The best neighbourhoods for students in Athens

Exarchia/Exarcheia/Εξάρχεια

This alternative neighbourhood is the student neighbourhood par excellence of the Greek capital, so it’s undoubtedly one of the best neighbourhoods for students in Athens. It’s a central and lively area that has a bohemian vibe, with its art scene and political and social activism.

Exarchia is home to a wealth of alternative shops, including independent bookstores, cultural centres and antique shops, for example. It also has a large number of affordable eateries, bars, and live music venues to go out at night.

Being a central area, in this neighbourhood of the Greek capital there are several cultural sites to visit. One of the most notable is the National Archaeological Museum, one of the most important in the country, with a collection of ancient artifacts. The other places, following the vibe of the neighbourhood, are more alternative. There are several cultural centres that organize activities and exhibitions, and theaters where shows are held.

As for green places to enjoy the outdoors, the Strefi Hill is ideal for a relaxed location and incredible views of the city, including the Acropolis! In addition, very close to this neighbourhood is the Pedios tou Areos park and Lycabettus Hill, two sites that also offer a respite from the buildings. The latter is one of the favourite spots to see the sunset.

Exarchia is connected to the rest of the city mainly through bus and trolleybus lines. It’s also close to some metro stops, both the M1 and M2, and you can walk to the most central area in less than half an hour.

Zografou/Ζωγράφου

It’s another one of the student-friendly neighbourhoods in Athens, because it houses most of the faculties of the University of Athens. In fact, the residences of that institution are located here. In this neighbourhood there’s also the main campus of the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).

Zografou is a suburban neighbourhood located east of Athens, which makes the price of rentals much more economical than in the city centre. It’s a neighbourhood with a lively student vibe, with a variety of affordable bars and cafes. It also has taverns and restaurants that offer traditional Greek food at cheap prices.

As for cultural sites to visit, it’s true that it doesn’t compare with the central and historical area of ​​Athens. However, it has some places that are worth visiting. Among them are:

• Part of the Benaki Museum, with the studio of the famous sculptor Yannis Pappas
• The Giorgios Gounaropoulos Museum, in the house where that artist lived and worked
• The Zografou Art Gallery, in the Marika Kotopouli Museum
• The Museum of Zoology of the University of Athens (ZMUA)

Being on the outskirts of Athens, in Zografou you can find more green places than in the centre. For example, in the Ilisia park (Alsos Ilision) you can go running, for a walk or relax on its trails with panoramic views of the capital. The University of Athens campus also stands out for its green spaces, with quiet areas to read or take a break between classes.

Regarding public transport, Zografou is connected to the rest of the city mainly through bus and trolleybus lines. Some stations of the M3 line of the subway are relatively close, which is ideal to get to the airport, but it's usually easier to go by bus or trolleybus to the city centre.

Gazi/Γκάζι

This popular neighbourhood is known as the “Soho” of Athens. It's an ideal area to live for those who want to be in the centre of nightlife and entertainment. That is to say, it's a neighbourhood that never sleeps, so you have to be prepared for that if you choose to live there!

Gazi offers a large number of bars, clubs, cafes, and some restaurants. It’s where students and young people usually go out at night, choosing between nightclubs with different types of music and vibes. In Gazi, there are also several shops and galleries of local artists.

Technopolis City of Athens (Τεχνόπολη) is one of the most visited sites in the cultural area. It's an artistic and cultural space that hosts exhibitions, concerts, and a museum in a former gas factory.

One disadvantage of Gazi is that it doesn't have large green spaces to enjoy outdoors. The Ermou and Piraeus park is close by, but it can be quite unsafe, especially at night.

This neighbourhood is well connected to the rest of the city through the M3 line of the subway, as well as with buses.

Panormou

Panormou extends northeast of the centre of Athens. It’s a neighbourhood that welcomes a large number of students every year for several reasons, such as being quite close to the campuses located in Zografou and having affordable rental prices. For all this, it’s another of the best neighbourhoods for students in Athens.

Despite being on the outskirts of the centre of the Greek capital, Panormou has a very lively vibe at night, especially in the streets surrounding the metro station with the same name. There, there are plenty of bars, cafes, and restaurants! And there are also places to party.

Cultural visits and green spaces aren't a strong point of this neighbourhood, although it does have some squares, theaters, and cinemas.

Panormou is very well connected to the centre of Athens, especially with the M3 line of the subway. It also has bus stops that take you to the different campuses of the institutions and other interesting parts of the city.

FAQ about neighbourhoods in Athens