winkwinx

Hello Everyone,

I need some recommendations on where to stay in Athens on September. It will be my 3rd week in Europe by Sept 15, and most likely will be coming from Rome(90% sure as of now). My friends will arrive to Athens on Sept 15 around noon time and we will be getting the earliest ferry next day 7:00 out of Rafina port to Mykonos. I looked at flights from Rome to Athens, and the flights that are arriving around or before noon time costs $500+. The flights later are cheaper, although I wouldn't want to keep my friends waiting for me as they will be coming from a long international flight. I don't mind flying in the day earlier but with this I don't know where to stay. Is staying one night in central(solo) then one night by Rafina (with friends) a good plan? I figured they can drop their bags while we try to do a little sight seeing on the day they arrive then take a bus to Rafina by evening for early am ferry.
Any inputs will help.
Thank you.

brotherleelove2004

Your friends will more than likely be exhausted after a long international flight. No need to go into Central Athens for a bus. You can all meet up at the airport and go straight to Rafina. There's a bus from the airport that only takes about 30 minutes. Relax that evening in Rafina. The Avra Hotel and Corali Hotel are within walking distance to the ferry port.

Heimdall

Rafina is a nice place to stay before an early ferry to Mykonos, especially when going straight from the airport, but in your case it may not be the best plan. As i understand it, you will arrive a day earlier than your friends, and want to stay in central Athens that first night — so far, so good. You then plan to meet your friends the next day, drop off their bags, sightsee in Athens for the rest of the day, then all take the bus to Rafina and check into a hotel there. That will be a very long day for your jet-lagged friends!

How about this: take the early morning ferry from Piraeus instead of Rafina. That way you can all stay in Athens (you both nights) and not have to worry about getting to Rafina later in the day. It will be easier on your jet-lagged friends to check into their hotel first thing rather than after a long day of sightseeing.

There is a Blue Star ferry leaving Piraeus for Mykonos every morning at 07:30. It's easy to get to Piraeus by metro from central Athens, especially if you stay near Monastiraki Station (Plaka area). The ferry takes a scenic route along the Attica coast, stops at Syros and Tinos, then arrives on Mykonos at 12:45.

Heimdall

Here is a third alternative: take a ferry to Mykonos the afternoon of your friends' arrival. If they are arriving around noon you should have time to make the 14:30 Sea Jets catamaran, which takes only 2 hours to Mykonos. If not, there are other ferries leaving around 5:30 pm, arriving on Mykonos about 10 pm. Your friends can rest on the ferry, and you will be there in time for the Mykonos nightlife.

clausar

Should you overnight in Rafina, take a taxi and go for lunch or dinner to Balkoni, a nice restaurant on the top of a hill with a
magnificent view over the beach of Kokkino Limanaki.
( it is 5 min away by taxi from the port)

winkwinx

Thank you everyone.
I think we ruled out taking the ferry from Piraeus bec of costs (not much of a prob for me but my friends would like to stay within their budget). Also taking the ferry the day they arrive.
From the looks of it, the sightseeing part on the day that they arrive, we will just play it by ear, so most likely I will just meet them back to airport but yes, I would like to stay in central Athens since I am arriving the day before.
Thank you for your comments, been very helpful!