Bucket list trip:
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.
Editor note – John has not included specific recommendations of where to stay each day unless it’s necessary. Instead, see the ‘Where to stay’ section in our Athens destination guide.
Explore the Acropolis, the city’s iconic landmark and the museum opposite. Start early to avoid both the crowds and the unforgiving midday sun.
Go for lunch at Dionysos Zonar’s on Philopappou for a great view of the Acropolis.
After lunch, take a stroll along the shaded Grand Promenade from the Temple of Olympian Zeus, passing by the Odeon of Herod Atticus, the Ancient Agora and museum, Philopappou Hill, the Roman Forum, finishing at Thission.
In the evening, take the cable car up Mount Lycabettus and eat at the restaurant Orizontes on top (booking advised).
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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Dazzling ancient citadel, perched on a hilltop rising above the city, housing some of the most impressive ancient buildings in the world.
Adult price: £9
Best for ages 7+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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A jaw-dropping array of antiquities – all the Acropolis’ treasures – in one very modern museum designed by starchitect Bernard Tschumi.
Adult price: £4
Best for ages 15+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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A unique and extraordinary 3km pedestrian promenade peppered with world-class antiquities – triumphant arches, ancient amphitheatres, Greek temples, and ‘Socrates’ Prison’.
Best for ages 13+
Duration: 3 kilometres
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
The tallest of the capital’s seven hills, Mt Lycabettus towers over Athens. Take the funicular to the summit for panoramic city views, and lunch or dinner at an excellent fine dining restaurant.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 13+
In the morning start with the National Archaeological Museum and walk through the Exarcheia and Kolonaki neighbourhoods to the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art. Have lunch at the museum’s excellent cafeteria.
In the afternoon spend your time around Syntagma square and stroll through Plaka. Stop at Brettos for a cocktail.
Go to the Dora Stratou Greek Dancing show for some traditional Greek culture, then dine in one of the many Plaka restaurants whose tables spill over outdoors, such as Stamatopoulos Tavern or Geros tou Moria.
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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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.
Adult price: £5
Best for ages 18+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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.
Adult price: £6
Best for ages 18+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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The heart of old Athens, Plaka has an authentic charm with winding lanes, shady squares and atmospheric Byzantine churches.
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
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.
Min age 18
Best for ages 18+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
An institution since 1953, the Dora Stratou Dance Company performs daily folk dancing shows in summer, in the eponymous open-air theatre on Philopappou Hill. Eye-opening as well as hugely entertaining, this is the best folk experience in Athens.
Adult price: £13
Best for ages 8+
Duration: 2 hours
When: June-September
Frequency: daily
Pop in at Monastiraki and its perpetual flea market for some good shopping opportunities around the area. Lunch with a souvlaki or two from Kostas at Platia Eirinis.
In the afternoon, go to Cape Sounion and return via Piraeus where you can dine in one of the fish tavernas around the atmospheric Mikrolimano. Try to book at Michelin-starred Varoulko for an unforgettable meal.
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
The closest Athens has to an oriental bazaar; from 10am each day the streets heave with every kind of stall – from antiques to clothes and bric-a-brac – then from 10pm the bars take over, making this the epicentre of Monastiraki’s nightlife.
Best for ages 13+
Athens, Central Greece, Greece
As you walk around Monastiraki, pass by Plateia Eirinis and join the queue outside Kostas, the most famous hole-in-the-wall souvlaki-seller in Athens, with its secret-recipe tomato sauce.
Best for ages 13+
Lavrio, Central Greece, Greece
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Unforgettable sunsets overlooking the atmospheric temple of Poseidon., where the Cape juts out of Attica to the Aegean Sea.
Mikrolimano, Central Greece, Greece
An amphitheatric harbour – and the best-looking spot in Piraeus – with shoulder-to-shoulder fish tavernas where you can taste the day’s catch.
Best for ages 18+
