Travelling to any capital city is going to cost some money, but there are ways to keep spending low. Athens in particular has always been somewhere I would love to visit. It’s crammed with ancient history that you can still see and touch – to some extent! Visit Athens for a clash of ancient history and modern culture.
It is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back 3,400 years. It is named after Athena, the Goddess of wisdom and courage. It is the home of democracy, but it has seen almost every form of government over the last 4,000 years. It has also been a hub for sports and theatre. So it is quite the city. There is something to see on every street you walk down. From archaeological sites tucked between buildings to modern graffiti plastered over every available space, the mish-mash of time is a treat to the senses. And to a beginner photographer like myself, it’s a delight.
I like to travel on a budget. Although Athens is not the most expensive city, it is easy to spend a lot of money. Here are my top tips to visit Athens on a budget.
Eat the street food
Often the best food to get in a city is the street food – it’s cheap, delicious, and authentic. In Athens, some stalls sell koulouri, a baked good shaped in a ring. It can be sweet or savoury, and costs €0.50. Often on the stall they also have massive sugar doughnuts that cost €1. A great breakfast in the morning when there’s a big day of exploring ahead!
Gyros and souvlaki are my go-to street foods. Technically, there are not many actual stalls on the street. But it is easy to get a gyros to take away and eat outside. Smaller cafes are a great place to grab gyros, and they tend to do cheap coffee as well. Always a plus! I went on a quest to find cheap gyros, which you can read about here. I was obsessed with eating gyros and I ate at a lot of places! If you want a break, sit in the restaurant, or take a seat outside and people-watch.
This is a classic way to get to know authentic Greek food and is the same the world over. You can’t visit Athens without trying the street food.
Walk
Time to burn off all those gyros! Athens is not a massive city, and it’s possible to walk everywhere you want to see. Use the money you would have spent on transport on a good meal and coffee, and you’re good to go.
Plus, there is so much to see that it’s great to walk. There are interesting things to catch your eye, and you will learn a thing or two. I usually prefer the slower way of doing things, instead of everything passing by in a flash. Take a wander, and see what the designs of the graffiti tell you, or step into that small church that is hundreds of years old. Allow yourself to take in the smaller, bustling details of a city, and immerse yourself in it.
Buy a combo ticket
If you plan to visit a lot of archaeological sites, it will save you money to buy the combination ticket. Especially during the peak season of April-October. It costs €30, and allows access to seven sites:
The Acropolis
The Ancient Agora of Athens and museum
Kerameikos and the archaeological museum
The Temple of Olympian Zeus (Olympieio)
The Roman Agora of Athens and museum
Hadrian’s Library
Aristotle’s Lyceum
The ticket for the Acropolis is €20 on its own during peak season, so it’s worth buying this. During the winter season the prices do drop so I do advise buying these tickets all individually.
When I went in late September, it was still “tourist season”, but due to Covid-19 there were hardly any tourists. It was a rare glimpse at a quieter city, and in September the weather was still a beautiful temperature. To me, it’s important to see such rich history when I visit Athens.
Do some research
Research the places you will visit beforehand. I like to find out facts about sites and then tell my partner about them as we walk around. Pretend to be a tour guide, you will learn a lot. And maybe find a new interest or passion in the meantime, perhaps? A future tour guide in the making!
A quick search will tell you a lot. A lot of spots don’t have much information to read unless there are audio guides available. Especially with archaeological sites, it is more interesting to know the general information as you walk around. It makes it much more fascinating! This may seem quite geeky, but it will keep you engrossed in the environment around you. Then you can tell people about a place you just visited, and seem knowledgeable.
Talk to people as you walk around too. They may know facts that you don’t, and it’s always great to chat with others.
Download free guides
Some people have done all of the hard work for you and made downloadable guides. And even better, some of them are free! Take a look at Rick Steve’s guides, which range from quick tips to detailed audio guides. The guides can be downloaded as documents, podcasts, and mp3 files, and there is even an app. It makes it a lot easier if you don’t want to put the work in yourselves.
