Tripyo

With so many islands that also have airports, flights are very common in Greece. Athens has the main airport and it is often used for transfers to the islands. Some very good but crowded motorways link Athens to the rest of the country.

The airport in Athens is called Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and is new and modern. It is 27 km away from the city center and has excellent connections to the city. The underground is the cheapest and fastest option. The suburban railway may also be an option, depending on your destination. You may also take a bus, even if it is slower due to frequent traffic jams. Buses are useful at night, when the underground and the train no longer operate. A taxi ride will cost you about €30, but you should be careful that the meter is on, otherwise you may get charged a lot more.

Even if Athens is full of history, the main tourist attractions can be seen in a day. This is because they are not that many and are conveniently located in the same place.

The Acropolis is the main tourist landmark in Athens. This was the old city center. It is placed on a hill, so be prepared to climb it. Take enough water with you during hot weather. The Acropolis is full of ruins and history, so you might want to spend some time here. It also offers a great view of the city. Once you get to the top, you will be impressed by the temples: the Parthenon, the Erechteion and the Temple of Goddess Athens.

If you think you have seen it all, you are wrong. Driving in Athens is the ultimate experience even for the most experienced driver. If you come from a nice quiet small town with reasonable traffic, Athens will make you sweat. Don't get scared though, it is possible and quite pleasant to drive in Athens if you follow some basic rules we will mention here.

So what's so bad about traffic in Athens? Greeks do not respect any speed limit, so the average speed in Athens might get to 80 or even 100 km/h when the road is clear. Unfortunately for them and maybe good for you is that traffic jams often limit this speed to something more reasonable. So they drive very fast and they will most probably overtake you whenever possible. Athenians also change lanes all the times! They usually blink their lights, but all this is happening at the speed mentioned above, so it is extremely important to watch at all times what is happenning around you! Watch in front, behind, on the right, on the left. Use your mirrors all the time. If you do so, you will not be taken by surprise.

The public transport network in Athens is well developed, despite Greek's preference for cars. The good news is that public transport has improved lately and will improve even further.

The  underground has three lines and covers very well the city center. Some lines also get to the suburbs. The architecture of the stations is impressive, some of them exhibiting Greek artifacts. You can find out more on the underground in Athens on the official website www.amel.gr.

You may probably be wondering what else you can do in Athens besides visiting ruins, cafes, restaurants and experiencing nightlife. Like everybody in our world, you can obviously go shopping!

If you are looking for traditional Greek clothes, shoes or souvenirs, the best areas to shop are the well known Plaka and Monastiraki. Besides these, you can find great quality clothes and shoes on Ermou Street and Athinas Street, the ones that even Greek people buy from.