Athens is often at the beginning or end of any island hopping adventure in Greece. If you can spend a few more days exploring Athens then do it – but if not, read on to find your perfect itinerary for a day trip to Athens!
How to Get There
You might be in Athens as part of a layover on a flight to a Greek island (like Santorini). Or you might be heading to the port to take a ferry to an island (if you’re looking for inspiration, we got it here). Perhaps you flew to Athens deliberately to take in the ancient history of the Greek empire. Either way, you’re going to want to spend at least a day here taking in the sights.
Where to Stay
If you can arrange in your itinerary to stay overnight in Athens, please take our advice and stay at A for Athens. This is the number one most important thing you can do when you get to Athens. Book well in advance and stay in the Red Suite, you won’t regret it. It has a hot tub on an outdoor balcony with beautiful lights that overlooks the acropolis. Hot tub. Overlooking. The ACROPOLIS. It doesn’t get much better than that.
They also have a stunning breakfast spread which you get to eat on their rooftop overlooking the acropolis. Their very exclusive rooftop bar opens at night and serves up delicious cocktails. We saw multiple people trying to get in to the bar and getting turned away because it was so busy. But in the words of the bar tender, “if you’re staying in the Red Suite, then we definitely have a table for you.” The Red Suite literally has its own private staircase up to the rooftop. We highly recommend both starting and ending your day here.
What to Do
One very central place that you can’t miss is Syntagma Square – it is one of the most famous squares in Greece. Here you’ll find the Hellenic Parliament Building and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Definitely try to watch the changing of the guard in front of the tomb which happens hourly.
Nearby Syntagma Square you’ll find the National Garden which is a great shady place to escape the heat of the day. Did you know Athens is one of the hottest cities in Europe? There is tons to do in the National Garden including the Royal Garden, a lake, petting zoo, and some ruins.
For shopping, stroll through the Monastiraki Flea Market which is an easy walk away from A for Athens. You can find almost anything here, but it’s an especially great place to look for local crafts and souvenirs. We found a hand made pair of salad servers that we use every day at home, and a few delicious spice mixes to gift!
If you’re looking for more mainstream shops, check out Ermou street. It has a lot of big name brands and stems from Syntagma Square.
The Ruins
There are a lot of ruins to see in Athens. As in, you’ll see ruins of ancient buildings as you’re walking around to get your morning coffee. But there are definitely some that are more famous than others, and you can’t see them all in one day, so here are the ones we prioritized!
You’ll want to start at the Acropolis – try to get there early if you can to beat the lines! This ancient landmark is from at least the fifth century BC and is a collection of various ruins. The most famous is the Parthenon, but you’ll also want to see the Temple of Athena, the Propylaea, and the Erechtheion.
After you are done taking your fill of the ruins, head to the Acropolis museum to learn about what you just saw. This awesome museum holds many artifacts in varying conditions and is also the site of an active archeological dig.
We also really enjoyed seeing Hadrian’s Library, the Temple of Hephaestus and the Temple of Zeus. You can enter most of these with your Acropolis pass.
You should also check out the Panathenaic Stadium which is the house of the first Olympic Games along with many other athletic contests! It’s just across from the National Garden, so try to combine the two if you can. Check out the Roman Agora (or marketplace) which is near Monastiraki (the modern marketplace!).
Depending on what sounds interesting to you, you might want to check out the Athens City Pass. You can select multiple days if you’d like, and it allows for entrance into various attractions and museums in Athens. Find more on that here.
Where to Eat
If you do end up staying at A for Athens, then definitely take advantage of the massive breakfast spread on the rooftop. It offers absolutely breathtaking views over the Acropolis. Ciel Athens is also known for their delicious rooftop brunch. For coffee in Athens check out SNOB Athens which has an Espresso Gastro Bar.
While you’re in Athens definitely try an authentic kabab and chips! We enjoyed this massive spread from O Thanasis on our gorgeous balcony and it was SO good.
For an absolutely unforgettable dinner, check out Dinner in the Sky. It is a super exclusive dining experience for only 22 guests at a time. You are strapped in to your seat surrounding a large dining table. The chefs are in a pod in the middle of the table and cook your six course gourmet meal fresh in front of you. And did we mention you’re suspended 40 meters in the sky rotating 360 degrees overlooking the sprawling Athens metropolis? By the way, it is a seasonal experience, so be sure to check availability and book well in advance if this is something you want to do.
Interested in checking out our other Greece recommendations? Head over here!