and just want a chilled area that won’t break the bank, stay in the Koukaki area (see it on Google Maps).
Koukaki doesn’t have Plaka’s cute alleys, but it has many perfect flats for as little as 30-40 euros per night. It is very close to all the main attractions and museums. It is also a safe residential area with lots of good restaurants around.
- Best Hotel in Koukaki: COCO-MAT Athens BC
- Best Apartment / House in Koukaki: Acropolis View Deluxe Penthouse
Apart from the romantic dinners under the stars with Acropolis views, one of the most romantic things you can do (only in the summer months between June and September) is watch a movie under the stars at an open-air cinema. This is one of the most famous ones in Athens:
5. Best Area To Stay in Athens on a Budget
The best area to stay in Athens on a budget is Koukaki. The area is not as touristic as Plaka, and it has hundreds of flats available, which you can book on Booking.com.
Koukaki is a safe and quiet residential area in the centre of Athens. It has many cute traditional Greek restaurants to eat from (though not the cutest or with the best views), but most importantly, it allows you to walk everywhere.
You can walk to the best bars in Athens and return home without calling a UBER! How cool is that for a European capital? The prices there are considerably lower than in Plaka and Kolonaki, and you can easily find a 1-bed flat for about 40 euros per night even during the high season (May-October).
- Best Budget Hotel in Athens: Acropolis Stay Hotel
- Best Budget Apartment / House: Sweet Home in Koukaki
CONCLUSION
Athens is a fantastic city with a million things to do and amazing cultural sites with thousands of years of history. The best area to stay in Athens is the Plaka neighbourhood, which is also the most touristic but the cutest.
You can also stay in Koukaki, Kolonaki, Monastiraki, Petralona, or Filpappou. If you want to stay at one of the most unique hotels in Athens, stay at Coco-Mat Athens BC.
If you have limited time in Greece, don’t spend more than two nights in Athens, and that only if it’s your first time in Greece. Yes, I love Athens as it’s my birth city, but I truly believe that you will be better off if you spend your precious days on a Greek island.
