The capital and the largest city of Greece is both a modern city as well as one of the world’s oldest cities. Athens was the heart of Ancient Greece and offers so many historical sites and ruins from centuries beyond, that it would be a shame to skip it on your Greece mainland itinerary. Our 3 days in Athens was an immersion in many of the ancient ruins that this city has to offer plus indulging in the food and drinks here.
This is the birthplace of democracy, arts, science and philosophy of western civilisation. Home of Plato and Socrates.
Athens recorded history spans around 3.400 years and it is being inhabited since the 11th millennium B.C.E. The city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, including the Acropolis and ancient buildings like the Parthenon temple. The pedestrian-dominated historic center of Athens feels like an open air museum. We spent the first 3 days exploring Athens and another one for a day tour to the Peloponnese region, making it a 4-day Athens itinerary.
Disclaimer: This helpful post contains some affiliate links. This means that if you click on any of the links in this post (AND make a purchase) I may receive a small commission at absolutely no cost to you. As such I thank you in advance should you decide to click & buy.
Page Contents
Best time to visit Athens
The best time to visit Athens is from mid-April to mid-June, and September to October. Summer months of July and August can get exceptionally hot. Whereas you will enjoy a city break with pleasant weather if you visit Athens in spring. We visited Greece in mid May and the weather was great for city sightseeing. Athens is also a good choice amongst warm European cities to visit in October.
How many days to spend in Athens
Many tourists spend only a day in Athens to visit the Acropolis site and then get on a ferry to one of the Greek islands. That is a mistake, I think. While the Greek islands are no doubt beautiful, Athens has so much to offer. You need at least 2 days to fully explore Athens. 3 actually, if you want to do it at an easy pace and also indulge in the city’s excellent nightlife and culinary scene besides sightseeing. A day or two more are needed to do day trips to important historical sites on mainland Greece.
We had booked a combo ticket for Acropolis and 6 other sites in Athens earlier. It gave us access to Acropolis site (you choose the day / time only for the Acropolis site while booking the ticket) and 6 other sites that we could visit once anytime over a period of 5 days.
2025 Update: The above combo offer is no longer available. Get Your Guide has combined separate tickets for different sites and made an updated combo ticket. This includes timed entry to the Acropolis, and up to 5 archaeological sites of your choice (Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Aristotle’s School, or Panathenaic Stadium), and Acropolis audio tour.
If you are comparing Athens vs Rome, it is possible to walk around and cover many Athens attractions as most are located in the city centre area.
Athens 3-Days Itinerary
Day 1: Monastiraki, ancient sites, and the highest point in the city
Start in Monastiraki
Monastiraki is a lively area in old part of Athens with important archeological sites, a flea market selling everything from souvenir T-shirts to handmade soaps, and plenty of tavernas and cafes. We took the metro from the Athens airport to Monastiraki station and wallked around in the early morning when the crowds were thin.
Athens was the start and end of our 16 day trip to Greece. Our flight to Athens had landed early morning. Plus our apartment in the historic center booked via Airbnb was to be made available only in the afternoon. So we used baggagement.com to transfer / store our luggage from the international airport to the apartment.
Explore ancient sites and Syntagma Square
Wandering around Monastiraki, we first reached Hadrian’s Library. This was the first site of our combo ticket. This Library was created by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132 on the north side of Athens Acropolis.
The next stop was Roman Agora, this was surrounded by a wall and contained a square with stoas and several shops and trading places. A nice spot, but nowhere as grand as the Roman Forum that we saw during our trip to Rome. Both these sites combined don’t take more than 30-40 minutes to view.
We had landed in Athens on a Sunday, when a spectacular Changing of the Guard ceremony happens at 11am in front of the Palace at Syntagma Square. We walked over to the square to see that, but got distracted by another parade happening on the streets. In any case, there were insane crowds in front of the Palace, so we could hardly see the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
By now, we were tired and needed to reach the apartment to receive our luggage. Afternoon was spent resting and settling down in the apartment. Our apartment’s location worked well for us to do sightseeing in the morning and evening, with possibility of rest in the afternoons.
End at Lycabettus Hill
This limestone hill is the highest point in Athens, and I do recommend an evening to view incredible city views from the summit. You can reach Mount Lycabettus by cable car, by taxi, or by hiking. The cable car operates between 9 am until 130 pm (do check the winter month timings). The cable car station is in Kolonaki area. But it offers no views at all while going up. You can also take a taxi upto a point and walk the remaining way (for about 10 minutes). Or better still, hike all the way up. It is not difficult, and takes only about 30-40 minutes.
There is a small chapel of Saint George on the top with a bell tower. It is a good spot to watch the sun go down, feel the breeze, or just indulge in people-watching. There are a few restaurants at the top. I recommend Orizontes for its stunning terrace view and its fabulous food.
