Hi, unfortunately we will only have about 6-7 hours between arriving in Athens and departing on a cruise. I was wondering if anyone has gotten a transfer where you go from the airport to visit some tourist attractions and then to the cruise port. Is it safe especially considering that our bags would stay in the transfer car? Any recommendations?
My other option is to go straight to the port and catch a hop on/off from there, but I would lose valuable time.
Thanks a lot.
I haven't done this via private driver, but I have taken the metro from the airport to Monastiraki, left my luggage at a facility there, did a bit of sightseeing, before catching the Metro to Piraeus. This could also be done by private driver and would be cheaper I assume than having a private driver with your bags all day. (Or you could metro to Athens center, then arrange a pickup by private driver, etc).
Is there anyway you can move your flight forward a day? It is risky business to fly in same day for a cruise. It would also give you a bit more time in Athens.
Unfortunately, it is not. I'm on a tight schedule, but with the right insurance.
I don't think you have time for much sightseeing, except from a window of the car. You don't give exact Date -- but if you arrive on a Friday or Saturday, mid-morning or later... you could encounter another BIG plane landing at same time, resulting in long Passport Control line. Then waiting at Baggage Claim, getting Euros from ATM .. it could be over an hour... when someone is connecting with a domestic flight we usually caution to allow 2 hours.
So... now y ou're out the front door .. A taxi or Car Service from AIrport to the Cruise Gates could take over an hour, because Cruise port is farther than ferry gates. (check the routes & roads looking at this map -- https://tinyurl.com/zekuft9 --click & it gets huuuge... use side-slides to move to upper Right for Airport - athens - Pireaus) As u can see, if you want to see landmarks in Central Athens, you would get into the same kind of traffic you'd encounter in any major city ... and an added handicap is that major landmarks like the Acropolis, etc are surrounded by "no-cars" small streets, so you can't get very close. It could be frustrating.
Here's a thought -- do you want to see something Gorgeous and not surrounded by busses &tourists?? Look on the map -- At the very tip of the Peninsula leading down from Athens is the TEMPLE Of POSEIDON ... a beautiful ruin on a cliff. At sunset it will by ringed by tour busses, but if you go there at lunch-time, it won't be crowded. https://www.greeka.com/attica/athens/sightseeing/sounio-poseidon-temple/
I would suggest writing to the best car-service currently, Welcome Pick-Ups (drivers are fluent in English, you know the cost beforehand & pay by credit card). You can find out what it would cost to drive you to Poseidon... wait while you see the site, (and maybe wait while you enjoy a snack & beverages at the cafe), then take you to Piraeus. (An optional add-on would be get a quote foro also taking you to a lunch place & wait while you lunch ...
Thanks Janet. Right now we are scheduled to land at 1030, and must be at the cruise at 1600 (departure is at 1800). I calculated 1.5 hours to be outside of the airport, and 1 hour to drive to the port. This should give me 3 hours to explore (forbidding any delays). I realized we won't be able to go inside all the attractions, but was hoping to at least go into a few and see the others from afar. Do you have any recommendations on which ones to see closely given that we are crunched for time? My small family is comprised of experienced travelers who like to walk (and we walk super fast, lol).
I contacted a private company and they just quoted me €185 for my family of 3. I'm wondering if my luggage will be safe in their car though.
Thanks for the map and the tip of the hill. We may just have to do that and catch a glimpse of the city. Cheers.
Alas your plan is optimistic. If u are on airport curb by 12 noon and want to sight see in Central Athens, it will take 1 hour to get there. ... then it's 1 pm. In order to be at the Pireaus Cruise-Ship Gates , at 4 pm (1600), from Central Athens, you'd better leave Central Athens by 3, because it could take 1 hour. (as I said, Cruise pier in Piraeus is quite distant from the Ferry Gates, on a busy seafront thoroughfare)... so u have between 1 - 3 pm to sit in midday traffic in a busy Major capital city. And when do you get something to eat? This is why I suggested Sounion.
I think 3-4 hours will be enough to explore the highlights of Athens.
You can request a quote from CityCab.gr
I really trust them and they will keep safe your stuff in their vehicle.
Also you can combine a visit to the Cape Sounion, but this regards is you arrive during the weekend. In the weekends during the summer the streets there are very busy and might loose time on traffic.
Thanks Janet. My plan was to live at 3pm just in case, like you mentioned. I'm not planning to push the limits and miss the cruise (although, that sounds like a great adventure since I don't care much about the first stop, LOL).
Andy, thanks. I will look into that option. I really want to take pictures of the city highlights, and plan our next visit. I'll take a look at your taxi recommendation. Greatly appreciate it. Cheers.
