Athens is the ultimate Greek destination for students and backpackers for it is a cheap Greek city that can offer you vacation in Greece on a budget. With these travel tips for backpackers, you can spend affordable holidays in Athens, which has unbeatable prices in areas, such as museums, accommodation, drinks, food and generally entertainment and culture, and really understand that having great time is not a matter of money.
Accommodation in Athens
You can easily find high-quality hostels in Athens, which are characterised by their standards, cleanliness and safety. There, you will meet friendly people, have fun with other backpackers and enjoy the easy-going character of Athens, which is ideal for people, who want to live alternative experiences. If you don't want to stay in a hostel in Athens, there are also nice hotels in Athens Center, where you can spend the night with less than 30€ for two persons.
Free walks around Athens
Window-shopping, strolling around the beautiful parks and gardens of Athens as well as walking under Acropolis Hill admiring the paved streets with the colourful traditional neoclassical houses of Athens is totally free. Anafiotika in Plaka, Ermou pedestrian street for window-shopping and Monastiraki square are amazing places, where you can walk around in a wonderful setting without paying anything. The weather in Athens is warm and sunny, and you can easily spend the whole day outside exploring the urban scenery of Athens.
Cheap food in Athens
Street food in Athens is everywhere in the city and gives you the possibility to eat on a budget. There are many places to eat economically in Athens, such as Mitropoleos street for souvlaki, Apollonos street near Syntagma Square for Asian street food and Mavili square for sandwiches and hot dogs (vromiko) in food trucks with less than 5€.
Ancient monuments and museums
Some museums in Athens are free (like the significant Epigraphical Museum), and there are also free admission days for archaeological sites and museums in Athens. Moreover, you can walk around the city and admire the ancient monuments, which are everywhere and are free. For example, at the end of Amalias Avenue, Hadrian's Arch needs no ticket, while the Tower of the Winds, the first weather station in the world, can be seen from the street without having to pay the entrance-fee to the Roman Agora.
Seaside Athens
Athens has wonderful beaches .Many of them are organised and have an entrance-fee, but near them, you can find many small bays and coves with crystal clear waters, where you can swim and sunbathe for free. K.A.P.E. in Sounio is maybe the best hidden beach in Athens, and because it is not organised, it is totally free. Other lovely unorganised free beaches in Athens are Kokkino Limanaki in Rafina, Limanakia in Vouliagmeni and many sandy coves in Lagonisi on the road to Cape Sounio.