There's a lot things to do in Athens, one of the oldest and most interesting cities in the world, full of life and charming places, which we are sure, will surprise you and fall in love equally.
The capital of Greece is a city that has improved long after the last Olympic Games and today, against which we can often read, it is a clean city, with a more orderly traffic, within a certain chaos that characterizes The city, besides being safe. If you add to this the large number of archaeological sites that are preserved, the old neighborhoods full of charm, museums with large collections, local markets, spectacular viewpoints, delicious cuisine and the friendly character of the Athenians, we have to say, without fear To make a mistake, that Athens becomes one of the most incredible destinations in Europe.
Based on the 3 days we spent touring the city during our trip to Greece, we have made a list of what we think, are the 50 things to do in Athens. We start!
1. Find on the slope of the Acropolis, next to Plaka, the small neighborhood of Anafiótica, which will take you to the beautiful villages of the Greek islands while you walk through its narrow streets and white-painted houses.
2. See the 15 of the 104 impressive 17-meter-tall Corinthian columns, which still preserves the Temple of Olympian Zeus, one of the most essential places to visit in Athens. An interesting option to get to know the legends of the city and that leaves from this temple is to book this free mythological tour of Athens Free !, one of the best free tours in Athens.
3. Climb one hour before sunset to Mount Lycabettus, to enjoy the best sunset and the best views of Athens.
Lycabettus Hill
4. Walking to the Central Market, the most authentic in the city and one of the best things to do in Athens. In this lively market you will find in the covered part numerous stalls of fresh meat and fish, while abroad they have local products such as hundreds of varieties of olives. A good option to get to know this whole area and try the local food is to book this gastronomic tour.
5. Stroll through the Plaka neighborhood, the oldest in the city, which still retains the charm of traditional Greece with narrow streets, beautiful facades of 19th-century buildings and ancient taverns.
6. Running out of words when you reach the top of the Acropolis and see the Parthenon, the most famous place in Athens and one of the essential places to see in Greece.
You can book this access ticket through the southern entrance of the Acropolis with which you will avoid queuing.
7. In addition to the Parthenon do not miss other buildings and monuments of the Acropolis such as the entrance of the Propylaea, the Odeon of Herod Attic, the Theater of Dionysus, the temple of Erechtheion and that of Athena Niké.
8. Complete the visit to the Acropolis of Athens entered into the fantastic Acropolis Museum, one of the essential things to do in Athens. This museum has important pieces of the different buildings of the Acropolis, among which the Caryatids, statues of priestesses that acted as columns of the temple of Erechtheion stand out. A good option to learn about the history of Athens and the most important pieces of the museum is to book this guided city tour that includes the museum.
If you do not want to take a guided tour you can book this ticket that serves to enter the Museum without queuing.
9. Climb the small mount Areopagus, with good views of the Acropolis, both day and night.
10. Discover the neighborhood of Psiri, the city's fashionable neighborhood, known as the SoHo of Athens. In addition to enjoying its young and multicultural environment, do not forget to drink something on some terrace of Anargiron Street and see the graffiti of the Plaza de los Héroes and surroundings.
11. Get the great atmosphere of Monastiraki Square, the most beautiful and picturesque square in Athens. In addition to having views of the Acropolis, the famous Byzantine church of Pantanassa and the Ottoman mosque of Tzistarakis are located in this famous square.
Visit Monastiraki Square, one of the best things to do in Athens
12. Find a central and good value for money accommodation. We recommend Phaedra Hotel, which was our accommodation in the city, located in the picturesque Plaka neighborhood and exceeding all our expectations, with a unique view of the Acropolis.
Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
13. If you have an extra day, booking a cruise to the nearby islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina, is a perfect option to have a first contact with the fantastic Greek islands, considered one of the best excursions in Athens.
14. Approach the impressive Temple of Hephaestus while touring the ruins of the Ancient Agora, one of the essential places to see in Athens.
15. See The Acropolis while the sun sets from Filopapo Hill, one of the best viewpoints and one of the best things to do in Athens.
16. Learn the history and anecdotes of the most prominent places in the city by booking a guided tour in Spanish or this free tour of Athens Free! Keep in mind that several archaeological sites in the city are preserved few buildings and it is difficult to imagine how it was in its era of greatest splendor, so an aid always comes great !.
17. Find a souvenir in one of the many craft and souvenir shops on Pandrosou and Ifestou streets.
18. Enjoy delicious Greek food in the restaurant All That Jatz, in the Monastiraki neighborhood.
19. Disconnect from the sometimes stressful Athens, taking a walk through the National Garden of Athens, a magnificent green space located in the center of the city.
20. Enter the magnificent Tower of the Winds, in addition to seeing the Arquegetis Athena Gate and the Hadrian's Library, while walking through the Roman Agora.