I found this handy tip whilst walking around the Acropolis, on the second to last day of our Athens trip. My partner and I bumped into a couple who had downloaded one, and it had never occurred to me to look for free guides like that online before. I like researching the places myself, but I also like to have a listen in case I have missed out on anything.
Stay in hostels
I know it’s not the five-star treatment, but there are some great hostels out there. Even if you book a private room it can still be cheaper than a hotel. Or if you want to save the pennies book a dorm room for a fraction of the price.
It will also save you a lot of money with food – it’s usually cheaper to buy food from a local supermarket and cook it back at the hostel. Then you don’t have to spend money eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner in restaurants, which can add up! You can also prepare a packed lunch and snacks to take out with you for the day. During the colder seasons, I love filling up a thermos flask with tea or coffee to keep me warm.
Don't go to bars
Buying a few glasses of wine here or a few pints of beer there will quickly become expensive. I know I sound like I’m ruining the fun, but I propose an alternative idea! Instead of spending €5 per glass of wine at a bar, buy a whole bottle for €5. Go to the local off-license or supermarket and see what they have. In Athens, the liquor shops had a good variety and we had so much fun picking what we wanted.
A great idea is to buy a bottle (or two) of your favourite drink and walk up one of the hills in Athens – there are good views atop Lycabettus, Filopappou, and Acropolis hills. Watch the sunset and just relax. Responsibly, of course.
Visit the markets
A great place to buy food is the local markets. The food is fresh and the prices are reasonable. This is an excellent opportunity to visit the heart of any city you visit, not just Athens. The Central Municipal Market in Athens is an interesting place. You will find fresh fruit and vegetables, along with very fresh meat and fish. Stroll through the chaotic crowd and buy some ingredients to whip up a vibrant meal back to the hostel. The fruit here is so cheap and makes a great snack to take with you on your self-guided tours.
They also sell vacuum-packed food like sausages and olives that you can take back on the airplane with you.
Visit during off-peak season
Everyone wants a summer holiday. But that can be a problem because everyone wants a summer holiday. If you can travel during the off-peak season, I recommend it. At least try for the very start or end of the popular season, if possible.
The flights are cheaper, and the prices are lower in general, like for the combination ticket above. It is also quieter with fewer tourists around, so more space to breathe, relax, and enjoy the city. The weather cools, and if you’re a Brit like me, there’s only so much of the heat I can take! During the height of summer, the temperatures can soar to 45 degrees celsius. I do like the sun and heat, but not to that extent.
I visited Athens in September and the temperature was still in the 20s, which was much more comfortable. Covid-19 made it even quieter than usual. It was a surreal experience to stand at the top of the Panathenaic Stadium and not see anyone else there.
Make it special
Travelling on a budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out on good things. Instead of going to a fancy bar or restaurant every night, make it one special night. My partner and I love to buy vastly different drinks and meals for each other and share. Go for something different every time and make it an adventure. Continually taste new things – instead of eating gyros every day, like I did (an obsession, I know).
When looking for a bar or restaurant, make a note of any deals they offer. A lot of places do lunchtime deals and specials and you can save a good amount of money here.
It is possible to visit Athens on a budget
Travelling on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your trip. There are different ways to use the budget style too. Maybe you like to go cheaper most days so you can splurge at the end on a fabulous meal. Keeping the cost low in some areas means you can treat yourself in other ways. Keeping to a strict budget means you will be able to do everything you want to do and not “waste” any money.
It depends on what your style is, and the goal of your trip. If fancy food isn’t important to you, but visiting every museum is, then focus on that. I like to think of budgeting as a challenge. What deals can I find today? How far can this amount of money take me?
[…] We preferred to walk around the city instead of take public transport. It’s allowed us to see and experience more, as the city is not that big. It also saved us a few euros. We got pretty good at visiting Athens on a budget. […]
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