Forget summer holidays – this popular European capital is so much better in winter
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Greece might be best-known for getaways during the warmer months, but the energetic capital can get unbearably hot during high season – Maryann Wright discovers why is far better to explore Athens is winter. Athens in winter isn’t the obvious choice for a city break. In fact, it might not even feature on your radar this time of year. The bustling capital of Greece is often used by travellers in summer as a stopover en route to the islands, but ask any local and they’ll confirm that winter is not only a good time, but the best season to visit.
![[The Meet Market brings together artisans and food ahead of Christmas]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/23/14/newFile-3.jpg)
Athens heaves in the warmer months, with hour-long (or longer) waits for museums and restaurants, scorching temperatures and clogged streets. In winter, Athens is quiet, with mild weather (10-17C temperatures in mid-December), queue-less entry into monuments that charge half-price admissions from November to March, off-peak hotel deals, and locals enjoying their own city. I.
![[Let there be light: The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center and its beautiful festive light displays in the winter season]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/23/14/newFile-4.jpg)
n the words of local Athenian ceramicist Hercules: “Athens is an ugly, dirty city but it has vibe.” And at this time of year, Athens has vibe in buckets. The streets, lined with orange trees, broken pavements and graffiti art, hum – especially at night when lit up by Christmas decorations. While there are no ‘traditional’ Christmas markets (many Greeks go to the Czech capital, Prague, for those), central hubs such as Syntagma Square, Plaka and Monastiraki are aglow, and shops stay open late for holiday trading. One place to visit is the Meet Market’s pop-up Christmas Market, housing more than 40 local craftmakers for local present-buying. Feast on Greek Christmas cookies, melomakarona (honey) and kourabiedes (almond), and try mastika, a woody digestive Greek liqueur made from a tree grown only on Chios island, which feels especially festive.
![[It’s warm enough for al fresco coffee during winter in Athens]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/12/23/14/newFile-6.jpg)
