Almost every trip to Greece will involve a stopover in Athens at some point. Flying into any of the islands with take you through Athens, and Pireaus port is the springboard to many of the surrounding Greek islands. The Cyclades islands, Santorini, Naxos, Paros and Milos, are easily accessible from Athens and you can book ferries there through Ferryscanner.

I highly recommend spending some time in Greece’s frenetic capital before or after your relaxing time on the islands. The city is bustling, has incredible food and an amazing history.

 

How to get there

From the airport

Arriving in Athens from the airport you have two options of getting into the city. You can either take the metro or the bus. The bus is cheaper but slower costing 5.5€ per person. Tickets can be bought via the ticket desks located at the Arrivals level, between exit doors 4 and 5. Alternatively, tickets are also available onboard. You’ll take the X95 bus to Syntagma Square. This is the station closest to most tourist hubs. To get to your accommodation you may need to take a metro one or two stops along from here. A metro ticket will cost you an additional 1.2€ which is valid for 90 minutes of travel.
Taking the metro from Athens airport is more expensive but is quicker and if you’re needing to change metros to get to your final destination this will be included in the ticket price 9€. You can follow the train signs at the airport. At the station you’ll use the ticket machine to purchase a 90 minute transport ticket. There is an airport surcharge so this will cost 9€ per person. You’ll then activate your metro ticket by tapping into the station. Navigate to the train platform for metro line 3 in the direction of Dimotiko Theatre. You’ll ride this for about 40 minutes for 15 stops before getting off at Syntagma Square. Again, you can change metro lines here to get further to your accommodation.

I always use Citymapper as the best way to know the best public transport routes in a city. Download it and thank me later, trust me!

From the port

From Pireaus Port you can catch a metro from the Pireaus metro station to Syntagma Square. Take the metro line 3 in the direction of Syntagma Square (20 minutes, 10 stops). Here you can walk to your accommodation or change lines. This ticket will cost you 1.2€ which is valid for 90 minutes of travel from when you tap into the metro station. If you are arriving early early morning or at odd hours of the night you can take the 040 bus in the direction of Syntagma. This ticket will also cost you 1.2€ which is valid for 90 minutes of travel.

What to do in Athens

Athens is most famously known for the Acropolis and for good reason! The architecture and history of this UNESCO World Heritage site is incredible and everyone who visits Athens HAS to visit it to see it for themselves. However, there is plenty to Athens beyond the Acropolis and my hope is that this guide helps you to scratch beneath the surface of Greece’s incredible capital city. Here’s how to spend 2 days in Athens.

Arrival day:

After you’ve travelled into the city and refreshed yourself at your accommodation you’re going to head out for the evening for a walk around the city and a lovely dinner in Plaka.

Wander through the whitewashed streets of Anafiotika

To start your evening stroll you can make your way towards the neighbourhood of Anafiotika. This is a quaint area is nestled at the foot of the Acropolis. The history goes that islander’s moved to Athens and brought with them the tradition of whitewashed houses. They were not supposed to build so close to the Acropolis but did anyway. Today you can wander through the tiny streets lined with whitehouses and colourful flowers. Be mindful of the residents living in the houses and walk around quietly.

See the ruins of the Roman Agora

On your way down from Anafiotika towards Plaka you will pass the Roman Agora. You can pay to enter the grounds but you can also see all the ruins very well through the fence. If you’re keen on learning some history listen to Rick Steve’s Audio Europe episode on the Roman Agora, or just enjoy the view of the ancient world before walking down into Plaka.

Dinner in the Plaka & Monastriki districts

The Plaka and Monastriki districts of Athens are the more touristy areas in the city. It is a very beautiful area though of pedestrianised streets, markets and shops. Wander around the cobbled streets and get a little bit lost. You can check out Monastriki Square, Hadrian’s Library and the various shop-lined streets. There are also plenty of lovely restaurants to chose from in this area for your dinner.

Day 1:

After a good rest you’ll be ready to conquer more of Athens on your first full day in the city. Start the day with a mini hike up Philoppapas Hill followed by exploring the trendy Koukaki area and a trip to the Acropolis.

