Athens is the proud capital of Greece and is very much worth visiting. It is, besides London, my favorite city in Europe, as the people are very kind and the sights and neighborhoods are great to visit. Athens is one of the oldest cities in the world and it has 600,000 inhabitants. If you want to know more about Athens, take a look at the things to do.

See the impressive Acropolis in Athens

The most important sight in Athens is the mighty and famous Acropolis. You can see the hill with its temples from all of the city. Visiting this sight is amazing, and you have to see this fantastic place. Enjoy the sights and the view from the mountain. There are two entrances, and both can be easily reached. There are many things to see, like:

• The most important sight is the mighty Parthenon (right on picture above)
• Erechteion
• Temple of Athena Niké
• Temple of Athena

• See the Theatre of Dionysus (under the hill)
• The Odeon of Herodes Atticus (see picture above, next to the hill)

Price: €20 in summer and €10 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: Very high

How much time needed: 2-3 hours

Enjoy the Ancient Agora

The Ancient Agora is a very old place where people met in Roman and Greek times. Socrates and Plato walked here, and now it is your turn. There are nice temples, old ruins, good views, and a small museum. Walk a bit away from the crowds, so you can have a lovely stroll in this area. 

Price: €10 in summer and €5 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Have a walk at Monastiraki Square

Monastiraki Square is a fantastic square with a beautiful mosque (see picture above). There are markets close to it, and there are great pigeons, which make the scenery of the square even better. You can perfectly see the Acropolis from the square, and there are some good rooftop bars around the square.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 30 minutes

Have a drink at one of the rooftop bars at Monastiraki Square

Monastiraki Square consists of a couple of rooftop bars where you can have a drink. The views are amazing, as you can see the gorgeous mosque and the mighty Acropolis. The most famous places are A for Athens, Astro Bar and 360 Cocktail Bar. This is a bit more expensive than drinking on the streets, but with the view, this is a great thing to do.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1 hour

Taste many different food at a food tour

A food tour will be great to get to know the amazing Greek cuisine. In our tour, we tasted many different foods from the country, like gyros, souvlaki, local cheeses, pastries, and meats, an olive tasting (see picture above), and local drinks. We visited nice markets and enjoyed them a lot. This was a great tour to do. 

Price: I can't remember perfectly, but around €50 per person, which includes all the food.

How much time needed: 4 hours

Stroll in the lovely Psirri

Psirri is my favorite neighborhood in Athens because it is a real raw area which makes it very cool. There are many locals, not a lot of tourists, and you can visit markets, restaurants, and cool streets. This is the real Athens.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 3-5 hours

Find the cool area of Exarcheia

Exarcheia is a very raw neighborhood with many bars and some restaurants. You will find cool graffiti and narrow alleys. This is mostly visited in the later hours, when the evening is present. There are some very cool alternative places to go, and you will enjoy strolling around this area. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 1 evening/night

Have a look at Acropolis from Aeropagus Hill

Right next to the Acropolis, you can hike up Aeropagus Hill and see large parts of the city. The Acropolis is well looked at. You can see many other things from here. The hike up is a bit rough but very short, so you can do it easily. This is a nice short stop after Acropolis.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 20 minutes

Get to high altitude at Lycabettus Hill

I only went here with New Years (to a restaurant; otherwise, you are not allowed on December 31st) in the evening. You have to go up by funicular on this date, and then up there, the view is outstanding. You can literally see the whole city from this point. We saw all the fireworks, which was incredible. This hill is the highest point of the city and should absolutely be on your itinerary of the city. 

Price: €10 euros round trip with the funicular, but walking normally is free

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 2 hours

Feel on the Greek islands in Anafiotika

Anafiotika is by far the most adorable neighborhood in the city. The oldest area of Athens is built against the Acropolis and is slightly higher than most of the city, which also provides some good views. The very small streets with white houses are very cool and look like they are on the Greek islands, but you are in the city centre. Stroll through this area to feel alone and spot the many cats. 

You get here by walking up from the crowded Plaka neighborhood, and you will find these houses. Please respect the people living here, as it feels very intimate, but they are living here. This is a must-do in Athens, and you will enjoy it, even though it is pretty small. 

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1 hour

Walk passed Hadrian's Arch

Hadrian's Arch is a free gate to visit. It is not placed picturesquely next to a busy road, but this is a nice stop, next to the temple of Olympian Zeus. Make a picture, but don't make this stop a must-do, although the architecture is nice. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 3 minutes

Get some relaxation in the National Garden

This is a park to have a lovely stroll in. The National Garden is an oasis in the busy city of Athens. There are lovely things to see: the Zappeion (see left in the picture above), fountains, trees, and pools, where there are turtles present. This is lovely to combine with Hadrian's Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

Tourists occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Make a run at the Panathenaic Stadium

Besides the Acropolis, the Panathenaic Stadium is my favorite thing to do in Athens. This is the stadium where the old Panathenaic Games were held, with 50,000 seats. This was also the decor of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. The entire stadium was built of marble, and that makes it the only stadium in the world built like that. You can do a lovely audio tour, which provides a lot of information, and it is absolutely good to take this chance.

For me, it was iconic to have a run around the stadium and be in the same place where the sportsmen were deserving medals. Even if you are not a fan of sports, this is a must-do in Athens.

Price: €10

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Enjoy Glyfada Beach (even in the winter) close to Athens

Greece is famous for its beaches, but Athens is not a beach destination. However, Glyfada Beach is a nice beach close to the city. You can relax on the beach and take a swim. Temperatures are pleasant even in winter, so you can always get here and enjoy a beach day or hour.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 2 hours

Admire the Temple of Olympian Zeus

The Temple of Olympian Zeus is a huge ruin out from Ancient Greece. The pillars are the biggest in Athens and are very impressive. Unfortunately, when I was at the sight, it was going under renovation, so it was not as gorgeous as it should be, but still worth the visit. It is close to Hadrian's Arch and the National Garden.

