Things to do in Athens

What to see in Athens?

Athens is the capital of Greece. This beautiful city is still dominated by 5th-century BC landmarks, such as the Acropolis, a hill top with the beautiful Parthenon sitting majestically on it.  

You can easily do all the sights in Athens in a day if you make an early start. You can also get a hop on hop off pass on a tour bus which allows you to get on and off at all the sights throughout the day. The passes are an inexpensive way to travel around to see all the key sights. There are options to get a 24 hour pass or 48 hours. You can get the hop along buses to go all over Athens, including the Athenian Riveria and the port of Piraeus where you can even get a fairy to the Island of Hydra and enjoy a day out or a short stay.

I would highly recommend that you visit the Acropolis first as it’s the biggest historic sight and a must visit. The climb if done leisurely with lots of photo stops will take approx one and half hours. On route you will see some beautiful temples and amphitheatres.

The acropolis which was once the city of Pericles, was destroyed, by Persians on the eve of the Battle of Salamis (480 BC) It was later transformed into a city of temples, which has come to be regarded as the zenith of Classical Greece. It is known as the rock of the city and on top of it you will find The Parthenon, which is the largest Doric temple ever completed in Greece. It is built completely of white Pentelic marble and is the most iconic site to visit. 

The Parthenon

The walk up to the Parthenon is spectacular with beautiful views of Athens and the surroundings. It was exhilirating to finally reach the top and get a customary photo in front of it!

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

When you’re visiting the Acropolis site, the path leads west from the top of the Stoa of Eumenes to the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. This large amphitheatre was built in AD 161 by wealthy Roman Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife Regilla. It was excavated in 1857–58 and completely restored in the 1950s. 

Odeon of Herodes Atticus

The Odeon of Herodes Atticus  remains one of the Athens’s main venues  for festivals. Many shows, concerts by well known singers and musical performaces are still held there in this day and age.

Walking further up the Acropolis to reach the Parthenon you will find various remains of the Greek temples and monuments such as the Pandroseion which was a sanctuary dedicated to Pandrosus, one of the daughters of Cecrops.

The Pandroseion

The Erechtheum is an ancient Greek temple on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens in Greece which was dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon.

The Erechtheum

Other places to visit are:

The Acropolis museum

You will find this museum on the southern slope of the Acropolis. It has on show the collection from the Archaic period to the Roman one, but the emphasis is on the Acropolis of the 5th century BC.  . It showcases artefacts and finds found on and around the Acropolis site. The museum Is built over an ancient Athenian neighbourhood that was excavated and found and you can see the remains through a central opening and glass floors that exposes the ancient Athenian neighbourhood.

Temple of Olympian Zeus

It is the largest Temple situated in the centre of Athens. The temple at the start was made of 104 Corinthian columns which were 17m high with a base diameter of 1.7m. Sadly now only 15 of this magnificent columns remain.

Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

A museum spanning on three floors showing treasures from the Bronze Age. It is a must visit for ancient history lovers.

The Ancient Agora

Another great place to see in Athens is The Ancient Agora, here you will find The Temple of Hephaestus. There is also a museum exposing objects discovered on the site, some statues and a scale model of the Agora.

The Plaka is the area of winding streets around the Acropolis. It’s renowned for its small shops, restaurants, and local architecture. It’s the perfect place to unwind, enjoy a coffee or some lunch and to pick up some souvenirs.

Monastiraki has ruins of Hadrian’s Library, the Ancient Agora and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos, with a museum exhibiting Athenian artifacts. There is also a flea market on Sundays where you can pick up some souveniers and feel the buzz of Greek Life.

There are many other museums and places to visit if you are staying longer. Getting around Athens is fairly easy.The metro is convenient and cheap as are the local buses. Alternatively you can hire a car from Global Rent a Car as its not too dificult to drive around the city although parking is not as easy in the city centre.

You may like:
Things to do in Athens

Where to stay in Athens

Dining in Athens

You may like Heidi’s posts here about Athens:

48 Hours in Athens

Athens is just one of the  beautiful places in Europe to visit. There are so many wonderful and Cheap European destinations to visit. I am definitely adding them to my bucket list.