5 Amazing Things to do When You Visit Athens
Last updated on September 24th, 2022 at 11:38 pm
There are so many reasons why you should visit Athens, Greece! It is one of those places in the world that holds a unique kind of tension. It’s a thin and fragile string that connects the ancient and the modern in a place. Cities like Athens walk along that thin tightrope, attempting to honor and preserve the past while also embracing the future.
I won’t lie, Athens is somewhat of a lively city. Cars and motorcycles weave in and out of narrow streets and you can spot many people out on foot as well. Compared to much of Europe the traffic is much more vocal here and seems more chaotic. Apartment complexes rise up, busy shops are full of people going about their day, groups of tourists try to not get separated from one another. It all seems so present day. But, then, suddenly an Ancient Greek monument comes into view and you are reminded of the rich history that lives on here.
Throughout this post, I will share the things I consider to be the best things you should do on a visit Athens including tips for food, visiting historical sites, day trips. And, I share more one of my absolute, favorite museums in Europe. So, scroll on and discover what exciting adventures await you!
****Disclaimer: always be sure to check the most recent regulations for entry in Greece as well as any activities you want to participate in before booking any part of your journey!
How to get to Athens
The best way to get to Athens is by flying and the nearest airpot is the Athens International Airport. From here, you have a few options to get to downtown Athens.
Taxi
This is the most expensive and probably the most convenient way to get from the Athens International Airport to downtown Athens. They can take you straight to your hotel and you don’t have to try and navigate the public transport or lug your suitcases up and down stairs. A ride from the airport to downtown will take about 40 minutes.
**Please note that there is a flat rate taxi fee to the downtown Athens area. You can find the most up to date fares on the Athens International Airport Website.
***I would like to add that taxis can be tricky not just in Athens, but in large cities all over the world. There are many scams that taxi drivers will use and you can read about them here if you would like to inform yourself of a few of them.
Athens Airport Subway
This is the best choice if you are wanting to take public transportation. The entrance to the Metro is about a 5 minute walk from the terminal. Here, you will find frequent trains that will take you directly to Syntagma Square. Depending on where your accommodations are located, you will need to walk or navigate change in public transit from this point. Google maps is very useful for figuring this out. A ride on the Metro Line 3 from the Airport to the final stop Syntagma Square will take about 40 minutes.
***Please note that there is an option for single way tickets and also the option to buy tickets with a return. If you decide to buy the ticket with the return, you will receive a slight discount.
For more information on pricing, times, and more, please click here.
Bus
The bus is the cheapest, but also the slowest option on this list. The bus stop is located at the Arrivals Level, between Exits 4 and 5. Depending on where your accommodations are located, you will need to walk or navigate change in public transit from this point. Once again, Google maps is very useful for figuring this out. A ride on the X95 Bus from the Airport to the final stop Syntagma Square will take about 60 minutes.
For more information on pricing, times, and more, please click here.
1. You Should Visit Athens for the Food!
If there is one thing I absolutely LOVE about Greece, it is the food. For me, Greek food is the creme de la creme, full of fresh ingredients, fragrant spices, veggies and fruits bursting with flavor. I am a big fan of lamb and Greek cuisine has so many mouthwatering lamb dishes to choose from. (But, if you don’t like lamb, don’t worry, there are tons of other options too!) So, if you are as obsessed with Greek food as I am (and even if you aren’t quite yet convinced), this should be one of the top reasons you should visit Athens.
Athens Food Tour Recommendation:
If it’s not already on your Athen’s to do list, I highly recommend going on a food tour during your visit to Athens. I booked my food tour with through AirBnB and I can’t recommend it enough!! Seriously, with 4.98 Stars and 1,046 reviews, and a great price, how can you possibly say no? Also, I assure you that this tour will leave you both full and knowledgable about Greek food.
The tour started at the market where we got to see where spices, meats, and seafood are sold. We got to see, smell, and learn more about the specific spices that are commonly used in Greek cooking. I have never smelled such fresh and fragrant spices in my whole life. I literally wanted to take them all home with me! From there, we went to two separate restaurants, a deli, and more where we got to try all kinds of fresh home-made cooking. Fresh beans, flavorful olives, the most tender (and non-chewy) calamari I’ve ever had in my life, crispy zucchini balls, as well as Souvlaki, and even dried camel meat!! Trust me, there is something for every palate on this tour, so be sure to add it to your Athens list.
The link for Rachel’s and Michalis’s tour is here!
Restaurants You Should Visit in Athens:
Tavern Klimataria – This is a perfect spot for dinner and live, traditional Greek music. (You can see photos of the food here above.) Be sure to call ahead to make a reservation!! It is a small restaurant and VERY popular, so if you show up without a reservation, you will most likely be out of luck. (I would like to add as a side note, the music can be a little loud. So, consider this if you think this might be bothersome to you).
