Compare Athens car hire

From ancient sights like the Parthenon to the upscale shopping of Kolonaki and the quaint streets of Plaka, Greece's capital packs it in. Hire a car and you'll find even more to explore in the wider Attica region – as well as car ferry links to some of the best Greek islands from nearby Piraeus.

Language: Greek | Currency: Euros (€) | Avg. Flight time: 3 hrs 40 mins

If you’re looking to explore the city on foot for a while before picking up your car, you’ll find a handful of rental companies in the centre of Athens that all offer competitive deals. Many of them have offices along Andrea Siggrou Avenue (Sometimes spelled Andrea Syngrou), including Avis, Sixt and Hertz. For the best rates, compare cheap car hire online in advance.

If you want to hire a car from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH), you’ll be able to compare deals from several big global brands, including Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and Sixt. It’s a 40-minute drive into the city depending on traffic, and you can reach Piraeus in a similar time.

The car hire desks are easy to find at Athens Airport. Look out for them in the main arrivals hall, between exits 3 and 4.

Car rental companies with desks in Athens Airport include:

• Avis (Tel: +30 210 3530 578/9)
• Budget (Tel: +30 210 3530 553)
• Enterprise (Tel: +30 210 3533 323/4)
• Hertz (Tel: +30 210 3534 900)
• Sixt (Tel: +30 210 3530 556)

Athens driving can be a little overwhelming at first – traffic is heavy, especially during rush hour times, and some central areas have confusing road layouts and narrow one-way streets. Monastiraki, the shopping district near the Acropolis, is a prime offender. When you get out towards the larger roads, like the 56 and 91 routes that ring the city's core, navigating is a little easier.

It also helps that road signs are mostly written in English as well as Greek, particularly for tourist sites and facilities. It is still worth committing your route to memory before you set off, and bringing along a satnav (or pre-downloading a map and using your smart phone in offline mode) if you have one. Try to keep tabs on news about public demonstrations too – these aren't entirely uncommon, and can really hold up traffic. If there's one scheduled during your stay, plan something in another part of the city or take public transport.

Delphi

Driving time: Two hours 30 minutes

Situated at the foot of Mount Parnassus around 180km (112 miles) northwest of Athens, Delphi is one of Greece's most important ancient sites – in fact, it was once thought of as the centre of the world. Among its ruins are an amphitheatre and a large central temple to Apollo, whose oracle dispensed predictions from here. You don't need to know any of that to enjoy the setting, which looks down into the valley of Phocis over a hillside dotted with cypress trees.

Temple of Poseidon

Driving time: One hour 30 minutes

Another ancient temple with a stunning backdrop. To be fair, the Attica region does them rather well. Here crumbling marble columns rise up from a coastal cliff, with panoramic views out to the southern Aegean. The Temple was originally constructed in the 5th century and is at its most beautiful at sunset.

Salamis Island

Driving time: 30 minutes

Greece is famous for its islands, and while this one isn't an A-lister, if you're based in Athens and mobile it makes a convenient and rewarding day trip. It's just a 15-minute car ferry ride from the port of Perama, which itself is around half an hour from Athens. For that short journey you get a largely unspoilt island with idyllic sandy coves and authentic tavernas – just the sort of place you need a car to get the best out of.

1. Keep your eyes peeled for road signs, as they can be poorly placed. Those English translations are no help if you don't see them.
   
2. Demonstrations in the city are frequent, in particular around Syntagma Square. It’s best to avoid driving during these times and not park your hire car near the crowds to avoid it getting damaged.
   
3. Parking is scarce in central Athens. Expect it to be pricey near the main tourist attractions. If you can find accommodation that offers free parking, it could save you quite a bit of money.

Fair fuel policy

A fair fuel policy (also known as full-to-full or same-to-same) means you’ll only pay for the fuel you use. All car rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket come with a fair fuel policy, so you can book your hire car safe in the knowledge there will be no nasty surprises at drop-off. More information on TravelSupermarket’s commitment to fair fuel policies can be found here.

No hidden fees

All rental deals compared on TravelSupermarket include mandatory fees (for example, one-way and young driver surcharges) in your rental quote at the time of booking, meaning you’ll know the full price of your car hire upfront.