Athens

Athens
<map lat='38' lng='23.74' zoom='10' view='0' />
Information
Country:	Greece
Population:	2,805,000
Licence plate:	YA - YH
Major roads:	1, 6
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Athens is the capital of Greece.

Hitching out

North to Thessaloniki, Macedonia (E75)

Take the metro from the center north to Nea Ionia station. From the exit of the metro station, turn left, go down a few dozen meters, and go under the tunnel. This is the start of Odos Elevtheriou Venizelou. Walk up this street to Odos Tatoiou and turn right. Walk straight for a few kilometers until the road rises to become a bridge over a large motorway. Don't go up the bridge, but rather take the road that stays below the bridge and runs to the right side. This is signposted Lamia, one of the first major cities north of Athens. The best time to get a lift is the early morning when local people are driving to work in more distant communities. Eventually someone will stop who can take you far enough north that you can escape the Athens metropolitan area and get long distance rides. For Macedonia, turn left about a kilometer after the enormous toll booth plaza before Thessaloniki.

Sleeping

From the northbound hitchhiking point, go up the stairs, across the bridge to the other side of the motorway, take the stairs down, and then walk a few meters south. You'll find a small wooded area surrounded by a fence. The gate of this is open, you just have to look for it. Surrounded on all sides by motorway and away from any normal pedestrian avenues, this is a pretty safe place to camp for the night, even pitch a tent. The large amount of trees means you won't be seen by the cars, which pass by rather fast.