Athens 5-day itinerary

Dazzling ancient citadel, perched on a hilltop rising above the city, housing some of the most impressive ancient buildings in the world.

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 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.

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.

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.

The heart of old Athens, Plaka has an authentic charm with winding lanes, shady squares and atmospheric Byzantine churches.

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.

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.

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.

Unforgettable sunsets overlooking the atmospheric temple of Poseidon., where the Cape juts out of Attica to the Aegean Sea.

An amphitheatric harbour – and the best-looking spot in Piraeus – with shoulder-to-shoulder fish tavernas where you can taste the day’s catch.

Lying on the slopes of Mount Parnassus, the sanctuary of Delphi is one of the most evocative and intriguing archaeological sites in Greece – and the most popular excursion out of Athens.

One of the best places in the city to experience a proper Turkish hammam, with the baths housed in an elegant neoclassical mansion opposite the Islamic Museum.

The poignant site of the battle of Marathon, 25 centuries ago, that marked a clash of civilisations and provided the name for the famous long endurance race (Marathon).

The best collection of Islamic Art outside the Muslim world, exhibiting a vast range of artefacts from intricately decorated prayer books to the reconstruction of a Cairo mansion reception room.

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.

A timewarp step into Athens’s past culinary traditions, this tiny yet popular ouzeri at the corner of Sokratous and Evripidou has slightly expanded its menu, but not its cramped space.

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.