Day 2 of Athens Itinerary: Food Tour in Plaka and the Athens Acropolis
Food Tour in Plaka
We had a great experience with Culinary Backstreets with a Food Tour in Istanbul a decade ago. And I wanted to repeat the experience in Athens. While the variety of food items and the expanse of neighbourhoods covered in the Plaka Food Tour that we took was not comparable to the Two Markets, Two Continents Tour in Istanbul, we nonetheless had a great time. This was largely due to our excellent guide, Natalie, a film actress, a storyteller, food connoisseur.
We started at Syntagma Square where Natalie introduce us to koulouri, a popular snack / breakfast items for Greeks on-the-go. It is dispensed from tiny street kiosks, that also offer other types of breads. There was a bakery and a cheese shop stop after this. I tried the spinach cheese pie and Greek yogurt (both sheep and goat milk yogurt) from these stores. We stopped at a lovely café to try Greek coffee and the (very) sweet loukoumas.
And then we hit the best souvlaki shop in all of Athens. Kostas makes only 2 types of souvlaki – beef and pork. My husband really enjoyed this. But since I eat neither meat, I tried just the bread with the tomatoes, onion, parsley, and yogurt spread. Even that tasted good!
We walked around the neighbourhood of Plaka, coming across Cine Paris (an outdoor cinema), several souvenir shops, cafes lined up under bright bougainvillea trees. There is a famous local bar here, Brettos, that had the most astonishing display of colourful bottles. This is a good neighbourhood to buy food products and other Greek souvenirs.
The tour was also about exchanging information with Natalie about our cultures, and what are the similarities. She spoke about the day-to-day life of Greeks, what it is to live in Athens with real estate prices going up, and was equally curious about our life in India.
She then took us to 2 different lunch places in Plaka. Yes, we had 2 lunches after all the breakfast items we had consumed! First we tried fish with fava, goat cheese pancakes, and the best beetroot salad I have ever had. Then was the turn of veal with orzo pasta and beef meat balls. For me, she had ordered a delicious feta tomato eggplant dish. The tour ended with an olive oil tasting ( I prefer wine tasting to putting the golden liquid) and a sweets shop.
Acropolis site
Understandably, we needed to rest in the apartment and sleep off all that food consumed. We had booked the 530 PM slot for Acropolis site. Remember that when you book the combo ticket, you only need to put the date / time for Acropolis. The Acropolis Athens Ticket, whether purchased as a combo or separately, requires you to specify a time slot.
The Acropolis of Athens is the most striking and complete ancient Greek monumental complex still existing in our times.
It is located on a hill of average height (156m) that rises in the basin of Athens. It is also the most visited Greek site, so you can’t escape crowds whatever time you go. But I do think our 530 PM slot was a good choice, both in terms of avoiding peak afternoon heat and the crowds. Also while figuring what to wear in Greece, pack light, airy clothes in cotton or linen for Athens sightseeing.
There are 2 entrance gates. We started from the one close to the Acropolis museum. So you start with the lesser known archaeological sites first before moving on to the show-stopper (rather than the other way around). We enjoyed several sites including the 2 grand auditoriums, Theatre of Dionysos and Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Both the Acropolis and the Parthenon, the imposing temple dedicated to the goddess of wisdom Athena, are visible from almost all parts of the city. So, our excitement was palpable when we finally reached here. But for me, the surprise element was the beautiful Temple of Athena Nike, or Erechtheion. The evening golden light made the structure glow.
This is a big area with more than 20 structures, so do keep a couple of hours for your visit. We toured the Acropolis site by yourselves but in hindsight, I believe a guided tour would have made a world of difference in our understanding of Greek history and civilisation linked to this site.
Day 3: More ancient sites and the Acropolis Museum
Ancient Agora
Athens has plenty of famous Greek landmarks apart from the Acropolis. The Ancient Agora used to be the center of the city of Athens and served as a gathering place for the city folks. The administration of the city was also located here. The Temple of Hephaistos is one of the oldest buildings on the Ancient Agora that has remained almost intact. And what was interesting to see also was the remains of the Panathenaic Way. The road started in Kerameikos in Ancient Greece, went through the Ancient Agora and ended at the Acropolis site.
The Ancient Agora site along with the museum can take about 1 to 1.5 hr to explore. This was close to our apartment so we visited in the morning. And then moved on to a different neighbourhood, Kolonaki to see the other sites.
Other sites
In Kolonaki, we walked through a garden and rested at a café for cold drinks. Athens in mid-May was quite warm in early afternoon for sightseeing, I can’t even imagine what June and later summer months would be like here.
We were in this area to view Aristotle’s Lyceum. While one could not dispute the importance of the school, the Lyceum of Aristotle is a site that only an archaeologist could love. You can give this one a miss in my opinion, unless you happen to be in the area to visit other museums nearby. This area also has several museums: War Museum, Byzantine & Christian Museum, and the Cycladic Art Museum.
We then proceeded to view the Temple of Zeus in the heart of the city. The Olympieion was the largest temple in Athens. It was dedicated to the god Zeus . While only 16 of the original 104 columns of the temple are still standing, this landmark is one of the most common associated with Athens. You can also combine the visit to the Olympieion with a visit to Hadrian’s Gate, which is located nearby. This gate used to be the entrance from ancient Athens to the new Athens.
