Hello,
We are renting a car from the Athens airport and driving to Meteora. We are returning to spend two nights in Athens. Is reasonable to drive to the hotel in Plaka Athens and park and then return the car to the airport for our next flight? That would eliminate the hassle of having to return the car to the airport and then taxi to and back from the hotel to the airport. We are fairly comfortable driving but wasn't sure if this was a good idea or not.
Thanks,
Heather
Hi Heather,
I would suggest returning the car to the airport and taking the metro from the airport to Monastiraki station and then walking to your hotel. This is the easiest solution. I would not want to drive in Athens.
Mary
Does your rental car co. offer a drop off somewhere on the fringe of or in Athens, to avoid going all the way to the airport.?
A rental car IN Athens is about as useful and welcome as a bowling ball in your purse while touring a museum.
Hmm no it doesn't. I wasn't thinking we would need it to navigate Athens but more to get us from meteora to the hotel and park it and then drive back to the airport... ha? Otherwise we'd have to make an extra stop at the airport to drop the car off and then get transportation to our hotel and back... is driving in Athens that bad? Just to go from the airport to our hotel in plaka that has free parking?
You got good advices and I have another one about driving in Athens: Don't.
I've driven in Athens several times and it can be scary but my concern would be parking. Where would you park the vehicle? We drove our SUV to see the sunset at Sounion and then dropped the car at the airport and took the bus into the city.
Heather,
You may already know this but be sure that each driver listed on the rental form has the compulsory International Driver's Permit, which is used in conjunction with your home D.L. These are easily available at any AAA / CAA office for a small fee, and are valid for one year. if you're involved in any kind of "traffic incident" in Greece and don't have an I.D.P, you'll be in a world of misery in a big hurry (and will probably also cost you a lot of money).
I'd probably return the car at the airport and take the Metro back to Athens - http://www.athensairporttaxi.com/metro/athens-airport-metro .
I wholeheartedly agree with the poster's recommendation about driving in Athens: DON'T.
If you've never been to Athens and experienced driving it will be a mind-altering event. Just crossing a street as a pedestrian will be an experience and driving will leave you wanting many shots of Ouzo to get over the wild-and-crazy-drivers of Athens!
The Metro, bus and taxis are great alternatives. They are safe, quick and efficient and you'll not have to worry about getting from Point A to Point B, getting lost, which is much easier than you think, back-tracking and worrying about the buzzing of scooters who weave in-and-out of traffic, ride on sidewalks and think getting as close as they can to another car/person without hitting them is a game!
Once out of Athens traffic is a piece-of cake for the most part.
Thanks! So if we get a rental car and don't want to go all the way to the airport, is there a drop off place that a car company would pick up the car on the way from Meteora to Plaka?