Price: €8 in summer and €4 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 30 minutes

See the changing of the guards at Syntagma Square

Syntagma Square is the heart of the city, and a visit is an absolute must-do in Athens. You will see guards moving in a very cool way every hour. But at 11.00/11am on a Sunday, the changing of the guards is very impressive. Instead of 1 or 2 guards, there are many guards walking and changing. Their dance is very lovely to see. 

They come from a different street, and the big change is in front of the parliament. The ceremony takes around half an hour, and you will enjoy this great ceremony. The event can be crowded, so make sure you have your spot.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 30-45 minutes

Find the cute Kapnikarea church

Kapnikarea is a very small street built in the 11th century. Both the inside and the outside are adorable and worth a visit. You can find the church on the shopping street Ermou Street (which is not my favorite) close to Plaka. This sight is free and fun to see for a short time.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 15 minutes

See the old Hadrian's Library

Hadrian's library is another great historical sight in the city centre. Hadrian's Library is located just next to Monastiraki Square, so very well to combine. The sight is gorgeous with lovely ruins, but it is not the best ruin of the city, so if you are tired of historical sights, you can skip it. 

Price: Normally it is €6 summer and €3 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 30 minutes

See another historical sight at the Roman Agora

The Roman Agora is way smaller than the Ancient Agora, but still worth a lovely stroll. You can also choose  to walk around it, as you can see it all. On the other hand, you cannot get into every tower. The sight is not the most important, but a stroll is enjoyable. 

Price: €8 in summer and €4 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 20-30 minutes

Extra Tips for Athens

All the historical sights and museums are fantastic, and there is even some more good news. In winter, on the first Sunday of the month (November-March), all the historical sights are free! Even the Acropolis is free of admission then.

In summer you can get a combo ticket to see the sites for less. In the combo ticket, there are sights I did not mention, including the Acropolis, both agoras, and Hadrian's Library. This ticket is €30. You can also get this in winter, but it may not be economically preferable as the prices of the sights are reduced.

Have the best view of Acropolis from Philopappos Hill

Philopappos Hill is, after Lycabettus Hill, the most important one to discover. There are multiple things to see, such as the Prison of Socrates and the Philopappos Monument. However, the highlight is the amazing view of the city, and in particular, the Acropolis. The "entrance" is close to the Acropolis, and the hike is relatively easy. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1-2 hours.

Understand the sights better at the Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum is my favorite museum in Athens. The museum stands out in the city because the building is very modern. Inside, there are many artifacts of the famous mountain, and they explain where it should be. It was very interesting and beautiful at the same time. I would recommend first doing the real Acropolis and then the museum (it is not necessary to do it on the same day), because you can see where the artifacts should have been.

Price: €15 in summer and €10 in winter (November - March)

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Head to the lovely Gazi neighborhood

If you really want to avoid other tourists, head to the Gazi neighborhood in the west. There are many cool and alternative bars and restaurants. This is especially cool to do in the evening. This area is overloaded with local,s and that makes it a fantastic region of the city. The bars are plentiful, and you can just choose your favorite. 

Tourist occurrence: Very low
How much time needed: 1 evening

See the Piraeus harbour at Mikrolimanos

The Piraeus harbor is nice to see, but it was not the highlight of my trip. The restaurants look cool, but they are mostly very touristic and do not focus on the great Greek cuisine or seafood. Maybe try a restaurant like Psi Art, which has great seafood and is a bit higher to have a nice view of the harbour. The boats are fun to see, and the boulevard is a nice place. You can walk a bit further and see the Stadium of Olympiakos Piraeus. This harbor is good in combination with a day trip to Aegina. 

Tourist occurrence: High
How much time needed: 2 hours including dinner

Be amazed by all the food at the Varvakios Central Market

The Varvakios Central Market is a fantastic market in the middle of my favorite neighborhood, Psirri. There are so many cool market stalls to discover, especially the fish department, which is very cool having many species of seafood and looks good. There is also a very interesting meat department, but it can be tough to see the huge carcasses of the animals. 

Outside market stalls are selling fruits and vegetables, and mostly very tasty olives. Also, people sell non-food products here. There are also restaurants and takeoutshops, which are very tasteful. This is one of the greatest things to do in Athens, as it is a very cool, classic market (and I love markets), and you can go here more often during a longer stay.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 2-3 hours

Visit the Plaka neighborhood and have a drink on its stairs

Plaka is a famous neighborhood, and it is lovely to walk around. The streets are crowded, but the vibe is very relaxed. There are many restaurants, bars, and cool streets to see. The highlight are the great stairs, where you can have a drink and a bite. The site is cool to walk through or sit on. There are a couple of streets that have these stairs.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 2-3 hours

Have a lunch at Hasapika central market

There are many many good restaurants in Athens, such as Diporto (a very traditional experience), Hytra (fancy), and Klimataria (a traditional taverna), but Hasapika central market is fantastic. The restaurant is in the Varvakios Central Market. You will get great sushi with a Greek touch. This is the best sushi I ever tasted, with fresh fish from the sea. The atmosphere of sitting in the market makes it an even better experience.

Price: Depending on what you order.

How much time needed: 1-2 hour

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

• Visit a Bouzoukia, a Greek party
• Benaki museum
• Lake Vouliagmeni - lake with fish outside the city

Final thoughts

Athens was a surprise for me; it became, along with London, my favorite city to visit in Europe. The historical sights, lovely people, and great food make this city a special place to go. I would recommend going in the winter, when the sights are cheaper and the temperatures are pleasant. If you want to know more about Greece, check out: