Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Athens travel guide

Athens Tourism | Athens Guide

You're Going to Love Athens

With a population of 116,714, Athens is a must-see destination in Georgia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Athens deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Article

Where to Eat in Athens

If you’re looking for affordable options, Five and Ten (1073 S Milledge Ave) and The Falls (8851 Macon Highway) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Osteria Olio (355 Oneta St) and The Café on Lumpkin (1700 S Lumpkin St) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Athens.

When to visit Athens

Athens in December
Estimated hotel price
$152
1 night at 3-star hotel
Athens in December
Estimated hotel price
$152
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Athens in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 91.4 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 33.8 °F, with an average temperature of 42.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in February, when precipitation is around 4.5″. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Athens, with an average rainfall of 3″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Athens

Plane

Although Athens doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL), which is located 65 miles from Athens. Greenville is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, Delta, WestJet and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Athens departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 49m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Athens. The train journey from Athens to Greenville takes 3h 12m and costs around $40 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about $32 for a 4h 36m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Athens is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 61 miles from Athens. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Athens, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Bus. From Columbus, the bus ride to Athens takes 110 miles and will cost you around $53. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 150 miles. The most popular bus station is Athens 4020 Atlanta Hwy, located 7 miles from downtown Athens. Athens West Broad St 1000 is also a commonly used station, and is 1.9 miles from the city center.

Plane

Although Athens doesn’t have its own airport, you can fly to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport (ATL), which is located 65 miles from Athens. Greenville is the most popular, with regular flights from American Airlines, Delta, WestJet and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest domestic flight to Athens departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 1h 49m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Athens. The train journey from Athens to Greenville takes 3h 12m and costs around $40 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Birmingham, expect to pay about $32 for a 4h 36m trip.

Car

Another option to get to Athens is to pick up a car rental from Atlanta, which is about 61 miles from Athens. You’ll find branches of Routes Car & Truck Rentals and Turo, among others, in Atlanta.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Athens, including FlixBus, Greyhound and Bus. From Columbus, the bus ride to Athens takes 110 miles and will cost you around $53. From Birmingham, the ticket costs about $49 for a journey of 150 miles. The most popular bus station is Athens 4020 Atlanta Hwy, located 7 miles from downtown Athens. Athens West Broad St 1000 is also a commonly used station, and is 1.9 miles from the city center.

Airports near Athens

GSPGreenville
ATLAtlanta Hartsfield-Jackson
AGSAugusta Bush Field

Airlines serving Athens

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Athens

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Athens-University Area and Americas Best Value Inn Athens, Ga. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Athens, with prices from $72 to $346 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Athens are about 143% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Athens by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Athens

Most booked hotels in Athens

See all
Hyatt Place Athens/Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 661 reviews)
$159+
View
Holiday Inn Express Athens-University Area
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 777 reviews)
$119+
View
Homewood Suites by Hilton Athens Downtown University Area
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 190 reviews)
$190+
View
Perimeter Inn - Athens
2 stars
Good (7.6, 315 reviews)
$120+
View
Hotel Abacus
4 stars
Good (7.3, 819 reviews)
$131+
View
Wingate by Wyndham Athens Near Downtown
2 stars
Good (6.9, 907 reviews)
$119+
View

Renting a car in Athens

Renting a car in Athens costs $58 per day, on average, or $116 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Athens (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Athens is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Rio or similar) are, on average, 55% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Athens costs $58 per day, on average, or $116 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Athens (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Athens is Compact (Toyota Corolla or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Kia Rio or similar) are, on average, 55% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Athens

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$37/day

Economy

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$37/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Athens

Athens Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Athens city guide for the best Athens travel tips. To help you organize your Athens trip ideas, this Athens visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.