Riots in Athens were on the news almost every day leading up to my first trip Greece, and I started to get nervous. I started to worry about whether Athens was safe, and found that lots of other travellers wondered the same thing. On my first trip in 2013, I had two nights in Athens either side of visiting the Greek islands. My first impressions of Athens weren’t great, but on my second night I fell in love with the Greek capital, which is a captivating blend of ancient and modern.

Since then, I’ve returned to Athens to explore more of this beautiful, and often misunderstood and overlooked city. It is now one of my favourite cities in the world! Athens is a safe, beautiful and fascinating city, and is so worth adding to your itinerary when you visit Greece.

Common complaints about Athens

Athens is not a perfect city. Many of the complaints you’ll read online are based on the truth, but often they’re heavily biased by a negative perspective. The negative aspects I’m sharing below may be frustrating, but don’t stop reading there!  Afterwards, I’ll share the reasons Athens is one of my favourite European cities.

Is Athens Too Hot & Crowded?

The summer heat is a common complaint in Athens. The Acropolis is on a hill, in the blazing sun without a lot of shade. The stone streets and brick buildings bake in the sun and emanate heat. Athens is hot, but it is manageable if you know where to go and avoid standing around in the sun in the heat of the day.  Take the opportunity to slow down and take a hint from the locals by spending the afternoon in the shade of a cafe patio. There are huge crowds at the Acropolis, but if you’re visiting during peak season and hours, it is just part of visiting one of the most incredible historic sites in the world. 

Under Construction?

Yes, scaffolding ruins the illusion, but it’s also necessary. I think people forget that if they didn’t do this work, the site would either waste away and it would be lost forever or it would be closed for renovations, which I’m sure would incite a whole new level of grumbling. I’m not sure what work is currently underway in Athens, but they go to great pains to make sure most of the historical sites are still accessible. You’ll still see incredible history and beauty when you visit.

Is Athens Broke? Broken?

On my first visit in 2013, every second shop was boarded up and the streets were eerily quiet outside of the main part of town. Graffiti was everywhere. As our local guide sadly told us the next morning “We wish we could show you the parts of Athens that are graffiti-free, but it is almost everywhere.” All of this graffiti, however, goes hand in hand with lots of beautiful street art. On my most recent visit in 2019, Athens appeared to have bounced back. Restaurants, bars and cafes were busy. The streets were lively, and spirits were high.

The Best Things About Athens

Lively nightlife

I did not expect Athens to be home to the most enchanting garden bar I have ever visited. The entry to Six Dogs is not obvious, you walk down a flight of illuminated stairs to come out in an enormous terraced courtyard. Enormous trees dotted the space, with fairy lights strung between them and candles on every table as the only sources of light. We ordered drinks at the bar and then climbed the steps to find a pocket where we could sit. Hammocks strung between the trees made the perfect seats and from the top corner of the courtyard we had a beautiful view. It was busy, it was lively, but it was relaxed.

On our final night, we ate a lively Greek restaurant, checked out a rooftop bar and ended the evening watching a fire breather at a hookah cafe. I wish I remembered the name of the restaurant or the street it was on, but it was on a steep street covered in a central set of stairs surrounded by dozens of restaurants, all full to the brim. Everywhere was lively, colourful, laid-back and totally unpretentious.

Fabulous Flea Market

When we returned to Athens, we spent the day exploring the flea market which was full of beautiful treasures, paintings, local alcohol, jewellery, clothes and antiques.  I bought a beautiful silver ring and a gold owl necklace for less than 10 Euro each – It’s the jewellery that I get the most compliments on back home. My other favourite shop was a painter’s workshop & store, underneath the flea market. Accessible by a doorway & staircase at street level, we wandered downstairs to find a cavernous room full of his beautiful paintings. This is how I spent my last 20 euro! If I’d had more money, I would have bought three (like my friend did!). In a specialty board game shop, I found a beautiful handmade chess set to take home for my Dad, made with white stone and jade pieces.

Proudly preserved history

Some might complain about the maintenance works, but I really appreciate how well the city preserves it’s historical treasures. The Acropolis receives meticulous care so that generations to come can enjoy it.

The New Athens Museum is the best history museum I have ever visited. I wasn’t even in the mood for museums when I visited, yet minutes after entering the first exhibit I was totally enthralled. It’s gorgeous, modern, airy space that does a spectacular job of showcasing Greek history.

On my last trip to Athens, we did a guided food walking tour of Exarchia with Urban Adventures. Exarchia is a neighbourhood that has played a central role in Athens’ tumultuous modern political history. Our local guide was able to share the history of Athens with us, while guiding us through a politically charged neighbourhood in a sensitive way.

Pretty neighbourhoods

The elegant buildings and wide, tree-lined boulevards in certain neighbourhoods near the flea market reminded me of Paris but with more energy pouring out into every square.

Incredible food

There is no substitute for eating authentic Greek food in Greece. Everything we ate, from dolmades to baklava to huge, 30-cent ham & cheese pastries, was absolutely delicious. Even better, I’d never seen most of the dishes I ordered, back home in Greek restaurants in Australia.

Easy, clean & safe transport

Transport is easy, with a new metro system that is easy to use and felt perfectly safe (and cleaner than any other train station I have ever seen!) Unlike in Paris and Rome, it wasn’t a madhouse down there, everything was very peaceful.

Cheap & Cheerful

Athens, not surprisingly, is much cheaper than other popular European destinations – in fact, we watched prices drop from France, to Italy, to Greece. We paid 2 euro for 600mL water bottles in Paris and were paying 50c for 2 L bottles in Athens. On the last day, we found a bakery where I bought this huge, delicious, ham and cheese pastry for only 30 cents. Athens is perfect for budget travellers!

Have you been to Athens? Is it on your list?

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