A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Athens vs. Ottawa for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Backpackers

Should you visit Athens or Ottawa?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Athens and Ottawa. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Athens

Athens is a ancient, vibrant, and energetic city. As it's a big city, visitors will find plenty to do, too. Athens offers plenty of beauty for visitors. It's also popular because of the food, shopping, and museums. See Athens travel costs.

Ottawa

Ottawa is a welcoming, cultural, and friendly city. It's also popular because of the museums, food, and shopping. See Ottawa travel costs.

Athens and Ottawa: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Athens or Ottawa?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Athens. Although Athens and Ottawa are popular destinations, Athens has more sights and attractions for tourists. Athens is more touristy than Ottawa and is known for its ancient temples and landmarks as well as its influence as the birthplace of democracy. It is also well known for The Acropolis. Ottawa is famous for its history, politics, and green space.

The Acropolis

How is Athens different from Ottawa?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Ottawa and Athens. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Athens or Ottawa?

Athens is a world-class destination for its museums and history. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its museums and landmarks.

With plenty of landmarks, attractions, and museums, Athens has many famous sights for visitors. As a historical capital of the world, this city has countless museums and archeological sites including the famous Acropolis, the National Archaeology Museum, and the Ancient Agora.

Many visitors head to Ottawa specifically to visit some of its top-rated museums and other sights. As the country's capital, there are a large number of museums to explore. There are summer national museums in town which include the National Gallery of Canada, the Museum of History, the Science and Technology Museum, the Aviation and Space Museum, the Agriculture and Food Museum, the Museum of Nature, and the War Museum.

Is the Food Better in Athens or Ottawa? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Athens is a world-class destination for its restaurants. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its restaurant scene.

For foodies, Athens is an obvious choice, as it is one of the food capitals of the world. Make sure you try the souvlaki, moussaka, and dolmades at any of the many local restaurants throughout the city.

Ottawa offers number of good local restaurants to choose from. The culinary scene highlights many Canadian classics like poutine and maple donuts (and, of course, the classic Tim Horton's), but you'll also find plenty of international options like shawarma.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Nightlife?

Athens is a world-class destination for its evening party scene. However, Ottawa is lacking in good options for nightlife.

People head to Athens just to party. There are all-night dance clubs as well as local bars and chill live music venues.

Ottawa is generally a quiet destination but there are options around. It's not the first place that comes to mind when you think about partying, but there are live music venues and a some great bars around town.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for its Old Town?

Athens is a world-class destination for its historic old town charm. However, Ottawa does not have a historic old town.

The historic old town of Athens is revered around the world. The city's "historic triangle" is between Syntagma, Omonia, and Monastiraki Squares. This area is also at the political and financial heart of the city.

Ottawa does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Athens or Ottawa?

If you're looking to go shopping, Athens and Ottawa both offer plenty of nice spots.

Athens has a variety of shopping areas worth visiting. Most neighborhoods have a shopping street but head to Ermou Street for some of the city's best shopping.

Ottawa is a great destination for shopping. You'll find large malls, outlets, and shopping streets that are fun to browse. Some of the favorite shopping areas include ByWard Market, Sparks Street, and CF Rideau Centre.

Is Athens or Ottawa More Beautiful?

Athens is a popular place for its scenery and beauty. However, Ottawa is not a destination known for its beauty.

Athens offers plenty of beauty for visitors. With it's stunning archaeological sites, Athens is most beautiful at night, when things light up.

Ottawa is not a destination known for its beauty.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Families?

Athens is a very popular place for its kid-friendly activities. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its family-friendly activities.

You'll find plenty of family-friendly things to do in Athens. With its rich history, beautiful outdoor activities, and kid-friendly food, Athens is a fun place to explore with the whole family.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Ottawa. As the country's capital, you'll find a number of museums that will keep a kid's attention. In particular, check out the aviation, science, and nature museums. If you have a car, you can head out to Calypso Water Park, which is fun as well.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Couples?

Athens and Ottawa both nice destinations for a couple.

Athens is a good city for couples to visit. The city is historical, fascinating, and romantic, making it a beautiful place to explore as a couple.

Ottawa is a nice destination for couples. The city is filled with parks and green spaces where you can enjoy flowers or peaceful walks. Commissioners Park is particularly nice and known for its tulips during the spring season. Dow's Lake is a nice place for ice skating in the winter or kayaking in the summer. The city also offers a number of romantic restaurants and charming hotels.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Athens is a world-class destination for backpackers and budget travelers. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for backpackers.

A large number of backpackers visit Athens, as it is a very popular city for budget travelers. The city has long been established as a backpackers destination with budget friendly food and plenty of hostels around town.

Ottawa is popular with backpackers and budget travelers. Although the city is often overlooked by tourists, there are a surprising number of hostels around town.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Students?

Athens is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for students.

Athens is a very popular city for students and younger travelers. International students will appreciate the rich history, archaeological ruins, and unique opportunities that are available here.

Ottawa is popular with students. It appeals to international and Canadian students alike. It's known for its livability and diverse cultural scene.

