Search for car hire in Athens

Frequently asked questions

Q. What is the most popular rental length in Athens?
A. Eight to nine days.

Q. When is the most popular time to rent a car in Athens?
A. August.

Q. What’s the best value car hire brand in Athens?
A. Goldcar is the cheapest car rental brand in Athens, offering cars from just £7 per day.

*Based on easyCar real booking data.

Fast facts

Cheapest month / most expensive monthAverage cost per day of car hire in Athens

January	£11.10
August	£35.50

Car typeAverage cost per day of car hire in Athens

Mini	£20.30
Economy	£23.00
Compact	£28.90

Driving tips

Hilly landscape – 80% of Greece is mountainous, and whilst beautiful, mountainous roads can make for some challenging driving. Take it slow, and be prepared for what’s around the corner.

Local drivers – Aggressive driving is not uncommon in Greece. Take extra care on one lane roads – overtaking is common practice and sometimes you’ll see local drivers using the hard shoulder as a means to do so. You’ll likely come across lots of motorbikes too, so be prepared to watch out for them.

Navigating the roads – Having a Sat Nav is extremely useful, but a back up map will also come in handy. Some minor roads may not have names so GPS systems can be a little ambiguous with their directions.

Types of road – The quality of the roads may not be as good in small, rural villages.

Road signs – These are usually in both Greek and English.

Winding roads – Prepare for travel sickness, especially if you have children who aren’t used to winding journeys!

Things to be aware of

Speed limits – Greek speed limits are as follows: 50 km/h on residential streets, 90 km/h out of town and 110-120 km/h on motorways. Locals may not give you an accurate representation of the speed limits, so it’s best to know them beforehand!

The cost of petrol – Fuel is expensive in Greece (it’s one of the priciest places in the world to buy it) so check the latest petrol prices and pop a few tanks into your holiday budget.

Where to pick up – Driving in Athens can be tricky so an airport pick up is advisable. Outside of the city, driving is much more relaxing

Parking – This can be tricky in towns, and you’ll probably have to pay. It’s worth looking ahead at where you are driving to find suitable parking. You’ll see non-tourists leaving their cars in precarious positions with the hazards on in order to run their errands – we don’t advise joining them!

Toll roads – There are lots of these outside of Athens. Whilst adding to the cost of driving, they aren’t expensive, they do offer the best quality roads and using them is usually the safest route.

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  Athens International Airport

  The main international gateway to Greece.

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  Epidaurus

  A grand scale 14,000 seat open air theatre immersed in rolling hills.

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  Nafplio

  Romantic town on its own little peninsula, with stunning port and Venetian architecture.

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  Delphi

  The second most popular archaeological site in Greece (after the Acropolis).

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  Mystras

  UNESCO World Heritage Site, this important part of Byzantine history is not to be missed.