Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy, please confirm event/venue details in advance.
COUNTRY CODE:
Dial +30 for Greece
FROM THE AIRPORT
Car Hire :
Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +30 210 353 3321. Open 7.30am-9pm seven days a week.
Train :
Trains run from the airport to Larissis in the centre, with connections to the inter-city rail and metro systems.
Taxi :
The fare is about €20-€25 to Athens.
Bus :
Five express buses offer round-the-clock services: E92 to Kifissia, E93 Kifissos Avenue inter-city bus depot, E95 Syntagma Square, E96 Piraeus and E97 Dafni metro station. The E94 from Ethniki Amyna metro station also runs from 6am-midnight. An intercity bus from Rafina serves the airport from 6am-9.20pm.
(36-38 Laodikis Street, Glyfada. Tel. 210 964 4434) The name of this brightly coloured, red-toned eatery says it all—delicious burgers and array of other tasty dishes.
(58 Voutadon Street, Gazi. Tel. 210 346 2092) A trendy, industrial-looking restaurant where the pasta and pizza are served until late (2am). This is a great 'after' restaurant, as they are known in Athens.
(18 Filellinon Street. Tel. 210 325 2758) This internationally acclaimed chain serves up a menu of classic American dishes, with generous-sized portions to match. Opt for the legendary 10oz burger if you dare! Don't forget to visit www.hardrock.com exclusive access to concerts on Hard Rock's Ambassadors of Rock Tour.
(5 Pyrronos Street, Pagrati. Tel. 210 752 0658) Long considered the best restaurant in Athens, if not the entire country, the Michelin guide has recently confirmed Spondi's supremacy, under the guidance of French chef Eric Fréchon (of Paris' Hotel Bristol), by making it Greece's first-ever restaurant to be awarded two Michelin stars.
(58 Syngrou Avenue, Fix. Tel. 210 924 2444) Mainstream club with a smart-casual crowd and an easy-going, friendly attitude at the door, in spite of the array of Porsches parked outside.
On the ground
Shop
Sporos literally gives stuff away. A fair-trade emporium (one of a handful in Athens), the main items on sale are coffee, tea, chocolate and pasta, but it also runs an 'exchange' bazaar of second-hand items you can take without charge (21 Spirou Trikoupi, Exarhia).
Insider Tip
Lake Vouliagmeni, a mineral spa fed by hot spring that remains at a steady 24C all through the year, lets you enjoy May beach weather without enduring sea water that's still chilly after the winter.
Key Area
A tree-lined suburb filled with plush villas, Kifissia's centre is ideal for shopping, lunch, coffee or an evening out. Head for Kefalari Square, flanked by cafés, bars and restaurants on every side.
This month
The National Art Gallery has a special exhibition all this month on painter Nikolaos Lytras, one of the most important advocates of modern art in Greece (1 Mihalakopoulou & 50 Vassileos Konstantinou. Tel. 210 723 5857).
Day Tripping
Vravrona
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A half-hour drive from Athens, Vravrona is on the east coast of Attica between the busy seaside towns of Artemida and Porto Rafti. Chief among its charms is the ancient temple of Artemis, notable for its sculptures of children—quite rare in ancient Greece—and its beaches.
No way!
Yuri the dog guards the Vinyl Microstore on Didotou Street. A well-known figure in the city, the Yuria annual festival is organised in his honour.