Is Athens or Ottawa Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Athens is a very popular place for times when you don't have a car. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

The public transit in Athens can get you to most places easily. The city's metro system has 3 lines that connect to bus, tram and commuter rail lines.

You'll find some public transit in Ottawa, but it may not be enough to take you everywhere. There is both a public bus and light rail system.

Is Athens or Ottawa a more walkable city?

Athens is a very popular place for its ease of walking around. Also, Ottawa is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its walkability.

Athens is a very walkable destination. You'll find the city's most walkable area's in the historical heart, where there are many pedestrian only streets and shopping areas.

Ottawa is somewhat walkable. Many of the urban neighborhoods are very walkable.

For even more information, also check out Is Athens Worth Visiting? and Is Ottawa Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Ottawa or Athens?

How long in Athens or Ottawa?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Athens and Ottawa. With generally more activities and things to do, visitors tend to spend more time in Athens than in Ottawa. Usually, 3-7 days is a good amount of time for Athens, and 2-3 days is enough time in Ottawa.

Families should spend more time in Athens than Ottawa. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Athens, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Athens than Ottawa. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Athens that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Athens than Ottawa if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Athens.

One day in Athens or Ottawa?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. The old town is one of the main draws for visitors. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

Many travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the destination of Ottawa. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Athens or Ottawa?

Athens is a great place to explore. With so much to do, a weekend is probably not enough time to see everything. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Ottawa is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Athens or Ottawa?

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Athens. For many, it makes a great getaway for five days. Make sure you visit the old town while you're here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill five days here. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Ottawa. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Athens or Ottawa?

Athens is a bustling city that offers something for everyone. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most visitors spend time around the old town while in the area. If you have one week, this is a great place to go. This would be the perfect place to spend one week, as it has just the right amount of activities.

Travelers enjoy the shopping and museums when visiting the friendly destination of Ottawa. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best 3-Day Tours from Athens, The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Athens, Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Canada, and The Best Coach Bus Tours in Canada.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Athens and Ottawa, we can see that Athens is more expensive. And not only is Ottawa much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Athens is in Europe and Ottawa is in North America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to Ottawa would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Ottawa and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Athens would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Athens than you might in Ottawa.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Athens Expensive? and Is Ottawa Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Athens or Ottawa?

Ottawa has a larger population, and is about 11% larger than the population of Athens. When comparing the sizes of Athens and Ottawa, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Athens or Ottawa?

Both destinations experience a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. And since both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Athens or Ottawa in the Summer?

The summer attracts plenty of travelers to both Athens and Ottawa. The city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Athens this time of year. Furthermore, many travelers come to Ottawa for the family-friendly experiences.

Athens is a little warmer than Ottawa in the summer. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 27°C (81°F) in July, and Ottawa fluctuates around 21°C (71°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Ottawa this time of the year. In Athens, it's very sunny this time of the year. Athens usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during summer. Athens gets 357 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 268 hours of full sun in the summer.

In July, Athens usually receives less rain than Ottawa. Athens gets 6 mm (0.2 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 87 mm (3.4 in) of rain each month for the summer.

Should I visit Athens or Ottawa in the Autumn?

The autumn brings many poeple to Athens as well as Ottawa. Many travelers come to Athens for the city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area. Additionally, many visitors come to Ottawa in the autumn for the shopping scene.

In the autumn, Athens is much warmer than Ottawa. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Athens in October average around 19°C (67°F), and Ottawa averages at about 9°C (48°F).

People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Athens this time of the year. In the autumn, Athens often gets more sunshine than Ottawa. Athens gets 206 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 116 hours of full sun.

Athens usually gets less rain in October than Ottawa. Athens gets 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 75 mm (3 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Athens or Ottawa in the Winter?

Both Ottawa and Athens are popular destinations to visit in the winter with plenty of activities. Many visitors come to Athens in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, most visitors come to Ottawa for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Ottawa can be very cold during winter. In January, Athens is generally much warmer than Ottawa. Daily temperatures in Athens average around 10°C (51°F), and Ottawa fluctuates around -10°C (14°F).

Athens usually receives more sunshine than Ottawa during winter. Athens gets 143 hours of sunny skies, while Ottawa receives 93 hours of full sun in the winter.

In January, Athens usually receives less rain than Ottawa. Athens gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 51 mm (2 in) of rain each month for the winter.

Should I visit Athens or Ottawa in the Spring?

Both Ottawa and Athens during the spring are popular places to visit. Most visitors come to Athens for the activities around the city and the natural beauty during these months.

Athens is much warmer than Ottawa in the spring. The daily temperature in Athens averages around 16°C (60°F) in April, and Ottawa fluctuates around 6°C (44°F).

It's quite sunny in Athens. In the spring, Athens often gets more sunshine than Ottawa. Athens gets 226 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Ottawa receives 180 hours of full sun.

Athens usually gets less rain in April than Ottawa. Athens gets 25 mm (1 in) of rain, while Ottawa receives 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain this time of the year.

Typical Weather for Ottawa and Athens