The best things to do in Athens, plus an itinerary, and what to skip

Picture Athens and it’s highly likely that the Acropolis will come to mind. And while it’s indeed one of the best places to visit in Athens, Greece’s capital city offers a lot more, from the ancient temples and church ruins at the Ancient Agora site, to the Benaki Museum of Greek Culture. You can even do day trips to one of the nearby Saronic islands, one of the 6 Greek island groups. With all of these options available, here’s the breakdown of the best things to do in Athens, especially if it’s your first time there, and what we skipped and why. 

What are the best things to do in Athens on your first visit?

1. The Acropolis archaeological site 

Athens’ most famous attraction is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site: the Acropolis archaeological site. The site dates back to the 5th century BCE, and was once the city’s cultural and religious centre. Today, it’s a symbol of Greece, as well as an architectural feat. 

The main attraction at the Acropolis is the Parthenon, an ancient temple dedicated to Athena, a Greek Goddess. But don’t focus only on the Parthenon. Make sure to spend some time by these other important structures at the Acropolis: 

1. The amphitheatre and the Theatre of Dionysus

This is the first theatre in the world, which led to the creation of dramatic shows. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a 5,000-seat amphitheatre and is still in use today. You will walk by it as you walk up towards the Acropolis.

2. The Propylaea

This is the central gateway to the Acropolis.

3. The Temple of Athena Nike

This temple is dedicated to Athena Nike, the Goddess of victory. You can only see this from below as you enter the Propylaea.

4. Erechtheion

One of the coolest sections of the Acropolis, this structure is next to the Parthenon and has 6 statues supporting the roof.

Insider tip: Join a guided tour of the Acropolis for a better historical understanding of Greek mythology. But if you’d rather visit on your own, use the free Rick’s tour app for a self-guided tour. 

2. The Ancient Agora site

The second-most popular ancient archaeological site after the Acropolis in Athens is the Ancient Agora, which was once the social and commercial part of the city, with markets and meeting spots.  

Places to visit at the Ancient Agora:

• The Stoa of Attalos (a large, reconstructed building with a small museum)
• The Temple of Hephaestus (built in the 5th century BCE, this is a temple dedicated to Hephaestus, the god of metalworking and craftsmanship
• Hadrian’s library
• The Church of the Holy Apostles (built in the year 1000, under the Byzantine Empire)
• The Odeon of Agrippa (a large ancient theatre)
• The Statue of Hadrian, a  Roman Emperor

3. The most famous museums in Athens

1. Acropolis Museum 

Your Athens itinerary should include a trip to the Acropolis Museum, and I recommend going there before visiting the Acropolis archaeological site, so you can get a better understanding of what you’re looking at when visiting the ruins. The museum showcases excavation items from the Acropolis. 

From the museum, you can easily walk to the Acropolis within a few minutes. 

2. National Archaeological Museum 

The National Archaeological Museum in Athens is the largest one in Greece, and takes you through thousands of years of Greek history, with rich collections of artefacts on display. Plan to spend about 3 hours there.  

3. Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture offers a large collection of art, pottery, costumes, jewellery, and more, from the Byzantine era. 

Insider tip: Admission is free every Thursday from 6 pm to midnight.

4. War Museum

If you’re interested in war memorabilia, head to the War Museum in Athens to see artefacts from ancient Greek battles, wars from the Roman Era, the War of Independence, and the Balkan Wars. Note that the museum does not offer much explanation; it’s mostly just artefacts. 

5. Museum of Cycladic Art

The Museum of Cycladic Art has a collection of Ancient Greek and Cypriot artefacts, mostly from the 4000 BCE to the 6th century AD.

4. National Garden & Zappeion

The National Garden in Athens is a large public green space with beautiful architecture, multiple types of flora from all over the world, a historical but still functioning aqueduct, a museum, and the Zappeion Garden. It’s free to enter, and you can also do guided visits. 

5. Panathenaic Stadium 

The Panathenaic Stadium hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896, and is the only stadium made entirely of marble. It’s a unique and historical landmark, is still in use today for multiple events, and you can do a self-guided tour with an audio guide for around €10. 

6. Hellenic Parliament

Previously known as the Old Palace, the Hellenic Parliament is where the elaborate changing of the guards occurs every Sunday at 11am. 

7. Day trips from Athens

Day trips to Saronic islands like Hydra are popular, as they are easy to reach by ferry. Other popular day trips from Athens include the Poseidon temple, 1.5 hours away (it’s very similar to the Parthenon), and Delphi, a small town and a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for the Temple of Apollo and the oracle. 

What we skipped in Athens and why:

• Temple of Olympian Zeus: it’s less impressive compared to the Parthenon, and there’s not a lot of information about it, plus it costs €20 per person.
• Syntagma Square and Changing of the Guard: I’m not very interested in this type of sightseeing activity.
• Shopping street Ermou Street: it’s a typical shopping street with generic brands and tourist shops, similar to what you find in most European cities.
• Monastiraki Square with street vendors: I didn’t feel compelled to go there; it sounded very touristy without a lot of value.
• Varvakios Central Market: as an animal lover and an almost vegetarian, I was really not interested in seeing loads of hanging carcasses. But even as a carnivore, I would still find it repulsive. 

An ideal Athens itinerary

We spent 3 days in Athens on our 2-week trip through Greece, and it was just enough time to see all the main sights without rushing too much. We didn’t do any day trips, but if you intend to, 4 days in Athens would be best. 

• Day 1 in Athens
  • Acropolis Museum in the morning
  • The Acropolis archaeological site in the afternoon
  • Watch the sun set over the Acropolis from Philopappos Hill, next to the Philopappos Monument

• Day 2 in Athens
  • Ancient Agora in the morning
  • National Garden & Zappeion in the afternoon

• Day 3 in Athens
  • Panathenaic Stadium in the morning
  • National Archaeological Museum in the afternoon

Add a 4th day to your Athens itinerary if you want to take day trips to Delphi or to the Saronic Islands like Hydra, or even just explore outside of Athens to popular areas like Glyfada or the Athens Riviera. 

Best things to do in Athens: FAQs

• What’s the difference between the Acropolis and the Parthenon?

The Acropolis is the entire archaeological site, home to several ancient ruins, and the Parthenon is one of them. If you visit the Acropolis, you will automatically see the Parthenon.

• How many days do you need to visit Athens?

About 4 days is an ideal amount of time for a leisurely Athens itinerary that includes a day trip to one of the Saronic islands. However, you can squeeze in the most popular sites, like the Acropolis and one or two museums, in a 2-day trip. 

• Where’s the best place to stay in Athens?

There are a lot of lovely neighbourhoods in Athens, but since we were only there for a few days, we chose to stay near Plaka, close enough to the Acropolis and nearby attractions, and with many amenities nearby (restaurants, public transport, etc.).