The second phase begins Oct. 1, 2003. Better start planning now: it’s unlikely many good seats–let alone hotel rooms–will be left by the time the Games roll around. Here’s a Tip Sheet primer on how to plan a truly golden vacation.
Getting the tickets: In most countries, Internet use is essential to gaining one of the 3 million coveted seats that will be made available to the general public. Olympic organizers are relying heavily on the Web to accomplish most tasks, from ticket reservations to hotel-room bookings. Check out tickets.athens2004.com, or for more general information, click on the visitor-information link at www.2004.gr.
If you live in the European economic zone you can also reserve tickets from an authorized ticket agent or from a branch of the Greek Alpha Bank. Residents outside Europe must go through their national Olympic committees.
For Africa: 237-2-23-23-73.
For the Americas: e-mail odepa@oem.com.mx, 525-55-545-01-85.
For Asia: ocasia.org, 965-573-49-72.
For Europe: www.eurolympic.org, 39-06-36-85-78-28.
For Oceania: www.oceania-olympic.org, 679-30-21-40.
Accommodations: Athens is notorious for its shortage of hotel rooms. This is the time to consult a travel agent. Be prepared to pay between 175euros to 480 euros a night. To handle the overflow, 2004 organizers plan to put up people in private homes and in seven cruiseships that will be berthed at the main port of Piraeus.
For official home-rental agencies, contact Alpha Philoxenia 2004 at 30-210-32-77-400, fax 30-210-32-77-444 or e-mail cpallis@alphaastikaakinita.gr. Or call Ellinikiphiloxenia at 30-210-32-77-403, 30-210-32-77-406 or e-mail gmantzavinatos@eurobank.gr. There are also scores of unofficial agencies such as allrooms.gr. Prices start at 600 euros a day for a studio in the suburbs of Athens to 5,000 euros a day for a home in the center of the city that can sleep up to eight.
If you want to see the Olympics in a unique fashion, stay on one of the ships. The newest, the Queen Mary 2, is still being built. It will boast several restaurants, a health center, cinemas, bars and other amenities. E-mail cruiseships@athens2004.gr for information.
You can also stay on one of the Greek islands and take a ferry in for the event you want to see. There will be public transportation provided at Piraeus. Forget about using a car. The streets will be mobbed, and between the wonderful subway and the air-conditioned buses, spectators can arrive at events relatively hassle-free. For a truly Olympian vacation, though, be sure to start out early enough to beat the competition.
