Athens is an absolutely one-of-a-kind place. Brimming with culture, museums, music, restaurants, bars, and that sense of open-armed welcome you only really get in Greece, it’s definitely a place to prioritize visiting in your lifetime.
Fans of classical antiquity will have ample things to drool over, but the city is charming even for the most difficult to impress.
From its vast number of archaeological sites to its cute, tucked-away neighborhoods and soaring hilltop views, spending a few days in Athens just may make it onto the list of your core travel memories.
With a vast history stretching back thousands of years, Athens is known as the “cradle of Western civilization,” the home of great philosophers like Plato and Aristotle, and the “birthplace of democracy.”
While of course their early attempts only empowered certain people (i.e., male citizens, many of whom owned slaves), the idea of a government “by the people and for the people” has endured, hurtling forward through time to inspire rabble-rousers, free thinkers, and patriots the world over to aspire to the still-imperfect, but striving ideals of freedom we hold today.
It’s something you may find yourself thinking about a lot as you meander through the city– we certainly were.
Gazing up at the Parthenon, imagining the hustle and bustle of times gone by, where men thought and fought and strove for what (they thought) was right, it feels poignant somehow that these ruins are the only thing left of so many lives and ideas, connecting us here and now with that distant past. It’s easy to get sort of overwhelmed by this feeling!
Athens is a city of many contrasts in this way, with priceless ruins juxtaposed almost chaotically with modernity. As you star locations on Google Maps, you’ll find a breathtaking 11th century church next to an H&M, or the pillars of Hadrian’s Library in the middle of the Monastiraki Square flea market.
While modern Rome is similarly entertwined with its ancient counterpart, the Via dei Fori Imperiali feels a bit more distinct compared to the hectic and joyful jumble that is Athens. However, don’t take us the wrong way– the chaos will absolutely enchant you.
We spent 2 days in Athens and feel that was a great amount of time to explore. Check out our recommendations on what to do, where to stay, and how to get around below.
It’s super easy to get to central Athens from the Athens airport on public transit:
- When you exit the baggage claim, follow the signs for “trains.”
- Turn left as you exit, go up the stairs (the Sofitel hotel will be on your right) and enter the signs for the parking garage.
- Take the moving walkway until you enter the train area, where you can get your ticket or ask for help.
The tickets from the airport cost a flat-rate 9€ per person. Simply purchase your ticket, swipe into the platform area, and board the train going to downtown Athens.
This can be a bit overwhelming because the signs are only in Greek, but don’t panic– just ask someone which platform to go to. Helpfully, the airport is the terminus of that metro line (the blue line), so you technically can’t go the wrong way 😉
You’ll be on the metro for about half an hour, taking it from the terminus at the airport to wherever you’d like to get off, with hotspots like Monastiraki and Syntagma dropping you off right in the middle of it all.
2 Days in Athens, Winter Itinerary
Full disclosure, we loved visiting Athens in winter, for several reasons.
For starters, did you know that Athens is ranked the “hottest city in Europe” almost every year? Average highs during the summertime hover around 94 Fahrenheit (34°C), with Athens the holder of the record for the highest ever recorded temperature in Europe– a whopping 118 Fahrenheit (48°C) in July of 1977.
So… June, July, or August visitors? Prepare yourselves accordingly, both physically and emotionally 😉
Despite these temperatures, school vacations and peak tourism season still bunch in the summer months, leading to huge crowds, long lines, packed hotels, and high prices all around. The lines to enter the Acropolis are the stuff of legend, and you’re unlikely to get a seat at any of the good restaurants without a reservation.
The off-season, while not empty, is much more manageable:
- You’re still going to want to get to the Acropolis right when it opens, but you’re likely to be able to walk right in.
- Pretty nice lodgings right in the center of town can cost 30-50€ per night.
- You’ll be better able to explore without mobs of tour groups slowing you down.
- The weather tends to hover in the 50s Fahrenheit, and is still fairly sunny. All in all, we felt great about this decision.
Recommended Reading
Day 1
1. Visit the Acropolis complex
The Acropolis complex is the centerpiece of Athens and definitely one of the most immediately-recognizable things in the world. As such, it is easily the most-visited (and most touristy) part of the city.
While it’s an absolutely breathtaking and possibly even life-changing experience, expect crowds year-round, especially around the middle of the day. For a smooth visit, follow these tips:
- Make a beeline for the Acropolis when it opens at 8AM. If you absolutely can’t make it first thing in the morning, consider going in the hour before closing (5PM in the winter, 8PM in the summer.)
- Note that there are 2 entrances– the main entrance, where the tour buses park, and the lesser-known southeast entrance, by the Theatre of Dionysus. The southeast entrance is your best bet for less crowds, and you can often stroll right in during the off-season.
Tip: Many tours arrive at around 8:30 for a 9AM ticket entry. It goes without saying that it’s in your best interests to beat those folks up that hill!
It’s probably best to buy your ticket online ahead of time, though you can save a few euros buying it in-person. We didn’t want to risk getting stuck in line, so we bought combination tickets from Get Your Guide (affiliate link) to the Acropolis complex and the museum for 25€/each, which came with an accompanying audio guide. We downloaded the audio guide app ahead of time as well as the tickets and it was easy-peasy.
Relatedly, you can also buy a combination ticket to the Acropolis + 6 historical sites: the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, Aristotle’s School, Hadrian’s Library, and Kerameikos Ancient Cemetery, if you really want to go ham on ruins.
