A Layover in Athens: Making the Most of Your Time at the Airport
This Athens Airport layover guide has been created in collaboration with Bounce – your worldwide luggage storage provider.
Visiting Athens
Athens is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in Europe. Now the capital of the modern nation of Greece, Athens has a glorious history that stretches back to the golden age of the Greek city-state when it was the home of famous philosophers like Plato and Socrates and the birthplace of Western democracy.
That incredible history is a big part of what draws millions of visitors to Athens every year. But that’s not all that brings people here. Athens also offers generally great weather, exceptional food, and surprisingly warm hospitality for a European capital.
Plus, Athens can also make a great gateway to explore the rest of Greece, including its many beautiful islands.
None of that, though, is immediately apparent at Athens Airport.
Athens Airport
It’s not that Athens Airport is particularly bad as far as airports go. In fact, on a worldwide scale, it’s actually rated quite well. It’s just that, with so much to see and do in the city beyond, it’s hard to spend time staring at the departure screen or browsing duty-free.
Therefore, if you find yourself with a layover in Athens, you may want to take advantage of the airport’s proximity to the city it serves to get out and see more of the Greek capital.
The length of your layover will determine how much you can realistically do to keep yourself entertained. But no matter what your plans are, you’ll find it much easier to make the most of your time if you leave your bags behind at an Athens Airport luggage storage. Having your bags safely stored in a central location will make it much easier to enjoy your time in the airport or in the surrounding area while you wait for your flight.
How to make the most of your Athens airport layover
If your layover is shorter than, say, three hours, it’s not a great idea to leave the terminal. After all, you never know what delays you may run into at security, and you don’t need to be stressed about making your next flight. So if you only have a couple of hours to kill, it’s better to stick to the airport itself.
Not too many international airports have their own ancient history museum, but it may not be all that surprising to find that Athens does. Located on level II of the main terminal building, this small museum displays the archaeological finds that were uncovered during the building of the airport.
In Greece, and especially in Athens, you can hardly stick a shovel in the ground without striking some priceless archaeological artefact, so it’s good to know that these impressive pieces are safely looked after and shared with travellers at the airport.
If you’re traveling with kids, Athens Airport also offers a playground area on the main terminal’s second floor. The airport has free Wi-Fi and Internet kiosks, so you can get some work done or plan your next trip online. There are also shops where you can buy everything from electronics to fashion to, of course, the ubiquitous duty-free, along with a good range of restaurants offering not only Greek cuisine but also international flavours from around the world.
Sights near the airport
Now, let’s say you have a little longer to spend until your next flight – and your layover at Athens Airport is at least five to six hours. In that case, you’ll probably still want to stay nice and close so that you don’t miss your next flight, but you can afford to expand your horizons and actually leave the terminal.
Attica Zoological Park functions as the main zoo of the city, and it’s only around 15 minutes by car from the airport. This is another great option if you’re traveling with kids, and you can easily hire a taxi to take you there and back without spending too much money.
Another good option if you can’t get enough of the ancient past is to take a short trip from the airport to the archaeological site of Brauron. Housing several temples and shrines to the Olympian gods along with an archaeological museum that will explain what you’re seeing, these atmospheric ruins are close to the sea and, because they are a little bit outside the city itself, are often far less busy than more famous monuments, meaning you can really enjoy the historic atmosphere without big crowds.
Athens city centre
If you have more than five hours before your next flight, what are you waiting for? Athens is way too fun and fascinating a city to spend that long at the airport.
Athens Airport is connected to the city’s Metro Line 3, which can bring you to Monastiraki or Syntagma stations in the heart of the city in around 45 minutes. Often, in this traffic-ridden city, taking the Metro can be quicker than relying on a taxi, but make sure you leave enough time to get back to the airport.
Central Athens is packed full of restaurants, bars, and incredible historical attractions, along with some world-leading museums like the Acropolis Museum. With your bags safely stored, you can enjoy everything the centre of the city has to offer and still make it back to the airport in time to catch your connecting flight.
Things to do on a layover in Athens
Sometimes, a long layover can be a blessing in disguise. If you’re only at Athens Airport for a few hours, it’s better to stick to the terminals and not risk missing your next flight. But if you have a bit more time, it’s very easy to find your way into the city and enjoy a fantastic meal or take a stroll through the ancient Agora or any of this city’s other historical attractions.
There’s really no need to be bored at Athens Airport. Just drop off your bags with a convenient luggage storage and head into the heart of the city to enjoy a last bit of Greek beauty and hospitality before getting back on the plane.
