When planning our trip to Greece, I saw Athens as more of a stopover on our way to the islands than a vital part of the itinerary. However, the city really surprised me, so I’d recommend allowing enough time to fully immerse yourself in the history and culture.
Perhaps because the purpose of this particular trip was purely to swim, eat and relax on the Greek islands, we only gave ourselves a few days in Athens.
But from the first sighting of the Acropolis and Parthenon towering over the city, to our last night walking through the energetic laneways, Athens left a bigger impression than I expected.
What to do in Athens?
We didn’t have the time to experience all that Athens has to offer, but here are a few highlights.
- The Acropolis and museum – if you’re in one of the oldest cities in the world, you should definitely visit its museums and ruins. Make sure to go as early as possible to the Acropolis to avoid the stifling summer heat and huge crowds that visit the historic site every day. General admission tickets for the Acropolis and slopes are €20 and the site opens at 8am.
I suggest buying the guided audio tour, so you have more context to what you’re exploring. It’s also a good idea to pair your visit with the nearby museum – four levels of incredible artifacts from the Acropolis. Plus, you can go underneath the building to view the remains of an ancient Athens neighbourhood. General admission tickets are €15.
- The Ancient Agora of Athens – there’s a small museum on site and access to the temple of Hephaestus.
- Shop and wander around the cute suburb of Plaka – the main shopping street is Adrianou and it’s a great spot for souvenirs. I liked the design accessorises from Thiki Greece.
- Visit Little Kook – a fairy tale themed street featuring only dessert restaurants. Everyone is dressed in character and the theme changes every year. It’s pretty touristy but fun to walk through.
- The city centre has a creative, artistic vibe that I loved, and we found some great stores. One of my favourites was art and design bookstore Hyper Hypo.
Where to eat in a day
Breakfast
Start your day with a coffee/tea and pastries at the cosy café and bookstore Bookbar by Kaktos.
Lunch
Go to the Pantheon House Restaurant in Plaka for lunch. The Greek mixed gyros (pork and chicken) for two people is huge, comes with pita, tomato, lettuce, onion, and tzatziki, and is absolutely delicious.
Dinner
Dinner at Bandiera was one of the best meals we had in Greece. Try to book in advance as it can be hard for walk ins to get a table. The portion sizes are huge and reasonably priced, and the food was amazing. I’d recommend the Greek salad, the sausage served with pita bread and doused in oil, crispy meatballs, or the pork loin for two (which could’ve actually served four!).
Dessert
Indulge in a decadent dessert at Lukumades or more traditional style loukoumades at Kpivos.
Drinks
Finish the night with drinks on the rooftop of Divani Palace Acropolis in Makrygianni. This hotel rooftop restaurant has one of the best views of the Acropolis so book for sunset.
Where to stay in Athens
At the start of our trip we stayed at Divani Palace Acropolis in Makrygianni, and our last night was spent at the Residence Aiolou Hotel & Spa. Divani has a great pool and the amazing rooftop restaurant, while the beautifully designed Residence was reasonably priced and in the perfect central location.
Athens is a gorgeous mix of ancient ruins, creative flair, and bustling nightlife. While these few days were incredible, I’d love to come back and spend more time getting to know this historic city.
