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Athens offers a solid mix of city life and access to better suburbs. Northern areas like Doukisis Plakentias, Glyfada, Kifisia, and Marousi are recommended for higher quality of life—cleaner, safer, with metro access to the center in 15 minutes. Rents and food are very affordable; nice apartments go for cheap, and meals like souvlaki are tasty and inexpensive. Locals are friendly and direct, food is a highlight, and Wi-Fi is surprisingly fast at 500 Mbps down in Airbnbs.
The center has beautiful spots like Monastiraki and the Acropolis, plus decent nightlife, but areas like Omonia and Exarcheia feel depressing, dirty, and sketchy—avoid walking alone at night. Social scene is weak for meeting people. Not much to do long-term, but great for short stays or weekend island hops. Overall, live in suburbs for the best experience.
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23 days ago
I have really enjoyed Athens. The food here is really good and cheap. You can find cheap places that are really nice to stay in. For example, I got a really nice two-bedroom apartment in the heart of Athens for $100 a night through Airbnb.
The Wi-Fi speed here is good as well, in an Airbnb. The download speed was 500 Mbps, and the upload was 250 Mbps, which is better than what I have at home in the US. If you're seeking a weekend getaway, it's really easy to just fly to an island. It's not insanely touristy, at least in the wintertime. However, the social scene here is not great, I would say. And it's a bit harder to meet people if that's what you're going for
25 days ago
The center is beautiful; Monastiraki, Psyri, etc. But the city is a complete mess. Nothing really works as it should, but this is to be expected by a Mediterranean city so close to Asia. The non-center areas like Omonia an Exarcheia are so depressing... Ugly, full of junkies and shady people. We never felt in danger, but the looks were a bit not nice - I can't imagine a girl walking alone at night on those streets. I thought food was great but a bit samey: souvlaki, gyros, moussaka, salads... Everything tastes the same. I absolutely LOVED Greek people. The musicality when they speak, how loud they are, how direct and special. It's difficult to explain. It made me want to see more of Greece, but I don't think Athens is it. It's worth to spend a few days just to visit the Acropolis, it is truly stunning. I found the museums to be big but lacking in 'major' pieces. Nightlife was much better than expected. And women are beautiful: they have the typical tall, curly hair, big nose women with an attitude. And they dress up also.
4 months ago
Athens is a fantastic city. Locals are friendly and food is fantastic. There isn't a huge amount to do, but for a short stay it's definitely worth the visit.
3 years ago
I am a Greek living abroad just the last couple of years. I accidentally discovered this page and noticed the comments below. What I can recommend to people considering living in Athens is to explore places a bit outside of the city center. I agree with people that there are many areas very close to the city center that are dirty and perhaps not very safe to walk around at night. Explore areas like Glyfada, Voula, Kifisia, Marousi, Psychiko, Marousi and you will be amazed with how different it is! The quality of life in such areas area way way WAY better than what you get by living in the city center. If you don't have a car, top tip would be to find a place with a metro station nearby.
4 years ago
Athens is a great city; much to do! It offers a balance of daily life and nightlife. Rents are extremely reasonable. Two of my colleagues and I decided to live in the northern suburbs near metro stations called Doukisis Plakentias. 15 minute underground ride to Athens centre. Mt. Pentelis which is very nearby offers and great trekking paths and clean air for those who love to be close to nature as well as close to the city. Nice shopping area too, like Halandri. Great restaurants, cafes, etc., expensive and cheap. All around great place to live and work! No complaints here!
5 years ago
Like all cities that have lots of tourists, it's best to explore a little and get off the well beaten track. There are literally thousands of small cafes and bars that have free, fast WiFi, cheap coffee and good kebabs.
If you stay in the absolute cheapest part of town, you will get a different vibe. There are a lot of AirBnB springing up and in the off-season these are very reasonably priced.
I can't understand how you could be bored in Athens. So many places to see, so many museums and historic sites, beaches, clubs, mountains, markets and...
Check out some of the closer islands, but steer clear of the ones frequented by Cruise Ships like Mykonos and Santorini. The prices in these places are not really reflective of the rest of the country.
6 years ago
Pretty decent place. I usually spend September and October in Athens when the weather is close to perfect ie. not too hot nor too cold for yours truly.
You can get easily by with nothing but English, though tossing an occasional συγνώμε and παρακαλώ in the mix helps. That, of course, as long as you stay in the pricey parts of the city.
With a bit of luck and some advance planning Athens can be extremely affordable. There are Airbnb listings quite far away from the center, yet close to a metro station -- for less than 800€ per month you can get a two bedrooms + a kitchen + a large balcony next to a reasonably quiet street.
This, of course, works only for those who are more or less busy working from Monday to Friday. For something resembling more like a tourist visit, you'll be paying at least twice for a flat near the center and quite likely end up in somewhere with plenty of motorcycle noises to keep you awake all night, every night.
6 years ago
Great for 2 days to a week. No longer is needed. Was there for a month and frequently went to islands due to Athens being dirty, touristy, and somewhat boring. Foods good though!
7 years ago
Athens is a very interesting city. It is very large, a bit like Tbilisi, very hot in the summer. Refugees everywhere, but everyone is friendly
7 years ago
Athens is very diverse, which is great. As a black digital nomad, it was nice to be treated like a person for the most part rather than as a strange animal. This is more than I can say for so much of Europe. The city has not been well taken care of in recent years, but it is still very charming, as are the people. Almost everyone smokes here and it is difficult to find a completely smoke-free work location. The public transportation system is decent and the facilities are clean. WiFi is pretty fast as well and available in most places.
7 years ago
People and food are just lovely in Greece. Would argue that Greeks are the most friendly and welcoming people in Europe. The city is a disaster. Overrun by migrants, run down by the government, empty buildings and gratifies everywhere. Not far from city center (10min by feet) it feels more like a third world country than Europe.
7 years ago