Spata

Spata is mostly a residential town (about 10.000 people) and in many ways as a suburb of Athens, which lies 20km to the west. Athens International Airport is situated on Spata grounds and sometimes referred to as Spata Airport. The town is also home to one of the largest zoos in Greece: Attica Zoological Park.

The E94 highway, known as Attiki Odos, passes by town at less than a kilometre. Take exit 18 for Spata.

Most visitors will be coming here for the zoo. To get there by public transport, take a metro to Doukisis Plakentias Station in Athens. From there, take bus 319, which runs every 35 minutes.

• 🌍 Attica Zoological Park, At Yalou, ☏ +30 210 6634725. Daily from 9.00 to sunset. The large, privately owned zoo started off as a bird park in 2000, and is still among the top ten largest bird parks in the world. Over the years, it grew into a more diverse zoo and now houses over 400 species, including monkeys, lions and tigers, white rhinos and giraffes. There's also an extensive reptile collection. A delphinium was opened in 2010, although it is criticized by animal welfare groups. €15/11 for adults/children, children under 3 have free entry. 

Spata itself is mostly a residential town and as the airport is only a short drive from Athens itself, most visitors don't spend the night here, but head to the capital or east to the port town of Artemida.

Athens is the obvious major destination next door, but the sea side town of Artemida can be a pleasant alternative.