Back at the start of October I headed on a press trip with BRB Travel. If you've never heard of them, they're basically like a travel subscription where you pay monthly and then receive a surprise trip in Europe every four months! We had no clue where we were going until the postcard dropped through the door and revealed that we were going to Athens! I'd never been to Greece before, so was excited to see what the city had to offer.
Getting Around
Getting from the airport to the city centre is relatively easy. On the way there we opted to take the X95 bus, which you can get from just outside the airport terminal. Tickets cost €4 per person and the bus takes around 45 minutes, dropping you right in the centre of Athens. I would definitely recommend trying to get a seat as it's a long old trek and the bus fills up very quickly.
On the way back to the airport we decided to take a taxi which cost a flat rate of €35 and was far more relaxing but obviously more expensive.
A lot of Athens is in walking distance, so most things were relatively easy to get to from our hotel. However, if you decide to go to the islands for the day like we did and have to get to Piraeus Port, you can get a taxi. I recommend using the app Beat, which is like the Athens equivalent of Uber. On the way to the port the hotel booked us a taxi which was a flat rate of €20, however on the way back we got a Beat and it was half the price! We also got a Beat to the Acropolis in the morning and the price was very reasonable, so this is definitely the way to go if you don't feel like walking.
To Stay
We stayed at the Athens Tiare Hotel which was included in our BRB Travel trip. The hotel was really lovely, super clean and in a central location. The surrounding area did feel a little questionable, I won't lie, but overall it was nice. The breakfast was also very good!
To Do
A Day Trip to Agistri
As I'd never been to Greece before, I really wanted to get out of the city of Athens for a day and head to one of the local islands. There are a fair few that you can visit, but I chose Agistri for its crystal clear blue waters and more rural feel. It takes roughly an hour to get there via Flying Dolphin and we booked ours via Direct Ferries. Tickets cost about £25 each for a return but it was 100% worth it.
I absolutely adored this day, and I think it was my favourite of the trip! We explored the island and spent time on an unorganised beach called Chalikiada Beach. It was a little bit of a struggle to access and involved a fair bit of soft rock climbing, but it was worth it to relax here for a few hours in the sun. As a warning, it's also a nudist beach, in case that's not your thing.
We also grabbed lunch at a restaurant called Copa Cabana which I'd highly recommend!
The whole island was pretty much deserted as it was off-peak season, but I liked it better that way. The weather was still perfect! I'd 100% recommend visiting if you have a spare day.
To See
The Acropolis
The only real 'touristy' place we visited was the Acropolis, and it's kind of a must-visit in Athens. Sat atop a hill over looking the city, it's home to the famous Parthenon. The views are absolutely spectacular and it was amazing to see such ancient ruins in person. The tickets are quite pricey - €20 per person which I wasn't expecting, but as we wanted to get photos there we paid it. If you go in the Winter though, they're much cheaper.
To Eat
This fairy tale of a cafe is a must see, if only just for their gorgeous seasonal displays. They change regularly and while we were there it was the Halloween decorations. The whole street gets the treatment and it's truly magical. We popped in for coffees by they have a wide menu of desserts that all looked delicious.
This is basically the Elan Cafe of Athens and it's definitely worth the visit! We got there for when it opened and it was easy to get a table, but if you leave it too late you may find yourself queuing out the door! They serve coffees and cake and it's definitely worth the visit if you want to get those insta-worthy snaps by the various flower walls.
This place was recommended to me by a follower and we actually stumbled on it by accident! They do some of the best gelato I've ever tried in some delicious sprinkle cones. I went for the Kinder Bueno ice cream and my lord it was delicious. Definitely a must visit for all your ice cream needs.
We stopped by here on the first night of our trip and it was a recommendation from BRB Travel on the post card they gave us. We ordered a variety of foods and I went for the tomato salad (Greek tomatoes are just the most amazing ones you'll ever taste!) and the calamari. The food was pretty good, although some of the dishes I didn't really enjoy, for example the calamari was a bit overcooked, but overall it was a nice spot to stop for dinner. This was also the place I realised I really don't like Greek cheese...
I'd love to know if any of you have ever visited Athens and if so, did you enjoy it? Be sure to leave any other recommendations in the comments as I'm sure anyone looking to visit would love any extras! x
Pin It!
These photos were taken on a press trip with BRB Travel however all opinions are my own. Part of the activities were paid with my own money.
0 comments