Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
Page 102
• INTERNET ACCESS: Free Wi-Fi is now available through the athenswifi network in Pl. Syntagma, Pl. Kotzia, and Thissio. Athens also teems with Internet cafes. Expect to pay €3-6 per hr. Bits and Bytes, Kapnikareas 19 in Plaka (210 32 53 142 ) and Akadamias 78 in Exharia (210 52 27 717), is the mother of new-age internet cafes with fast connections, and 2 floors with A/C and internet 24hr. (www.bnb.gr Cash only. €2.50 per hr. min. charge €2 for 30min. ISIC cardholders €1.80 per hr. Black-and-white printing €0.30 per page; color €0.50 per page. Open 24hr.) Lobby Internet Cafe is mainly a cafe with a few computers and a printer. (Imittou 113 by Pl. Pangratiou, in Pagrati. 210 70 14 607 Internet €4 per hr. Printing €0.25 per page. Open daily 9am-1am.)
• POST OFFICES: For customer service inquiries call the Greek National Post Office (ELTA) (210 32 43 311). For shipping abroad, try parcel post at the Syntagma ELTA branch at Mitropoleos 60 (210 32 42 489 Stamps for postcards and letters up to 20g. €0.72, plus €3.22 for registered mail and €2.90 for express. Open M-F 7:30am-8pm.) Acropolis/Plaka branch exchanges currency and accepts Poste Restante. Sends packages up to 2kg abroad. (210 92 18 076 Open M-F 7:30am-6pm.) Exharia branch, at the corner of Zaimi and K. Deligiani, exchanges currency and accepts Poste Restante. (Open M-F 7:30am-2pm.) Omonia distributes stamps 24hr. and accepts Poste Restante and parcels up to 2kg to ship abroad. (Aiolou 100 210 32 53 586 Credit card required. Open M-F 7:30am-8pm, Sa 7:30am-2pm.) Syntagma branch is on the corner of Mitropoleos. Sells stamps, exchanges currency, and accepts Poste Restante (210 33 19 500).
• POSTAL CODES: Acropolis and Plaka: 11702. Exharia: 10022. Omonia and Syntagma: 10300.
Emergency!
• EMERGENCY: 112. Ambulance: 106. SOS Doctors: 1016. Poison Control: 210 77 93 777. AIDS Help Line: 210 72 22 222. For medical information in Greek and English (210 89 83 146).
• TOURIST POLICE: Airport Police (210 35 36 899). Athens Tourist Police Station at 43-45 Veikou Str, Koukaki (210 92 00 724). Athens Police Headquarters 173, Alexandras Avenue (100 on local phones, 210 64 76 000).
• LATE-NIGHT PHARMACIES: Marked by a green cross. About 1 every 4 blocks is open 24hr.; they rotate. Once a pharmacy closes, it will list on its door the nearest ones that are open 24hr.
• HOSPITALS: Emergency hospitals or clinics on duty can be reached at 106. KAT (Nikis 2 210 62 80 000) is located between Marousi and Kifisia. Geniko Kratiko Nosokomio is a public State Hospital at Mesogion 154 (210 77 78 901). State hospital Aeginitio (Vas. Sofias 72 210 72 20 811) and (Vas. Sofias 80 210 77 70 501) is closer to Athens’ center. Near Kolonaki is the public hospital Evangelismos (Ypsilantou 45-47 210 20 41 000.)
Getting There
By Air
Greece’s international airport, Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) (210 35 30 000 www.aia.gr), has 1 massive but navigable terminal. Arrivals are on the ground floor. Metro Line 3 (blue) connects the airport to Syntagma in the Athens city center ( €6). Suburban Rail, which serves the airport and runs along the Attiki Odos highway, connects with Line 1 (green) at Neratziotissa and with the blue line at Doukissis Plakentias—the most central stations in Omonia and Syntagma, respectively ( About 30min.) To get from Plateia Syntagma in the city center to the airport, take the X95 bus ( €3.20. 45min.-1hr. depending on traffic, every 10-15min.), which runs 24hr. Pick it up on Othonos near the top right corner of Pl. Syntagma. From Ethniki Amyna, take the X94 ( €6, students €3. Every 15min. 7:20am-8:40pm.) or the X95, and from Dafni take the X97 ( €6, students €3. Every 30-60min). From Piraeus, take the X96. ( €6, students €3. Every 20-25min.) Catch the bus in Pl. Karaiskaki on the waterfront, on Akti Tzelepi, across from Philippis Tours. From Kifisia, catch the X92 from Pl. Platanos. ( €6, students €3. Every 45min.-1hr.) If your travels have taken you to Kifisos Intercity Bus Station, take the X93. ( €6, students €3. Every 20-45min.) KTEL regional bus lines serve the airport as well. From Rafinam, a bus ( €3) leaves every 30min. from the stop midway up the ramp from the waterfront, and stops at Loutsa (Artemis) along the way. Buses drop off at the 1 or the 4 departure entrances and wait outside the 5 arrival exits. You can catch the bus from Lavrio at Keratea, Kalivia Thorikou, and Markopoulo as well.
There are a number of ways to get from the airport to the center of town, like taking the X95 bus. ( €3. 40-70 min., every 15min.) Bus tickets can be bought right outside the exit near baggage claim. The blue Metro line, line 3, is fast, clean, and also runs from the airport to Pl. Syntagma. ( €6.) Signs for the metro are clearly marked by baggage claim. When in doubt, ask the information booth how to get to Syntagma and they will point you on the right path. Make sure to exchange a bit of currency to buy your bus or metro ticket to Syntagma. Cabs are also available, but they cost upwards of €40 and come with a €3.40 airport surcharge and additional baggage fees ( €0.35 per bag). If sticking to a budget, the bus or the metro is the way to go.
By Train
Hellenic Railways (OSE) (Sina 6 210 52 97 777 www.ose.gr). Contact the railway offices to confirm schedules before your trip. Larisis Station has trains that go to Northern Greece (210 52 98 829). Take trolley #1 from El. Venizelou (Panepistimou) in Pl. Syntagma ( Every 10min. 5am-midnight) or take the metro to Sepolia. Trains depart for Thessaloniki. ( €14. 7hr., 5 per day.) To get to Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest, Istanbul, Prague, Sofia, and other international destinations, take a train from Larisis Station to Thessaloniki and change there. Peloponnese Train Station has trains to Albania, Bulgaria, and Turkey. Ticket office open daily 5:45am-9pm. From Diligani, easiest entry is through Larisis Station; exit to your right and go over the footbridge. From El. Venizelou (Panepistimiou) in Syntagma, take blue bus #057. ( €0.45. Every 15min., 5am-11:30pm.) To Nafplion ( €5. 3hr., 2 per day.) and Patra ( €5.30. 4hr., 3 per day.)
By Bus
Athens has four bus terminals, two of which serve the regional bus line and two of which serve the suburban bus lines. Check regional schedules (210 51 14 505) or suburban schedules (www.ktelattikis.gr).
Terminal A is located at Kifissou 100 (210 51 24 910). Take blue bus #051 ( €1. Every 15min. 5am-midnight.) from the corner of Zinonos and Menandrou near Pl. Omonia. Don’t mistake the private travel agency at Terminal A for an information booth. Buses from here run to various regional destinations; ask at information booth for schedule.
Terminal B is at Liossion 260 (210 83 17 153). Take blue bus #024 from Pl. Syntagma on the National Garden side of Amalias, or from Panepistimiou. ( €1. 45min., every 20min. 5:10am-11:40pm.) Buses to Delphi leave from here.
Mavromateon 29 is in Exharia (210 82 10 872). Walk up Patission from the National Archeological Museum and turn right onto Enianos 9 Alexandras Av.; it’s on the corner of Areos Park. Take trolley #2, 5, 9, 11, or 18. Buses from this stop go to the Rafina ferry stop, the Sounion Peninsula via Coast Road or Lavvio. Tickets are sold at two stands 50m apart.
Plateia Eleftherias has probably the fewest buses that will be of use to tourists. To get here from Pl. Syntagma, go west on Ermou, turn right onto Athinas, turn left onto Evripidou, and walk to the end of the street. From here, buses A16 or B16 will take you to Daphni Monastery and Eleusis. ( €1. 10-20min., 5am-11pm.)
By Ferry
Check schedules at the tourist office, in the Athens News, with the Port Authority of Piraeus (210 42 26 000; 210 41 47 800), over the phone (185 from within Athens only), or at any travel agency. Most ferries dock at Piraeus; others stop at nearby Rafina. Ferry schedules are not regular and are formed at the beginning of each week, so checking ahead is very important.
Piraeus
Take the M1 (green) south to its terminus, or take bus #040 from Filellinon and Mitropoleos right off Pl. Syntagma. ( Every 15min.) Ferries from Piraeus run to Tinos, Mykonos, Pyros, Naxos, Ios, Santorini, and Milos.
