Things to do in Athens
Athens offers ancient wonders and a vibrant modern city. Plan the big archaeological sites for mornings, then use the afternoons for museums, food and seaside escapes.
The Acropolis
The rock holds the Parthenon, dedicated to Athena and completed in 432 BC, the elegant Erechtheion with its Caryatid porch, the Temple of Athena Nike and the monumental Propylaea gateway. Since 2023 visitor numbers are capped with hourly timed tickets, so book online in advance. Go at 8:00 opening or in the late afternoon; summer midday heat on the white marble is intense. The south slope entrance near the Acropolis Museum is usually less crowded, and passes the Theatre of Dionysus.
The Acropolis Museum
Designed by Bernard Tschumi and opened in 2009, the museum displays the original Caryatids, sculptures from the Parthenon frieze arranged in their original orientation on the top floor, with gaps left for those held in the British Museum, and glass floors over an excavated ancient neighbourhood. Its terrace café has excellent views.
The Ancient Agora and other sites
The Ancient Agora was the heart of public life, where Socrates debated. It has the best-preserved Doric temple in Greece, the Temple of Hephaestus, and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos museum. A combined ticket also covers the Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos cemetery, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Aristotle's Lyceum.
National Archaeological Museum
One of the world's great museums of ancient art, with the golden Mask of Agamemnon from Mycenae, the bronze Artemision god (Zeus or Poseidon) and the Antikythera Mechanism, an ancient astronomical calculator.
Panathenaic Stadium
Built entirely of marble and reconstructed for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, the Kallimarmaro stadium is the only one in the world built entirely of marble. An audio guide explains its history; you can run a lap on the track.
Hills and views
Climb Lycabettus Hill, the city's highest point at 277 metres, on foot or by funicular from Kolonaki for sunset views across the city to the sea. Filopappou Hill and the Areopagus rock offer free views of the Acropolis.
Changing of the guard
The Evzones, presidential guards in kilts with pompom shoes, change every hour in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Syntagma. On Sundays at 11:00 there is a larger ceremony with a band.
Markets and food
The Varvakios Central Market on Athinas Street is a noisy, fascinating meat and fish market. Try souvlaki and gyros, koulouri sesame bread rings sold by street vendors, loukoumades (honey doughnuts) and fresh seafood. A taverna meal with shared meze is the best way to sample Greek cuisine.
Modern Athens
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, designed by Renzo Piano, houses the National Library and Greek National Opera, with a free park and a lighthouse viewing deck. The Benaki Museum and the Museum of Cycladic Art show treasures from all periods.
Beaches and the Riviera
Take the tram to the coast or a bus to Vouliagmeni, Astir Beach and the Lake Vouliagmeni thermal spa. At Cape Sounion, 70 kilometres south, the Temple of Poseidon stands on a cliff above the Aegean, a classic sunset trip; Lord Byron carved his name on a column.
Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian's Arch
Begun in the sixth century BC and completed by Emperor Hadrian in the second century AD, the Temple of Olympian Zeus was once the largest temple in Greece. Only 15 of its 104 Corinthian columns still stand. Hadrian's Arch nearby marked the boundary between the old city and the new Roman quarter.
Kerameikos
The ancient cemetery of Kerameikos, by the Dipylon gate, is a quiet archaeological site with funerary monuments and a small museum. It was the starting point of the Panathenaic procession and is often uncrowded.
The combined ticket
A combined ticket gives entry to the Acropolis and six other sites, including the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Kerameikos, Hadrian's Library, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and Aristotle's Lyceum, over several days. Since April 2025, entry to the Acropolis alone costs €30 for adults.
Museums beyond antiquity
The Benaki Museum covers Greek culture from prehistory to the twentieth century. The Museum of Cycladic Art houses the minimalist marble figurines that inspired modern artists, and the Byzantine and Christian Museum displays icons and mosaics.
Lycabettus at sunset
A funicular or a steep walk takes you to the summit of Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in central Athens, with the chapel of St George and views to the sea.
Day trips and islands
Delphi, the ancient sanctuary of Apollo, is about two and a half hours by road. Ferries from Piraeus reach the Saronic islands of Aegina, Poros and Hydra, where cars are banned, in one to two hours. Nafplio and the theatre of Epidaurus make a good day trip in the Peloponnese.
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