Book cheap flights to Athens

The best time to visit Athens would have to be during spring and early summer (May – mid June). The late summer in Athens can get extremely hot and uncomfortable, and as it is the main tourist period, you are guaranteed to encounter long queues and overcrowded attractions everywhere. Another great time to visit is in autumn (October – mid-November) as it is less crowded then too. Luckily, Athens never experiences bad weather (an average winter day is 14°C!) so you’ll be perfectly fine to book your holiday over the colder season as well. During these times, affordable flights and accommodation to Athens are more readily available, and you’re guaranteed good deals.

South Africans who wish to visit Athens need to apply for a Schengen Visa as Greece falls under this visa. You will need to apply at the Greek Embassy for your Schengen Visa.

You will need two photographs, proof of residence in Athens, flight tickets, bank statements and various other documents to complete your application. Passports may not be older than 10 years, must have 2 blank pages and be valid for at least 3 months beyond your date of departure from the Schengen state.

For more information, contact the Embassy of Greece:

323 North Village Lane Hilside Lynwood Pretoria South Africa

Tel: ( 27) 12 348 2352 / ( 27) 12 348 2427

Fax: ( 27) 12 430 4313

Athens is one of the most visited cities in the world and for this reason, the security has been made a top priority by officials. As you can imagine, as it does get very busy over the summer season, and it is important to watch out for petty criminals as they might target your wallets or expensive cameras. One area to be aware of is Omonia Square as there are some homeless people there that have been known to beg for money and food.

It is always important to have your vaccines up to date when you are travelling. When visiting Athens, it is recommended to get a vaccination for hepatitis A if you think you’ll be eating any exotic food and then also a shot for Rabies if you plan to spend some time doing adventurous activities.

Athens is a huge city and can get a bit loud at times, especially after a long day of sightseeing. For this reason, you might want to opt for a more quiet area such as Plaka. Plaka is still a very touristy area, but it is a lot more laid back and quiet in comparison to downtown Athens. Another option would be Syntagma which offers a similar feel. Both of these areas are safe, in walking distance to all the main attractions and close to cafes and restaurants that lure you in with their delicious aromas.

Athens has a fantastic public transportation system that is affordable and easy to navigate. You can buy one ticket (for one day, three days or a week, depending) and use this on all of the public transport options, except for the airport shuttles.

There are quite a few options to use to get around in Athens. There are buses, trolleybuses, trams, the metro and an above-ground train system as well.

We recommend that you use the metro to travel in the city, as the instructions are easy to understand and all the signs are clearly marked and in English. For the more scenic, no-rush route, use the tram to enjoy the sights.