Hi Everyone,

Will be debarking from cruise ship early Sat morning in October and have a 6 am flight home the following day.

Looking for a centrally located hotel that is relatively inexpensive (less than $150 ?) that also provides super early morning transport to the airport. Willing to pay for transport.

Also, if you just had one day in Athens, what would you do?

Thanks,
Pat

Every hotel can call you a taxi for 4am.
As to the places to visit, it's really up to your interests.
Most people visit:
Acropolis Museum - Acropolis - Nea Agora - Thission,
Greek National Museum,
Byzantine Museum, Benaki Museum or Cycladic Museum,
Plaka and it's souvenir shops,
Pnyx or Lycabettos Hill,
Kapnikarea and small Mitroupoli Churches

We're in a similar situation this September. On our way home, we will stay in a hotel at (attached to) the airport, drop our bags and take the metro into Athens and back to the hotel that evening. This means I don't have to get up quite so early for our long flight home. Getting up early is not a problem for my husband.

But we've been in Athens before and will stay there a few nights before embarkation.

IMHO the number one sight in Athens is the Acropolis followed by the Acropolis Museum. After these two there are lots of options, depends on your interests. Scan some guidebooks for suggestions, look at videos. And I suspect there will be plenty of suggestions here.

Obviously the Acropolis and surrounding areas are the top choices of visiting . . . but there is also Plaka, Monistiraki Square and side streets off of it, Anafiotika, the Central Markets on Athinas St., Psiri District and lots more. With your time frame the Acropolis, Agora and Kerimikos Cemetery may be what you can do along with the Plaka Area.

Lots of options for accommodations but my go-to-choice every time in Athens is the Attalos Hotel on Athinas St. which is close to everything one goes to Athens for. Another option is the Hotel Cecil just up the street. Both are basic, clean, safe with the Attalos having one of the best roof-top bars/gardens in Athens with outstanding views of the Acropolis and all of Athens.

Some hotels may offer transportation to the airport but for the most part you are on your own . . . either taxi or Metro. However with a 6 a.m. flight a taxi will cost a minimum of 55 euros at that time of the morning. Metro doesn't start until 5:30 a.m. If you are two or more then a taxi may be worth the price. A bus from Syntagma Square will be far less expensive but a bit more of challenge to deal with.

You really need a minimum of 2-3 days to experience Athens.