Living Here
Practical information, local tips, ways in for newcomers, the apps worth having and the people who show Athens as it is.
Practical Info10 guidesEverything you need to know before and during your trip to Athens.Local Tips4 tipsA few things that will save you time, money or a headache.Expats11 routes inMoving somewhere is not the same as visiting it.Apps12 appsA short list that actually earns its space on your phone.Local Voices1 channelPeople who live here and put it online.Delivery and shopping14 servicesefood, Wolt, Box, supermarkets, Skroutz and the big shops.Summer and winter sales2 seasonsThe 2027 dates, Sundays shops may open and your rights.Accessible Athens70 factsStep free sights, metro lifts, airport help and beaches with sea access.
Practical Info
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Practical InfoShop Opening HoursMost independent shops open around 09:00 and close at 14:00 or 15:00.Practical InfoThe Afternoon Quiet, SiestaThe afternoon quiet, mesimeri, runs roughly 15:00 to 17:30.Practical InfoBanks, Pharmacies and MuseumsBanks open Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 14:30 and Friday 08:00 to 14:00, and close at weekends.
Practical InfoPublic and Bank HolidaysFixed dates: 1 January, 6 January, 25 March, 1 May, 15 August, 28 October, 25 and 26 December.Local Tips
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Local TipsBook a Driver, Don't Flag a CabFor the airport or day trips, arranging a known driver in advance sidesteps the language barrier and the meter versus flat fee guessing game entirely.
Local TipsWatch Your Bag Where the Sidewalk NarrowsPickpockets favor tight, crowded pinch points: a kiosk squeezed against a postcard rack, a packed metro carriage, the Acropolis ticket queue.
Local TipsOrder Like a Local: Baked at Lunch, Grilled at NightGreek kitchens serve casserole dishes like moussaka and pastitsio at midday, and fire up the grill after dark.
Local TipsStep Off the Main Drag to Eat WellA menu with photos, several languages, or a host waving you in from the street are classic signs of a tourist priced restaurant.Expats
More in Expats ›ExpatsMeetup, AthensThe busiest thing going, and free to browse.ExpatsInterNations AthensThe more formal end of the expat scene, aimed at people who have relocated for work.ExpatsA note on meeting singlesThe honest answer is that the mixed social nights work better than anything aimed explicitly at dating.ExpatsGreek lessonsThe Hellenic American Union runs Modern Greek courses for foreigners alongside its English and professional programmes, and is one of the longest established options in…
Apps
More in Apps ›AppsMoovitThe one to install first.AppsGoogle MapsReliable for walking and driving, and it now carries public transport times in Athens as well.AppsFerryhopperThe easiest way to compare ferry routes, operators and prices, and to book.AppsFreeNow, Bolt and UberAll three work in Greece and all three dispatch licensed taxis at the regulated meter rate, so you are not gambling on a fare.
Photo credits on this page
- Shop Opening Hours: Photo: JFKennedy at English Wikipedia, Public domain (PD-user), via Wikimedia Commons
- Public and Bank Holidays: Photo: Dimorsitanos, CC BY-SA 3.0 (also offered under GFDL), via Wikimedia Commons
- Book a Driver, Don't Flag a Cab: Photo: Badseed, CC BY-SA 3.0 (also offered under GFDL), via Wikimedia Commons
- Watch Your Bag Where the Sidewalk Narrows: Photo: CHMunro, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Order Like a Local: Baked at Lunch, Grilled at Night: Photo: Miyagawa, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Step Off the Main Drag to Eat Well: Photo: JFKennedy at English Wikipedia, Public domain (PD-user), via Wikimedia Commons