Tower of the Winds in the Roman Agora
More things to do in Athens
21. Book a day trip to visit the Ruins of Delphi in which the Oracle of Delphi and the Temple of Apollo stand out. If you have two days you can do this excursion that includes the impressive Meteora Monasteries, one of the mandatory stops on a trip to Greece for free.
22. See the original changing of the guard in front of the Greek Parliament, located in Syntagma Square. On Sunday the ceremony is accompanied by a great musical band.
23. Try traditional Greek food with fresh produce in the restaurant Oinomageireio H Epirus, located in the Central Market.
24. Take the subway to reach the Archaeological Museum, one of the museums with one of the most important collections of ancient Greek objects in the world.
Book the best rated tours and excursions in Spanish from Athens by travelers:
- Cruise to Hydra, Poros and Aegina
- 2-day excursion to Delphi and Meteora
- Classic 4-day circuit
- Excursion to Delphi
- Excursion to Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus
- More excursions and tours here
Book the best rated tours and excursions in Spanish from Athens by travelers:25. Have a beer or a sweet like the traditional and delicious baklava, in Yiasemi coffee. This cafe is located on the stairs street of Mnisikleous, one of the most beautiful in Athens.
26. Reach the Kerameikos neighborhood, where the largest necropolis of all Greek antiquity is located.
27. Tour the entire Ermou shopping street, from Monastiraki Square to Sintagma Square, stopping at the beautiful Panagua Kapnikarea church.
28. Running out of words when you see the mythical Panathenaic Stadium, the place where the first Olympic Games of our era were held in 1896.
Panathenaic Stadium
29. Contemplate the Byzantine frescoes of the Mitropoli, the Orthodox Cathedral of Athens.
30. Next to the cathedral, you can also visit a small Byzantine church built at the end of the 12th century, which we are sure, will leave you speechless.
31. If you have little time, you can book the tourist bus that stops at the main attractions of the city and where you can also listen to the history of each place in Spanish.
32. Have a good coffee and a candy between books in the beautiful Little Tree Books & Coffee.
33. Find an original gift at the Yusurúm flea market, next to the Monastiraki square subway station.
34. Take advantage of the fact that many hotels do not have breakfast to eat a good sandwich or a freshly made pasta at Plaka Pantheon coffee.
35. Go up the old Tripod Street, one of the most beautiful and best things to do in Athens.
36. Take advantage of the ascent to Lycabettus Hill for a walk or shopping in the Kolonaki neighborhood.
37. Invest one day to make an excursion to Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus, where you will see some of the best archaeological sites in Greece.
38. Eat one of the best moussakas in Athens at a restaurant on Makrygianni Street, such as Arcadia.
moussaka
39. Approach the port of Piraeus to eat a good fresh fish or seafood in one of its restaurants or take a ferry to visit some of the best Greek Islands.
40. Enter a tavern such as Stamatopoulos or Kalokerinos, to listen or see the Sirtaki dance, a popular Greek dance.
41. Try the typical Greek dishes, gyros and souvlaki, in the restaurant The Greco's Project.
42. Find the Lisícrates Monument in the Plaka neighborhood, built in honor of the composer Lisícrates in 334 BC.
43. Eat good homemade food in the restaurant Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani, in which the owner is Spanish.
44. Walk the entire Adrianou street, the oldest in the city, full of restaurants and souvenir shops with a lively atmosphere day and night.
45. Take a bus in Egiptou Square or book an excursion to Cape Sunión, to see one of the best sunsets in the world, next to the Temple of Poseidon.
Cape Sunion
46. Arrive by bus (line 224), to the Byzantine monastery of Kessariani of the eleventh century, surrounded by a fantastic environment full of vegetation.
47. Next to the Temple of Zeus do not miss the Hadrian's Gate, a great arch of triumph in honor of the Roman emperor Hadrian.
48. Surprise yourself with Agia Ekaterini, a small Byzantine church in the Plaka neighborhood.
49. Use Greek words like Kaliméra "Good Morning"Kalispéra"Good afternoon"Parakaló"Please"o Efjaristó"Thank you"and see the huge smile with which the Greeks receive them.
50. Say goodbye to the city with one last drink in the spectacular Brettos Bar, where good atmosphere and good music will accompany you in a see you soon to Athens
If you want you can help us complete the list of 50 things to do in Athens, adding your option in the comments.
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Athens guide in one day
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Book your airport transfer⇆Atenas here
Rent your car to travel around Greece at the best price here
The best offers of Flights to Athens here
The best hotels at the best prices in Athens: here
Athens guide in one day
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Book the best tours and excursions in Greece in Spanish here
Book your airport transfer⇆Atenas here
Rent your car to travel around Greece at the best price here
