Attica, around Athens.

What is there in Attica besides Athens?

Attica is the peninsula surrounding the capital, and almost the whole trip goes through Athens. The ancient city fits inside a circle you can walk from Plaka: the Acropolis and its museum, the Agora with the Temple of Hephaestus, the National Archaeological Museum and Filopappou Hill at sunset. With two full days you see the essentials; with three you have an afternoon left to head out.

Outside the city, three things worth knowing about:

• Piraeus, the great port, where ferries leave for the Cyclades, Crete and the islands of the Saronic Gulf. You get there on metro line 1, the green one, from Monastiraki or Thissio, with no change.
• Rafina, the other port, on the east coast, closer to the airport. Some lines to the Cyclades leave from here and save you crossing Athens.
• Cape Sounion, at the southern tip, 69.5 km along the coast. The marble Temple of Poseidon was built between 444 and 440 BC on a cliff, and one of its columns has Byron's name carved on it. Go in the late afternoon to watch the sunset.

And two islands in the Saronic Gulf that belong to Attica and can be done from Piraeus: Aegina, 1 h 10 by ferry, with the Temple of Aphaia and the fish of Perdika, and Hydra, the car-free island, a little over an hour away by fast boat. Further out, 2 h 40 by ferry, is Poros, green and with quiet beaches, a stone's throw from the Peloponnese. And to the north-east, 40 km by road, Marathon: the burial mound of the battle of 490 BC, its museum, the sanctuary of Rhamnous and Schinias beach. Further north, two and a half hours by road, is Delphi, in Central Greece.

If your trip carries on around Greece, Athens is the starting point for everything: the islands of the South Aegean, Crete by overnight ferry or the Peloponnese, two hours away by car or bus.

How do you get there from Spain?

By plane, direct. Aegean flies from Madrid, Barcelona, Málaga, Bilbao and other cities; Vueling from Barcelona and Iberia from Madrid. The airport is about 30 km from the centre by road and there are three ways to get in:

• Metro, line 3 (blue), to Syntagma and Monastiraki. The airport ticket costs €9; the 3-day tourist ticket, €20, includes the return journey.
• X95 bus, 24 hours, to Syntagma in about 60 minutes, for €5.50. For Piraeus, the X96, in about 90 minutes.
• Taxi, at a fixed fare of €40 from 5:00 to 24:00 and €55 at night.

Do you need a car?

In Athens, no. The centre is covered on foot, the metro reaches everything else and parking is almost impossible. The metro and bus ticket costs €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes; the 24-hour one, €4.10. You can pay at the turnstile with your contactless card, each person with their own.

A car makes sense for getting out: the coastal road to Sounion, or onwards to the Peloponnese. Hire it on your last day, at the airport, and don't take it into the centre. KTEL Attikis buses also go to Sounion, but they take longer than a car and run infrequently: check the return timetable before you go.

Where to sleep?

In Plaka, Makrygianni or Koukaki, at the foot of the Acropolis: you walk out for the first slot of the morning and go back to the hotel to rest during the hot hours. There is something for everyone, from hostels to hotels with a terrace facing the Parthenon. If you are only spending one night before an early ferry, sleep near metro line 1, which goes straight to Piraeus.

When to go and what does it cost?

The best time is from March to May and in October and November. In July and August the thermometer goes above 35 °C at midday and the rock of the Acropolis has no shade: go in at 8:00 or in the last slot. In winter it rains on some days, but everything stays open.

Athens is mid-priced. The Acropolis costs €30 and Sounion €20; EU citizens under 25 get in free, and from November to March, on the first and third Sunday of each month, entry is free for everyone. Sounion is open every day from 9:30 until sunset, and the last entry is 20 minutes before closing.