An ancient city with a modern soul, celebrated for its world-famous ancient treasures, Athens is one of Europe’s most exciting cities to visit, filled with creativity, a vibrant food & drink scene and new neighbourhoods you’ll adore discovering.
Like a charismatic friend always inviting you to spend time with them, Athens welcomes you with a generosity that you just can’t resist. Whatever you need to know… what to see and do in Athens and how to get the best out of your stay … you only have to ask! There’s always a friendly local ready to make you feel at home. Let’s take a look at the best things to do on your holidays in Athens.
If there’s one reason to choose Athens, it’s because of the way it makes you feel. Call it a buzz, a vibe, a mood. It’s edgy and traditional, urban and cool, intimate and welcoming – all at the same time. Just wandering the streets lets the feeling inside. So even though visiting the Acropolis is probably No.1 on your list of things to do in Athens, hang on a minute. Instead, let’s first use Athens’ most recognisable landmark as your beacon to explore the sites and neighbourhoods all around it. Just take in the atmosphere and relish the feeling of being free. There’s no better way to start your holidays in Athens.
That said, the Acropolis tops most lists of things to do in Athens for good reason. It’s not just a world-renowned monument and eternal symbol of the city, but its most recognisable feature, the Parthenon (dedicated to the goddess Athena), gave the city its name. A tour of the Acropolis brings you face to face with a 2,500-year-old legend. And when you find yourself standing above Athens, with a 360-degree view of the city, it’s hard to imagine you need anything more. But visiting the Acropolis is also an opportunity to learn about the tumultuous history of Athens since its 5th century-BC Golden Age under Pericles. And of course to complete the experience, you’ll visit the Acropolis Museum, specially designed to showcase statues and other antiquities originally found in or on the Acropolis or unearthed during the creation of the museum itself.
Visit Spinalonga, the inspiration behind a bestseller. Entering the Bay of Elounda, you’ll see a fortress that for centuries many tried to conquer until, from 1905 to 1957, it was Greece’s designated leper colony. The story of Spinalonga inspired the award-winning novel by Victoria Hislop, The Island, which in turn was developed into a popular Greek television drama. Today, you can take a boat or swim across to Spinalonga and you’ll still feel its mystical energy and weighty history.
The Greek island experience – right next to Athens.
Then again, after all that time spent at home, lying on the beach might not be anywhere near enough to satisfy that craving for an island escape. So if you need more, you’ll love learning that there are islands to visit right next to Athens all the way through the year. Just an hour or two from Piraeus by ferry or hydrofoil could feel like a million miles away – little fishing harbours and tavernas where the pace of life slows right down. Aegina, Hydra, Poros … and a little further away, Spetses proudly take their place alongside the best-known Greek islands. And if you think you don’t have time to visit more than one, you can even enjoy a mini island-hopping tour to two or three.
Rome and Florence come to mind … and in the same breath comes Athens. Masterpiece after masterpiece is the reward for even the briefest of walks around the centre … the Panathenaic Stadium, Ancient Agora, Odeon of Herodes Atticus (where every summer there are starlit performances of opera divas and pop stars), the Temple of Hephaestus, the Temple of Olympian Zeus … the list’s a long one.
Athens has a way of celebrating its museums. The extraordinary Goulandris Museum of Modern Art and the Benaki Museum for Greek Culture offer sweeping journeys of their particular narrative in elegant, airy and light former neoclassical houses. They also have excellent cafes (the Goulandris Museum in a courtyard, the Benaki on the rooftop). Another great museum in a former neoclassical house is the Museum of Cycladic Art – the highlight being the elegant, mystical figurines that flourished in the central Aegean in the Early Bronze Age. You have to check out the museum shops (online or in person) of all three. Some of the jewellery collections or limited-edition artworks look like they belong in the museums themselves. Meanwhile, if ancient history is your thing, don’t miss the National Archaeological Museum, which has an extraordinary range of artefacts, in both time and scope.
So now’s the time to mention that Athens has undergone a culinary revolution. Whether you’re a full-on foodie or just someone who enjoys great food and drink, exploring the flavours of Athens ranks right up there in the things to do in the Greek capital. Not least because you’ll discover very quickly that Athenians savour everything about food – the taste, atmosphere, camaraderie and just being outdoors and having fun. So it’s best to dedicate a day or half-day to a food tour. Start with an Athenian breakfast (a sesame seed-crusted koulouri or pie), move on to the markets and spice shops, have lunch in a dine-in deli (where you’ll be told about the best olive oil and local products sourced by the owner), join the locals with a Greek coffee or iced freddo and – after a chance to digest – enjoy a fine-dining rooftop dinner with a view of the lit-up Acropolis. You’ll have experienced a culinary symphony.
