Athens from the UK: what a trip really costs
What a day costs in Athens, when to go, the visa for British travellers and the sights not to miss. Every figure comes from Trip720's checked data, with its source. Updated 21 Oct 2026.
Plan my Athens tripTrip story
Athens in October, then the ferry out: marble at eight in the morning, meze at midnight, and an island for the day
Five nights from Manchester after the heat has gone, with a sunset at Cape Sounion and a boat to Aegina.
Read Dan and Ellie's story →
Day to day in Athens, per person
| Style | Food | With transport |
|---|---|---|
| Street food and markets | £20 | £24 |
| A balanced mix | £41 | £45 |
| Mostly restaurants | £54 | £58 |
- Local transport: about £4 a day. Taxi: £2 to start, then £0.76 a km.
- Cooking for yourself: about £16 a day for food.
- Tourist tax: about £2 a person a night, paid at your stay.
- Tipping: about 5% where service is good.
Your stay, flights and activities come on top: the planner prices them for your dates. Sources: livingcost.org, thisisathens.org, athenstourism.org; in GBP at today's rate.
When to go
12°F
13°M
15°A
19°M
25°J
30°J
32°A
32°S
28°O
23°N
18°D
14°
The most pleasant months are March to June and September to November. August is the driest month (8 mm of rain) and December the wettest (86 mm).
Bars: rain each month; green: the most pleasant months. Numbers: average daytime high. Source: NASA POWER climatology.
Best time to visit Greece, place by placeCompare: Italy or Greece · Croatia or Greece · Thailand or Greece · Indonesia or Greece · Greece or Portugal · Spain or Greece · France or Greece
Visa for British travellers
No visa needed for a holiday
Official source: gov.uk, checked 2026-10-01. Rules change: your plan checks your own passport when you build it.
Not to miss in Athens
Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenonruins · half a dayBook ahead. Timed-entry tickets are mandatory; book on the official HHTicket site and go early or late to beat heat and crowds
Acropolis Museummuseum · a couple of hoursBook ahead. Separate timed ticket from the Acropolis; Akropoli metro
Ancient Agora and the Stoa of Attalosruins · a couple of hours
Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Squaremonument · a couple of hoursEvery hour on the hour; the full ceremonial change is Sunday at 11:00
National Archaeological Museummuseum · half a day
Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Archruins · a couple of hours
Monastiraki flea marketmarket · a couple of hoursSunday morning is the big flea market; rooftop bars around the square face the Acropolis
Plaka old quarterold town · a couple of hoursClimb into Anafiotika, the whitewashed lanes under the Acropolis rock
Lycabettus Hillviewpoint · a couple of hoursWalk up from Kolonaki or take the funicular; best at sunset
- Sunset trip to Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidonexperience · half a day
About 70 km south-east along the Athens Riviera; afternoon tours time the sunset
From our research of travel guides; ticket prices from Tiqets when we found them. Photos: Wikimedia Commons, free licences.
Questions travellers ask
How much does a day in Athens cost?
Food and getting around come to about £24 a person a day eating street food, £45 with a balanced mix and £58 eating mostly in restaurants, before your stay and activities.
When is the best time to visit Athens?
The most pleasant months are March to June and September to November. August is the driest month (8 mm of rain) and December the wettest (86 mm); daytime highs run from 12 to 32 °C over the year.
Do British travellers need a visa for Greece?
No visa needed for a holiday. Checked on gov.uk on 2026-10-01; rules change, so check again before you book.
What should I not miss in Athens?
Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon, Acropolis Museum, Ancient Agora and the Stoa of Attalos, Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Square, National Archaeological Museum.
Your whole Athens trip, priced from your door
Trip720 adds the flights from the UK, the stays, transfers, food, activities and the visa for your dates and budget, home to home.
Plan my Athens trip