As one of the most beautiful locations in Europe, Athens, Greece is well worth visiting. The capital of the country, Athens is one of the best-known and most cities in human history. Once the home of one of the world’s most powerful empires, Athens has a laundry list of things to see and do. Everything from archeological ruins to enjoying the Mediterranean climate should be on your to-do list.
With this in mind, we want to look at how much a week-long trip to Athens will cost you. We’ll start by looking at what Athens could look like with a budget, as well as on a money-is-no-object trip. Using pricing from TripAdvisor, Kayak, and Expedia, we can put together a pretty good estimate as to what a week-long trip will cost per person with the understanding prices can and will vary depending on when you want to travel.
Why We’re Covering Travel
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It’s perfectly okay to wonder why a site called 24/7 Wall St is covering travel. The thing is, Athens is one of the biggest tourist destinations in Southeast Europe. With Athens welcoming up to 7 million tourists in 2023, the city is heavily reliant on tourism for income. In total, over 18% of Greece’s GDP is tourism-based and the tourism industry accounts for over 900,000 jobs in Greece, many of which are in Athens.
Budget Flights
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- Estimated budget flight cost: $1,682 – $2,275
Let’s say you want to take a summer trip and head to Athens from 7/21 to 7/28, the heart of summer. No matter where in the U.S. you leave from, you’ll want your final destination to be “Eleftherios Venizelos” airport. For the best pricing, you’ll want to stick to Economy class for the best value. Leaving from Atlanta, Georgia, you can expect flights to start from $1,747 going up to $2,682 per person round trip.
If you want to look at a trip to Athens over the holidays, 12/22 to 12/29 is an ideal time to see the city. Better yet, it’s a little less expensive with flights starting at $1,628 on Delta and going up to $2,275 per person round trip on British Airways. Sounds like a holiday trip to Athens is in order!
Luxury Flights
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- Estimated luxury flight cost: $4,917 – $8,364
There is no question that a summer trip to Athens is going to be an expensive choice. Should you want to splurge all the way, fly first class into Athens and start your vacation on a high note. Ticket pricing on Lufthansa which will cost you $6,657 per person round trip from 7/21 to 7/28. You can also find flights on American Airlines and British Airways, both in first class, for $8,364 per person round-trip with one less stop.
For most people, flying to Athens in first class would be considered a luxury. As you want to go all in on this trip with your December itinerary, a round trip per person ticket from 12/22 to 12/29 won’t be much cheaper. Prices do start at $4,917 on Lufthansa first class with American Airlines first class appearing as the most expensive option at $6,614 per person again with one less stop.
Budget Hotel
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- Estimated budget hotel cost: $1,171 – $4,517
Using TripAdvisor as our handy guide, it’s easy to find some great budget hotel recommendations in Athens from 7/21 to 7/28. The good news is there are plenty of outstanding budget-friendly hotel options available. One of the top hotels, MET34 Athens, offers you outstanding views, a TripAdvisor “best of the best award”, and breakfast included for the whole week. For that week, you’re looking at $4,517 and up for a room. On your December trip, from 12/22 – 12/29, a room at the Athens Gate Hotel will cost around $1,171 for your stay.
Both of these hotels represent a good range of what you can expect to pay on a budget in Athens. There’s a great range of budget-friendly hotels offering plenty of amenities and historical locations for you to experience. Spending anywhere between $1,200 and $4,500 for the whole week on a budget-friendly hotel is right on the money with the biggest price factor being location. The closer you get to the water, the more the budget price increases.
Luxury Hotel
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- Estimated luxury hotel cost: $5,500 – $13,000
A five-star property, the One&Only Aesthesis is a terrific place to shack up in July while in Athens. You’ll never want to leave your Bungalow with its king bed and sea view. Its luxury views and experience will cost you $6,808 for the whole week, but it’s worth every penny. Both this hotel and the Four Seasons represent a good range of what luxury hotels look like while in Athens for one week.
If you want to stay large over the holidays in December, make your stay at the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel. As a Four Seasons property, you rightfully expect luxury, but you’ll be paying for it. A prime example of luxury living in Athens, a one-bedroom suite with a sea view is around $12,827 with taxes for the whole week. Spending between $5,500 and $13,000 for the whole week you’re in Athens is about what you can expect for luxury accommodations. Price will be dependent both on location as well as the type of room you choose with suites getting closer to the $13,000 price point.
Public Transportation
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- Estimated budget public transportation cost: $18
If you’d like to avoid renting a car in Athens, there’s always the option of using the city’s extensive public transportation system. The best part is that all public transport methods use the same ticket and are very inexpensive. Everything starts with the metro system, which consists of 3 lines and runs every 5-6 minutes. You also have the option of the tram system, which connects Athens with coastal suburbs, as well as a bus network that runs from 5 am to midnight. The estimated travel cost is based on a 5-day ticket, plus a two-day pass to cover all of your 7-day trip per person.
- Standard ticket: $1.30 (for 90 minutes)
- Day Pass: $4.45
- 5-day ticket: $8.80
- 3-day tourist ticket (unlimited travel): $2.72
- Children under 6 are free
Budget Rental Car
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- Estimated budget rental car cost: $70 – $650
If you’re looking for an alternative to public transportation, rental cars are plentiful in Athens, Greece. For the best experience, you’ll want to pick up and drop off at the Athens airport. It’s here that you will have the largest choice of budget-friendly rental options. For the week in July, you should anticipate weekly costs starting at around $339 for a vehicle like a Fiat Tipo with prices going up to $623 for the Hyundai I30.
