Welcome to Eudaimonia Express

Athens & Delphi series...

November 2023 workshop

...it's happening!

52

DAYS

20

HOURS

15

MINUTES

18

SECONDS
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Tips & FAQs

A few things to keep in mind while preparing for your trip...

Transport
Museum & e-tickets
General info
Dos & dont's
I am landing in Athens, how do I reach Philippos & Herodion hotels (city centre)?
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1. By taxi
Fixed price from Athens International Airport.
Arrivals level, exit 3.
Day time (05:00-24:00) Athens Airport to City Centre inner ring: €40
Night time (24:00-05:00) Athens Airport to City Centre inner ring: 55 €
Note: ALL applicable surcharges are included; luggage fee, toll cost, VAT, meter start, airport charge. Price stated always per vehicle and not per person.
2. By metro
Metro Line 3 (blue) connects the airport to the city centre Syntagma Square.
The journey time is approximately 40 minutes.
(You will then need to change for line 2 (red) direction "Elliniko" and get off after 2 stops at Acropolis station. Both hotels are situated within a 5'-walk.)
Your journey looks like this:
Metro 🚇 3 > 🚇 2 > 👣
Trains run every 30 minutes, 7 days a week from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm.
One way tickets cost €9 (€4.50 for children, teenagers, over 65), return tickets cost €16.
3. By suburban railway
The suburban railway (Proastiakos) connects Athens Airport with Larissis Station, the central Athens railway station in approx. 45 minutes.
Trains depart from Athens airport every 15-25 minutes to Doukissis Plakentias station, where you can transfer to the Athens Metro network, using the same ticket.
Your journey looks like this:
Proastiakos 🚆 > Metro 🚇 3 > 🚇 2 > 👣
4. By bus
24-hour express buses connect Athens International Airport with the port of Piraeus and the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL Kifissos). These non-stop services operate daily, including public holidays. All buses drop off passengers at the Departures Level and depart from the Arrivals Level.
Bus tickets are sold at the ticket booth outside the Arrivals hall (between Exits 4 and 5).
One way tickets cost €5.50 (€2.70 for children, teenagers, over 65).
Take line X95: Airport - Syntagma Square (Estimated journey time ~60 minutes)
From Syntagma Square, take metro line 2 (red) direction "Elliniko" and get off after 2 stops at Acropolis station. (Remember, you will need to get a metro ticket!)
Your journey looks like this:
X95 🚌 > Metro > 🚇 2 > 👣
Urban transport; ticket options & fares
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Planning to use the Athens metro/bus/tramway network? Click here!
Info on taxis 🚕
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All licensed taxis in Athens are equipped with metres. The fare is charged per kilometre and per hour. Make sure the metre is switched on as soon as you set off.
Free Now (formerly Beat) is an app-based yellow taxi service which finds your location and offers the options of paying in cash, by card, or using a Paypal account.
Android / iOS
Uber is also available in Athens with the UberTaxi product—you can call an Uber via your app and a yellow taxi will pick you up.
Acropolis Museum opening hours & e-tickets
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Opening hours
Monday - Thursday: 9 am - 5 pm (last entrance: 4:30 pm)
‍Friday: 9 am - 10 pm (last entrance: 9:30 pm)
‍Saturday & Sunday: 9 am - 8 pm (last entrance: 7:30 pm)
E-tickets here
Acropolis opening hours & e-tickets
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Opening hours
8 am - 5 pm
The last entrance to the Acropolis is half an hour before closing time.
E-tickets here
Delphi archeological site & museum, opening hours & e-tickets
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Opening hours
8 am - 3:30 pm (both)
The last entrance is at 3:10pm.
E-tickets here
Currency & credit cards
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Currency
The euro (€) has been the official currency of Greece since 2001.
Check live exchange rates.
Credit cards
All major credit cards are widely accepted in Greece, though some establishments do not accept American Express and Diners.
Exchange
Foreign currency can be exchanged at most Greek and foreign banks and at exchange bureaus located at Athens International Airport and around the city centre.
You will need your passport to exchange money. Travellers checks are also widely accepted.
Banks will have the best exchange rates and are open from around 8am-2pm.
Idieally, use your debit card via ATMs that can disperse cash from your accounts at home and are located everywhere throughout the city.
Keep in mind that they will charge you €2-3 per transaction.
Tipping
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Tipping in Greece is by no means a requirement, however, it is greatly appreciated.
As there are no standard rates, a good evaluation indicator would be to consider the tipping standards in your home country. Anywhere between 5% to 15% would be satisfactory according to the service provided.
Is tap water safe to drink in Athens?
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Yes, tap water is safe to drink in Athens and most places in Greece.
You can always buy bottled water; 500ml costs €0.50 at kiosks (this is a fixed price by law that applies EVERYWHERE for 500ml-bottles) and next to nothing at supermarkets in Athens (€0.15-0.30).
"This is Athens", an interesting visitors' guide portal...
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Athens. One City. Never Ending Stories.
"This is Athens" is part of This is Athens + Partners, a consortium of key stakeholders in the Athens tourism and travel industry, whose mission is to enhance and promote Athens as a great place to visit, work, live, and invest.
You can even hook up with an Athenian insider through our This is Athens With a Local programme—free, themed walks led by a community of locals who love to share their city secrets with travellers.
Find them here.
Credit: thisisathens.org
Speak their (body) language
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Don't
Don’t think that you need to learn some Greek before you get here. While a “hello” (yia sas) or “thank you” (efharisto) are welcome, most Athenians speak English. They often speak several other languages, too.
Do
Be aware that Greeks love to talk. So don’t be surprised if asking a stranger for directions turns into a heart to heart or an invitation to their grandma’s for lunch.
Don't
Don’t be frightened by how loudly they speak, and don’t duck as they wave their arms around as they do so. They’re not trying to hit you. They love to speak with gestures. They created drama, they will keep it alive.
Pick your restaurant wisely
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Don't
Don't be lured by the waiters standing outside restaurants in touristy areas, trying to persuade you to sit down. No matter how hungry you are. Even if they’ve almost convinced you that this place has the best grilled octopus in the country, the world, the universe. With few exceptions, these places are not the best example of what Athens has to offer food-wise.
Do
Do your research about where to eat in Athens. You’ll be grateful. Just don’t show up for dinner at 6, 7, or even 8 pm. Athenians like to eat late, and many restaurant kitchens stay open until well after midnight.
Haggling is not cool
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Don't
Don’t assume that every vendor is out to overcharge you just because you’re not a local. While bargaining used to be acceptable, it’s a lot less so today. Unless you’re clean sweeping a store, you’re not really expected to shoot numbers back and forth. Obviously, if the price seems ridiculous, do speak out. Loudly. With gestures.
Tread carefully
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Do
Do be careful on the streets. In many cities, drivers slam on the breaks the second a pedestrian sets their toe on a pedestrian crossing. This does not happen in Athens. But don’t fear for your life. Just be on high alert for random motorcycles riding along the pavement or cars jumping red lights.
Avoid the clichés
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Don't
Don’t assume that all Athenians do is drink frappé, eat souvlaki, wash it down with retsina, and ride around on donkeys in chitons. Or that you should do the same. Frappe is strong, instant coffee, and it may give you the shakes. Souvlaki is an occasional treat, not a staple food. Retsina, or too much of it, is a guaranteed headache. And donkeys can be found at the city’s zoo.
Spot the crooked cabbie
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Don't
Don’t fall into the eternal tourist trap. Wrongly or not, cab drivers worldwide are notorious for ripping off tourists. Athenian ones are no exception. Make sure the taxi metre is turned on the second you sit down. Some routes - such as from Athens airport to the city centre have a flat fare. If your cab feels like an open oven and ash is flying through the back windows, feel free to remind your driver that it’s no longer 1960.

