Biggest Mistakes Tourists Make in Athens

Heading to Athens this summer and want to have the best time possible? Well we go through the most common tourist mistakes tourists make when they visit Athens, from not preparing for the heat or the slick pavement or not preparing the belts for the hefty food they will be eating on their visit to this historic capital of Greece.
Filmed in Athens, Greece

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Copyright Mark Wolters 2024

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hey the Phil Travelers Mark here with
Walter world and today we’re here in
Athens Greece and today we’re going to
talk about are some of the mistakes that
tourists make when they come here to
Athens and I’m going to start with a
vocabulary mistake that people make so
you see that hill behind me with a
temple on top well the hill is the
Acropolis okay Acropolis means highest
city so that’s all the stuff up there is
the Acropolis and the Parthenon the
paron is the Temple of the very top and
I know some people kind of use these
things interchangeably but remember
theopolis is like the hill the city on
top of the hill and the Parthenon is
that thing that’s on the very top of the
temple up there okay so you know that
and I think it’s important as it being
the most important site to see when you
come here I should give you some of the
mistakes people make when they go to the
Acropolis one they don’t pre-book their
tickets look you want to make sure you
get in pre-book your tickets there’s TI
where you can go in so you have that so
have it ready because if you come on
busy days you can wait in line for a
long long long time and it’s better to
have your ticket already purchased you
can buy them online very easily you just
show the QR code and boom you’re in okay
very easy to do another mistake I see
people make is they don’t wear the right
shoes when they go up the Acropolis and
this is actually for a lot of places
here in Athens the right shoes are
important and the thing is up in the
Acropolis it’s a lot of uneven steps
okay there’s a lot of uneven Stone also
there’s a lot of marble there as well
and it can be very slick even if there’s
no rain it’d be really really slick we
were up there today there was a lady who
had flip-flops on she fell not once not
twice but three times walking up around
there so you want to be careful with
your shoe choices when you’re going up
to your cropet and actually all around
the city now another mistake I think
tours make is they cheap out and don’t
spend the 50 cents to get a small bottle
of water look legally places had to sell
those small bottles of water for 50
cents so if you’re going to get
dehydrated and that’s one of the reasons
why tourists pass up when they’re up
there they get dehydrated they get you
know weak sh the knes they go down it’s
the dehydration side of it and don’t
make the mistake of thinking I don’t
want to pay the money for water dude
it’s literally 50 cents that’s it okay
so you can get those and keep yourself
hydrated now another mistake I think
tours make is they wait too long to go
to the Acropolis you want to go in the
morning because the temperatures are
usually cooler in the morning obviously
in the summer it’s especially better
also how the Shadows Fall on your way up
it’s just a lot more comfortable going
up to the Acropolis and up to the top
during the morning time than the
afternoon no and if you’re here during a
heatwave sometimes they actually close
it from like noon to 5:30 and so you
can’t even go during that time of the
day so going in the morning is your best
bet to go now another mistake tourists
make when they come here is they don’t
do the Acropolis the Acropolis Museum in
the right order now the Acropolis museum
is actually right next to me okay and in
there it will tell you all about the
Acropolis it’ll tell you all about the
parth it’ll give you that history he’ll
give you so much it’s so informative
that when you go up to the Acropolis you
go to the paron up there it really comes
More Alive like you truly understand it
better whereas if you go up there first
and then go to the museum it’s like oh I
wish I would have done that oh I wish I
would have spent more time with the
katus like that would have meant more to
me cuz now I understand how important
they were and that’s going to help so
make sure you do that and knowing that
order of seeing the Acropolis Museum
first to really understand it and then
going to see the Acropolis that’s going
to help out and that kind of gives me
the another mistake I see people make is
they don’t really kind of plan out their
visit to Athens enough beforehand
because it’s a big city there’s a lot of
stuff you can see and do when you’re
here and it’s probably better to kind of
plan things together cuz if you’re here
the summer heat and Sun it can be very
draining so what you want to do is maybe
do things together like okay we’re going
to do moniki and Paka we’re going to
walk around there and see those things
and then we’re going to do the Acropolis
and then we’ll go over to the Temple of
Zeus on another day and you kind of get
those things kind of together to make it
easier for you and the thing is you have
to realize is a mistake people make is
thinking that Athens is just the
Acropolis and the museum here or just
the plocka no they’re other
neighborhoods you can go to there’s a
northern server there’s a southern Ser
you go to preus you know where the where
the port is and you can see the stuff
there I mean there’s so many more things
than just this kind of old historic part
that people kind of stick in and just
stay in so you can explore more and
that’s what’s cool is is you can
actually use the metro to help you out I
think that’s a mistake some tourists
make because a Metro can be a mistake
two ways one tourists don’t use it to
help them get places like the Acropolis
has its own stop right over here Mike
has its own stop you have that so you
can use it to your advantage if you want
to go to the airport or if you want to
get you know go out to some of the
farther places outside the center that
can be helpful but honestly another
mistake with the Metro is really think