Hike up Philoppapas Hill

Start your day nice and early before the heat descends upon Athens with a mini hike up Philoppapas Hill. There are various entrances located along Mouson Road in Koukaki. The walk up to the top of the hill is 10-20 minutes. Make sure you take plenty of water and don’t hike in intense heat. At the top you can view the Philoppapas Monument and will have panoramic views of Athens and the Acropolis.

Explore the Koukaki neighbourhood

On your way back down from Philoppapas Hill take a wander through the Koukaki neighbourhood. Koukaki is one of the most rapidly-evolving areas of Athens and has become a booming spot for Airbnb growth, loved for its authentic and laid-back vibe. There are plenty of cute street cafes, pedestrianised streets lined with orange trees and local bakeries and foodie spots.

Make sure you make a stop at Guarantee which is an institution of a sandwich shop. An Italian family has run this shop since 1988 and it serves up gourmet sandwiches. You can choose from their list of 35 speciality sandwiches or make your own using their range of fresh produce, deli meats and cheeses. We paid 10€ for two sandwiches and they were DELUXE!

Make sure you also stop by at the bakery Attika Aptonoieia for the most amazing range of spanakopita, pies, pastries, baklava and traditional Greek sweet treats. You can also grab a frappé which is a Greek iced coffee drink made from spray-dried instant coffee, water, sugar, and milk.

Visit the Acropolis

The Acropolis, or more specifically the Parthenon, is the icon of Athens. During your visit you’ll learn about more than 7 centuries worth of history and have your breath taken away by the sheer size of this architectural wonder. My advice is to go at around 6pm as the site closes at 8pm in summer and you’ll want to leave yourselves around 2 hours to explore the sites. Going later in the day affords you the opportunity to explore the sites when it is much cooler and less crowded. As an added bonus the lighting at this time of the day is just dreamy and will make for better photos than the midday glare. Book your tickets in advance to avoid standing in the ticket queue: Acropolis entry ticket. Tickets cost 25€ per person.

While you can wander around the sites unguided, you’ll miss out on the richness of the history and details. For a free audio guide packed with history (and a step-by-step walk through of the sites), download Rick Steve’s Audio Europe app and download the Acropolis episode to your phone. This is accessible offline once you’ve downloaded it so you can just bring your headphones and let Rick guide you through the sites. If you’d prefer to have an in-person guide you can book this ticket which includes your ticket and a guide for 35€ per person.

Make sure you bring water and sunscreen as it is very hot up there! There are water fountains to refill your bottles at the top.

Day 2:

On your second full day in Athens you’ll explore some more historical sites, the National Gardens and enjoy tasting all the Greek street food on a Foodie Tour.

Watch the changing of the guards at Parliament

Start the day by watching the changing of the guards at Greek Parliament. This is quite a ceremony and worth witnessing. It happens every hour on the hour. The Grand Change of the Guard takes place at 11am on Sunday mornings.

National Gardens

After you’ve seen the changing of the guards stroll on into the National Gardens. Enjoy the leafy green break from the city.

Visit Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus

After you exit the National Gardens you’ll be close to the site of Hadrian’s arch and the Temple of Zeus which are more magnificent ancient buildings to look at.

Join a Greek Foodie Tour

The food in Greece is unmatched and by far my favourite cuisine in the world! Doing a foodie tour is one of my favourite ways to spend an afternoon in a city. It gives you such a unique perspective of the city and takes you to all the authentic foodie spots you wouldn’t be able to find yourselves. I also love doing this at the start of a trip because it gives you the vocabulary you need to read menus for the rest of the trip. You’ll then know what things are when you see them on the menu and if you like them or not.

This Athens: Greek Foodie Tour looks amazing and takes you through the markets and local tavernas including loads of tastings and even a wine tasting! For 69€ per person I think this is a super worthwhile adventure in Athens.

 

Where to stay in Athens

We stayed at Museum of Modern Art Rooms in Koukaki which was affordble and centrally located. We loved exploring the surrounding neighbourhood of Koukaki!
The Technopolis Luxury Apartments also get wonderful reviews. These are a little bit of a pricier option but look great!

I always book my accommodation through Booking.com. Browse the thousands of accommodation options here:

Planning a trip to Greece? Check out my other blogs on Naxos, Paros, Santorini and Crete.