Restaurant Strofi – Slightly more expensive, but you will have a wonderful meal with a perfect view of the Acropolis. I won’t lie, the milk pie we had here was to die for. (I even tried to find a recipe to recreate it at home because I loved it so much!) This is another great option for dinner, but be sure you call ahead to make a reservation.
Karamanlidika – This place is a deli, but also a restaurant. It is pretty cheap and the perfect place to stop in for lunch. I recommend getting a few different items from the menu and splitting them between the members of your party. I particularly recommend the cold cuts and cheese platter. It was such a great sampler!
Bougatsadiko Psirri – The perfect place for a sweet treat. The Bougatsa (custard pie) and Greek coffee make the perfect dessert combination!
Díporto – I did not actually have a chance to go here myself, but I have heard that it is a very popular restaurant. It can be a little bit of a challenge to find because it is actually in the basement under a run-down looking building. But, according to our Greek tour guide, many of the best restaurants in Athens are actually in the basements.
2. Visit Athens for the Rich Ancient History
I. Visit the Acropolis
On top of the Acropolis sits one of the most iconic sites in all of Greece: the Parthenon. This ancient temple was once the religious center of the Ancient Greek society. Now, it stands as a symbol of Greek heritage and ancient culture. Because of its historical significance, the Acropolis was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1987.
Many consider it to be one of the most recognizable sites in Greece. In fact, it is one of the most common reasons why people visit Athens. But, you should know that it is not the only building standing on the Acropolis hill. There are multiple ancient sites throughout the city and you will want to take time to appreciate them all!
Important Ancient Structures on the Acropolis Hill
- Parthenon – The current building was built in the 5th century BC. It was commissioned by Pericles and was the largest Doric-style temple of its time. Since its construction, it has been used for a variety of purposes including a church, a mosque, and a munitions depot. Since the 1970s, large efforts have been made to restore the Parthenon.
- The Beule Gate – This gate was built in the third century as a part of a defensive wall. Originally, it led up to the Classic Greek gateway of the Propylaea, but now it is used as the visitor’s exit.
- The Propylaea – This is the monumental gateway which served as the entrance to the Acropolis.
- Pedastal of Agrippa – Built in honor of Eumenes II of Pergamon in 178 BC to commemorate his victory in the Panathenaic Games chariot race.
- The Temple of Athena Nike – It the smallest temple on the Acropolis hill. Built between 426 and 421 BC, it was dedicated to the goddesses Athena and Nike.
- The Erechtheion – The Erechtheion is one of the most important structures on the Acropolis. It was built between between the years 421 and 406 BC and used to house the ancient wooden cult statue of Athena. Here you can admire the exact copies of the famous Caryatids (or korai) which represented the women who brought sacred items to the feasts of the gods. (The originals have been moved to the Acropolis Museum.)
- Odeon of Herodes Atticus – This theater was built around 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, Aspasia Regilla. It was renovated in 1950 and special events/concerts are held here.
Planning a Visit to the Acropolis
For my own personal recommendations for your visit to the Acropolis, please check out: Tips for Visiting the Ancient Sites in Athens, Greece! 🙂
II. Other Significant Ruins You Should Visit in Athens
Most of these locations cost an additional fee to visit. Although, if purchase an all-inclusive ticket when you buy your tickets for the Acropolis, you will have up to 5 days to explore as many as you like. (I talk more about the ticketing options in my other post Tips for Visiting the Ancient Sites in Athens, Greece)
To be honest, most of them are pretty much in ruins and you can see most of the sites from outside the gates/fences surrounding them. If you don’t purchase the combination ticket, I don’t recommend paying additional money into most of the sites. Of all the ones list, the one site that I would most highly recommend going into is the Ancient Agora of Athens. It is bigger and there are more ruins which are a bit more “completed”. Also, you have the opportunity to enjoy the museum there.
List of Ancient Sites
- Temple of Olympian Zeus – One of the largest buildings ever built in the ancient world. Originally, it had 104 columns. Unfortunately, only 15 of them remain standing.
- Hadrian’s Arch – Free – It is believed that this arch was built to celebrate the arrival of Emperor Hadrian’s arrival to Athens. It was originally part of a wall that separated the old and new portions of the Athens city.
- Ancient Agora – This was the center of public life for Ancient Athenians. Here, citizens took part in administrative, political, judicial, commercial, social, cultural and religious activities. Here, you will also find the Ancient Agora of Athens Museum within the Stoa of Attalos.
