Home » TOURISM NEWS » Germany and the UK Top Visitor Numbers to Athens‑Greece as Athens Climbs Global City Rankings, Spurring Growth in Air Travel and Hospitality
Published on
November 14, 2025
Germany and the UK top visitor numbers to Athens‑Greece as Athens climbs global city rankings, spurring growth in air travel and hospitality. Athens has quietly re‑made itself into more than just an ancient landmark — it’s now a thriving global city reshaping its identity and appeal. In the latest “World’s Best Cities” rankings compiled by a global consultancy, Athens rose to 74th place, reflecting improved infrastructure, cultural vitality and urban renewal. Meanwhile, Germany and the United Kingdom have emerged as key visitor source markets, contributing significantly to Greece’s tourism resurgence. With more flights arriving, luxury hotels investing heavily and neighbourhoods reinventing themselves, the Greek capital is no longer a stopover — it’s a destination in its own right.
Europe at a Height, Analytics and the Shift to Improved Growth in Air Travel and Accommodation in Athens, Greece
Greece, recognized for its culture, is receiving more visitors yearly, filling its ranked city and winning more globalization its main competitor Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece. Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece. Athens is receiving more visitors yearly, filling its ranked city and winning more globalization its main competitor Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece. Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece. Athens is receiving more visitors yearly, filling its ranked city and winning more globalization its main competitor Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece. Germany, and the UK ranked best in tourist numbers to Greece.
There have been more visitors to Athens and Greece overall. Traveling to Athens is the best it has ever been. The mix of the old the the new, Athens is the best it has ever been. The mix of the old and the new, the ancient Greece being the oldest, with the mondern city being built around it and adding world attraction. The world attraction comes from the new, modernization of airlines. The new border and air control has eased world transport greatly. The world attraction comes from the new, modernization of airlines. The new border and air control has eased world transport greatly.
Visitor Numbers to Athens By Germany and the UK
The most recent data indicates that Germany and the UK continue to be the highest-ranking countries for international visitor arrivals in Athens for both leisure and business purposes. In 2024, Germany sent approximately 4.7 million tourists to Greece, with a large percentage of them visiting Athens. The UK also plays a major role in this as 4.5 million tourists from the UK visited the Greek capital.
The booming success of international tourism for the city of Athens is the cause of this increase in UK and German tourists visiting the city. Greece has seen improvements in its tourism networks and deals as well as an increase in the number of international flights, to respond to this increased demand. Greece is full of history and beautiful architecture. Now, Athens also has a thriving modern culture for the tourists coming from every corner of the world.
Athens Soars in Global Rankings, Leading to Increase in Air Travel
Higher rankings for Athens as a Global City has positively influenced air travel for the City as well. In the case of Athens, its positive travel rankings are the result of its infrastructure improvements as a modern city. Other land air travel improvements have been designed along the new Ellinikon. There Athens moves from 87th to 74th place in Resonance Consultancy’s “World’s Best Cities” 2025 report.
Air travel to Athens has been outgrown over the last couple of years as the City has been receiving more tourist. International carriers like Lufthansa and British Airways are now flying more often to the Capital, and even the cheaper Ryanair and EasyJet are flying to Athens more often and have opened new routes for low-cost air travel. Increased travel frequencies for these air lines are a direct response to increased travel popularity for Athens.
Athens is now well positioned for long-haul air travel, as direct flights to the City of 5 million are available from New York, London and Paris. Air travel from North America has more jump points, as American Airlines and Air Canada added more services. There are direct flights from these cities added for travelers to the City as well.
The Growing Need Invest in Hospitality
With the increase in the number of international tourists coming to Athens, the hospitality industry is getting a makeover. The transformation of the city has made a number of international hotel chains interested and wanting to invest in the city. Famous hotel chains like Four Seasons, Hyatt and Hilton are building hotels in Athens, and making it a luxury location.
Along with the large chains, there are a number of smaller hotels and independent hotels that are doing well in the Koukaki and Pangrati neighborhoods. This part of the city is where the hotels have a number of tourists coming because of the artistic and cultural vibe of the city. These neighborhoods have also become a hotspot for tourists that are wanting to experience Athens in a more local way, and wanting to avoid the more touristy parts of the city, like the Acropolis.
Athens is also able to provide different types of accommodations to tourists that are not just focused on luxury. The hotels, along with the smaller hotels, provide different types of accommodations to tourists that are not focused on luxury. Other hotels that are cheaper and more basic, but still maintained to a good standard, have been built. There are more than a sufficient number of hotels to meet the tourist that is coming in.
Flight Details and Routes: More Options for Travelers
As Athens becomes more and more important for global travel, more flights and more direct routes from Europe, North America, and other places around the world are opened up. If you are a European traveler, you are in luck because Athens has daily flights from larger airports in London, Paris, Berlin, and Rome. EasyJet and Ryanair are not the only budget options either. Aegean Airlines, the Greek national carrier, also offers some competitive prices, so it is easy and cheap to reach the capital.
