Plaka
Historic lanes below the Acropolis, with shops and tavernas. Consider this area if you want to step out into the old town.
Sources and further reading · Plaka
Greece
Hotels in Athens
From Plaka’s lanes to Koukaki’s cafés, your neighbourhood helps shape an Athens holiday. Start with the area you want to spend time in, then check the hotel’s exact address.
This guide helps you choose an area. Hotel prices and availability are checked when you search with dates and guests.
Get to know the area before choosing a hotel
Koukaki and the Acropolis area
Cafés and residential streets near the Acropolis area. A base for combining sightseeing with time in a neighbourhood.
Sources and further reading · Koukaki and the Acropolis areaMonastiraki and Psyrri
The busy square below the Acropolis, the flea-market lanes and, next door, Psyrri’s bars and small restaurants. Lively late into the night — if you sleep early, ask for a room away from the street.
Sources and further reading · Monastiraki and PsyrriSyntagma
Parliament square at the centre, where metro lines 2 and 3 meet and the airport metro and buses arrive. Practical rather than charming: the old town is a short walk away.
Sources and further reading · SyntagmaThe Athens Riviera
The coast south of the city — Glyfada, Voula and Vouliagmeni — with beaches and seafront hotels. The tram and buses link it with the centre; the ride takes a while, so it suits a beach holiday with days in the city.
Sources and further reading · The Athens RivieraPiraeus
The port, where the ferries leave for the islands, on metro lines 1 and 3. Worth a night before an early sailing; for a city stay, the centre is better.
Sources and further reading · PiraeusWhich area suits your trip
- A first visit
- Plaka, Monastiraki or Koukaki: the Acropolis, the old town and the metro within a walk.
- Couples
- Koukaki and the quieter lanes of Plaka, for evenings below the Acropolis. A view may belong to the roof, not the room — read the room description.
- Families
- Syntagma or Koukaki, for the metro and short walks; or the Riviera, if a beach every day matters more than the sights.
- Going out
- Psyrri and Monastiraki, where the bars stay busy late. Ask for a room away from the street.
- Island hopping
- Piraeus the night before an early ferry, or Syntagma, on metro line 3 to both the port and the airport.
Getting in from the airport
Athens International Airport (ATH)
Metro line 3 runs from the airport into the centre, stopping at Syntagma and Monastiraki, and express buses run to Syntagma. A taxi takes you to the door — though in Plaka’s pedestrian lanes it may stop a short walk away.
Getting around the city
The centre is compact and best walked, and many of Plaka’s lanes are pedestrian. The metro’s three lines reach the sights, the port at Piraeus and the airport, and a tram runs to the coast. Taxis can be hailed or booked through an app.
When to go
- Summer (June to August) is hot and dry, and July and August can bring heatwaves. See the sights early or late in the day; during heatwaves the Acropolis has closed in the hottest hours.
- Spring and autumn — April to early June, September and October — are mild and the easiest time to walk the city, and the sea stays warm enough to swim into October.
- Winter is mild and wetter, with fewer visitors, and some island ferries run less often.
Before choosing your address
- Travelling with luggage? Check whether a taxi can reach the entrance and whether there are steps on the way in.
- An Acropolis view may refer to a specific room or the rooftop. Read the description of the room you select.
- Check the walking route to the metro, as well as the distance on the map.
Questions before you book
Where is the best place to stay in Athens for a first visit?
Plaka, Monastiraki or Koukaki. All three are a walk from the Acropolis and the old town and close to the metro: Plaka is the most historic, Koukaki the most residential, Monastiraki the liveliest.
Can I stay by the beach and still see Athens?
Yes. The Athens Riviera, south of the city, has beaches and seafront hotels, and the tram and buses link it with the centre. The ride takes a while, so it suits a beach holiday with days in the city.
How do I get from Athens airport to the centre?
Metro line 3 runs from the airport to Syntagma and Monastiraki, express buses run to Syntagma, and taxis wait outside the terminal.
Should I stay in Piraeus before a ferry?
Only for an early sailing. Piraeus is the port, not a place to spend a holiday, and Syntagma is on metro line 3 to both the port and the airport.
Is there a tax on hotel stays in Greece?
Yes, a fee per room per night. The rate terms say whether it is included in the price or paid at the hotel.
Worth reading before you book
How to choose a hotel: what to check before you book
The right hotel is not the grandest on the list; it is the one that fits the days you planned. Five checks, in this order.
What you pay at the hotel: taxes, fees and the deposit
The booking closed at one price and the bill shows another. Usually that is not a mistake but a local tax.
How to read a flight before you book: times, stops, duration and the fare rules
Two flights at the same price can be very different trips. Everything that tells them apart is already on the result — it only has to be read in the right order.
