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Visiting Athens is a breathtaking experience at any time of the year. Many people prefer the quieter months of the year such as October and November in which to explore this mesmerizing city.

The hordes of tourists from the summer months have mainly headed for home at this stage leaving shorter lines at various attractions around the city. The weather is also cooler which of course can be a plus or negative depending on your preference.

Many people prefer the downtime busy cities such as Athens experience in these months. For others it was simply not possible to get away during the summer months so they have had to wait until now for their annual holiday.

An important advantage of visiting Athens in the Autumn/Winter time is the substantial savings available on items such as accommodation, car hire and flights.

Athens car hire is available all year round at very competitive rates. There is a superior choice of car available due to lesser demand during off peak periods. Booking early is still advised in order to secure your preferred Athens hire car.

Most people were aware of the uproar that occurred last year when Britney Spears was spotted driving with her child on her lap. This week it’s Nicole Kidman who finds herself in the parenting bad books due to not strapping herself and her baby into her hire car with a seatbelt. Her husband Keith Urban also neglected to buckle up.

While it certainly does not compare with what Britney did, it is still a very important issue. The family was in Spain at the time where seatbelts laws are not as heavily enforced as in other countries. Greece has steeped up its seatbelts laws considerably since the mid nineties.

Always remember to wear your seatbelt no matter how short your trip is. If you choose to hire a car in Athens and have a baby with you then make sure you check the individual prices of baby seats from each supplier. It may seem like a small thing but it is something which can vary in price quite a bit between each supplier.

That’s the great thing about our car hire cost comparison engine. You can easily compare all aspects of your car hire from the worlds top car hire companies on one website.

The Vatican returned a marble head to Athens last week. The head was then fitted onto its rightful place (the body of a youth carrying a tray of sweets as an offering to Athena). Officials in Athens are hopeful that this gesture will just be the start of retrieving lost treasures. The head has been handed over in a one year loan deal.

The British museum in London holds many artifacts from the Parthenon which officials in Greece are eager to retrieve. Michalis Liapis the culture minister of Greece spoke of how he hopes the example set by the Vatican will lead others in a similar situation to have a rethink.

Two and a half thousand years ago the Parthenon was built in honor of the Greek goddess Athena. In 1687 Venetian forces attacked the Parthenon with cannon fire during Ottoman occupation.

Over a century later Lord Elgin took large pieces of the temple which he later sold to the British Museum. The British Museum has been steadfast in its refusal to return the pieces to Greece saying that the pieces were acquired in a perfectly legal manner and are available to see free of charge for visitors.

A spokeswoman for the British Museum Hannah Boulton said that the return of the marble head by the Vatican has not put any further pressure on them to return anything and has not changed their position.

Almost half of the Parthenon frieze is located at the British Museum. Other pieces can be seen at the Louvre as well as a handful of other museums.

Sources at the Vatican say the loan may be renewed at the end of the year and there is a possibility that other pieces of Parthenon sculptures they have may also be loaned out.

Staff at Olympic Airlines staged a 24 hour strike at Athens Airport last week on Thursday Oct 30th. Over 100 flights were affected amid the protest aimed at the Governments plans to privatize Olympic Airlines.

Qatar Airways are believed to be one of the interested parties. Workers have been promised compensation however this has done little to alter the angry mood of staff.

Affected routes included

• Athens to Milan
• Athens to Rome
• Athens to Frankfurt
• Athens to London
• Athens to Belgrade
• Athens to Brussels

On Wednesday Oct 29th many Olympic Airline staff members protested at taxi ranks outside Athens Airport however no flight interruptions were caused by these actions. A plane owned by the Pantheon (company managing Olympic Airways) was daubed with slogans protesting against the Government.

An Olympic Airlines technician Kleanthis Tratras spoke out strongly against the government’s privatization plans saying that staff would not give up until their voices are heard.

Following on from my previous post “car hire trips outside Athens”, here are some other nearby locations well worth paying a visit.

One such place is Sounio. Cape Sounio is about 45 miles away from Athens and makes for an excellent day out. Here you can visit the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon which is situated at the top of the cape. The temple is a wonderful historical landmark from as far back as the fourth century.

Cape Sounio is an excellent location for long strolls with some truly wonderful views to behold. Relax and gaze across the sea for a whole new view of Greece. There are plenty of options along the Apollo Coast for those looking to stop for the night as well as some really nice beaches to explore.

The peninsula of Vouliagmeni is another must visit area. It is just a short 15 mile drive from Athens so easily accessible in your Athens car hire. Here you will find gorgeous beaches with sparkling blue water.

The Lake Vouliagmeni is believed by some to have healing powers. The lake is filled with natural mineral water which is supplied by below ground caves. Ailments which supposedly can be cured include nerve, arthritic and gynecological disorders.

There are plenty of places to sit, relax and enjoy this unique place so it’s well worth taking the time for a day trip.

Some car hire websites almost seem to go out of their way to complicate renting a car. When you are booking a car for the first time there are lots of terms and conditions to look through. It can be quite confusing in comparison to booking other travel services such as flights and accommodation.

Damage Excess Waivers are well worth investing in when hiring a car. If you have an accident while driving your hire car then you are responsible for the full damage amount. Damage Excess Waivers are normally very cheap at about 2.50 (pounds) per day and offer great piece of mind. This way you will be covered. An accident report is required from the police.

When trying to pick the perfect Athens car hire, here are some things to consider

• The opening hours of the local car hire office
• Is your driving license in date?
• Do you need a car with a roof rack for luggage?
• Do you need to name an additional driver?
• Are you covered for breakdown assistance?
• Do you need a child seat?

Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport or the easier to pronounce Athens Airport deals with over 13 million passengers every year. The airport is made up of two terminals known as the satellite terminal and the main terminal. These terminals join together underground.

Here at www.carhireathensairport.org.uk we have working relationships with all six car hire companies who operate desk at Athens Airport -

• Avis car hire Athens
• Budget car hire Athens
• Europcar car hire Athens
• Hertz car hire Athens
• National/Alamo car hire Athens
• Sixt car hire Athens

We display the widest range of car types available at Athens Airport with our Athens car hire comparison engine. We source all the best prices from many suppliers and bring them together in our booking engine in an easy to view format.

We take the legwork out of hiring a car!

There is so much to see in the city of Athens that its unlikely you will find yourself at a loose end however if you want to make full use of your Athens car hire there are plenty of great spots worth checking out a little outside the city.

One such spot is Delphi. This is a fantastic archaeological site. It’s a three hour drive from Athens but well worth it. Delphi is host to the world famous “Oracle” where in the past Greek leaders would come to look for direction. Here you can see the remains of the Temple of Apollo as well as the Marmaria. If you bring your climbing boots there are some breathtaking view to be had of the Delphi region. The Museum is also well worth a visit.

If you are tired after a day discovering Delphi you may prefer to stay the night in the beautiful town of Itea or perhaps Arahova. These are great places to experience Greek country life. There are plenty of excellent places to eat and no shortage of local hospitality.

In my next post I’ll take a look at Sounio and Vouliagmeni Lake. These are two more places reasonably close to Athens that are well worth a spin in your Athens car hire.