Short-term rentals: Athens is emerging as a super-destination for festive city breaks

Short-term rentals in Athens are recording strong momentum ahead of Christmas and New Year, with demand for festive city breaks rising sharply. How the market performed in November in Greece and Europe, according to AirDNA data.

The European short-term rental market entered a phase of seasonal slowdown in November 2025, according to AirDNA’s latest monthly analysis based on data from the Airbnb platform, with Greece—and especially Athens—showing strong momentum ahead of the festive season. In this context, Athens appears ready to capitalize on the strong demand window at year-end, despite the normal November slowdown.

Athens: +32% bookings for the festive period

For the festive season, the Greek capital is emerging as one of the main beneficiaries of demand. According to AirDNA’s pacing data, bookings for late December and early January are running 32% higher compared to the same period last year, peaking around New Year’s Day.

This picture suggests that travelers are “locking in” city breaks earlier and extending the length of their stays, strengthening revenue prospects for short-term rentals in the capital.

Moreover, as Christmas and New Year shift calendar-wise from Wednesday (2024) to Thursday in 2025, travelers appear more likely to extend their stays by opting for longer weekends, reducing the need to take additional leave days. On an annual basis, overnight stays between December 25 and 27 have increased on average by 5.3%, while demand between December 31 and January 2 has risen by 8.6%.

Across Europe’s top five countries, average demand for both Christmas (December 24–27) and New Year (December 31–January 2) increases by 3.5% for Christmas and 7.8% for New Year. Germany stands out, with annual demand growth of 7.3% for Christmas and 12.1% for New Year. By comparison, Spain and Italy—typically stronger summer destinations—lag behind during the winter holiday period.

A mild November for Europe

At the European level, accommodation supply in November increased by 2.5% year-on-year, reaching 3.45 million active listings, while demand declined by 3.7%.

This development led to a drop in occupancy to 47.5%, down by 2.4 percentage points compared to November 2024.

Average daily rates (ADR) fell by 3.3% to €110. However, pricing fundamentals remain resilient, as AirDNA’s Repeat Rent Index rose by 4%, reflecting the ability of established hosts to maintain upward pricing despite the entry of new, lower-priced listings.

Greece: Mild correction in November, stable occupancy

For Greece, AirDNA data show a milder adjustment in November. Accommodation availability declined by 4.5% year-on-year, while demand fell by 3.3%, keeping occupancy stable at 46%, despite the month’s lower overall travel activity.

Revenues decreased by 4.8%, while ADR stood at €91, down by 1.5%, reflecting the market’s transition into shoulder-season conditions.

According to INSETE Intelligence, the number of short-term rental accommodations in Greece continued to rise during the January–November 2025 period compared to the same period in 2024. In November, accommodations totaled 213,000, up by 4,000 compared to 209,000 in November 2024. Available beds fell in November for the first time since April, below 1 million, reaching 953,000, still up by 17,000 compared to 936,000 in November 2024.

At the same time, the average length of stay in November declined to 3.2 nights from 3.4 nights in November 2024. The overall picture for the January–November 2025 period suggests that, despite periodic fluctuations earlier in the year, the average length of stay in short-term rental accommodations is stabilizing at high levels, reinforcing the positive trajectory of the past two years.