Acropolis museum
To get away from afternoon heat, we chose to explore the Acropolis Museum. The evening before was spent visiting the Acropolis site, but the artefacts excavated from the site are all placed in this museum. Acropolis Museum requires a separate ticket, and is not part of the combo ticket we had purchased.
I do recommend a visit to this museum. The 3-storey museum not only contains all the artefacts from Acropolis site but also has a plethora of information about Greek history, mythology and the chronology of events that happened in ancient Greece related to the Acropolis and Athens. The information given here and the artefacts on display are dazzling and you can get overwhelmed by everything you see.
The site of Kerameikos was the last to be covered that evening. This was for a long time the largest cemetery in all of Athens. There are so many important UNESCO World Heritage sites and archaeological parks in Athens that it can be a lot to take in. This is the reason why I think crashing all this into a 2-day Athens itinerary may become a bit much.
Extend this to 4 days Athens itinerary
It is quite incredible how many amazing ancient ruins are there all over Greek mainland, and outside Athens. There are several popular day trips that you can take from Athens to extend your Athens itinerary to 4 days or even 5 days.
Day 4 of Athens Itinerary: Day Tour to Delphi
The most popular day trip from Athens is to the archaeological site of Delphi. The ticket (buy online or at the window of the site) covers both the site and a visit to the nearby museum. Like Athens Acropolis, all the artefacts excavated from the site are displayed in the museum.
The ancient Greeks considered the centre of the world to be in Delphi. This place in the 6th century B.C. was the religious centre and symbol of unity of the ancient Greek world. The site blends beautifully with the hilly landscape around it. It is one of the most important UNESCO World Heritage sites in Greece after the Athens Acropolis.
Alternate day tour to the Peloponnese region
You can easily rent a car and spend 3 to 4 days in the Peloponnese region. It combines archaeological sites with a stunning coastline and fishing towns. Or do a Athens day trip to Peloponnese like we did on our Greece mainland itinerary.
Our day tour covered Epidaurus, Nafplio, and the Mycanae sites. We visited Epidaurus site first. The amphitheatre here is the best preserved one in all of Greece. The coastal town of Nafplio was our spot for lunch and to take some rest. We used our free time to explore the old town. The last site to be visited was Mycenae, considered to be the greatest and richest kingdom of the later Bronze Age.
Food and Drinks recommendations in Athens
Greek cuisine
Athens has many fine dining and Michelin restaurants. We had a reservation for CTC Urban Gastronomy that the Michelin Guide described as highly sought after restaurant focusing on Mediterranean-based cuisine featuring modern techniques and meticulous presentation. I have already mentioned Orizontes restaurant at Lycabettus Hill, which has beautiful food and stellar views.
About street food, the best of the lot was Kostas from the food tour we took, juicy beef and pork souvlakis. But do note that they usually run out of food by late afternoon. We tried traditional Greek cuisine at To Kati Allo Taverna, a small place where the owners make few fresh dishes each day and explain each in person, no menu, highly recommended. And also tried the Psaras Taverna in Plaka neighbourhood.
I recommend brunch at a couple of cafes, both excellent, The Underdog and Riza Riza. And gelato at Il Greche is a must-try.
Athens drinking scene
Athens has some incredible bars and we tried a couple of them on the second night of our 3-day Athens itinerary. Our daughter was happy to lounge at the apartment while we hit the first bar, Clumsies. There are several good bars in the town center near Syntagma Square. The drinks at Clumsies were outstanding. We had little appetite after our massive food coma in the afternoon so we tried only a couple of appetisers.
And then we were off to another bar on the list of World’s 50 Best Bars, Baba au rhum. Standing space only here! But my drink was superb, so can’t complain.
Where to stay in Athens
Like I mentioned earlier, we had booked our apartment via Airbnb in the historic city center facing the slopes of Acropolis. The location was fabulous. There was a Greek yogurt and snacks place downstairs that opened early at 730 AM. There was an open air theatre next door, and you can see a movie in the night from the rooftop (without buying tickets). But do note that it is difficult to shut out the noise if you are trying to sleep!
But if you prefer to book a hotel, I would urge you to be in the city center for this Athens 3 day itinerary. It would make walking to a lot of places easy.
Planning a trip to Greece? Check out –
Itinerary Suggestions: Greece 2 week Itinerary, Greece mainland itinerary, Greece with kids: A 10-day Itinerary
Greece places: One Day in Athens, Athens Day Trips, Complete Guide to Meteora, Hiking trails in Greece
Greek islands: Crete Greece Itinerary, 3 days in Santorini, One day in Mykonos, Beautiful Greek islands for a family holiday, Santorini vs Crete, Santorini vs Mykonos
And finally, the Best Souvenirs from Greece, Famous Greek Landmarks and a packing list for Greece
[This post was originally published in 2024 and last updated in April 2025.]
_______________________
Pin it for later!
_______________________
Have you visited Athens? If yes, which is your favourite site or experience here? Share with us in the comments below.
Join me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook as I share my travel experiences.
So beautiful place!