Marousi

Understand

Ancient Athens

According to mythology, the Greek Gods Poseidon and Athena wanted to claim the city for their own. To persuade the people to accept them, they granted gifts. Poseidon struck his spear into the ground and produced running water. Athena gave the city olive trees, which provide food and economic prosperity through trade. The people were then asked to vote for the Gods, and Athena won by a single vote, resulting in the city bearing her name. The first pre-historic settlements were constructed in 3000 BCE around the hill of Acropolis. According to legend the King of Athens, Theseus, unified the ten tribes of early Athens into one kingdom in around 1230 BCE. This process of synoikismos (συνοικισμός) – bringing together in one home – created the largest and wealthiest state on the Greek mainland, but it also created a larger class of people excluded from political life by the nobility. By the 7th century BCE, social unrest had become widespread, and the Areopagus appointed Draco to draft a strict new law code (hence "draconian"). Still, the Draconian laws were a big advancement, as they codified crime and punishment unlike the previous arbitrary judgments of the rulers. When Draco's system failed, they appointed Solon, with a mandate to create a new constitution (594 BCE). This was the great beginning of a new social revolution, which was the result of the democracy under Cleisthenes (508 BCE). When Roman historians wrote the history of their own republic, they fudged the date so that their republic would be older than Athenian democracy, but today's scholarly consensus is that Rome "got inspiration" from the Greeks.

In the 5th century BCE, Athens reached the peak of its fame. It was the most powerful Greek city-state, and the center of Greek cultural life, claiming many important cultural advances within European history. Fields of study like science, philosophy, history, and medicine were advanced by Athenian scholars in the timeframe between 480 (the

Getting there

By plane 1 Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, located 27 km (17 mi) east of the city centre near the suburb of Spáta (Σπάτα), is a major hub in the Aegean, Balkan and East Mediterranean regions. American, Air Canada, Air Transat, Delta, Emirates, Norwegian Air Shuttle and United maintain non-stop flights from North America (some are only seasonal), while a large number of European carriers fly direct into Athens. ATH was opened in 2001 as part of the infrastructure improvements in preparation for the Olympics. It is now one of the more attractive and efficient major European airports, though some old Athenian hands say they miss the messy atmosphere of the old Hellenikon. The airport has the usual array of fast food restaurants, duty-free shops, lounges, and other airport services. Free Wi-Fi used to be time-limited, but now is free to use for unlimited time. There is a landside convenience store open 24 hours opposite the car rental counters. Luggage storage, run by Care4bag, can be found at the south end of the airport, landside, on the arrivals level. Storage time varies from 6 to 36 hours, no automatic lockers. Like many midsize airports, ATH is using remote hard stands and shuttle buses as an interim measure to expand capacity until it can justify building more permanent gates and jetways. However, the shuttle bus rides can lead to significant delays if your plane is parked at a remote hard stand and not at a jetway next to the terminal.

By bus KTEL regional coaches connect Athens to other cities in Greece. The fleet of buses has been upgraded, which makes the journey pleasant and safe. For some destinations one can also use the buses of the railroad company (OSE, see next section) that might be international, but can also be used for in-country transport. At times there are collaborations with companies from adjacent countries such as Turkey, Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia and Albania, so it's advisable to ask on both the bus and t

Getting around

Transport for Athens (OASA) operates public transportation in Athens. Its subdivisions include STASY and OSY. A single ticket allows you to travel on any types of transport, metro, trams, buses, with unlimited transfers anywhere time within Athens for 90 minutes. If you do not read Greek, signs on Athens transit always have a transliteration into Roman letters. Transliteration can vary; for example, Ellinko and Helliniko are both spellings for Ελληνικό. English information is abundant and most staff can communicate in English.

Fares The base ticket price is €1.20. This covers all OASA routes except for Airport Express lines (Line M3 and Route X80). There are also Daily, 3-Day + Airport, 5-Day and bulk ticket packs. See details on the OASA fare table.

(As of Dec 2025) The standard fare to or from the airport is €9 each way. This includes the full journey between any point in the Athens public transport system and the airport. The contactless payment system "tap2ride" is available on all means of transport. Just tap your contactless Visa or Mastercard card or mobile phone (GPay, Apple Pay) on the reader! This will pay for a €1.20 simple ticket (or the airport fare). The cost is billed at the end of the day and capped at €4.10. Discounted fares (students, seniors) are only available through a personalised ATH.ENA card, though the hassle and one-time cost of €4.50 will probably not be worth it for a short stay. Please note that the ATH.ENA card and ticket are different: they have different regulation. For example, the ticket is the better choice for tourists (easier and temporary) and does not allow to use for Athens Airport.

By metro

There are three lines:

Line M1 : Piraeus – Kifissia, the oldest line, connects the port of Piraeus and the northern suburbs of Athens (Kifissia station) via the city centre. Be sure that you keep an eye on your personal stuff when using this line, and be prepared for people getting in the train and asking for money. Line M2

See

At first glance, Athens seems entirely to be composed of unremarkable, four- to six-story concrete buildings, lacking character and badly in need of a paint job. But if you look beyond that, you will find little gems tucked in among the grey. The areas at the foot of the Acropolis, Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki and Thissio are home to many wonderful Neoclassical buildings, trendy and traditional cafes and shops, narrow winding streets, and incredible views of the Acropolis. Little Greek Orthodox churches are tucked in among the concrete, often in the most unexpected places. These are usually beautifully decorated with icons and brass fixtures inside, but make sure you're appropriately dressed (no short sleeves or bare legs is a good rule of thumb, as a mark of respect).

Acropolis

1 Acropolis of Athens, ☏ +30 210 3214172. It was the ancient fortified town of Athens, dating back to the Late Bronze Age. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic role and the many iconic