Backpacking in Greece🇬🇷: Staying at Dioskouros Hostel in Athens

Greece somehow escapes my travel blog and even my backpacking days. I have never really properly backpacked through Greece, nor even entered neighbouring Albania. However, this was my third visit to Greece and I was on a one day transit through the capital city, Athens.

My first visit to Greece was actually 29 years ago. July 1990. Just after the 1990 World Cup, I made it to Rhodes on a family trip with Mum, Dad, Marko and Cathy. My youngest brother Daniel wasn’t even born then. We were based in Afandou and also visited Faliraki, Rhodes Town and some other beach village the name of which escapes me.

After that trip, I managed to visit over 120 new / different countries before visiting Greece again. The second visit to Greece was also to Athens, in 2018, on route till that there Saudi Arabia. Now in December 2019 I was back in Athens. Greek food, a night on the rip in central Athens and a decent hostel beckoned as my airport bus waved its merry way intill the capital. I based myself in the Hostel Dioskouros / Hotel Dioskouros and had a fast but enjoyable time here. Here are the things I liked about this hostel.

1.Central Location

The Hostel Dioskouros has a very good location to a lot of the main sights in historic Athens. The Akropolis is a five minute walk. Places like the Parliament, National Gardens, Zappeion and Thissio are all within an easy walk. I dined out in full view of the Akropolis, at Attikos Restaurant just a few streets away.

2.Fast WiFi

I was able to get online and check some important emails and articles ahead of Christmas. Hostels and hotels in cities and towns need to have Wi-Fi these days as a standard and it worked well here at Hostel Dioskouros.

3.Cosy Dorms/ a Range of Room Options

This place is a hotel and hostel all in one. I chose a textbook dorm – I was in room 5, on the lower floor. Private rooms are also available.

4.Easy connection to and from the airport

Since I was on a stopover / in transit in Athens I arrived from the airport and left, also from the airport. Athens airport is big and I have visited it 5 times now (despite only being 4 times in Greece!). Here from Hostel Dioskouros, you can get the metro from Akropolis, or the bus from Sytagma Square.

5.Nearby Bars

Within a few streets there are so many bars, probably too many in fact. All good prices, all with friendly staff, decent Ouzo, beer, food and atmosphere. I visited four bars / restaurants on this trip to Athens and loved how each one had a different vibe. The choice is wide and varied. I stuck to Greek style venues, but there are also Italian, Japanese and other restaurants ands bars nearby too.

I had a great time here, but very short as I later connected towards Cairo in Egypt. In addition to all of the above, the hostel offers:

– 24 Hour Reception
– Daily Newspapers, library
– Luggage Service
– Hotel Laptop Available for All Guests
– Fax, Scan and copies service
– Baby Cot available upon request
– Wake Up Call

Here are the details for booking a night at the Hostel Dioskouros in Athens, Greece:

Here is the only video that remains from my time backpacking in Athens, Greece. Unfortunately the videos I made at the hostel and nearby were deleted automatically by my shit phone (not enough memory):