Shift your travel schedule to the holiday months, and you can start with a measly $71 for the whole week with a Ford Fiesta or move up to something like the Volkswagen ID.3 for only $317. While prices do vary based on pickup and delivery times, spending between $70 and $650 for a whole week rental is well within the budget-friendly range.
Luxury Rental Car
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- Estimated luxury rental car cost: $1,000 – $2,800
When you want to travel around Athens in style, luxury car rentals are waiting for you. The good news is that you have great options. You can even choose to rent a Mercedes luxury van if necessary should you be visiting Athens with a group of friends or a large family and want one vehicle. There’s good reason to think you should expect between $1,000 and $2,800 to cover a luxury rental for your week in Greece.
When looking at the week of 7/21 to 7/27, your entry point into luxury car rentals will be right around $1,391 for a BMW X3 (or similar) for the whole week. Upgrade to more luxury with a Volvo XC90 for $2,709 for the week. December rentals are even less expensive without losing the luxury aspect as it will cost around $1,015 for the same BMW X3 from July or $1,827 for the Volvo XC90.
Budget Food
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- Estimated budget food cost: $200 – $300
Athens and Greece are home to some of the best food on the planet. The best way to see Athens on a budget is to experience street vendors everywhere. For only 10 euros or $11, you can find falafel, shawarma, souvlaki, gyros, and more everywhere you turn. This makes it super easy to find budget-friendly dining options at least once or twice a day. Of course, there are also a lot of great cafes hanging around town with meals starting at the same $11 price tag and up.
This makes it easy to spend as little as $25-$30 per day eating out twice a day for a whole week and enjoying the included breakfast at your hotel. The estimated budget cost is based on choosing street food twice a day for six days while also leaving room for restaurants and inexpensive breakfasts.
Luxury Food
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- Estimated luxury food cost: $700 – $1,500
If you’re coming to Athens and you want the best absolute food the city has to offer, you’re in for a treat. Start with Michelin star favorite Aneton which offers seasonal favorites with a modern Greek twist. A fresh piece of white fish will cost around $40, while a salad and dessert will add another $27. Of course, you can’t forget breakfast, but you should try and do that at a local cafe where you can enjoy a real taste of Athens life.
To be able to enjoy a Michelin star restaurant for under $75 a person is a real treat. The good news is that you have a host of Michelin-star choices and other luxury dining options for right around the same price. If you want to enjoy lunch and dinner, you should expect a wide range of pricing. At approximately $75 per night and $40 for lunch, you can reach as high as $1,500 per person for the week to enjoy the best food Athens has to offer.
Budget Attractions
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- Estimated budget attractions cost: $100 – $200
It should come as no surprise that among the best budget-friendly things to do in Athens is see historic sites. Locations like the Acropolis, Parthenon, and the Panathenaic Stadium are just a few of the can’t-miss locations you can do on a budget in Greece. Each of these three locations are in different areas and can take up a whole afternoon, which makes their $11 – $17 admission fees seem downright cheap.
Don’t forget the Temple of Hephaestus or the Ancient Agora of Athens, each costing $17 for admission. If you just see the most important historical sites and spend the rest of your time enjoying Athens’ plentiful markets and street vendors, you can stay busy in Athens for weeks. If you see one historical site a day, along with walking up and down Athen’s streets, spending as little as $100 on budget attractions for your entire trip isn’t impossible.
Luxury Attractions
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- Estimated luxury attractions cost: $3,000 – $6,000
Should you want to see Athens in a way few people do, you know you can do exactly that. Athens is a playground for the wealthy, and there are a lot of high-roller experiences. You might want to try a 10-hour private boat cruise to Cape Sounio between your five-star hotel and Michelin-star restaurants. With prices starting at $4,124 per group, this is no inexpensive boat ride, but the views are once in a lifetime.
Alternatively, take a price tour of the Temple of Poseidon with your very own guide starting at $560 per person. As one of the premiere destinations for luxury Athens, Cape Sounio is a must-see. After your tour, make an appointment in the Four Seasons spa and spend an afternoon pampering yourself. For a full trip to see Athens in luxury, you should expect to spend between $500 to $1,000 per day, which means you should plan on between $3,000 and $6,000 for the whole week depending on the number of activities you want.
Total Costs
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- Estimated budget cost: $3,200 – $8,000
- Estimated luxury cost: $16,400 – $30,000
Depending on how you want to spend your time in Athens, you can do it one of two ways. Even on the low end of the budget side, Athens isn’t the most inexpensive city on Earth. However, it’s worth remembering that you can spend just as much, on a budget, at Walt Disney World. It’s easy to find and book a hotel plus theme park prices at Disney for around $3,000 to $4,000 for a family of four and this is before food and drinks. This makes the budget pricing for Athens look outstanding as it’s an entirely different experience.
On the luxury end, living the high life in Athens won’t come cheap. However, if this is a once-in-a-lifetime trip you’ve been saving for or you have plenty of disposable income you want to enjoy. This can easily allow you to live large in Athens and have a blast. Starting at $16,400 for the whole week, be prepared to make the most of your trip while doing a lot of walking to burn off your Michelin-star meals.
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