Everyone knows of Athens. A city of myths and monuments, impulsive gods and ancient glory. But do you really know Athens? As our historic capital heralds a brand-new age, entrepreneurs, creatives, and visionaries are building the city they aspire to live in—a city that will surprise, delight and inspire you.
We could give you 100 reasons to choose Athens. But here's our easy ten.
In Athens, you’re midway between Europe, Asia, and Africa. The award-winning Athens International Airport keeps adding new airlines and destinations year after year. Our international carrier, Aegean Airlines, services 80 destinations in 41 countries. Getting around town is also a breeze: you can be standing at the birthplace of democracy and drama after breakfast, and lunching on grilled octopus on a Greek island a couple of hours later.
Imagine a city where for most of the year a swim is just a short tram ride away. With an average 300 days of sunshine a year, Athens is warm and welcoming (and that includes the locals). It’s also one of the safest and most budget-friendly capitals in Europe. In fact, Athens proves that the best things in life – sun, sea, and good company – are free.
When Athens hosted the 2004 Olympics, we proved that we know how to get things done. And we showed the world that hospitality is in our nature. Meeting planners and business travellers love Athens. It’s not a sprawling metropolis where the convention facilities are miles outside the city limits. Here, you’ll be immersed in the vibrant Athenian lifestyle, whether your venue is an historic museum, a converted gasworks, or a 5-star resort with distracting views of the Aegean.
History and culture are as ingrained in the fabric of Athens as marble and mortar. You can walk in the open-air school where Aristotle taught philosophy or watch an ancient Greek drama in a Roman amphitheatre. Alongside the World Heritage monuments and magnificent museums is a twenty-first-century cultural powerhouse, featuring arts festivals, outdoor cinemas, and an ever-changing canvas of street art. So it’s hardly surprising that Athens was crowned UNESCO World Book Capital in 2018.
Athens has always been ahead of the curve. Democracy, geometry, astronomy, philosophy, and just about every other –ology or –osophy you can think of was invented here. Now a fresh wave of talented creatives is drawing international attention to Greek fashion and design brands. International artists and curators are settling in Athens, eager to tap into the city’s new creative edge.
Athens has always had an entrepreneurial spirit. The digital economy, and a more flexible business landscape, have created a thriving startup scene. Venture capitalists have been quick to invest in the city’s highly skilled software engineers, programmers, and designers, many of them graduates from Athens world-class universities. A European Investment Fund, boosted by private capital, will pump around 400 million euros into Greek startups and small businesses in the next five years. No wonder Athens was named European Capital of Innovation for 2018.
Sure, extended family meals and taverna culture are time-honoured rituals as unshakeable as the Parthenon. But young Greek chefs have introduced global influences to the local dining scene, and mixologists are using native ingredients to shake up Athens’ legendary cocktail culture. Sip your Aegean Tonic on a roof terrace overlooking the Acropolis. Pull up a chair and chat with locals on a cobblestone square. Or dance deep into the small hours at a seaside club. If New York is the city that never sleeps, Athens is the city that never stops…
Athens is the only European capital with a coastline adorned with Blue Flag beaches. Less than an hour from the Acropolis are translucent beaches where you can swim, sail, surf, or water-ski almost year-round. From jet-set marinas to pine-fringed peninsulas, pristine sands to pumping beach clubs, a day trip to the Athens Riviera is like dipping your toes into the Greek island lifestyle. For a real holiday vibe, set sail on luxury cruise around the Temple of Poseidon, where the mythical sunsets inspired George Seferis and Lord Byron to wax lyrical.
So, you just dropped into Athens for a short business trip. Too bad you won't get to any islands, right? Wrong. Some of the loveliest Greek islands are just a short ferry ride away. In an hour or two, you could be gazing up at the ancient temple of Aphaia on Aegina, diving off the rocky coastline of car-free Hydra, eating lobster spaghetti with the yachting set on Kea, or cycling past bougainvillaea-draped mansions on Spetses. Athens is connected to the fabled Greek islands through the ports of Piraeus, Rafina, and Lavrio, all easily accessible by car or public transport.
Athens is a delightful paradox: a buzzing metropolis with a laid-back lifestyle. The streets are filled with cafes and bars, and these cafes and bars are filled with people having a good time. If you’re one of the 5.5 million people who will visit Athens this year, you'll fit right into this sociable scene. Most locals speak English fluently, and many of us are confident speaking other languages too. So, you’ll have no trouble making new friends in Athens. In our lively conversations, we may get some words wrong, but we sure know how to live right.