In this article you will find out how to save money in Athens! You will find 10 tips here to save lots of money during your stay in this wonderful city!
1. See the Acropolis from the Aeropagus Hill
For some people the Acropolis is free, for example when you're a European citizen under 25 years. However, if you're not one of the people who can have a free access, it will cost €20,-. If you don't want to pay this, you can still enjoy the Acropolis for free! There are many places in the city from which you can get a great view of the Acropolis. Especially when it's dark outside, the Acropolis looks magical, because then it's illuminated. A great way to see the Acropolis is to go to the Aeropagus Hill. You can go there for free and it's located next to the Acropolis. Furthermore, you will also get an epic panoramic view over the city from there! Therefore, to save money in Athens, you should really go here!
2. Buy an Acropolis Combo pass
Wondering how to save money in Athens on sights? The Acropolis Combo Pass is €30,- and valid for 5 days. You can go to many things in the city with this pass. For example, you can enter the Acropolis, the ancient Agora, Hadrian's Library and many other sights and museums. If you want to go to many places in Athens that require an entry fee, this is really a great way to save some money. Moreover, since the Acropolis alone costs €20,-, it's definitely a great deal!
3. Go to Panathenaic Stadium
For most sights in Athens you need to pay a large entrance fee, but not at the Panathenaic Stadium! Tickets only cost you €5 or €2.50 (if you are a student or older than 65 years)! Therefore, it's a great way to see a very impressive piece of Athens and experience the history a bit without paying a lot of money.
4. Save money in Athens for public transport
Want to know how to save money in Athens on public transport? There are two types of discount cards for the public transport in Athens. The first one is a three-day tourist ticket which includes a return trip to the airport. This will cost you €20,-. Moreover, the second one is a five-day ticket for the public transport in Athens, but then without a return trip to the airport. This one will cost you €8,20. However, if you're staying in the center you probably won't need public transport, since everything is pretty walkable! Therefore, especially when you're not staying in the center these are great options!
5. Save money in Athens while experiencing the history
One of the most impressive things of Athens is the amazing history. Even though there are many places where you can learn about the history, such as museums and some interesting sights, you can also experience the history by just walking through the city! Everywhere you walk, you will stumble upon the most interesting pieces of history. It's very impressive, because it's all located in the center next to the shops, restaurants and other places where the daily life takes place! Furthermore, it will remind you of the amazing rich history of the city.
6. Visit Athens during the off-season
Even though not everybody is in the situation to choose when to visit Athens, it will save you lots of money if you can! During off-season, a trip to this city is much cheaper! Firstly, the accommodations are much more affordable then. Also, during off-season you can visit the Acropolis for free on Sundays! It's also less warm these months, so that can also be an advantage and it will save the cost of sunscreen! Okay, not buying sunscreen might not be the most effective way to save money. However, during off-season there are many other things that are cheaper.
7. Get a free view over the city
Even though you need to pay to get a view over the city at some places, there are also many places where you won't have to pay! For example, Lycabettus Hill is an awesome place to go for breathtaking views. You can go up by cable car, but you need to buy a ticket for that. Therefore, another great way to save money is to climb the hill by yourself! It saves money and in my opinion it makes the whole experience of going there even better! Even though the cable car might be fun, it's also fun to climb a bit and it's a great workout as well!
8. Save money in Athens with your accommodation
There are many luxury hotels at great locations in Athens with great views. However, an accommodation with a great view doesn't have to be expensive at all! I'd highly recommend comparing many hotels here, or to search for an apartment via Airbnb. I stayed in an apartment with a gorgeous panoramic view over Athens for about €35,- a night!
9. Stay at a place with a kitchen
The Greek cuisine is amazing and I'd definitely recommend going to restaurants when you're in Athens. However, if you're on a budget it's definitely a good idea to rent an apartement with a kitchen. Then, you can choose when to cook something yourself and when to go to a restaurant. Even though the restaurants in Athens aren't expensive at all compared to restaurants in other countries, it will still be more affordable to cook yourself!
10. Go for a swim at Agios Kosmas
Do you love swimming and do you want to know how to save money in Athens if you want to swim? If you're looking for a place to swim, you can stay at a hotel with a beautiful swimming pool. You can also go to a beach where you need to pay an entrance fee. However, you can go to the beach Agios Kosmas as well! It's free to go here and it's a lovely place to swim. If you do this, you can save lots of money on hotels with pools and swimming areas with an entrance fee.
Click here if you want to have an overview of free things to do in Athens.
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