Choosing where to stay in Athens is not always easy, as there are many areas and neighbourhoods, and many accommodation options, most of them very cheap, unfortunately in the heart of the city, there are some areas that are not recommended for sleeping in Athens, although the city is very safe nowadays.
With this in mind, we want to give you a selection of the best neighbourhoods and areas so that you can get to know the city in a quiet and comfortable way, as well as being close to the essential places to visit in Athens.
Based on our visit to the city, during the trip to Greece in 32 days, in which we wrote this guide to Athens, we leave you a selection of places to stay in Athens and the best neighbourhoods and hotels. Let's get started!
Neighbourhoods where to stay in Athens
The first thing you should know is that Athens is made up of different districts and neighbourhoods. If we focus on the reality we could say that Athens are the neighbourhoods that make up the central area, and that would be Plaka, Anafiótika, Monastiraki, Thisseio, Keramikós, Psirí, Kolonaki, Syntagma Square, Omonia Square, and Exarhia as well as the neighbourhoods Pangrati, Výronas, Kessarianí, Ilíssia and Zoografou. From these are formed different districts that function as independent municipalities, although in practice they are also part of the city of Athens.
In this case and to talk about the best areas to stay in Athens, we will focus on the most central and the most famous neighbourhoods, which are where most of the tourist attractions are concentrated, although as we said before, we will also make special mention of the areas that despite being central, we believe that they are not the best places to stay in Athens.
1. Plaka, the most central area and the best place to stay in Athens
Plaka is undoubtedly the best place to stay in Athens as well as being one of the most atmospheric and charming areas of the city. Here you can lose yourself in cobbled streets where time seems to have stopped, enjoy shopping in craft shops and of course, taste the best gastronomy of the city in its incredible and wide range of restaurants.
You will also be at the foot of the city's main tourist attraction, which will allow you to visit the Acropolis of Athens first thing in the morning.
Note that despite being such a central area there is not a lot of accommodation, so it is important to book in advance if you want to have options and good prices as there are many travellers who choose Plaka as a place to stay in Athens.
The price of accommodation in Plaka is usually around 60 euros.
Recommended hotels in Plaka
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Plaka, taking into account the quality/price ratio:
Plaka, the historic centre and the best place to stay in Athens.
Monastiraki, another of the best areas to stay in Athens.
Known for being one of the liveliest neighbourhoods in Athens, Monastiraki is another of the best places to stay in Athensif you are looking to be close to everything, have multiple accommodation and dining options and also want to be close to the metro, as this is where you will find one of the stops on Line 3 which connects to the airport. You can find more information about this route in the post How to get from Athens airport to the centre.
Here you will find the impressive Monastiraki Square, which is one of the city's meeting points and its market, where you can enjoy not only some shopping but also its atmosphere and of course, its gastronomy in some of its nearby restaurants.
Monastiraki is also close to the Plaka neighbourhood, so you can easily get around the tourist area and be at the Acropolis in a few minutes walk, if you choose to sleep in Athens in this neighbourhood.
The price of accommodation in Monastiraki is usually around 50 euros.
Recommended hotels in Monastiraki
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Monastiraki:
Monastiraki, another of the best places to stay in Athens.
3. Syntagma Square, the most central area
Although it is not our favourite area to stay in Athens, it is important to keep in mind that in the city, the radius in which most tourist attractions are concentrated is relatively small and Syntagma Square is one of the most central areas of the city, so you can access all of them in a comfortable, quick and easy way.
Here you will find the Royal Palace, seat of the Greek Parliament, where the famous changing of the guard takes place every day, which is another of the things to do in Athens that you cannot miss.
It is also a shopping area with a wide range of restaurants, bars and cafes where you can take a break and enjoy the Greek cuisine, which is one of the best in the world.
And although in Athens you can easily walk to all the places of interest, if you want to go to the airport by public transport, this is the best area to stay in Athens, as the metro is direct to the Syntagma Square stop.
The price of accommodation in Syntagma Square is usually around 50 euros.
Recommended hotels in Syntagma Square
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Syntagma Square:
Syntagma Square, the most central area to stay in Athens.
4. Piraeus, the best area if you want to sleep close to the harbour
If you're looking to sleep near the port in Athens, the best area to do so is undoubtedly Piraeus. Here you'll be just a stone's throw from the arrival and departure of the ferries that will take you to the best Greek islands and it's the best place to stay in Athens if your ferry arrives late at night or leaves very early in the morning.
Please note that the area does not have any tourist attractions, so we only recommend it if you need to be in the area because of the boat schedules, as we did when we stayed here for one night during our trip to Greece on our own.
The price of accommodation in Piraeus is usually around 30-40 euros.
Recommended hotels in Piraeus
Here are the most recommended options we have found for accommodation in Piraeus:
Piraeus, the best area if you want to sleep near the harbour
5. Omonia Square and Metaxourgeio, the places NOT to stay in Athens.
Although we did not stay or even walk around the Omonia and Metaxourgeio areas, they were not recommended to us as places to stay in Athens. It is important to bear this in mind because although the prices may be cheaper in some cases, from what we were told and especially at night, the atmosphere is not very good, something we think it is best to avoid. Considering that there are many better places to stay in Athens and that prices are relatively cheap in most cases, we recommend you avoid these areas so you don't get any unpleasant surprises.
Hotels overlooking the Acropolis in Athens
We know that many travellers are looking for accommodation in Athens with a view of the Acropolis, one of the most important places in the city and even in the country. That is why we want to give you a list of what we consider to be the best options if you want to enjoy unique and unforgettable views.
Hotels with a view of the Acropolis of Athens
Our recommended accommodation where to stay in Athens
During our visit to the city we stayed at the Phaedra Hotel in the Plaka district, 5 minutes from the Acropolis Museum and the Temple of Zeus. In addition to its superb location and stunning views of the Acropolis, it is one of the best value for money hotels in the city, making it one of the best places to stay in Athens.
Besides this, in the Piraeus area, we stayed at the Anemoni Hotel, very close to the port, very comfortable and with very professional staff.
After our experience, when we return to Athens, we would definitely stay in Plaka again, as it is one of the liveliest areas of the city and also one of the most charming and with a wide range of restaurants, which makes it one of the best areas to stay in Athens.
Best Hotels in Athens
In addition to all the places to stay in Athens that we have recommended in this post, if you want to enjoy an unforgettable stay in the city and treat yourself, these options we believe are the best to enjoy a few unique days in the city.
Sunset on Mount Lycabettus in Athens
Tips for finding cheap accommodation in Athens
After talking about the best areas and neighbourhoods to sleep in Athens, we would like to give you some tips and recommendations to make the search and selection of your hotel easy and comfortable and, above all, suitable for your trip and needs.
As we have already mentioned, the best areas to stay in Athens are Plaka, Monasteraki and Syntagma, in that order. Keep in mind that they are all very central and close together, so whichever one you choose, you'll be within walking distance of most of the city's tourist attractions.
Although accommodation in Athens is cheap, if you are travelling in high season or for a weekend, it is important to book in advance to get the best prices.
Remember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate, we recommend you use the Revolut card and the N26 card- they are free and will save you a lot of money.
Once you have found the ideal place to sleep in Athens you can organise your routes around the city with the following guides and posts:
15 must-see places to visit in Athens
50 things to do in Athens
Athens in one day
Athens in two days
Athens in 3 days
Top 10 tours and excursions from Athens
Where to eat in Athens: 10 recommended restaurants
10 must-visit Athens travel tips
The best free free tours in Athens in English
How to get from Athens airport to the city centre
How to get from Athens to Santorini (ferry or flight)
