Athens
39 km²
Madrid
604 km²
Greece
Spain
Area Comparison
Athens is 15.5x smaller than Madrid
Population Comparison
Athens has 5.2x fewer people than Madrid
Yes — Madrid is 15.5x larger than Athens by area. Madrid spans 604 km² (233 mi²) while Athens covers 39 km² (15 mi²) — a difference of 565 km². You could fit Athens inside Madrid approximately 15 times.
To put Athens's size in perspective, its area of 39 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Manhattan. Meanwhile, Madrid at 604 km² is roughly the same size as Seoul.
Picture Athens another way: its area is large enough to fit about 5,500 American football fields, 80 times the area of Vatican City, or 19 times the area of Monaco. Madrid, by comparison, equals about 85,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Central Park, or 10 times the area of Manhattan.
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica region and is the southernmost capital on the European mainland. With its urban area's population numbering over 3.6 million, it is the eighth-largest urban area in the European Union (EU).
Known as "Cradle of Western Civilization", Athens covers 39 km² with a population of 0.6 million. The city was founded around 7000 BC. Athens is known for Acropolis of Athens, Parthenon, Plaka neighborhood, among other attractions.
Athens is the southernmost capital on the European mainland and capital of the Attica region.
Madrid is the capital and most populous city of Spain. It had a population of over 3.4 million in the city proper in 2025, and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.8 million. Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), after Berlin, and its metropolitan area is the second-largest in the EU, after Paris. The municipality covers an area of 605.77 square kilometres (233.89 sq mi).
Nicknamed "La Villa y Corte", Madrid has an area of 604 km² and is home to 3.3 million people. It was established in 852. Visitors come for Royal Palace of Madrid, Prado Museum, Plaza Mayor, and much more. Getting around is easy with the Madrid Metro.
Madrid is the second-largest city in the European Union after Berlin, with over 3.4 million residents in the city proper
Athens has a population density of 16,410 people per km² — an extremely dense urban environment. Madrid, with 5,513 people per km², is a densely populated city. Athens is noticeably denser, packing 3.0 times more people per square kilometer.
Athens has a Mediterranean climate climate while Madrid experiences hot-summer Mediterranean conditions.
Size Ratio
Athens fits inside Madrid ~15 times
Density Gap
Athens is 3.0x more densely populated
History
Athens is ~7,852 years older
Athens covers 39 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Manila (43 km²), Tel Aviv (52 km²), Zurich (88 km²), Copenhagen (91 km²), or Lisbon (100 km²).
Madrid covers 604 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Seoul (605 km²), Mumbai (603 km²), Chicago (606 km²), Toronto (630 km²), or Hyderabad (650 km²).
The straight-line distance from Athens to Madrid is 2,370 km (1,472 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~3h 17m.
Want to explore more? Compare city sizes for any two cities worldwide, or share your location live with friends.