Welcome to Athens!

Athens at dusk

Athens… such an interesting city, both for its past and its present. Don’t let the current economic climate stop you from visiting, nor other peoples' negative reviews of the city. Athens is a great place to spend a week!

General Info

• Currency – As of this post, Greece uses the Euro as currency. I suspect this will be true for some time into the future, but I am not an expert.
• Time zone – Athens is 10 hours ahead of Pacific Standard Time. Luckily, the city of Athens is a night owl, so you can likely still Skype with family and friends for a short window of time.
• Language – The official language is Greek. Greek language tools are harder to find, but looking up a few phrases before you go would be a great idea! If you are there in the summer, I suggest “νερό”, pronounced “nero” (water, in Greek). Not only is the language different, but so is the alphabet; be prepared for some culture shock.
• Electricity – voltages will be between 220 and 240. You will need a standard European plug adapter, which looks like two round prongs in a horizontal line. As I said in my Munich introduction, check before you plug!

Not-So General Info

• Airport – Athens’s airport is a bit out of the city and on the smaller side. Taxis run for a flat rate from the airport, so grab a couple friends and split the cost. Likely, the limiting factor will not be seats, but how much space the taxi has for luggage. You can also get to and from the airport using the bus or the metro.
• Transportation – Great news: Athens has Uber! You can also walk (I hear it’s good for you…), take the metro, catch a bus, etc. Word of caution: always be sure to have a valid metro pass, and do not attempt to use a student pass if you are over the age of 25.
• Safety – I visited Athens after being in Munich and was with friends the entire time, which may affect my perception of safety. While Athens can look a bit scary on the surface (think narrow streets and graffiti), I actually felt very safe personally. Belongings are a different story; watch your belongings closely, especially while out to dinner or on the metro!

Athens: a city that wears some of its works of art

• Food – I found it hard to eat unhealthily in Athens. Believe me, I tried! Hands down, Greek food is amazing. My favorites were Greek salads (can I add a block of feta to every meal from now on? Thanks) and souvlaki. Try some Greek wine too, as it comes with an extensive history.
• Nightlife – Again, I did not live it up too wild and crazy in Athens. As I mentioned earlier though, the city is a night owl (there has to be an Athena/owl reference in there somewhere) so you will find yourself staying out late regardless. Enjoy views of the Parthenon – I dare you to find a restaurant in the city center that doesn’t feature it in the background. Also, have a meal or drink at A for Athens and toast your good fortune to visit this amazing city.

As always, I’ll continue to update this post as I think of more tips. Have a great time in Greece!