Athens Greece Cruise -
Everything You Need to Know!

"Athens Greece cruise - must know tips for planning your transportation, best shore excursions and how to maximize your time in Athens"

Every Athens Greece cruise always sets off a very special atmosphere on board Mediterranean cruise ships… it spurs both joy of life and a great air of expectation and respect before visiting one of the birthplaces of Western Civilization!

The joy of life it awakens in everyone always results in those goofy toga parties, buzuki bands playing in the central atrium of the ship, and cruisers going crazy whenever they hear that Zorba the Greek song!

The expectation and respect for one of the most important historical places on the face of the earth are always apparent in the number of onboard lectures given on Athens Greece history and culture, attended by hordes of cruisers.

ATHENS GREECE ARTICLES TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Cruise dock in Piraeus in quite far from Athens attractions!

An Athens Greece cruise is always better enjoyed if you learn about the port ahead of time and all the options you have, especially when it comes to Athens transport and getting around.

Athens, named after Athena goddess of wisdom, is a big bustling city and not exactly what you would call ‘user friendly’, so planning your Athens transport is crucial if you want to spend your day headache-free.

Athens Parthenon - one of the reasons why everyone heads to Athens!

To some of you it might be news that in the Athens Port, or the Port of Piraeus, you can’t exactly just walk off the ship and reach the Athens Greece attractions.

You will need some kind of transportation to get where you want to, and it takes a little bit of planning! It’s just one of those things you need to be ready for when headed on an Athens Greece Cruise.

Luckily, we got you covered in our article Athens transport - How to get from Piraeus cruise port to Athens!

We understand some of you might feel most comfortable booking one of the cruise line-organized tours but it’s good to know there are other options too, which can leave you with more money in your pocket to spend on some Shopping in Athens.

In our articles you will find step-by-step instructions on:

what private shore excursions to take from Piraeus to Athens
what shared shore excursions to take from Piraeus to Athens
what Athens-based tours to take
what are the best private transfers from Piraeus to Athens
what are the best-shared transfers from Piraeus to Athens
How to use a public bus line 040 from Piraeus to Athens
Where to catch bus X80 - the express line from Piraeus to Athens
how to walk from the Piraeus cruise terminal to the Piraeus metro station
if it's possible to take a hop-on hop-off bus from Piraeus to Acropolis

ATHENS FACTS:

Population: 5 million

Altitude: 91m / 300ft

Currency: Euro (EUR)

Language: Greek

Time Zone: Eastern European Time (EET) (UTC+2)

Age: 3,400 years.

Land area: 39 km2 (15 sq mi)

Climate: Mediterranean

The Evzones, a special unit of the Hellenic Army can be seen in Syntagma Square

Naturally, Athens Acropolis and Athens Parthenon are always at the top of everyone’s list when it comes to Athens Greece attractions.

If you will be visiting them in your arrangement, buying the skip-the-line entry ticket ahead, online, is a must! Otherwise, you could get stuck in line for 2-4 hours, waiting!

Read Acropolis Greece - tips and tricks to find out which Acropolis entrance to go to and how to buy your ticket ahead.

But don’t forget Athens is not just all about the Acropolis!

There are many things to do in Athens apart from getting on a tour bus, seeing the Acropolis, taking a few Athens photos to show back home, and heading back to the ship - there is also Plaka, a must-see neighborhood for cruise passengers as it offers a charming and picturesque experience, with its narrow streets, neoclassical architecture, and quaint shops, restaurants, and cafes.

We know Athens weather can be quite exhausting, especially in July/August… the excruciating heat when climbing towards the Athens Parthenon can drain you, but try to resist the urge to call it a day and be sure to also head to Athens Plaka after that!

It would be a real shame to limit yourself to seeing just the ancient ruins of Athens while there is also the everyday bustling Athenian life waiting for you to experience in the Plaka area of Athens!

That is where you will also be able to do your local souvenir shopping, try some local cuisine, have a shot of ouzo, and experience the real spirit of this fascinating city!

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