Has anyone know of any Athens, Greece 24 hour restaurant, coffee shop, bars or other alternatives to keep busy between 23:30-04:00 before we depart to the airport for a flight to Munich? We will be arriving from Santorini via ferry at 23:30pm and trying not to book a hotel for the 4-5 hours we'll be in Athens before flying to Munich. Any recommendations are greatly appreciated. Also, we are traveling light-one 45L backpack each so no worries about luggage storage or large bags. Thank you in advance!
Posted by
244 posts
Why don't you want to go to the airport straight away? There are 24h bars, shops and coffee shops there. The airport is pretty busy during the night.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Thanks for the reply. That is definitely an option-good to know that the airport has plenty to do 24 hours a day.
Posted by
Stuttgart, Germany
3050 posts
Athens is very much a late night town, you can grab a soulvaki/gyros at many of the shops until 2am, and some bars are open later. I don't think we returned to our apartment before 2:30 a.m. any night we were in Athens in June.
Is your flight departing at 4:00 a.m.? And your ferry arriving at 23:30? In that case, it'll be at least 45 minutes before you're in Athens proper, so you won't even have that much time before needing to depart for the airport. Time for a late dinner and a couple drinks or coffee, but not much more. Certainly wouldn't bother getting a hotel room! Even if you're not departing from Athens center to the airport until 4:00 a.m., there are bars open until 6am, and you can get a coffee at those if you don't want a drink. Plenty to do!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11873 posts
Are there not any legal protections in Europe regarding "cruel and unusual" punishment?
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Joe-not sure what your comment is in reference to?
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Sarah-thank you so much for the response. I appreciate it!
Posted by
Edmonds, WA 🌨 ☂
11873 posts
To me, 24 hours without sleep, is punishment. Especially when it leads to a 2.5 hour flight.
If you do not see it as such, great
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
Wonderuman, from the arrival time you post, I gather that you are coming in on the Blue Star line ferry ... which is a huuuge ferry, that holds 1200 - 1800 passengers, in cabins, bus class, reserved economy & economy (latter only entitles you to seats on deck, in coffee-shop areas or chairs in corridors). I believe you can catch some sleep (and avoid poster Joe's worries) with a tested strategy -- book seats in "Reserved Economy". These are often called "aircraft seats" but bear no resemblance to today's airplane "torture seats" . By contrast, they are WIDE, with Ample room between rows to stretch out legs AND with foot-rests; upholstered with headrests & good lean-back, plus tray-tables -- almost like business-class in today's planes. I prefer these "reserve economy seats to a businss-class ticket. The latter is on a separate deck, chairs surrounding coffee tables, with waiters to bring drinks. HOWEVER -- bus.class seats are "club chairs" (arms & back semi-circle, same height) so you cannot lean back OR rest head, thus, hard to nap!! Cannot doze.
For sleeping during sail, my experience-tested steps:
• Book tix at agency, NOT online. Online, you cannot choose area. At Agency, request tix in SIDE compartments ( formerly no-smoking areas, these are next to windows, fewer seats, quieter. Central area is more like move theatre -- 300-400 seats, several aisles, ceiling lights on & TVs on nonstop, noisy.
• No need to sit in reserved seat full-time; u can snag deck seats to watch sunset, then come in to read, snack, doze.
• If old Greek ladies in black dresses have "usurped" your reserved seat, do not confront, get a ferry staffer to move them
• Eye-shades & earplugs from your air flight are VERY helpful... you can grab at least 2-3 hrs dozing/sleeping.
When boat docks it will be nearly 1 am by the time you get your big bags off. Do not look for metro. The EXPRES BUS x96 goes straight to airport, its stop is near the Metro terminal (Ask anyone). Usually a Kiosk where you pay, if not, you pay on board. Luggage goes in central "pen" inside bus. NO pickpocketing danger. Ride takes about 1 hr & you cn doze all the way.
Posted by
OP
7 posts
Janet,
We will be getting off the ferry in Athens (Blue Star Ferry)! You read my mind. Thank you so much for the detailed information. It was everything we needed to know. Thanks again!
Posted by
Normal Illinois part of the year/ Green Valley AZ in winter
122 posts
Janet great tips for ferry travel THANKS!
Posted by
Philadelphia, PA, USA
3397 posts
All covered in my tipsheets, carol!
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16895 posts
Athens Airport is the only one I've ever tried to sleep at overnight. At that time, I read that the most comfortable benches were outside the McDonalds. But my experience was that cleaning staff took their break in the same area about 2-3 a.m. and delighted in conversing loudly (e.g., to people sitting at other tables). See more tips at http://www.sleepinginairports.net/europe/athens.htm.