An ancient city that looms large in history and legend, Athens has its main sights clustered in one area with tiny central neighborhoods.

It’s possible to walk from a museum in Kolonaki in the east to a nightclub in Gazi – a neighborhood long considered to be on the western “fringe” – in a brisk half-hour. In practice, though, each district you pass through is so interesting, you might easily spend a day making your way across town.

The big asset to Athens’s density is more leeway in your choice of places to stay: pick where you want to end up at night without an hour-long slog in the morning to see the sights. And although central Athens teems with unhosted short-term rentals, they have skewed the economy against Athenians. For actual “living like a local” and the hospitality Greeks are famous for, rent a room in a shared apartment — or stay in a good old hotel. Find the area right for you with this guide to Athens’ best neighborhoods.

Get local insight on destinations all over the world with our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox. Stay in Makrygianni for early morning crowd-beating access to the Acropolis © Sven Hansche / Shutterstock

Acropolis Area

Best for early starts and late-day vibes

If your primary mission is beating the tour groups to the Acropolis, book a hotel in Makrygianni, near the site’s east entrance and the Acropolis Museum. Contrary to expectations, this area isn’t all tourist tat, but a nice mix of old-school residential, extremely upmarket residential (big-money flex: walking your tiny dog on Dionysiou Areopagitou at sunset) and hotels at all price points.

The farther you walk…

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