The RESISTANCE ATHENS is excited to welcome you to the only European Echo Primary Anomaly, an official Niantic’s Ingress event, concluding the series on 17th June 2023. This website aims to give you all the information you need to attend, enjoy your weekend and help us win.
Athens is the historical capital of Europe, birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilisation and one of the world’s oldest cities. It’s recorded history spanning around 3.400 years and it is being inhabited since the 11th millennium B.C. E. Today, under the shadow of Parthenon, the contemporary urban scenery of the sprawling city reflects its exciting history, its multi- cultural modern personality as well as the infrastructure and facilities.
The perfect Mediterranean climate with the legendary greek sunlight, the unique combination of glorious history with modern, urban innovation, the coexistence of great culture with astonishing natural beauty, the high standard hotel accommodation, modern means of transportation such as the cutting edge modern metro, the vibrant rhythm of life, the wide choice of opportunities for shopping, dining and night life and of course the warmth of the Athenians people feature Athens as the ideal all year round city break destination.
The city of the famous Parthenon is an open air museum. A large part of the town’s historic center has been converted into a 3 km pedestrian zone, one of the largest in Europe. It leads to the major archaeological sites (“archaeological park”), reconstructing – to a large degree – the ancient landscape. Either on foot or by bike, the ‘’Grande Promenade’’ around Acropolis is an unforgettable journey through history.
How to get to Athens?
Most of the agents will be arriving through the Eleftherios Venizelos Athens Airport.
There are several ways how to get from the Airport to Athens:
Metro
Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is connected to the Athens metro network. Blue line number 1 connects Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport with Syntagma Square or Monastiraki in downtown Athens.
Those who want to get from the airport to the Athens-Larissa main station can change at the Syntagma stop.
The metro ticket costs 10 euros, the travel time from the metro stations is about 40 minutes.
Suburban Train – Proastiakos
The suburban train runs from the airport to the city center, the trip takes about 40 minutes. At the Douk Plakentias suburban train station there is a possibility to change to metro line 3, blue line.
Airport Bus
From Athens Syntagma Square there is the Airport Express Bus X95 to Athens Airport. The trip takes about 1 hour and costs 5 euros.
Car
Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is located in the east of Athens. A feeder road leads to the Attiki Odos highway (A6), the highway is toll. In addition, there is a toll-free country road that leads to the airport.
Where to stay in Athens?
There is a wide range of accomodation available in Athens as it’s a frequented tourist destination.
The best neighbourhoods to stay are around the city center; Plaka, Monastiraki, Syntagma, Psiri.
It’s best to avoid the Omonia, Exarcheia, Vathi, Metaxourgio neighbourhoods when booking your accomodation.
Read more here: Where to stay in Athens?
How to get around in Athens?
Athens is a fairly walkable city, you can get around the city center easily.
Public transport in Athens consists of a network of metro, suburban streetcars, comparable to the suburban railroad, streetcars, buses and trolley buses.
Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines located in all metro and streetcar stations. In some cases, there are ticket offices at the stops that also sell tickets. Furthermore, tickets can be purchased at the kiosks located near the stops.
The ticket machines are also labeled in English.
There are three different types of tickets. There is a paper ticket, the so-called Ath.ena Ticket, an anonymous chip card, the Ath.ena Card and chip cards issued to individuals, which is used by Athenians. All cards can be loaded with credit and subscriptions and are valid on all public transport.
Only for the trip to the airport an extra ticket is needed.
There are rates for 24 and 72 hours, cards for 5 days, single trips and day passes. A day pass pays for four or more single trips.
Tickets must be validated before starting the journey!
- Metro: There are 3 metro lines, marked with different colors: green -> line 1, red -> line 2 and blue -> line 3
- Suburban railway/railway: also called Proastiakos. The lines are above ground, connecting Athens with the surrounding countryside while providing intra-city connections.
- Streetcar and bus: 3 streetcar and 450 bus lines operate daily in Athens.
- Trolley Bus: A total of 366 trolley buses operate on 22 lines in Athens and Piraeus.
What to be aware of in Athens?
Stay vigilant for pickpockets and other petty thieves, since these are the most common crimes targeting travelers in Athens. Be especially cautious at crowded attractions, on public transportation, and in taxis, where drivers sometimes scam their passangers.
