A Day in Athens

WHERE?

 

WHEN??

I went in mid-April and the weather was perfect! I know you should avoid August because of the temperature and the crowd. The best months are April-May and September-October

WHAT TO PACK?

• Good shoes

• Sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen

• A bag that closed well. Be aware of pickpockets

• A guide or audio guide about the Acropolis and Athens

• A reusable water bottle

• A book, something to draw, anything to just chill if you want to take the time

TIPS:

• Take some cash, a lot of places are only cash, some taxis do not accept cards, and for public transport, it’s easier

• Uber is connected to the taxis, so it’s an easy way to order a drive

• Athens is NOT a cheap city, I was really surprised by the prices…

• Taxis are expensive in Athens, especially from the airport (40 euros or more), but there is a metro dropping you directly in the city center for 9 euros!

• Be aware of pickpockets

WHERE TO STAY?

I would highly recommend staying around the Acropolis, in one of the districts below, and taking a hotel with a rooftop! Depending on the season, also a pool.

I usually take Airbnb or rent flats on booking but I have to say that in Athens, the rooftop with a view is a REAL plus, because it is a packed city. There are many options!

To stay by the ocean, in Athens, is not really worth it. If you want clear waters and a sea vibe, head to the surroundings of Athens or to the islands (Aegina is the easiest one, with a lot of ferries all day long)

WHAT TO DO?

Morning:

• Book the Acropolis online, on the official website, at the time you want (or what is available) but the earlier the better to enjoy the day and to avoid the strong sun. Depending on the time of the year you go to Athens, the Acropolis usually closes before sunset, that’s why I advise going in the morning. Enter through the main entrance, explore the Acropolis, close the loop (you will see, you enter one way and exit the other, no choice), and then head to the gardens in the south and exit here.

• Have a chill coffee/drink in one of the streets close by. The Makrigianni Street has a lot of options.

• If you are passionate about the Acropolis, head to the Acropolis Museum. I personally skipped it because I stayed hours in the Acropolis to paint haha. So relaxing.

• Make your way to the following sites before lunch because it is nice to walk around those and super close to each other:

  • Enter the park by the Arch of Hadrian

  • Have a look at the Temple of Olympian Zeus. No need to buy a ticket and enter, it is already beautiful from the outside. If you want to visit it, please do! For me, it was too much for the day.

  • The Athens National Garden is beautiful! Have a look at the Zappeion Hall and then stroll around

  • The Panathenaic Stadium: what an iconic spot for any runner or Olympics fan… It was super emotional for me since it’s where my dad finished one of his 72 marathons. Same, you can enter, pay, and visit, or just have a look from the outside.

Lunch: ⁠⁠

Take your time! Have lunch around 2 pm, like the locals, and then with the afternoon program you would perfectly catch the right lights. Have lunch in one of the cute restaurants in this adorable street in Plaka. The entire street is nice, just choose one

After lunch:

• Access Anafiotika via this street with street art. Walk around Anafiotika and its cute, narrow, and white streets.⁠⁠ Make sure to go all the way to this gorgeous panoramic view. I would start with Anafiotika to catch the sun in the streets. If you go in winter, maybe consider doing Anafiotika right after the Acropolis even.

• walk around Plaka. Just stroll around, maybe do your “souvenirs” shopping.

• Make your way toward Monastiraki Square BUT make sure to pass on the way by (don’t take tickets, just enjoy the spots):

  • The Roman Forum of Athens. The view from the top side is just gorgeous

  • The Hadrian's Library: I did not have time to enter because I wanted to catch the sunset, but already from the outside it looked gorgeous.

• Sunset time! Choose one of the rooftops around the Monastiraki Square. Have a drink at sunset and then have dinner so you can see the acropolis at night! It is just gorgeous. I personally went randomly to MS and the view was amazing!

If you have some extra time:

• Have a look at my blog article “Athens and its surroundings”

• Head to the water. A walk from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center to Paralia Edem (the closest beach) is a nice way to stretch your legs along the water.

• Have a drink /dinner at the Flisvos Marina, a lot of options and a chill vibe with the boats. Even better at sunset.

• Have a hammam.

• Visit the surroundings!

• Go to the islands close by. I did not have the time to do it but I checked and Aegina is feasible for a day, and if you have 2-3 days you can go to Hydra and/or Poros, Agistri.
  

WHERE TO EAT?

I will not have the best recommendations there because we mainly eat at the venue (I went to a conference). But from what I saw:

• there are vegan/veggie restaurants. Head to the Happy Cow app to see them all

• It is 100% worth it to have dinner on a rooftop with a view of the Acropolis. It is just gorgeous at night. Maybe try to call and book in advance a good table

• this adorable street in Plaka has a lot of restaurants, so the streets around

• This restaurant also looked super cute in Plaka/Anafiotika