American Airlines, Delta, and United Airlines also provide direct flights to Athens from New York. So do Air Canada and WestJet from Toronto, making it easy for North American travelers to reach Athens quickly, with only a short layover. This accessibility has established Athens as an important and highly attractive destination for business and leisure travel.
In response to the growing number of travelers, the infrastructure of the city’s main airport, Elefthérios Venizélos International Airport (ATH) has increased in size. New features to the complex include catering to passenger needs through the introduction of a wider selection of food and shopping options, as well as lounges and duty-free shops. If you are flying from an international destination, the airport’s connections to the city center are seamless, making it easy for you to start enjoying Athens as soon as you land.
Athens: A Contrast and Culture City
Athens is still developing from being mostly associated with ancient ruins and historical sites to became a cosmopolitan updated city. For the modern day explorers, Athens is much more than ancient sites, the city is a vibrant modern civilization. While the Acropolis is still a landmark cherished and classic to many, modern civilization is also a vivid part of Athens and is rich with urban art and culture. Athens has history yet to modern civilization is a versatile playable city.
Athens is rich with history yet to modern civilization is a versatile playable city. Koukaki and Pangrati, the new developing areas are rich with history yet to modern civilization is a versatile playable city. Koukaki is quirky and rich with history yet to modern civilization is a versatile playable city. For modern civilization is a vibrant advanced city, old public spaces and new development along the Athens Riviera has turned the southern and urban modern development turned the developed urban style lifestyle rich old southern and new urban development turned the developed urban style lifestyle.
Site seeing Athenians now also showcase their love on their amazing culinary scene. Every taste is catered to because the Greek culinary scene has also embraced new innovations to the taking of Mediterranean cuisine. Athens also hosts seasonal food markets, wine festivals, and pop-up food events that integrate fresh ingredients for food lovers.
Travel Tips for Visiting Athens
- Best Time to Visit: Athens has a Mediterranean climate, meaning that they have hot summers and mild winters. The preferable visiting seasons are spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November). During this time, the weather is agreeable, and there are fewer people.
- Transportation: The city has a fully functioning public transportation system that includes buses, trams, and the metro. This makes city moves easy, and tourists are likely to use a multi-day transport pass. Passes are a great way to explore the city for those wanting to set their own pace. Travel by taxi is also available, however the fare should be discussed before used.
- What to Bring: It’s best to have comfortable shoes since Athens is a walking city. Bring light clothes during summer, but also a light jacket or a sweater for evenings during spring and fall. Bring a hat and sunscreen since the sun is really strong.
- Stay Nearby: If it is your first trip, it is better to stay in Plaka, Monastiraki, or Syntagma since Acropolis and many other attractions are nearby. Koukaki and Pangrati are also nice, and they are closer to local culture.
- Respect for the Local Culture: Greeks are great in hospitality, so you should also show respect for their culture. Say “Kalimera” (Good morning) to greet people, and when it comes to dining respect the culture, since it involves a lot of time talking and socialize.
Athens: A City Reborn
Athens’ transformation is not only about physical development. It is about how we are redefining our visit to the Greek capital. Athens’ global rank is improving, and the city is experiencing infrastructural changes, from public transport to the development of new neighborhoods as cultural hotspots. This modernization encourages repeat visits, as it attracts young, diverse, and new crowds to the city.
The hospitality and airline sectors have taken note of these changes. There are new hotels and new flights to meet the demands of the growing tourism market. Tourists are able to experience Athens as a city, not just a destination. It is a dynamic city with a life of its own, and it is now seen as a modern tourism hotspot. Athens combines historic and modern elements. It is a place with a variety of options, whether you are a culture lover, a foodie, or just want to relax by the sea.
A Thriving Hospitality Sector
Generally, as Athens developed, so did its hospitality industry. In addition to the Four Seasons and Hyatt, other major and boutique hotels that capture the Athenian spirit have made significant investments in the city. Many fresh hotels and other hospitality venues have opened in newer, more trendy areas of Athens, expanding the spectrum of what the city can offer to visitors. Travelers of every tier can find hospitality venues, even the most expensive one that overlooks the Mediterranean and Acropolis.
The rapid growth of the hospitality venues is the result of the considerable diverse range required by the visitors. In this way, the sophisticated travelers can have the luxury they desire, yet in the streamlined fashion they prefer.
Wrapping Up
Athens is no longer a city of ancient ruins and monuments. It has changed to a modern city and a cultural capital of the world. As the city moves upward in global standings, the growth of international visitors has been increasing. The city’s air travel and hospitality industries are on the rise. As a new or returning traveler, there is much to gain in website and city improvements, hospitality, and the new and growing flights. Coming to Athens is a new experience, a rewarding one.
Bringing world-class museums and galleries, Athens has to offer you all that you need. The lively and beautiful city wants to show you all its sides. You are in the right place. You are in the energetic and beautiful Greece!