When in Athens...

A few pinned spots to facilitate your stay; meet your neighbourhood! (open map in a new tab)

↓ TIP: Click on the tab icon to open the legend of the map.

Workshop programme & trip to Delphi

Workshop venue: Philippos hotel-Alex meeting room

(tentative programme, subject to change, please check back)

THU 16

5-8pm

The origins of Aristotelianism and Stoicism

FRI 17

6.50am (sharp!)

Sunrise meditation, following Marcus Aurelius, 11.27.

Meet at the Hotel Philippos.
We’ll walk together to the Philopappos Monument and await there for the sun to rise.

Guaranteed beautiful pictures of the Acropolis at dawn.

9am-12pm

Aristotle's physics and logic

(☕ coffee break in the middle)

12pm-2pm

Lunch break at nearby eateries

2pm-6pm

Stoic physics and logic

(☕ coffee break in the middle)

8pm

Social dinner at Balcony restaurant (facultative)

Scroll for menu

SAT 18

9am-12pm

Aristotle's ethics

(☕ coffee break in the middle)

12pm-2pm

Lunch break at nearby eateries

2pm-6pm

Stoic ethics

(☕ coffee break in the middle)

Evening

Group dinner (facultative)

SUN 19

Day trip to Delphi via hired bus

Departure at 7am ⏱️

Exact location: view spot

~3-hour drive

Archaeological site & museum visit

Get your tickets in advance please!

(💡Book the 10am slot)

~1:30pm

Lunch break at Vakhos restaurant

Scroll for menu

Post lunch

Visit to the Temple of Athena

Return to Athens

Social dinner

Friday, 17 Nov at 8pm.

Winding down at Balcony restaurant, a stone's throw from Philippos hotel.

Food menuWine Drinks

Delphi lunch break

Sunday, 19 Nov, at 1.30pm; we are on a tight schedule people!

Please take a look at Vakhos restaurant menu below and submit your lunch order by 12pm.

Food menuDrinks
I am ready!
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ARISTOTLE & STOICISM