Rafina
From Athens, buses leave for Rafina from Mavromateon 29, two blocks up along Areos Park or a 15min. walk from Pl. Syntagma. ( €2. 1hr., every 30min. 5:40am-10:30pm.) Ferries from here head to Andros, Mykonos, Naxos, Pyros, and
Tinos. Flying Dolphoins sail to Andros, Mykonos, Naxos, Pyros, and Tinos.
Getting Around
Buy yellow tickets at most street kiosks and validate them yourself at the purple machine on buses, trolleys, trams, and metros. ( €1. 1½hr. of use.) Those who plan to use public transportation frequently should opt for a 24hr. ticket ( €3), which grants unlimited travel on city bus, trolley, tram, and metro after its validation. A weekly card ( €10) is also available. Hold on to your ticket: if you drop it or don’t validate it, you can be fined up to €72 on the spot by police. Getting caught might not seem likely, but it’s not worth the risk. As a general note, be wary of public transit strikes. If there is a general strike, chances are that taxis are still running, so even though the price will be far higher, you can get where you need to go.
By Metro
Most of the Athens metro ( M-Th 5:30am-midnight, F-Sa 5:30am-2am, Su 5:30am-midnight.) was rebuilt for the 2004 Olympics. It consists of three lines. Metro Line 1 is green and runs from northern Kifisia to the port of Piraeus, connecting to Suburban Rail at Neratziotissa. Metro Line 2 is red and currently runs from Agios Antonios to Agios Dimitrios, eventually continuing to Anthoupoli and Helliniko toward the Saronic Gulf. Metro Line 3 is blue and now runs from Egaleo, west of the city center, to Doukissis Plakentias, where it intersects the Suburban Rail and the airport. After renovations it will continue northwest to Haidari, and ultimately may be extended to Port Zea in Piraeus. A new metro line is planned to run from Alsos Veikou to Maroussi, looping across both the red and blue lines.
By Foot
Aside from the heat, Athens is also a pedestrian-friendly city. Base your directions from central Syntagma Square and you’ll be able to navigate almost anywhere in the city from this central location.
By Bus
Yellow KTEL buses leave from Terminals A and B, Mvromateon 29, and Pl. Eleftherias, and travel all over the Attic peninsula. Check schedules at Terminal A (210 51 24 910 M-Sa 5am-11:30pm, Su 5:30am-11:30pm.) or B. (210 83 17 153 M-Sa 5am-11:30pm, Su 5:30am-11:30pm.) Certain buses like the X95 from Syntagma to El. Venizelou airport, the X96 from Piraeus to El. Venizelou airport, and #40 from Piraeus to Syntagma run 24hr. Buy KTEL bus tickets on board or in the terminal. The other buses frequently visible around Athens and its suburbs are blue, designated by three-digit numbers. Both are good for travel throughout the city and ideal for daytrips to Daphni and Kesariani, the northern suburbs, Glyfada and the coast, and other destinations in the greater Athens area. The metro stations’ and tourist offices’ maps of Athens label all of the most frequented routes.
By Trolley
Yellow trolleys ( €1. M-Sa 5am-midnight, Su 5:30am-midnight.) can be differentiated from buses by their electrical antennae. Service is frequent and convenient for short hops within town. See the detailed metro and tourist office map for routes and stops.
By Taxi
Meter rates start at €1.10, with an additional €0.60 per km within city limits and €1.10 outside city limits; min. fare €2.80. From midnight-5am everything beyond the start price is €1.10 per km. There’s a €3.40 surcharge for trips from the airport, and a €0.95 surcharge for trips from port, bus, and railway terminals. Max 20min. waiting time would cost €9.60. Add €0.35 extra for each piece of luggage over 10kg. Pay what the meter shows, rounding it up to the next €0.20 for a tip. Hail your taxi by shouting the destination, not the street address (e.g. “Pangrati”). The driver will pick you up if he feels like heading that way. Get in the cab and tell the driver the exact address or site. Many drivers don’t speak English, so write your destination down (in Greek if possible) and be prepared to try to type the address into the GPS system yourself. Include the area of the city, since streets in different parts of the city may share the same name. It’s common to ride with other passengers going in the same direction. Schedule a pickup with Radio Taxi. ( €3-5 additional charge; Acropolis 210 86 95 000 or 210 86 68 692; Ikaros 210 51 52 800; Ermis 210 41 15 200; Kosmost 210 52 18 300).