Athens is a fairly safe city, except for certain neigbourhoods. Know that Omonia, Exarcheia, Vathi, and Kolokotroni Squares have high crime rates and should be avoided at night, if not altogether.
Protests are semi-common in Athens, especially at Syntagma Square. Travelers should bear in mind that political protests can occur randomly and occasionally turn dangerous – so steer well clear if you see one.
Is Athens a cycling & kids friendly city?
Athens is not a cycling friendly city; attending on bikes is NOT recommended. There is a lot of traffic and car drivers are not considerate to cyclists.
You shouldn’t have any issues being in Athens with kids & strollers. Check this article for some tips on activities for kids.
What to do in Athens?
Athens is brimming with history and unique activities, offering visitors an array of experiences to relish. Whether you’re a history buff, a foodie, or simply seeking a fun and exciting vacation, the Greek capital caters to all.
As not to re-invent the wheel, please check the Athens Tourist Information website for more information on this topic.
About Athens
About Anomaly
What is the Ingress Anomaly?
Ingress XM Anomaly is a FREE city based Ingress event hosted by Niantic and supported for the Resistance agents by our wonderful local organizing team. The anomaly event itself takes place on Saturday with connected events, such as a Mission Day event on Sunday and GORUCK challenges & NL1331 visit throughout the weekend.
This event will be 3 hours long, including 3-4 hours of walking/biking gameplay and an optional social meetup at a Resistance afterparty at the end.
Whether you are an experienced anomaly veteran or a new agent who is just finding out how Ingress works, there is a place for you at the anomaly!
The Resistance organizers are putting a lot of effort to make sure every need is reflected, there are invaluable assignments for both fast and slow moving or even static teams!
Whatever is your wish, you are a very important agent to us!
The Resistance organizers provide travel and accommodation advice, plan parties, merchandise and coordinated strategy for Resistance players, to make your anomaly weekend an epic & immersive experience.
Anomalies are an exceptional opportunity to:
- Explore a unique city through the lens of an Ingress event
- Hack lots of unique portals & add cool banners to your profile
- Meet & party with hundreds of Resistance teammates
- Make new friends from all over the world & reminisce with old ones
- Experience a unique strategic virtual battle
- Gain or improve medals – Anomaly, Mission Day, NL1331, GORUCK
- Trade lots of swag and have lots of fun.. and good beer.. and cake.. 😉
What is the point of Ingress Anomaly?
Apart from being a great reason and opportunity to explore new places and meet awesome people, Ingress Anomalies are competitive virtual battles between the Resistance and the Enlightened.
Echo Athens is a crucial Primary Anomaly, heading the last part of the Echo series. Points from this anomaly will be incredibly important in deciding the series winner…
So come to Athens, take your friends with you, and let’s show the greens how we Resist!
What does it mean that Athens is a Primary Anomaly?
Primary Anomalies are the main and in theory the largest events for each series on each continent.
They are also worth more points; while the Satellites are worth 200 points in total (100 for Battle Beacons & 100 for Shards), Primaries are worth a total of 600 points (300 & 300)
Primaries also usually host a range of other official events, like GORUCK, NL1331 and others…
In the past, there were also Niantic hosted registration & afterparties and Niantic personnel onsite. We currently don’t have any confirmation on these happening in Athens.
Why is there anomaly in Athens?
Niantic chooses anomaly locations based solely on their own decision process.
We are excited for the opportunity to host a great event for all the Resistance agents in the wonderful city of Athens and can’t wait to make it a successful and fun day for everyone!
What type of gameplay challenges will there be?
The actual gameplay challenges in Echo Athens will consist of a fight over Battle Beacons (basically make & keep certain portals blue) and fight over Shards (a sort of an Ingress version of capture the flag)
For full explanation of the Echo rules check the following link:
https://ingress.com/news/echo-rules
What do I do on the day?
This will depend on your team’s assignment. You will be on a team with other agents. Playing in a group helps us to coordinate everything on the day.
Once you register, we will explain the whole Anomaly and everything you’ll need to do on the day in detail, don’t worry.
Do I have to register with Niantic?
No, Niantic has changed how this works. It is now enough to just show up to participate and interact with 5 Battle Beacons to automatically receive the Echo anomaly medal.
