Experience in Athens, Greece by Maria

What is it like to live in Athens? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

A creative chaos! Yes I would recommend it because the people are lovely in a totally failed city! There are some lovely city parts but most of the city has awful buildings.

What is the student lifestyle like in Athens?

halli galli! Nice coffee shops, cocktail bars, clubs, walking areas, playful and vivid, but not quite cheap.

How much does it cost to live in Athens?

For a student about 750-1000 Euro

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Athens? Is there any advice you can give?

Easy because every free appartment is noticed at the entrance of the building with a yellow ENOIKIAZETAI, with description of the appartment and phone number. So, you just walk and look around. If you like the district, you will find something. Otherwise there is the website www.xe.gr, whrere one can find a lot of apps.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

You can find all you like to eat, even international kitchen. But it s easy to find interesting pies in every bakery, or souvlaki everywhere, with which you can eat with 3-5 Euros. Also small popular taverns are not expensive, you get nice dishes with 4-8 Euro.

What places would you recommend visiting in Athens?

Now, the area between Syntagma and Kerameikos is the most visited one. Good coffee and cocktails at Aghia Eirini Square, Not to miss the Akropolis museum with a wonderful and rather cheap restaurant and coffee shop!! Also nice a small bar at Plateia Plastira in Pangrati, a good, central and cheap district for housing and eating!! Margharita cocktail at its top! (7 Euro!!) Good drinks also at Plateia Mavili.

Is it good to eat out in Athens? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Athens is full full full with small restaurants. Petralona, Gazi, Pangrati offer a lot of solutions.

Is the nightlife good in Athens? Where is good to go?

In the summer at the shore with the tram! Glyfada is very chic and plenty of life. but also the district between Syntagma and Akropolis. Nice bars at Thission with Akropolis view, although the drinks quite mediocre. Attention in the crowded bars: in many many cases the drinks are fakes!! You can understand it when it s too late and you have a heavy and uncomfortable head! So prefer a beer or a Cola to alcohol!

What advice would you give future students heading to Athens?

A good choice in general in a general climate that tends to be very inviting to distraction. Athens a must for students of humanistic matters!