JSQUARED'S WEDDING
Things To Do
Getting Into Town
TAXI Grab a cab outside of the arrivals level at the main terminal. A taxi from the airport to the city center costs a flat rate of €35 from 5:00 a.m. to midnight, and €50 from midnight to 5:00 a.m. METRO Take Metro Line 3 (Aghia Marina – Douk. Plakentias - Athens International Airport). Trains run every 30 minutes, 7 days a week from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. and travel time is about 40 minutes to Syntagma Station (in the heart of the city). 24-HR EXPRESS BUSES If you land at an off-peak time and want to keep costs down, there are bus routes that can get you into town. Head to a kiosk for more info. Journey times are around roughly an hour. Find the Timetables below:
Exploring Athens
By far the quickest and easiest way to get around Athens is to jump the city’s public transport network. Athens has a centralized system so tickets are valid for the city’s buses, trolleybuses, metro and trams. Prices: 90-minute ticket: 1.40€ 24-hour ticket: 4.5€ 3-day tourist ticket: 22€ (includes return ticket to the airport) 5-day ticket: 9€ View the Map below:
Vouliagmeni Lake
The hidden jewel of Attica's nature is Vouliagmeni Lake, located in the middle of the Athenian Riviera. This remarkable geological feature is waiting to be uncovered in a lovely landscape. The brackish waters of the lake, which are fed by both the sea and subterranean thermal springs, provide a natural and unique thermal spa experience.
Kavouri
Amid its forest like vegetation, the organised beach of Kavouri is found in the lush, green surrounds of Vouliagmeni that is popular with locals and guests from nearby hotels. Kavouri beach is well-kept and you’ll be swimming in crystal clear waters.
Faskomilia hill
The hill attracts runners and mountain-bikers, too, but most people come here for the amazing sea views. Looking down, we can see below the whole of the Lemos peninsula, the empty beaches, the calm waters of Lake Vouliagmeni, and the Saronic Gulf stretching out into the distance.
Astir Beach
One of the most exclusive beach clubs in Greece, Astir Beach is set on 300 metres of coastline in the crystal blue waters of the exclusive Laimos peninsula. Everything you could wish for is here; small designer boutiques, massage therapists and attentive beachside food and drink service. Full dining restaurants are also a few steps away. The scattering of ancient ruins on display reminds you which city you are in. Water sports, yoga on the beach, this is how the other half live.
Acropolis of Athens
Put the best of science, art and philosophy together in one creation and you have the definitive monument of human civilisation. UNESCO calls it the symbol of World Heritage. The world calls it the Athenian Acropolis!
Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum is consistently rated as one of the best museums in the world. Devoted to the Parthenon and its surrounding temples, it is cleverly perched above Athens like a luminous box. The large glass panes beautifully draw in the ancient and modern parts of the city, making it a truly evocative experience.
National Archaeological Museum
The National Archaeological Museum of Athens is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art. It was founded at the end of the 19th century to house and protect antiquities from all over Greece, thus displaying their historical, cultural and artistic value.
Agora
Reserved for trade and public gatherings, the Agora was the centre of Classical Athens and is cushioned by the Acropolis to the southeast and the Agoraios Kolonos hill to the south. It was drawn up in the 6th century BC and is a wide-ranging site with the ruins of more than 30 buildings and monuments. Download a map, go slow and let you imagination wander.
Agora Museum
The museum highlights include art dating all the way back to the stone age, every-day life objects, and artifacts directly related to the Athenian democratic functions during the Classical period.
Panathenaic Stadium
The spectacular Panathenaic Stadium remains one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions and is a shining beacon of modern Athens. Following several transformations over its long history, it eventually became the home of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and remains the only stadium in the world built entirely out of marble.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
One of the legendary sites that sits beneath the slopes of the Acropolis on the southwest side, is the stunning open-air theatre, Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
National Garden
In touching distance from Psiri and Plaka, the National Garden is a welcome green buffer between ancient Athens and the modern sea of concrete. Come for a few minutes of repose, idling below the pergolas and avenue of lofty palm trees and bringing children to the two ponds to meet the turtles and ducks. The park also has a small zoo with peacocks, birds of prey, wolves and monkeys, as well as a botanical museum.
Plaka
It’s a district of tight, twisting alleys with 19th-century facades garlanded with flowering bougainvillea in summer. Plaka is jam-packed with family-run shops, each with something alluring, from ceramics, musical instruments, handmade jewellery to specialty food shops stacked high with olives and spices. And whether you want to pick up a gyro or sit down to a meze Plaka is a go-to for dining and nightlife.
Psyri
While Plaka is for sightseeing and shopping, Psiri has taken up the mantle of best nightlife quarter in Athens, with streets full of revellers until daybreak on weekends. The last 20 years has rounded off Psiri’s edges, and there’s an endless choice of music tavernas, bars, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs for all tastes.
A for Athens
An all time favorite roof-top restaurant that gives you a 360 degree view of Athens!
Cine Paris
Athenians know it’s summer in the city when the outdoor cinemas begin to open up. The legendary Cine Paris, which has been going since the ’20s, is best known for its striking Acropolis views.
Excursions and Day Trips
Athens is also a great starting point to get settled in Greece before venturing further. Popular day trips from the capital include visits to Delphi, Corinth and UNESCO heritage sites of Mycenae and Tiryns. If you feel like taking a mini road trip, we recommend heading to Nafplio (a stunning seaport town in the Peloponnese) or the monasteries of Meteora.
More Neighborhoods to Visit
Athens is also home to several vibrant neighborhoods. From Plaka, you can easily hotfoot it to lively Monastiraki, a bohemian district with stores selling a variety of souvenirs and flea market gems. Looking for a good place for a sundowner? Head to the A for Athens rooftop cocktail bar. And for a truly authentic Greek dinner after? Head to Ta Karamanlidika. If you plan on staying in town, the residential neighbourhood of Koukaki has been enjoying rave reviews since Airbnb included it in its “Hot Districts” list a couple of years ago. It is full of colorful streets, quintessential Greek architecture and cute boutique shops and cafes.
The Nearby Islands: Spetses, Hydra or Aegina
You can also hop down to some nearby islands like Spetses, Hydra or Aegina by ferry from the port of Piraeus. FerryHopper.com is great for researching costs, timetables and purchasing tickets in advance. Also if you book through them, you get e-tickets.
If you are feeling adventurous....you can always visit Santorini, Mykonos, Crete and more!
Island hopping from Athens: You can visit many islands close to Athens. The islands of the Saronic Gulf and the Cyclades are the closest to Athens. The 3 ports of Athens serve frequent ferry routes to many destinations. You can travel by ferry from Athens to further beautiful islands of the Aegean Sea, such as Rhodes, Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Crete, Lesbos, Kastellorizo, and so many more! Be careful, some trips can take up to 5 hours, so, if you do not like to wait, we recommend checking flights. Find out more info below: