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Voykit pocket guide · Greece
Rafina
Spend a night in Rafina if you need a ferry to the Cyclades or Crete after a late flight; otherwise skip and stay in Athens.
Rafina is a small port town east of Athens, best used as an overnight stop for ferry connections to the Cyclades and Crete. One night is enough to catch a morning ferry; otherwise a day visit is enough for the municipal pool and waterfront cafés.
- Country
- Greece
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (heat, crowded ferries)
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR). Cards are widely accepted; card terminals are required in many businesses.
- Daily spend
- Budget €45–60 excl. bed · Mid €60–85 excl. bed · High €85+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Cosmote, Vodafone and Nova sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at the airport; a passport is needed to register.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Ambulance 166 · Fire 199
- Plugs
- Types C, F · 230 V · 50 Hz · Standard European round two-pin plugs.
- Tipping
- Café: Leave the coins, €0.50–1.; Taverna or restaurant: 5–10% in cash on the table; not expected at gyros shops.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro.; Hotel housekeeping: €1–2 a night.; Boat crew or guide: €5–10 per person for a day trip.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in Athens, Thessaloniki and most of the mainland. On many islands it is desalinated or hard: ask locally and buy bottled if unsure.
- Toilets
- Use cafés (buy something), museums and sites. Paper goes in the bin, not the toilet, in most places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Fish tavern meal | €12–15 |
| Coffee | €2–3 |
| Taxi from airport | ≈ €30 |
| Bus ticket (airport‑Rafina) | €3 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ATH · Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos)
- —
Typical fares
- Airport → Rafina (taxi)
- ≈ €30, 40 min (check traffic)
- Airport → Rafina (bus)
- €3, 1.5 h, departures every 1–2 h (check schedule)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the compact town centre; local buses connect the port, square and airport shuttle stop. Taxis are available but cost about €30 from the airport.
See and do
Known for
- Rafina port (ferries to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos)
- Municipal swimming pool with waterfall
- Seafood taverns on the old port
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Athens city centre | Taxi or regional bus from Rafina (≈30 min) | ≈45 min |
| Marathon | Regional bus to Marathon (≈45 min) then walk | ≈1 h |
| Lavrio port | Local bus from Rafina (≈20 min) | ≈30 min |
| Cape Sounion (Temple of Poseidon) | Bus to Athens then express bus to Sounion (≈1 h 30 min total) | ≈2 h |
Sleep
- Avra Rafina
- 3‑star, sea‑view rooms, 24 h airport shuttle, from €65
- Corali
- 2‑star, central square, from €60
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | Συγγνώμηsee-ŋ-ˈno-mee |
| Thank you | Ευχαριστώef-ha-ree-STO |
| How much is it? | Πόσο κοστίζει;PO-so ko-STEE-zee |
| Where is the bus stop? | Πού είναι η στάση του λεωφορείου;POU EE-neh ee STAH-see too le‑o‑fo‑RE‑ou |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'kaliméra' (morning) or 'kalispéra' (evening) on entering shops and tavernas; avoid: Launching straight into a question
- Hospitality: Accept offered coffee, sweets or raki; it is part of the welcome; avoid: Refusing flatly — take a little
- Churches: Covered shoulders and knees; quiet voices; a small candle donation; avoid: Turning your back on the altar for photos during a service
- Gestures: Wave with the palm turned towards yourself; avoid: The open palm pushed forward (moutza)
- Conversation: Family, food and football are easy topics; avoid: Lecturing on the debt crisis, Türkiye or the name of North Macedonia
- Dinner at a home: Bring pastries or wine; arrive a little late; avoid: Leaving food on the plate if you have been served more
- Dress: Casual; long trousers or skirt for monasteries; avoid: Swimwear in town, shops and churches
Scams and watch-outs
- Taxi fares from the airport are €30 daytime; confirm price before boarding.
- Bus to Rafina runs every 1–2 h from the airport, but not on Saturdays and Sundays for some services – check the schedule.
- Summer heat can make walking uncomfortable; carry water.
Rafina is generally safe; keep an eye on belongings in crowded ferry areas and stay hydrated in summer heat.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Rafina yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Rafina port (ferries to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos)
- Municipal swimming pool with waterfall
- Seafood taverns on the old port
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikidata – Rafina: www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q123456
- Wikivoyage: Rafina, revision 5216411 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5216411
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/rafina). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.