FYI, the Acropolis is the name of the raised plateau/hill, where all the monuments (like the Parthenon, etc.) sit either on top or on its slopes. While the Parthenon is the most iconic (and, weirdly enough) the only UNESCO World Heritage site among them, don’t miss the others, including:
- the Propylaea
- the Temple of Athena Nike
- the Erechtheion and its stunning Caryatids, the site where Poseidon and Athena battled over who got to be the patron of the city
As you ascend/descend, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysus sit on the slopes of the hill
2. Visit the Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum has pride of place on pretty much any list of the best museums, both in Europe and the world over. It houses (almost) every artifact found on the Acropolis hill– this includes everything from the Bronze Age to the Roman and Byzantine periods.
Prior to the museum opening in 2009, relics and artifacts were housed underneath the hill itself, challenging for visitors to see appropriately. Today, the museum is home to 4,250 artifacts in an absolutely stunning and evocative setting.
It merits mentioning that, as of the writing of this post, the Parthenon Marbles still have not been returned to Greece. Often controversially called the Elgin Marbles (after the duke who stole them in the early 1800s), these priceless artifacts have long been on display in the British Museum.
Greece has been asking for them back unsuccessfully since 1835 (and formally since 1963), but the British Museum refuses. In 2021, UNESCO stated that the UK had an obligation to return them, but the UK is still dragging their feet– citing that it would set a precedent for returning everything else they’ve acquired (read: stolen) over the centuries.
As you can probably tell, we find this reasoning pretty gross, but talks appear to be undergoing to return the artifacts to their rightful place, so hopefully there’s movement on that soon. You’ll definitely notice the missing marbles at the museum, but there are loads of other amazing things to see, thankfully.
3. Check out other ruins nearby
In particular, other super-cool historical sites include Ancient Agora (home to the Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos); the Roman Agora (dating back to Julius and Augustus Caesar); Hadrian’s Library, originally home to Hadrian’s scrolls; the 2nd-century Temple of Olympian Zeus; and the ancient cemetery at Kerameikos. Again, these are all on the combination ticket if you choose to get that one.
4. Shop til you drop in Plaka
As you leave the Acropolis area, you’ll pop out into the Plaka neighborhood. Following main drag Ermou Street, there are all sorts of shops and restaurants. Don’t miss the Panagia Kapnikarea, an 11th-century Greek Orthodox church. The Anafiotika area is particularly picturesque, and all-in-all this is a lot of folks’ favorite part of Athens.
Day 2
1. People-watch in Monastiraki Square
Arguably the hub of the city, Monastiraki Square is much more modern than Plaka, and a great place to people-watch, shop, and feel the hub of the city pass you by. Here are a few tips:
- Don’t miss grabbing delicious Greek-style doughnuts, called loukoumades, at the aptly-named Loukoumades. Topped with honey and cinnamon is the most traditional topping, but they have all sorts of toppings and fillings available (chocolate, pistachio, banana, yum.)
- Smak is a great place to stop for a cheap and filling lunch (about 4€ per personal pideh.)
- Nearby the Varvakios Market is packed with butchers and fishmongers. While not exactly a tourist destination, it’s neat to walk through and see all the different things for sale, listening to the different people hawking their wares and visitors haggling. Warning, not particularly the faint of heart or those uncomfortable with a lot of animal body parts.
- If you’re so inclined, a lot of other blogs recommend grabbing a sunset cocktail at “A is for Athens,” a rooftop bar overlooking the square.
2. Climb a couple of Athens’ hills
Athens has a bunch of hills, like Rome. Several offer amazing views of the Acropolis, the city, or the surroundings, and many have restaurants, walking or hiking paths, and nice gardens to relax in.
Here are a few suggestions:
- Areopagus Hill has amazing views of the Acropolis, and is where Paul, one of the 4 Apostles, is said to have given one of his most famous speeches. It’s named for Ares, the god of war, who was allegedly put on trial for the murder of Poseidon’s son here.
- Mount Lycabettus is a great mini-hike, but there’s also a cable-car option for sweeping views of the city.
- Filopappou Hill has nice walking trails and viewpoints.
3. Check out Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square, or Constitution Square, is the main square in Athens. If you’re just wandering around the city aimlessly, there’s a really good chance you’ll end up here. If you’re wandering around the city with a plan, chances are you’ll also end up here. Lines 2 and 3 (red and blue) of the metro connect here, and it’s a great jumping off point for other parts of Athens and beyond.
A few things in the vicinity to check out include:
- The Old Royal Palace, which has housed the Greek Parliament since 1934
- The Athens National Garden, which is huge, free, and beautiful
- The Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, conducted every hour by a contingent of the elite soldiers of Presidential Guard, called Evzones. On Sundays at 11AM there’s a larger ceremony with ceremonial dress and music as well.
- If you get a rainy day like we did, the Benaki Museum is home to all sorts of Greek treasures from prehistoric times. While we probably wouldn’t have gone here if it wasn’t pouring, it’s well-worth a visit.
After a fabulous winter “workation” in Ermoupoli, Syros, we really enjoyed spending the weekend in charming Athens. While we had pretty bad weather on Sunday, the rest of our 10 days in Greece were sunny and breezy, definitely a nice break from gloomy Amsterdam. In general, Greece in the wintertime is an amazing time to go.
For more Greece content, keep an eye out for Thessaloniki, coming soon. In case you missed it, our Greek Island Winter Guide has all the best tips for navigating the Greek Islands (and the Cyclades in particular) in the off-season.
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