Athens City Walk & Tips to Avoid Pitfalls

Athens city walk focuses on a casual stroll with occasional pitfalls, but overall it's pretty good. 1. Taking a taxi from the airport to the city center costs 60 euros by Uber; if you're not in a hurry, the subway is only 9 euros. 2. When taking a taxi, make sure to check the meter price and take a photo promptly, otherwise the driver might tamper with the meter and overcharge. I got scammed 10 euros... 3. For the first day, I stayed at Lux&Easy Athens City Center Apartment, 700+ RMB per night. Arrived at midnight, no front desk, the check-in code was sent by email, and I paid the 2 euro accommodation tax online. No front desk, self check-in, which was very convenient. The room was large and new, I liked it a lot, but the location was a bit remote. 4. For the next two days, I switched to Ermass Modern Living Apartment, 650 RMB per night, very convenient next to Syntagma Square subway station in the city center. The room was also very nice and new. Comparing the two, I recommend this one more. 5. I bought a 22 euro hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus ticket covering all the city's highlights, which I found very convenient. This way, you don’t have to spend too much time planning; you can get off wherever you’re interested. The bus also has Chinese commentary, which is great. I heard that if you keep the ticket, you can get a discount next time you buy a ticket for a similar bus. I’m keeping mine to try in Italy. 6. I bought an 8.2 euro 5-day subway pass. Although I didn’t use it very often, I still think it’s very cost-effective. I gave the unused pass to a visitor at the exit gate later. 7. There are quite a few people queuing at the Acropolis. It’s recommended to buy tickets in advance on the official website and arrive early. Otherwise, if you buy tickets on-site at noon, you might only get in by 3 pm. 8. I really couldn’t get used to Greek food despite trying hard. So I suggest bringing some instant noodles or self-heating rice. I brought some but felt it wasn’t enough. Or you can directly look for Chinese restaurants. I ate at Chunxi near Constitution Square, and I thought the taste was good and the price was very reasonable. Two people, three dishes plus beer, paid 328 RMB, which I think is really worth it! 9. Watch the sunset at Mount Lycabettus. The cable car up costs 10 euros, round trip 13 euros. I suggest starting early to go up the mountain for better views. 10. The Acropolis Museum and the National Archaeological Museum are both great. The latter has more exhibits, with statues and gold leaf ornaments that are super beautiful. 11. The weather in October is very nice, the sky is very blue, with some temperature differences between morning and evening. You can still wear short sleeves and dresses during the day. The sunlight is quite strong, so be sure to apply sunscreen well. 12. The Ancient Olympic Stadium is fantastic. I encountered a group playing soccer there, but I thought the National Garden opposite was just average.