Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport: where to stay, areas and…

Venizelos has a single terminal, and metro Line 3 connects it to Syntagma with no changes in about 40 minutes: for those staying several days in Athens, the historic centre is almost always the most convenient choice, with the advantage of staying on the same line for Kolonaki and Ilisia too. Those with a dawn departure or an overnight layover can instead consider the Sofitel, the only hotel connected to the terminal on foot. Those who prefer the sea to the old town find a direct bus, the X96, which reaches Glyfada from the airport without passing through the centre.

At the airport

The Sofitel is about 50 metres from the arrivals terminal, connected by a covered pedestrian walkway: you get there on foot in a few minutes.

Best for: Overnight layovers and dawn departures, when you don't want to depend on the metro or a taxi.

Pros

You can reach check-in on foot, without a shuttle bus or a taxi
The airport stays open 24 hours a day: useful for night flights or departures before the metro opens, at 6:30

Cons

Only runways and car parks around: for dinner you stay at the hotel
Rates higher than the city average; for an evening in Athens you still need 40 minutes on the metro

Recommended hotels in this area

Sofitel Athens Airport: The only hotel connected to the terminal, about 50 metres from the arrivals area via a covered pedestrian walkway; an indoor pool overlooking the runways and a spa, useful for those with a night flight or a short layover.

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Historic centre - Omonia, Monastiraki and Plaka

City centre · Line 3 connects the airport to Syntagma and Monastiraki with no changes in about 40 minutes, a train every 30 minutes (single ticket 9 €, return 16 €); for Omonia and Metaxourgeio you then need to change at Syntagma onto Line 2, another 10-15 minutes.

Best for: Travellers who want the Acropolis, Plaka and the museums within walking distance, with a direct metro to the airport.

Pros

The only area with a direct, change-free connection from the airport
Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki and the main museums reachable on foot

Cons

Monastiraki and Plaka are crowded and more expensive in the summer months
Some streets around Omonia are less peaceful at night

Recommended hotels in this area

Wyndham Grand Athens: 276 rooms in an early-twentieth-century building in Metaxourgeio, next to the metro station of the same name; many rooms and the terrace look towards the Acropolis, about 2 km from Syntagma.
Novotel Athens: 196 rooms in Michail Voda, close to Omonia and Larissa railway station; a roof garden with a 360° view over the city and the Acropolis, among the few hotels in the area with an outdoor pool.

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Ilisia and Kolonaki

Neighbourhood · The same Line 3 from the airport: you get off at Evangelismos or Megaro Mousikis, both before Syntagma, in about 35 minutes with no changes.

Best for: Travellers looking for an elegant district near the embassies, two metro stations from Syntagma.

Pros

Still on the direct Line 3, with no need to change metro
Kolonaki and the Benaki Museum within strolling distance, away from the bulk of the tourist crowds

Cons

Fewer evening venues within walking distance than Plaka or Monastiraki
The Conrad has just reopened (April 2026) after years of closure: still few verifiable reviews

Recommended hotels in this area

Conrad Athens The Ilisian: The April 2026 reopening of the old Hilton Athens on Vassilissis Sofias avenue, between Kolonaki and Pangrati; 278 rooms, one of the city's largest outdoor pools and the original marble façade by Yannis Moralis preserved.
Crowne Plaza Athens City Centre: 192 rooms in Ilissia, 350 metres from Megaro Mousikis metro station (Line 3, direct from the airport) and about 20 minutes' walk from Syntagma.

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Syngrou Avenue - between the centre and the sea

Neighbourhood · There's no Line 3 station on Syngrou Avenue: you get off at Syntagma and change onto Line 2 for Syngrou-Fix, 45-50 minutes in total; by taxi or car, 30-40 minutes depending on traffic.

Best for: Business trips and those who want a room with an Acropolis view without being in the traffic of the historic centre.

Pros

The terraces of the InterContinental and the Grand Hyatt are among the most photographed spots in the city for the Acropolis view
A wide, free-flowing road, convenient for those arriving by car or taxi

Cons

Requires a metro change: it's not a direct connection like Plaka or Kolonaki
A district built for offices and hotels, with little neighbourhood life in the evening

Recommended hotels in this area

InterContinental Athenaeum Athens: Business hotel on Syngrou Avenue, 15 minutes' walk from the Acropolis; the panoramic restaurant on the tenth floor is among the city's best known for its view of the Parthenon.
Grand Hyatt Athens: 548 rooms on Syngrou Avenue, next to the Onassis cultural centre; opened in 2018, with a panoramic pool and a spa spread over several floors, about 15-20 minutes by car from the historic centre.

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Glyfada and the Athens Riviera

Neighbourhood · The X96 bus connects the airport directly to the coast (Glyfada, Voula) without passing through the centre, in about 50-60 minutes, ticket 6 €, departures every 15-20 minutes; by taxi 35-45 minutes depending on traffic.

Best for: Travellers who prefer the sea and the evenings of Glyfada to the historic centre, and are willing to accept a longer transfer.

Pros

Direct bus from the airport, without having to enter the city
Beaches, marina and restaurants of Glyfada within walking distance of the hotels in the area

Cons

For the historic centre you still need another 30-40 minutes by tram or metro
The "Four Seasons Hotel" in Glyfada is an independent 3-star with small rooms: not to be confused with the luxury chain of the same name

Recommended hotels in this area

Athens Marriott Hotel: On Syngrou Avenue in Palaio Faliro, a few steps from the Stavros Niarchos Cultural Centre and the Athens Riviera cycle path; a convenient starting point for the tram towards Glyfada.
Four Seasons Hotel: Small independently run hotel, 3-star, on Posidonos Avenue in Glyfada, right on the seafront; same name but no connection with the Four Seasons luxury chain. Simple rooms, some with sea views.

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