Athens in the Rain

Athens in the rain? This is hardly likely to be a problem in the summer months, but it does rain in Athens. Most rain in Athens falls in the winter, but sometimes there can be rain in the spring and autumn too, so it's as well to have some ideas of what to do if it happens.

Statue in the National Archaeological Museum in Athens, photo (c) Donna Dailey, from Athens in the Rain: https://www.greece-travel-secrets.com/Athens-in-the-Rain.htmlNational Archaeological Museum

Fortunately Athens has plenty of museums, and in some ways you can regard rain as a blessing – having to be indoors in a museum in the sunshine can sometimes seem like a waste of good weather. Not so when the rain is battering the pavements.

Athens in the Rain: Museums

If it rained from dawn till dusk, you could probably spend all that time in the National Archaeological Museum and not get bored. Most people would probably prefer a little variety, though, in which case there are two areas to head for in a downpour. One is the Plaka, where as well as sheltering in shops there are also several museums to explore, including the Museum of Greek Folk Art, Museum of Greek Musical Instruments, the Kanellopoulos Museum, the Jewish Museum of Greece, and also several churches, including both the new and old cathedrals on the edge of the Plaka.

Otherwise make for Vassilisis Sophias, the main street which runs from Syntagma Square past the north side of the Parliament building. Here you'll find in close proximity the Benaki Museum, the Museum of Cycladic Art, the Byzantine and Christian Museum, the War Museum and the National Gallery, which should provide something for everyone.

You can always go shopping when it rains.
Musical instrument shop in the Plaka (Photo (c) Donna Dailey)

Go Shopping in Athens in the Rain

If you prefer couture to culture, the shops in the Kolonaki district, immediately north of Vassilisis Sophias, will keep you occupied. For more basic high-street shopping, the pedestrianised Ermou will keep you both out of the traffic and mostly out of the rain.

Go See a Movie

If you don't trust yourself to keep control of your credit card, a cheaper option to keep you dry is to visit one of the city's numerous cinemas. Here films are almost always shown in their original language, with Greek subtitles, so look on a rainy day as a chance to catch up on one of the latest releases.

Where to Stay in Athens

Don't miss this visual tour of Athens with photos by Donna Dailey of Greece Travel Secrets.

Some other Athens pages

  • A Drive around Attica

    This drive around Attica offers visitors high hills, beach resorts, small villages and classical sites like Marathon and the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.

  • Athens to Santorini

    There are lots of flights from Athens to Santorini as well as a ferry service from Piraeus, with flights to Santorini leaving from Athens International Airport.

  • Where to Eat in Athens and Piraeus

    If you're wondering where to eat in Athens and Piraeus we have a few suggestions including some favorites around the Acropolis, Omonia Square, and Syntagma.

  • Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens

    Ten Fun Things to Do in Athens include eating in the Central Market, watching the sun set over the Acropolis and seeing one of the world's oldest theatres.

  • Marathon

    The ancient site of Marathon and the site of the Battle of Marathon are in Attica and naturally about 26 miles or 42 kilometres from the centre of Athens.

  • Cape Sounion and the East Coast

    The beach resorts of Athens are easily reached from the city and also close are Cape Sounion with the Temple of Poseidon, ancient Marathon and Rafina's port.

  • Piraeus

    Piraeus is the port of Athens from where many ferries to the Greek islands depart, and it also has an Archaeological Museum and the Hellenic Maritime Museum.

  • Pictures of Athens

    Pictures of Athens from the Greece Travel Secrets website

  • National Archaeological Museum

    The National Archaeological Museum is one of the best things to see in Athens, and the best museum in the world for seeing Greece's archaeological treasures.

  • My Athens: a Portrait by Travel Writer Mike Gerrard

    In My Athens on Greece Travel Secrets travel writer Mike Gerrard describes what he loves about Athens including the Acropolis and eating!

  • Monastiraki Flea Market

    Greece Travel Secrets visits the Monastiraki Flea Market, followed by Sunday lunch at Sigalas on Monastiraki Square

  • Monastiraki and Around

    Around Monastiraki is the flea market, Athens cathedral, Kerameikos Cemetery, the Benaki Museum of Islamic Art and the Psirri and Gazi nightlife districts.

  • A History of Athens

    A History of Athens from the first people to live on the Acropolis through the Golden Age of Pericles and Alexander the Great to the military junta.

  • Greek Architecture

    This beginner's guide to Greek architecture explains how to tell your Ionic from your Doric columns, and what to look for in temples and Byzantine churches.

  • Entertainment in Athens

    There's all kinds of entertainment in Athens whether you're interested in theatre, dance, classical music, jazz, Greek music, rock music, disco, opera or movies.

  • Easter in Athens

    Easter in Athens is, like everywhere in Greece, the biggest religious celebration of the year and this page tells you what to expect over the Easter weekend.

  • The Best Things to Do in Athens

    The best things to do in Athens, Greece, include top archaeological sites like the Acropolis and must-see attractions such as the National Archaeological Museum

  • Best Cocktail Bars in Athens

    Two of the best cocktail bars in Athens, MoMix Kerameikos and The Clumsies, are making creative cocktails using that most Greek of Greek spirits, Metaxa.

  • Athens: Travel Information and Advice about Athens, Greece

    Athens is a top vacation destination. The Greece Travel Secrets Athensguide has information on hotels, museums, Athens airport and all the best things to do.

  • Athens Weather and the Best Time to Visit

    The Greece Travel Secrets website looks at the Athens weather, the chance of rain, the climate in summer and winter and the best time to visit Athens.

  • Athens Walking Tours and Other Experiences

    Athens walking tours and other experiences like cookery lessons, ceramics workshops, dining with a family, and street art are available from Alternative Athens

  • Athens International Airport

    Athens International Airport is east of Athens city centre with its own Metro train station, buses to Athens and Piraeus, taxis and car rental offices.

  • Athens Food Tours

    Athens Food Tours are being introduced by new company The Greek Fork, and will include tours of the Central Market, and the best street food.

  • Athens Events and Public Holidays

    If visiting Athens it helps to know when major events and public holidays take place, as some shops and attractions may be closed, but to be there at times like Easter can make for a magical trip.

  • Athens Eaters Guide

    Athens, an Eater's Guide to the City, is published by Culinary Backstreets, who do walking food tours in Athens and the book recommends the best places to eat.

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