Enjoy a lungful of greenery in the centre of Athens.
Who would have singled out green zones for special attention in Athens? Well, here they are… more than you would ever have expected. And greener, too. You’ll have been introduced to some of them on your atmosphere-building walk at the start of your trip – Philopappou Hill opposite the Acropolis and, for an even better view of the city, Lycabettus Hill. For an early-morning run, there’s the pine tree-lined footpath behind the Panathenaic Stadium. And for a picnic, there’s the fabulous lawn and garden of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC), in Faliro. But when it comes to green spaces, the National Garden, right by Syntagma Square and the Hellenic Parliament, stands out.
Athenians love to be out and about, particularly on the warm evening and nights from April to November. Socialising takes place outdoors in bars and restaurants that often take on the character of their neighbourhoods. So here’s your chance to discover some new faces around town: Keramikos and Gazi (for clubbing and a younger crowd), Monastiraki and Thissio (rooftop bars and dining, ideal for couples), Koukaki (cozy bars for cocktails, sidewalk cafes, tavernas and awesome places for brunch), Kolonaki (with an irresistible nightlife scene, especially in the winter), Pangrati (an artsy aura and cool cafe scene), Petralona (mostly for food and live folk music at what are known as koutoukia and rebetadika). Or perhaps you’re looking for the privacy of a 5* hotel indoor bar or terrace overlooking the Acropolis.
Make the most of your night out by doing what Athenians have loved doing since ancient times… taking in a performance. From the majesty of the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Megaron Concert Hall to the National Opera at the SNFCC and the Onassis Foundation’s Stegi… there are iconic venues offering once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Or perhaps a play at the National Theatre (one of the best examples of German-born architect Ernst Ziller’s legacy in Greece) which has been putting on ancient Greek tragedies and comedies since the 1880s and more recently Shakespeare and modern international productions with English supertitles. Other gems are the Poreia Theatre (also with English supertitles), which has done wonders to encourage recent playwriting creativity, and the Porta Theatre. And what could be more perfect on a balmy Athens night than watching a classic film at an open-air cinema? There are some fantastic venues around the city, some running for more than a century.
You’re here for the new Athens, so the last of your things to do in the Greek capital is tap into the rich vein of creativity that has its source in the artists and entrepreneurs that emerged during the debt crisis a few years ago. As you wander around Athens’ neighbourhoods, you won’t be able to resist the cute little boutiques and souvenir shops selling locally made original objects. You’ll find stylish summer and beachwear from upcoming Greek designers (ask the shop owner for some tips) and jewellery inspired by ancient designs with a modern twist. Or perhaps a handmade gift, maybe even with a note about the designer, that will become part of your personal story of Athens and comes in elegant packaging that’s part of the effect. And if you don’t have time to shop in town, there are plenty of options at Athens’ airport before getting on your plane and heading home.
An enduring symbol of democracy, philosophy and all those big-picture ideals of the ancients, Athens also has a unique way of living in the moment. It is versatile and inventive, alive with the power of possibility day and night and is a city filled with surprises. Did you know that Athens has beaches less than half an hour from the city centre? And that alongside the museums displaying archaeological treasures are contemporary art galleries as well as parks and green spaces. So if you’re looking for things to do in Athens with the kids, or you’re visiting as a couple or a group of friends, or even just passing through on your way to a Greek island or elsewhere on the mainland, you’ll find a city that will reward you in ways you never imagined. It has a population of around 3,155,000 and is Capital and largest city in Greece.
How to Get There :
Athens International Airport services flights from all around the world as well as more than 30 domestic (island & mainland) destinations. Athens’ main port, in Piraeus, also welcomes cruise liners from all around the region.
Famous For :
The capital of Greece is one of the most important cities of antiquity. Its Golden Age came in the 5th century BC under the general Pericles when the Parthenon was added to the Acropolis. Other ancient highlights enjoyed by visitors today are the Arch of Hadrian and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, which is still used to stage musical and theatrical events during the Athens & Epidaurus Festival.
