Athens 3-day itinerary
Greece
Where to go and what to see in Athens to get the most from your trip – a 3-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer John Malathronas.
Website >
Overview >Bucket list experience:
Mount Lycabettus
Mount Lycabettus rising from the city sprawl
Last updated: 10 November, 2022
The tallest of the capital’s seven hills, Mount Lycabettus towers over Athens, offering 360-degree views all the way to the encircling mountains and the Saronic Gulf, plus, of course, the Acropolis and the centre of Athens.
Rising to 909 feet, it’s possible to reach the summit by cable car, driving or walking (if you’re up for a challenge). The 19th-century Chapel of St George crowns the top of the hill, a neat whitewashed building that’s impossible to miss from below.
Next to the chapel, the upmarket Orizontes restaurant makes a great place for a long, view-filled lunch.
While you’re there
Ask at the chapel or restaurant for directions to the hard-to-find church of St Isidore, dating from the 16th century, hewn into the rock of the western slopes. It’s the legendary location of a secret passage that allowed the Greeks to escape during a Turkish siege.
Want more recommendations in this destination?
Destination Guide >Recommended itineraries by our writers that include this experience
Athens 5-day itinerary
Greece
Where to go and what to see in Athens to get the most from your trip – a 5-day itinerary from destination expert and travel writer John Malathronas.
Website >
Overview >Price from: £6
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: 13+
When: All year around
Getting there & doing it
Mount Lycabettus is straightforward to visit independently, but going with a guide offers an insight into the history of the peak – along with insider knowledge of the best viewpoints and photo spots. Tours run in the day and in the evening, easily arrangeable through your hotel.
The pine-wooded peak is reached via a cable car (teleferic) at the corner of Ploutarchou and Aristippou streets (it takes about 3 mins).
The cable car runs every half an hour (more frequently in summer). If you have a car you can drive to the top where there’s a parking area, with a five-minute walk to the summit.
If you’re walking up/down, there’s a paved walking path to the top: walk uphill at Ploutarchou Street to the right as you face the cable entrance and follow the signs. It’s a tortuous climb with winding stairs near the top, not to be undertaken on a hot summer’s day. The walk takes between 60-90 minutes, depending on your pace. A better idea is to take the funicular up and walk back down.
When to do it
The cable car runs all year round, but it gets very crowded (and extremely hot) during the summer months, when there can be long queues (avoided I you walk up/down of course). Avoid going on cloudy or wet days, when the views will be severely restricted.
If you’re dining at Orizontes, book a table for sunset. As the sky darkens and the city’s lights come up, it’s a wedding proposal kind of experience.
Our writer’s picks of the best places to stay near this experience, closest first
Monsieur Didot
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[0.4 miles]
A chic boutique hotel that scores sky-high on atmosphere and its central location under the shadow of Mount Lycabettus.
Official star rating:
COCO-MAT Hotel
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[0.5 miles]
An informal, welcoming hotel with a home-from-home feel and wonderful Acropolis views from the leafy roof terrace.
Official star rating:
The Modernist Athens
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[0.8 miles]
A centrally-located, minimalist hotel that caters for all budgets, housed in an elegant former Embassy building.
Official star rating:
Hotel Grand Bretagne
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1 miles]
A heritage hotel with an immaculate pedigree that doesn’t skimp on contemporary luxuries, bang in the heart of Athens. The choice for visiting VIPs.
Official star rating:
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Athens
Central Greece, Greece
Antiquities galore, contemporary culture, scintillating nightlife and fantastic food: there’s something for everyone in Greece’s cosmopolitan capital that’s continuously reinventing itself.
Website >
Overview >Our writer’s recommendations of other bucket list experiences our writer says you must do in this destination, closest first
National Archaeological Museum
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1.2 miles]
The largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the best in the world, with a collection ranging from Mycenaean-era jewellery to some of the best-known classical sculptures.
Best for ages: 18+ | £5
Plaka
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1.5 miles]
The heart of old Athens, Plaka has an authentic charm with winding lanes, shady squares and atmospheric Byzantine churches.
Best for ages: Any | Free
Website >
Overview >
The Acropolis
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1.9 miles]
This dazzling ancient citadel, perched on a hilltop rising above the city, houses some of the most impressive ancient buildings in the world. The jewel in the crown is the Pantheon, a 2,500-year-old temple dating back to 438 BC.
Best for ages: 7+ | £9
Website >
Overview >
Acropolis Museum
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[2 miles]
A jaw-dropping array of antiquities – all the Acropolis’ treasures – in one very modern museum designed by starchitect Bernard Tschumi.
Best for ages: 15+ | £4
Other worthwhile experiences near this experience if you have time or interest..
Experience
Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[0.7 miles]
The fascinating 5,000-year-old Cycladic Art figurines, which have influenced artists from Giacometti to Ai Weiwei, are guaranteed to surprise and delight even the most seasoned of culture vultures.
Best for ages: 18+ | £6
Website >
Overview >
Experience
Byzantine and Christian Museum
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[0.8 miles]
A glorious introduction to the sacred arts of Byzantium. Icons, mosaics, textiles, murals and sculpture offer illuminating insights into this distinctive aspect of Greek culture. A newer wing houses temporary exhibitions that explore the influence of Byzantium on contemporary art.
Best for ages: 18+ | £7
Website >
Overview >
Experience
Syntagma Square
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1 miles]
Greece’s busiest square and scene of political demos, made famous by the world’s media during the Euro crisis. This is the frenetic, traffic-filled epicentre of Athens.
Best for ages: 18+ | Free
Website >
Overview >
Experience
Cine Paris
Athens, Central Greece, Greece[1.6 miles]
On Kydathinaion Square, Cine Paris is one of the loveliest outdoor cinemas in Athens. If the film disappoints, you can just gaze at the Parthenon under the moonlight. Open May to October.
Best for ages: 10+ | £7 | 2 hours
Website >
Overview >