Quite often when travelling abroad, what most marks your experience are the people you encounter on your travels. If you are lucky enough to meet some like-minded travellers, or better still, to befriend some locals, you can experience the city from the inside and take home some ever-lasting memories. Of equal importance however, is the accommodation you choose. I have always opted for budget accommodation and found that, in general, it ranges from dirty and crowded at worst to non-descript at best. Fortunately, the intelligent few have spotted the gap in the market for affordable, comfortable accommodation with something special to offer. Athens has its fair share of such establishments; here are some tips on how to find good, budget accommodation in Athens that will enrich rather than spoil your trip!

The first thing to be aware of when booking accommodation in Athens is the rating system. Hotels in Athens are often rated as a A, B, or C category hotels – which corresponds to a 4-star, 3-star or 2-star hotel. There can be a great difference in quality though within these categories, so it is a good idea to check the hotel’s web site (if they have one) or look up opinions by other guests on travellers forums online.

Choose a hotel, B&B, self-catering apartment or hostel in Athens that has facilities which best suit your requirements (i.e apartments can be more convenient for families with children, hostels better for young people looking to socialise, etc), check out photos on-line to avoid nasty surprises on arrival and double check the location! What does “near to the Acropolis” mean? Within walking distance or a 20 minute bus ride? You can look on google maps to get a clearer idea.

Plaka, Makrianni, Koukaki, Thission, Syntagma and Monastiraki are all great areas for visitors to stay in as they are all close to the Acropolis and full of restaurants, shops, local transport stops and the city’s best nightlife. If you really want to save money though, you can find some decent, budget establishments around Omonia Square and the train station which, while not such a desirable area, is central. The Port of Pireaus is obviously the best choice if you are simple using Athens as a base from which to visit the Greek Islands.

Just bare in mind that cheap doesn’t have to be synonymous with nasty and that in the Greek capital you can find some very attractive, friendly, family-run establishments that could end up being the highlight of your trip.

Far from the tacky tourist shops selling replicas of the Acropolis and I love Athens t-shirts, you will find the beautiful and far more authentic areas of Piraeus, Glyfada and Kifissia. There you can experience a more “real”, more “Greek” Athens on every level, from shopping in the local supermarkets to eating out in family-run tavernas. Below is a short description of each of these areas to give you a feel for their unique atmospheres.As is the case in many modern cities, Athens as spread out from the centre and absorbed some of the surrounding villages like the port of Piraeus and you can notice a different atmosphere in this area, one which the locals are keen to maintain. Accommodation in Piraeus is easy to come by and it is still reasonably close to the rest of the city (it is 10km south-west of the city centre) so you can combine sightseeing with a restful seafront stay. Piraeus is divided into two main parts: The Great Harbour and the Zea Marina but don’t overlook the lovely little harbour called Microlimano which is a lovely place to have a stroll or enjoy an evening drink looking out over the private yachts which are moored there. If you are planning on visiting the Greek Islands as well as the capital city, Piraeus is the logically place to stay as ferries depart from here.
Sometimes it is easy to forget you are anywhere near the sea in Athens, especially if you stay in the hot, dusty city centre with its traffic and general noise. The Glyfada Beaches are located just 10km south-east of the city though and are ideal for a summer break (especially if you like night clubbing). This is where the city’s best beaches are and it naturally becomes very crowded in summer so don’t overlook this place in winter as the beaches are still lovely and most hotels in Glyfada are open all year round and will be a lot more peaceful and pleasant in the cooler months.

Kifissia is an affluent Athens suburb located 18km north-east of the city centre. It is an interesting place to visit both during the day and by night as it has a number of classy bars and clubs where the city’s most chic young people congregate. Even if you can’t afford to shop in the Prada and Chanel boutiques that line the streets here, it is still interesting to wander around the area, taking in the beautiful Greek houses and pretty green areas to get a feel for how the other half live in Athens.

What comes to mind when most people think of Athens? Ancient ruins, traditional Greek food, theatre and mythology…. Most foreigners will be surprised to find a buzzing modern metropolis with as much in the way of nightlife as museums. Athens has grown in popularity as a holiday destination for young travellers in recent years and hotel and restaurant prices have grown accordingly. It is still possible to visit Athens on a budget though and hopefully the tips below will help you on your way.

Accommodation near to the Acropolis is readily available and a real treat, especially if you get views of the Acropolis itself but you will pay for the luxury. There are a variety of cheap hostels in Athens for the more budget conscious traveller who doesn’t mind saving on frills and location in order to extend their stay or have a little extra cash to spend on meals out. These hostels or B&B’s are often small, family-run establishments which will give you an insight into how modern Greek families live.

“Tavernas” are the place to head for if you want a reasonably priced traditional Greek meal that won’t cost a fortune. The starters and main dishes are primarily made with very healthy Mediterranean ingredients, so you don’t have to feel made about tucking into the obscenely sweet Baklava that most places offer for dessert.

As far as sightseeing is concerned, you will make considerable savings if you travel to Athens outside of the peak season. The Acropolis, for example, is free to visit on Sundays between November and March. The Filopappos Hill is another famous ancient ruin which is free all year round. Your best bet is to choose just a couple of major sights to visit and spend the rest of your time strolling around the historical city centre, which has now been transformed into a pedestrian area, and stumbling across monuments with the help of a good guide book to tell you a little about them.

Last of all, I’d like to say that, although you can cover a lot of Athens on foot, it is well worth hopping on a metro at some point, even if you don’t really need to, as it is one of the world’s most stream lined and beautiful metro systems in the world and took so long to build due to the extensive archaeological finds that were uncovered every time the builders started digging!