it’s going to be super helpful it’s
helpful in specific situations not
getting you everywhere around the city
now for a lot of Travelers they fly into
Athens and then they grent their car and
explore Greece that’s great but a
mistake that some tourists make when
they come to Athens is they rent their
car for Greece when they get in here and
they drive into Athens for a couple days
here and then go explore don’t do that
what you should do is come explore
Athens then go get your car and drive
out of the city or what we do is we rent
our car from Athens to the airort we fly
in go explore the pelones and other
parts of Greece then we come back drop
off the car and have absolutely nothing
to do with driving and parking here in
Athens because you don’t want to deal
with it it’s horrible okay so don’t make
the mistake of driving here in Athens
and for other things that kind of don’t
make much sense is honestly um you might
make the mistake of thinking it’ll be
easy to find your faery when you go to
preus the the the port um I will say
this make sure you know where you need
to go so you’re going to get on the
right boat so you can get to the right
Island when you go around it pays to
have a little bit of pre- knowledge
about that so when you get your Ferry
tickets make sure you really pay
attention where you need to go where
your boarding is when your boarding is
cuz some tourists end up missing their
Ferry because they’re in the wrong place
at the wrong time now some other little
things you should know when you’re going
to be here in Athens is one don’t make
the mistake of not having small bills it
could be when you’re taking a taxi
around town they don’t have change for
you so you need that but just grabbing
an ice cream grabbing some of the water
you know 50 Cent wat kind of things not
having small bills can be a problem
because yes you can play with your
credit card most everywhere but just for
the speed and convenience always have
small bills with you when you’re here
and honestly I mean it’s such an
affordable City to really enjoy that
having the small bills really can’t pay
for a lot of the stuff when you are here
now one of the things I really enjoy
about Athens is actually getting to meet
some of the locals and talk to the
locals I think that’s a mistake that
some tourists make is they don’t Engage
The locals here in Athens but you have
to realize Athens has some of the
highest level of English speakers in the
entire country of Greece and Greece is
really good at speaking English so if
you take the time to talk to your waiter
talk to your bartender talk to your you
know receptionist or talk to the the
coner of your hotel I mean they’re going
to have a good time they’re going to
talk to you and you’re going to learn so
much more about the city about the area
where they eat that you don’t just have
to eat at moniki and in the plaa part no
you can go all over and that’s one of
the great things about the locals here
is they’re very helpful and that’s why I
say don’t just stay in the center go
explore more out in the suburbs to even
better chance to talk to locals there
cuz they’re like wait you’re a tourist
and you’re you’re not just eating in CLA
and moniki no no we exploring and that’s
going to get them to want to engage more
with you and that’s why don’t make the
mistake of not knowing at least two
words when you come here one yasus which
is hello andaro which is thank you those
two will go a long way to make of happy
and be even more open to talking to you
and then they’ll probably teach you a
few more Greek words and maybe some bad
words too but at least you’re making
progress and making friends when you’re
here in Athens now another mistake I
think tourists make is when they think
of Athens they think oh it’s Greece it’s
it’s a summer destination that’s it well
I want to tell you if you want to come
to Greece in the winter time Athens is
the best destination because it really
is a destination all year round because
the sites you can see are not dependent
on a beach or the sun you have fantastic
museums here the archaeological Museum
and all the national museums that around
the city the the Acropolis Museum going
to the Acropolis seeing all the temple
seeing the ruins Temple of Zeus there’s
so many things to do when you’re here
then you can really enjoy them all year
long so it doesn’t have to just be a
summer visit to Greece you can do it any
time of the year here in Athens whereas
the islands yeah some of the islands
really are completely dead during the
winter time or even the late fall so do
be aware of that now when you are eating
and you’ll notice you’ll be eating on
stairs you’ll be eating on the sides of
the streets you’ll be eating all over
the place you’re here because there’s so
much good food here that’s that’s not a
mistake you’re GNA eat well when you’re
here don’t worry about that but I think
for a safety thing one of the mistakes I
see tourists make is they leave their
phone on top of their table the thing is
Athens is very safe like I’m not really
worried about Athens but I have seen the
phones on top of tables they kind of
disappear because people walk by you
don’t notice because there’s so many
people walking by especially if you’re
eating this from the more touristy parts
of town so do be aware of that one also
I would say this the taxis here they can
be fun we’ve had some we’ve had some
amazing taxi drivers with here funny
funny as can be but there are the usual
taxi kind of snafus you want to pay
attention to make sure they start the
meter going and you know have a
discussion about what the price
roundabout may be and then have to do
the flag fall so you have that another
mistake I think tourists make when they
come to Athens they think that the
restaurants are try to scam them because
they’ll come with a bottle of water and
put it on the table they’ll ask you oh
would you like bread and you say yes and
then you don’t realize that you do have
to pay for that water and you do have to
pay for that bread and it’s only a
couple Euros or less I mean it’s not
really that much but some tourist feel
like they’re scamming them because they
don’t realize they have to pay or they
don’t tell them right away so don’t
