Athens daytrip - feasible?

Old Jan 17th, 2017, 12:23 PM
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Athens daytrip - feasible?

I'm debating about whether I can or should spend a day in Athens on our way home to Boston from Naxos.

We are planning to spend four days in Naxos in September 2017. Our flight home is through Athens. I'm debating about which flight to take the day before we fly home from Athens. There is one at 11:45 AM and one at 6:30 PM.

If we take the 11:45 AM, could we possible leave our luggage in the airport and take the train into Athens? I read a trip report saying it's an 8 euro ride and a pretty easy ride. We would be with our two boys (ages 4 and 6). If we did this, we would stay overnight in Athens proper and take the train back to the airport the next day for our 2:50 flight home.

If we take the 6:30 PM flight, we'd stay in a B&B by the airport with a pool and some nice Greek hospitality and just lounge around there until we have to leave at 3 PM.

Our trip involves 1.5 days in Santorini and 4 days in Naxos. After all that island, we thought it might be nice to see a little city. I've ben reading trip reports and it seems like Athens is quite lively and I'd like my boys to see the Acropolis.

We fly home on Friday so we'll have Saturday and Sunday to recover before we go back to work.

Thoughts? Hotel recommendations in Athens (if we choose that)?
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Old Jan 17th, 2017, 01:29 PM
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Pacific Travel provides a luggage storage service in the Arrivals Hall down at the end near to Exit/Entry Door 1. Just outside is the stairway for the Skyway over to the Metro Station. Take the Metro to the Syntagma Square station, transfer to the Red Line going to the Acropolis Station then follow the signs up the hill.

The St. Thomas B&B is an affordable option with a pool out near the airport: http://stay-in-athens.com When you return to the Airport by Metro they will arrange for a taxi to pick you up if you ask.

Across the street from the airport is the Airport Sofitel Hotel but it's quite expensive.
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Old Jan 17th, 2017, 11:28 PM
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Were it me, I would take the early flight from Naxos and stay the night in central Athens. If you never get back to Greece again, it would be sad to miss seeing the most important city in the ancient world.

Brotherleelove is correct that there is a luggage storage facility at Athens Airport, but I don't think it is Pacific Travel anymore. I believe it is called Care4Bag, but in the same location.

With four passengers, even with reduced fares for children, it won't cost much more to take a taxi than to use the metro. Frankly, the pickpocket problem has gotten so bad on the metro I would use a taxi anyway.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 12:00 AM
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Heimdall is right, if you spend the night in Athens then you should spend the day in Athens too. It is not just "a" city, it is the symbol city of ancient and modern Greece, where the past and the present intertwine in a perfect balance.

If you stay overnight in Athens proper, you may book some hotel near Monastiraki square, it is in the center and just next to Acropolis. Otherwise, just book some hotel in the center, the taxi price is cheap anyway.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 05:05 AM
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I'm really excited to see Athens - just hoping it won't be too much for my family but I think it sounds doable.

I was hoping to stay at the St Thomas B&B as it seems delightful but maybe it's better to stay in the middle of the city near some of the historical sights so we can crash without hightailing it back to Paiania at night.

Prefer the metro to a taxi to get to and from to the airport, unless it takes far longer, as I hate traffic and my kids get carsick and whiny.

If our flight home leaves Athens at 2:50 PM, what time would we need to be at the airport? This is a big consideration.

If we need to leave Athens around 10 AM to get to the airport in time to catch our flight, we might as well just head to the B&B late night before we leave.

But if we do that, how much time will we really have in Athens? I suppose if we fly in at about 12:30 and get into the city, we'll be in Athens by maybe 2? That leaves really only 2 to 7 to explore a bit before either staying in the center or heading to Paiania. It might be nice to have dinner in Athens before we leave - I understand the Greeks eat late-ish, so it would make sense to stay in Athens proper if we wanted to have dinner in Athens.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 06:21 AM
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With normal traffic conditions the taxi takes about 45 minutes from the airport to central Athens, and brings you directly to the hotel. You won't have to wait for the next metro train, which could be as long as 20 minutes or so, and not have to go up and down steps. The taxi will probably get you to your hotel quicker.

If you take the metro, and your hotel isn't near the metro stop, you may have a longish walk. Up to you of course, if you want to save a few euros and don't mind the extra effort.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 06:45 AM
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Thanks!!! Not worried too much about the euros - but 45 minutes in a car with my two monsters can be unbearable (they get so antsy).

The metro may actually be easier, especially since we are planning to leave our luggage at the airport.


I don't have to make that decision today, but I am going to book my Athens flight today and do it so we arrive in Athens that day instead of that night. I'm trying to figure out if it's best to take the first flight (9 AM) or the second (noon)

Because the Greeks dine late, we are thinking of trying to keep on Boston time (or near it) - wake up late, go to bed late, so we can really experience the culture.

I'd really like to see it and have eight months to figure out where to stay and what to do.

Any good centrally-located hotels near a metro stop?
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 07:35 AM
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If you prefer metro then stay near Syntagma metro station - it's near Acropolis and also have metro acces to Athens airport.

Book some hotel next to that metro station. For example, GK Athens apartment, or InnAthens, they have good reviews. Look for hotels on booking.com, put "Syntagma metro station" in the search box.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 08:21 AM
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Athens Gate location ideal w view of Acropolis, very well reviewed & recommended; we are considering it for October.

Overseas flights require at least two hours before flight time arrival.
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Old Jan 18th, 2017, 08:34 AM
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You might also consider Attalos hotel. They have some quad rooms for families. Its a couple hundred meters from Monestraki metro station and has a rooftop bar with a view of the acropolis. The central market is also just a couple of blocks away. I suspect the kids will get a kick out of all the stuff in there.

You can see the view from Attalos rooftop. They are the last two pictures on the first page of this album
Athens http://www.flickr.com/photos/stanbr5...7632121475515/
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