Fodor's Travel Talk Forums - February Trip to Athens, First Time Visit

Hey everyone,

My husband and I just snagged some flights from Miami to Athens for $360, so we made an impromptu decision to head to Athens in early February for 6 nights / 5 days (we are also doing 5 nights in Istanbul). We are really excited to explore and hope that the winter season will mean fewer crowds. We are originally from Chicago, so I'm not too worried about the winter weather. However, I know next to nothing about Athens, so need to absorb a lot in a short amount of time. A few questions at this early stage...

1) We used Hyatt points to book 6 nights at the Grand Hyatt. I'm very excited about the free stay, but not so excited about the location. In addition to walking, what is going to be best way to get around? Metro pass? Are taxis fairly affordable? Is Uber common? If anyone has stayed here, I would love to hear about your experience!

2) We will be in Athens for the First Sunday Free Day (Sunday, Feb 6). A few questions on this...I am kind of assuming that crowds won't be too big of a problem even on the free day given that it's early Feb? Am I wrong here? Assuming crowds aren't a problem, any suggestions on maximizing this benefit? Based on my limited research, it seems like most tickets are half price this time of year anyway. If crowds will be crazy despite the season, how crazy should we expect it to be? Better to avoid altogether?

3) Any special tips or suggestions or hidden gems for visiting in the winter?

4) Fully vaccinated and will be getting our booster in late January. This will be our first international trip since Covid. We will have our CDC card, but is there a way to basically register our CDC to get the EU equivalent? I'm assuming many attractions and restaurants will require proof of vaccination, but again, just beginning to dive in on this trip.

TIA and I'm sure I'll be back with more questions as I learn/plan more! Other than archeological sites and museums, we are also hoping to be able to hike up Mount Lycabettu (weather permitting), visit central market, take a cooking class, do a food/walking tour, explore the more scenic neighborhoods.