think it’s a scam don’t make that
mistake just realize that hey you’re
going to need that water anyway so get
the water pay for it the bread if you
don’t want it you can just say no thank
you they won’t breing it so you won’t
get charged now coming to Greece what
are the things that usually shows up in
the news feeds are strikes and protests
and I think it’s a mistake when people
think oh the strikes and protests are
going to ruin my vacation they’re going
to close everything things I want to see
it’s not worth going to Greece it’s not
worth going to Athens cuz blah blah blah
look those things are not targeting
tourists cuz I know tourism brings out a
lot of money for the locals here so
they’re not targeting tourism it might
hurt the metro and you’re getting out to
the airport but don’t think the protest
things are going to ruin your trip
because then it’s not happening here at
the Acropolis okay it’s not happening
where you’re going to be so don’t worry
about that and I know those protests
also make people make another mistake
and they skip out on seeing the change
of the Guard it’s a really cool
experience to see that change of the
Guard it’s not like the change of the
guard in England and London where they
have that it’s a very different one but
it’s something you should see when
you’re here now moving back to our
Acropolis issues I want to tell you this
um don’t make the mistake of thinking
that having that great view doesn’t come
with a price if you’re going to eat at a
restaurant and it has a beautiful view
of the Acropolis of the parthan on on
top it’s probably going to be a little
bit pricier I mean you’ll see there’s
some like restaurants that are on the
stairs and the ones that have those
straight views on the Acropolis and the
Parthenon they might be a little bit
more than the street two you have two
streets over that has the same kind of
steps but you don’t see it so maybe
compare and contrast the prices the
foods going be good anywhere you go but
I know that’s a mistake that some tours
make that they have to have the
Acropolis food which is awesome but
sometimes if you want to save a little
money maybe go a couple streets over you
still have that beautiful steps and all
kinds of stuff but it can save you a
little bit of a few Euros or two for
your next Euro now a slightly different
cultural mistake you might make when you
come here is when you go to the
Acropolis you’ll notice there’s the OD
in there there’s actually a theater that
has Productions to this day you can go
see a pretty famous art actually perform
there so I think it’s a mistake of not
seeing who’s playing when you’re coming
to Athens cuz you can actually get
tickets and actually go to a concert
inside the odent I mean it’s it’s really
really cool and that leads into another
mistake to make when they’re coming to
Athens is is they’re not doing enough
research before they come I mean Athens
become super popular especially with the
Tik Tok Instagram YouTube hello I’m here
too you know like this is one of those
place people love to come but since we
can only get so much in a 15-minute
video or or a 30 second video it’s only
the highlights that get really
highlighted and what you need to do is
really do research before you come here
to understand all the stuff you’re going
to see because when you turn a corner
like oh there’s Hadrian’s Arch oh
there’s the Tower of the Winds oh
there’s there’s the Temple of Zeus and
you know the background it can really
make it a much more like impactful visit
much more educational visit you get a
lot more out of all the ruins and Stones
you see it it really does so much more
for your visit so do more of that
research pick up the National Geographic
Greece and learn about that history
learn about the sites more that will
bring a lot more out of your kind of
Athens vacation and the thing is Athens
is a cool City you got to enjoy it and I
I think that’s a mistake that tourist
make is some they don’t spend enough
time when they come to Athens they kind
of use it as a a layover a stop over to
go to the pelones so more likely going
to the islands and you can see a lot of
stuff in here here and you can do a lot
of great day trips from here too simil
the day trips are a little bit farther
but a lot of them you can do in tours I
mean you can go see the Oracle Deli you
can go there you go to my NE a UNESCO
world heritage site yeah you go there
nafo the first capital it’s like a 2hour
2hour bus ride you can get there and
enjoy you run a car to see things around
here I mean there’s a lot of stuff you
can do near here so it’s not just making
a mistake of only seeing Athens or
skipping out on Athens it kind of like a
combination of the two of not taking
advantage of the opportunities you have
here in Athens okay and and kind of
going on from exploring outside of
Athens I think another important kind of
mistake tours make is is they use the
fery you you go to pz you take the
fairies to the islands and you could do
day trips to some of the islands too so
don’t miss out on that that’s the
mistake not to see some islands if
you’re here but I think the mistake is
is people think that the fairies are the
only way to get to all the islands and
what you have to realize from the
airport you can fly to some of the
islands and you might want to kind of
Judge is it worth 7 hours of my time on
a ferry or a 30-minute flight or an
overnight fery versus a 45 minute flight
so that might be something you want to
kind of look into cuz honestly I realize
people use Athens for a lot of different
things whether it’s for fun for history
for a gayway to the rest of Greece or
the islands but honestly don’t make the
mistake of not coming to Athens because
this city is a wonderful place to visit
with the food the history the sites that
are here you will enjoy your time here
so let us know what are some mistakes
you see T make when they come here to
Athens and honestly if you want more our
don’t of visiting Athens video has a lot
more stuff on there to help you out and
this video is just to help you you some
of those little mistakes that might make
a difference if you don’t make them when
you’re here anyway I wish y best I’ll
say bye from here in Athens