Excuse me .. does anybody knows very well Athens? Personally I would never stay in any of Athinas street hotels, where Attalos Hotel located, Athinas street,from Omonia square to Monastiraki, becomes at night kind of a small Reeperbahn side street in Athens...(ie a red light district) the small streets around Psiri, area along with the small pararel alleys hosts many "red light houses" iwords Athinas, Evripidou, and surrounding streets are probably the worst areas of Athens that together with Plateia Vathis and most streets around Omoneia square direction Pireos and Zinonos street (where many hotels advertised from some "Greek travel experts" ) are equivalent with the red light districts of Amsterdam and Antwerp or Hamburg. If you want to stay in decent areas of Athens try hotels in Plaka, Kolonaki, Hilton area, Ambelokipoi, Sygrou Avenue but avoid the "famous budget hotels of Athens" as mentioned above.
Only bumpkins are afraid of Athinas.
Listen to Manos Hadjidakis´ "The Ballads of Athenas Street" and you will love it.
H
The centre of Athens is not that bad, and I especially rebut the connotation towards a "red light district"- If any comparison is possible, then it would be with the termini in Rome to Omonia. Monasteraki is somewhat better. The Attalos is located very near to Monasteraki metro station. The hotels mentioned around the other neighbourhoods are substantially more expensive anyway.
Dianab1's description of the area is absolutely right – there used to be some rather dubious hotels in Athinas, maybe twenty plus years ago, but they've long since disappeared. I haven't stayed at the Attalos, but people are always praising it on the various travel forums. (The Hotel Cecil is another similar hotel a few metres away.) It's an exciting area: there are the central meat, fish and fruit markets, and lots of interesting shops. The little streets leading off from Athinas, including Evripidou, are fascinating, with Arabic shops selling delicious oriental pastries and aromatic spices incredibly cheaply. These streets are rather dark at night when the shops are closed , and yes, there may be some pretty ladies sitting in the doorway of small 'hotels' where you wouldn't choose to stay – all part of life's rich pattern! I feel safer walking at any time in this district than I did in the leafy London suburb where I used to live. Halfway down Athinas is the attractive Kotzia Square, with the remains of recently excavated ancient buildings. You can get a great view of these – and of all of Athens from the elegant café at the top of the Notos Galleries – a very smart department store in the Square. Go for it!
If I may ask, why stay that long in Athens with such a vast country to visit (I love the public transport with all the missed connections, route changes and new timetables(!).
Buy a RG or LP guide, decide what you would like to see and get out there.
Athens is great for a short/medium break but IT IS A CITY = think of any major city in the western world and hey - how much extra is there in Athens to other cities? (Actually quite a lot but not a months worth).
Best of luck with your stay! Don't worry about the area - just use common sense. I've stayed in that area and had no problems. Don't invite trouble and you shouldn't find it!
I would however suggest spreading your wings.
totally agree with #14: just pack your stuff and go to the islands or travel around the Peloponnes...
Hi Everyone, I forgot to subscribe so didn't get notification of postings. I found out last night that I don't have to stay the extra two weeks in Athens. I am more relaxed about my planned 23 days in Athens. I am now well within budget and some money to spare.
Thank you for the suggestions. They are greatly appreciated.
The praise for Hotel Attalos is overwhelmingly in favour of it so I don't think that will be a drama. I am also getting a great rate especially compared with the summer rack rates. I was a little panicked at being on a tight budget. There is no easier way to ruin a holiday than worrying about money! I am just glad I saved considerably more than I needed.
I am somewhat familiar with the area I will be staying in as I stayed at Arethusa Hotel in Mitropoleos St for a week last year. I did note however that Frommers website has a caveat about Athinas Street concerning drugs and prostitution. I did note on the map though that the Attalos is close to Ermou in Monistraki and quite a distance from the Omonia end. I personally don't have a problem with so called 'red light districts' - I used to live in one. They are a fact of big city living. Kings Cross in Sydney is a red light district and is a tourism draw card (although you won't see that in the tourism ads on tv!).
Fear of crime and actual crime rates are generally disproportionate!
Thank you again for all your suggestions. I am now getting excited about my trip again. I have been learning Greek at uni all year and looking forward to (and quietly terrified about) practising it. I think there may be some amused (or is the bemused) Greeks by the end of the December!
Mame du Bois
PS Has anyone ever rented medium term in Athens or Thessaloniki? I am planning a 6 month trip and I am interested in renting an apartment.
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