The most important thing is to register with the Resistance, so that we can count with you and help you have the greatest weekend possible.
Can I be on a team with my friends?
You can create your own team with your friends after you have signed up. Many players sign up in groups that always go to anomalies together.
But it’s OK if you don’t know anybody yet. We can assign you to a team that matches your speed, language and experience.
What time does the anomaly take place?
The Athens Anomaly will happen on Saturday, 17th June 2023, from 14:00 to 17:00 local time (UTC+3).
However, your team may decide to meet up earlier in the day so that everyone can get to know each other.
Will there be Mission Day?
Yes, there will be a Mission Day (MD) in Athens after Anomaly on Sunday as usual.
For those who don’t know, Mission Day is a friendly XF event happening on Sunday, from midnight to midnight. The goal is to explore the city’s gems using high quality MD missions.
We are currently working on missions & graphics for the MD; we will share a map closer to the event.
Niantic has changed the way MD works recently; they now require agents to complete 6 Mission Day missions after which they will receive an increase in the medal automatically.
Be aware; there has already been one Mission Day in Athens before, following the 2019 Darsana Prime Anomaly. Be careful when picking missions, only those that are part of the 2023 MD count.
Will there be GORUCK?
Yes, we have 3 types of GORUCK challenges confirmed for Athens.
Help the Resistance claim advantage by training & registering for the Urban & Stealth events, in addition to getting a scanner medal and an honorary patch for yourself!
Find more information regarding Resistance GORUCK after signing up!
GORUCK Stealth OPS (99$)
This is a more physically & mentally challenging faction x faction event taking place on Friday from 17 to 24. The reward for winning the Stealth Ops is an option to insert 1 additional Shard jump.
Find more details and register through this link:
https://registration.goruck.com/event/stealth-ops-athens-greece-06162023-1700-18154
GORUCK Urban OPS (45$)
This is a lighter faction x faction event, though still more challenging and faster paced that normal anomaly, that takes place on Saturday from 10 to 13. The rewards for winning the Urban Ops can be locations and waves of Volatile Portals.
Find more details and register through this link:
https://registration.goruck.com/event/urban-ops-athens-greece-06172023-1000-18155
Operation: Clear Field (30$)
This is a friendly XF, extremely light team based community service event that takes place on Sunday from 10. You will get a list of tasks to complete in roughly the same area as the Mission Day. Some of the tasks might be taking photos in famous places, exploring local delicacies, but also cleaning up the city.
Find more details and register through this link:
https://registration.goruck.com/event/operation-clear-field-athens-greece-06182023-1000-18156
Will there be NL1331?
Yes, the NL1331 portal is confirmed to be active in Athens – hacking it will increase your medal.
We currently don’t have confirmation on the actual NL1331 van and / or its personnel being present in Athens.
Will there be a Resistance pre-party / after-party?
Yes, of course! The opportunity to catch up with other agents of our wonderful faction, make news friends & chat with old ones, exchange some swag – this can’t miss!
Find all the information about Resistance-only events after signing up!
Will there be lots of swag?
Absolutely! We are currently working hard on making sure that we’re going to provide you with the best Resistance merchandise possible to proudly show who you belong with!
Stay tuned…
Will there be a Niantic registration / afterparty and official swag?
We currently do not have any information regarding Niantic’s plans on their participation during the Athens Anomaly.
At the previous Echo Primary in Jacksonville though, there was no official afterparty and no swag.
We will keep you updated once we know more..
I have specific mobility needs? Can I still participate?
You can absolutely still participate in the event! It is helpful to let us know when you sign up so we can help you find a team which meets your needs.
If you have specific questions please reach out to Team Building once you have signed up or email at diana.prothero@gmail.com
Can I bring my kids?
Of course! If they want to participate they can either sign up with our registration themselves, or if you are not comfortable with that, you can always tell our Team Building and your Team Lead about it. Please make sure to follow the Ingress Terms and Conditions.
Can I still support my team if I cannot attend?
Yes, you can provide them items, set up farming events prior to the anomaly, and tell other people about the anomaly and where to sign up.
General FAQ
We can’t wait to welcome you in Athens and we are excited for the opportunity to host you for an amazing Ingress weekend!
Echo Athens Resistance Orga Team