For details on The Cyclades map, click here
mykonos
22890
Mykonos is renowned as an island of hedonism where the sea glistens next to the equally sparkling, sweaty bodies of the naked old men beside it. Here, brown netting passes as a shirt, beaches are clothing optional, and happy hours come three times a day. Island-revelers sleep from 7am-2pm and then head to the beach to bring the day in with a piña colada and a discussion of their alcohol intake the night before. Tourists less inclined to relax on the scantily-clad beaches or rage at the local club scene can wind through the intertwined streets of Mykonos Town. In the middle of the island between Mykonos Town and Paradise Beach, houses are as white as Crest models’ teeth and jut out from the parched earth, disturbed only by the lizards scuttling amongst long forgotten (or never remembered) Red Bull cans. Mykonos’ gay scene far surpasses that of other Greek islands, and here men or women walking holding hands or kissing does not elicit so much as a second glance.
ORIENTATION
Mykonos Town is located on the western side of the 41mi. island. On the south side of the island, Paradise Beach neighbors Paraga Beach. If you’re staying at one of the island’s campgrounds, the day will likely involve passing from one side of the island to the other by way of winding pathways that count as roads: it’s a miracle that bus drivers don’t ram into every stone wall along their routes. Along these roads, goats, cows, and the occasional donkey can be seen behind pens, a dramatic shift in scenery from both the classy development of Mykonos Town and the seedy developments of Paradise Beach.
ACCOMMODATIONS
ZORZIS HOTEL
30 Nik. Kalogera
HOTEL
228 90 22 167 www.zorzishotel.com
Elaborate wooden beds, mismatched cushions by the breakfast tables, and a community fridge are just a few of the special touches that make Zorzis Hotel feel homey. Located down a quiet street in Mykonos Town, this hotel has all the amenities that can be desired, including an eager-to-please staff. Highly visible security cameras will keep a watchful eye over your things while you are out at the beach or a nearby bar.
Down the street from Hotel Philippi. Breakfast included. Laundry service, safety deposit box, and currency exchange available. Community fridge. Fans in every room. Singles €85; doubles €113. Reception 24hr.
PARADISE HOSTEL
Behind Paradise Beach
HOSTEL
www.paradiseclub-mykonos.com
Only 100m from the water and the site of some of the island’s most advertised parties, Paradise Hostel is for those who want to pay as little as possible to be near the action. Cabins are cheap, tiny, and stripped of all but the basics, though the mattresses are plush. When filled to capacity in the summer months, nearly 800 beach-goers stay here, making this an agoraphobic’s nightmare and a social butterfly’s paradise.
Right behind Paradise Beach. Breakfast included. Electrical outlet in each cabin. Luggage storage available. Singles €25-60; doubles €34-80. Motorbike rental €14 per day. Reception 8am-11pm.
HOTEL APOLLON
On the waterfront
HOTEL
228 90 22 223
With incredible views of Mykonos’ waterfront from its porch, Hotel Apollon has the best real estate in town. Rooms are spacious and well-kept, but the entrance has accumulated knick-knacks and paintings through the years and is running low on usable wall space. Without many additional offerings beside bed and bath, Hotel Apollon is a convenient hotel—just don’t expect to be able to check your email from the premises.
On the waterfront a few blocks to the left (when looking at the water) of Taxi Sq. Entrance is behind Yialos outside seating. Refrigerator in every room. Doubles Sept-June €60, with bath €80; Jul-Aug €65/90. Reception 8am-11pm.
SIGHTS
LENA’S HOUSE
On Matoyanni’s extension
MUSEUM
228 90 28 764
Originally an upper-middle-class home in 18th-cen
tury Mykonos, this house was donated as a museum by sibling-less resident Lena in 1970. The house stands as it did when she lived there and is notable for the amount of imported wood it contains, as no timber trees grow on Mykonos. As a result, only those with wealth could afford wooden tables, beds, and homes. Lena’s father was a timber trader in the Black Sea, and he filled his house with this status symbol. The house provides an interesting glimpse into the island before it was a tourist destination.
From Fabrika, walk down the main street, take the 1st right, and turn right at Jimmy’s souvlaki shop. Continue down the street as it winds and Lena’s House will be on your left. Walk only on the carpets. €2, students free. Open daily 7-9pm.
FOLKLORE MUSEUM
The House of Kastro
MUSEUM
228 90 22 591
Built in 1958, the Folklore Museum is the type of place that would never be built today: there are no ropes, placards explaining the rooms’ contents, or plexiglass cases separating viewers from the displays. The disorganized explosion of plates, model ships, earrings, and votive offerings from the Mediteranean ports of the 18th and 19th centuries is a fun, quick walk through that feels like stepping into a really old treasure chest. Beware of the doll in the bedroom and the mannequin sitting at the table in the first room as their eyes creepily follow you as you explore the oldest house on the island.