- Roman Agora – The Roman Agora was constructed with the combined funds of Julius Ceasar and Augustus. It became the commercial and administrative center of Athens after approximately 267 AD.
- Hadrian’s Library – This three story library was built by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. It contained books, reading rooms, teaching rooms, and more. Overall, it was an important place for learning and philosophy.
3. Visit Athens for the Museums
I. The Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
If you have kids, you will NOT want to miss out on this interactive and fun museum!
This museum is seriously one of my favorite museums I have ever visited. Like, ever! (And, trust me, I have been to a LOT of museums at this point). The information is presented in such a fun and interactive way. It is amazing the kinds of gadgets that were invented by the Ancient Greeks. Here, they have actually recreated the various devices for people to read about, explore, and even interact with.
So, come and learn all about ancient doorbells, ancient robots, ancient devices for measuring things, medical technology, and more. Please note: some of the devices are more fragile. In these cases, you can watch movies of how the devices work.
Planning Your Visit
Pro Tip: The closest metro station to this entrance is the Syntagma stop.
There are a couple of different ticketing options. The first is just for the technology museum and the second is for the technology museum combined with the music and naval museums. I would suggest at least an hour for the technology museum. And possibly an additional 30 min – 1 hour if you want to add on the other exhibits.
If you have the time, I would definitely recommend getting the combination ticket.
For more information about opening hours and ticket prices, please see the official website here.
II. Acropolis Museum
If you want to learn more about the Ancient Greeks, then the Acropolis Museum is the place for you. It is built above the Makrigianni archeological sites. As you make your way to the entrance, you can peer down into some of the excavation sites where many items have been uncovered. Thus, your journey through Ancient Greek history begins before you even enter the building.
Once inside, the world of the Ancient Greeks will unfold in even greater detail before your eyes. There are three floors to explore inside. The first floor displays items found on the Acropolis slopes from all historical time periods. The second floor explores the history of the Acropolis. And on the third floor, you can view the Parthenon’s sculptural. The top floor was my personal favorite and I highly recommend starting here and working your way down.
Planning Your Visit
Pro Tip: The closest metro station to this entrance is the Acropoli stop.
For more information about opening hour and ticket prices, please see the official website here.
4. Visit Athens for the Athletic Traditions
One of the first things that comes to my mind when I think about Greece is the athletic tradition that lives on here. Long ago, athletes competed in the Panhellenic Games. This series of four separate sporting festivals took place in specifically ordained intervals and helped the ancient Greeks keep track of time. Of the four, it is believed that the Olympic Games are the oldest. Records indicate that they began sometime around 776 BC. Great male athletes from all over the Greek empire came to Athens to compete (in the nude) for garlands made of olive leaves as well as fame and honor for themselves and their native city.
In the late 1800s, people were inspired to reinvent that tradition by developing a modern-day Olympic game competition. Appropriately, Athens served as the center for the start of the new games. Since then, the Olympic Games have blossomed into the most prestigious athletic event in the world.
Panathenaic Stadium
A stadium has been present on this site since around 330 BC and in 144 AD it was rebuilt in marble. To this day, it remains the only completely marble stadium in the world. For centuries it was used for the Panathenaic Games which were held once every 4 years in honor of the goddess Athena. Unfortunately, by the 4th century, it was abandoned and fell into disrepair. It was not uncovered again until 1869. After being refurbished, it was one of the sites used for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Be sure to take the tour with the audio guide so you can learn more about the interesting history of the athletic traditions here. You can find out more on the official website.
Athens Authentic Marathon
I personally ran in the Authentic Athens Marathon in November 2021. If you are a runner, this race is something you should definitely consider doing. The race begins in Marathon (the race’s namesake) and ends at the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens. To read more about my experience, please see my article: Plan Your Race – The Authentic Athens Marathon
To find out more about this event and when it will be taking place this year, you can visit the official website.
5. Visit Athens for the Excellent Day Trip Opportunities
There are tons of great day trips that leave from Athens on a daily basis. This is super convenient because it allows you to see more of the country and countryside. I’ve even written a post about this exact topic. The above photos were taken on day trips I took to Corinth and the Meteora. If you are interested in learning more, you are invited to read more here: Two Amazing Day Trip Opportunities From Athens, Greece
In Conclusion
I hope that this post has inspired you to consider Athens as a destination for your next trip. Hopefully, it has given you LOTS inspiration for what to do while you are there as well. I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Happy Travels,
<3 Christine
Looking For More Travel Planning Inspiration?
Check out these posts for more information on traveling in Greece!
Two Amazing Day Trip Opportunities From Athens, Greece
Ultimate Beach Guide for the Greek Island of Milos
Or check out my most recent posts to learn about other destinations in Europe!
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