Plaka

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.

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.

Pop into Brettos, the oldest distillery in Athens, for a shot of ouzo or mastic liqueur. The cosy interior, lined with multi-coloured bottles and barrels, dates from 1909.

After a wander around Plaka, unwind with a Greek coffee and lemon cake at Yiasemi (Mnisikleous 23). With tables spilling down whitewashed steps, it’s like escaping to an island. There’s occasional live music on weekends.

Antiquities galore, contemporary culture, scintillating nightlife and fantastic food: there’s something for everyone in Greece’s cosmopolitan capital that’s continuously reinventing itself.

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.

A jaw-dropping array of antiquities – all the Acropolis’ treasures – in one very modern museum designed by starchitect Bernard Tschumi.

A unique and extraordinary 3km pedestrian promenade peppered with world-class antiquities – triumphant arches, ancient amphitheatres, Greek temples, and ‘Socrates’ Prison’.

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.

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.

Just below the Acropolis complex on the eastern side, this ancient amphitheatre was the largest theatre in Athens with a capacity of 17,000. First built in the 6th century BC, it operated continuously for 1,000 years, until it was abandoned.

Athens’ Agora and the adjacent Roman Agora were the centre of the ancient city. The many monuments here include the massive Stoa of Attalos and housing a museum.

Designed to honour Zeus, the head of the Olympian Gods, with the largest temple in Greece, construction started in 6th century BC. When it was finally finished (ca 131 AD) it comprised no fewer than 104 gigantic columns, although only a dozen or so remain today.