Rafina Hotels: Where to Stay by the Ferry Port (Hotel Avra Airport)
Rafina hotels serve ferry travellers: the port sits on the east coast of Attica, 30 to 45 minutes from Athens International Airport, and Hotel Avra Airport takes bookings ahead of arrival within walking distance of the ferry. Rafina is a quiet alternative to Piraeus, with ferries to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Santorini and Evia. The town is a working fishing harbour with tavernas, an attractive square and a Blue Flag beach 200 metres from the quay.
- Port
- Rafina, Attica
- Airport
- 30 to 45 min by bus
- Blue Flag beach
- 200 m from quay
- Ferries to
- Cyclades & Evia
Rafina harbour and beach
Rafina is a working fishing town on the Attica coast, an easy place to spend a night before or after a ferry. The harbour holds fishing boats, taverns line the sea, and an attractive square sits behind the boulevard with several shopping streets just inland. Rafina's beach is 200 metres from the quay and carries a Blue Flag. Ferry ticket offices stand opposite the point where the boats depart, and more offices sit just outside the harbour; they open a while before each departure.
Where to stay near Rafina
Rafina's hotels cluster in two places: beside the ferry port and around the town square, both a short walk from the quay. For a wider choice, the nearby coastal areas of Artemida, Mati, Nea Makri and Porto Rafti sit along the same stretch of the Attica coast, each with its own beaches. The table below sets out the property profiled on this page, its area and who it suits.
| Property | Area | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Avra Airport | Rafina port | Free day-and-night airport shuttle, rooms bookable ahead, walking distance to an early ferry |
Hotel Avra Airport
Rafina port
Hotel Avra Airport stands within walking distance of the Rafina ferry, the town square and the airport bus terminal. It runs a free airport shuttle day and night, with the hotel name on the shuttle bus, and it is one of the few Rafina hotels you can book ahead of arrival. Rafina's Blue Flag beach is 200 metres away, and front rooms have a balcony overlooking the harbour and the beach. Inter-connecting rooms join two rooms through a door, with two bathrooms and one large balcony. The hotel restaurant gives guests a 20% discount, and a bus stop for Athens sits directly outside.
The buffet breakfast is large: fresh bread, fruit, tomatoes, cucumbers, feta and other cheeses, yoghurt with honey, jam, omelette, boiled eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, muesli, cereals, fruit juices, croissants, coffee and tea. The renovated hotel's verandas overlook the bay of Rafina, and its conference hall holds up to 250 people for meetings, conferences and product launches.
Getting to Rafina from Athens airport
The bus from Athens International Airport to Rafina takes 30 to 45 minutes. The bus stop faces the Sofitel Hotel, which you see as you leave the airport, and a timetable there lists the departures; there are no night buses. Buses connect the port to central Athens and the airport; buy your ticket on board and check the timetable at the stop for the current fare. A taxi covers the same trip: agree the fixed price before you get in, or reserve one ahead. Rafina is a quiet alternative to the much larger port of Piraeus, with ferries and high-speed boats to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Santorini and Evia; from Tinos and Mykonos you can connect to more of the Cyclades. Most boats leave in the morning or the late afternoon, with extra sailings on Fridays and weekends.
