Athens travel guide

Athens gets a facelift

It’s true that on first acquaintance, Athens is not a beautiful place – but, helped by huge investment of European funds and for the 2004 Olympics, the city has started to make the most of what it has. Vestiges of the ancient Classical Greek city, most famously represented by the Parthenon and other remains that top the Acropolis, are an inevitable focus, along with the refurbished National Archeological Museum, the finest collection of Greek antiquities anywhere in the world. 

But above all, it's the sheer effervescence of the city: cafés are packed day and night and the streets stay lively until 3 or 4am, with some of the best bars and clubs in the country. Eating out is great, and establishments range from traditional tavernas to gourmet restaurants. In summer, much of the action takes place outdoors, from dining on the street or clubbing on the beach to open-air cinema, concerts and classical drama.

The heart of Athens, the central, 19th-century triangular grid defined by Syntagma (Sýndagma) and Omónia squares and the Kerameikos archaeological site, has been rejuvenated with pedestrianised streets, carefully renovated neoclassical buildings and attractive lighting. Just beyond, the districts of Monastiráki and Pláka immediately south, and the Acropolis above these, contain many of the most interesting places to see.

Best things to in Athens

#1 Visit world-famous Acropolis

Rising above the city, the great rock of the Acropolis symbolises not just Athens, but the birth of European civilisation.It’s impossible to overestimate the importance of the Acropolis to the ancient Greeks. The religious significance of this sheer-sided rock, looming 90 metres (300ft) above Athens, has long been paramount, and the buildings on the summit still embody the essence of classical Greek architecture. 

Along with the Parthenon, the Acropolis site is home to several other notable buildings, including the Erechtheion, the temple of Athena Nike and the Propylaia (gateways). You can see these temples from most parts of the city – particularly at night when they are beautifully lit – which adds to the feeling that this small area is still the heart of Athens. The name ‘Acropolis’ derives from the Greek words ákro, meaning ‘highest point’, and pólis, meaning town.

#2 Wander the streets of Pláka

The largely pedestrianised area of Pláka, with its narrow lanes and stepped alleys climbing towards the Acropolis, is an attractive part of Athens.A welcome change from the concrete rectangles that characterise much of the rest of the city, Pláka is a place apart in this city, with its hand-shaped walls, colourful shutters and tumbles of potted plants outside doorways. An attractive approach to Pláka is to follow Odhós Kydhathinéon, a pedestrian walkway that starts near the Anglican and Russian churches on Odhós Filellínon.

It leads gently downhill, past the Museum of Greek Folk Art, through café-crowded Platía Filomoússou Eterías to Hadrian’s street, Odhós Adhrianoú – which runs nearly the whole length of Pláka and on into Monastiráki and Thissío. These two are the main commercial and tourist streets of the district, with Adhrianoú increasingly tacky and downmarket as it approaches Platía Monastirakíou and the Flea Market. A good time to visit Pláka is in the evenings, when visitors stroll before dinner and shopkeepers tout their wares on the narrower lanes.

#3 Explore the ancient Agora

An extensive and confusing jumble of ruins, the ancient Agora, or market, was the heart of Athenian city life from as early as 3000 BC. The Greek Agora is the birthplace of Western democracy and the social, commercial and administrative heart of the ancient city-state of Athens (agora is derived from the Greek agiero, meaning to assemble). From the 6th century BC onwards, this area played host to a number of activities including religious and political meetings, law courts, education, shopping or simply passing the time. 

Here Socrates presented his philosophical theories; unfortunately he fell foul of the authorities and was put to death in 403 BC. The area was mostly razed during the Herulian attacks of AD 267, but was covered with new buildings during Byzantine and Ottoman times, all of which had to be removed when excavations began

#4 Visit the National Archaeological Museum

Quite simply, this is the world’s finest collection of ancient Greek art and sculpture, and is therefore an unmissable visit. The National Archaeological Museum is one of the world’s most prestigious archaeological collections. Finds from numerous sites across the nation cover 7,000 years of Greek history, bringing the ancient Greek world to life by shedding light on almost every aspect of the inhabitants’ daily activities. 

It houses treasures such as the exquisite gold Mask of Agamemnon, the beautiful Harp Player and the Hellenistic Little Jockey. The second-floor gallery, with its famous 16th-century BC wall paintings from ancient Akroteri (modern-day Santoríni), depicting everyday scenes, is another highlight of the place.

#5 See a play in the magnificent theatre at Epidaurus

Athens is the birthplace of some of the most illustrious figures in the history of theatre: Aiskhylos and Euripides among them. The ancient Greeks have been credited with inventing drama and comedy, and this tradition carries on into the present. The city has dozens of active theatres at peak winter times, the season lasts from October to May. You might want to make a special effort to see a play in the magnificent theatre at Epidaurus. All performances are in Greek. Although Athens is the cradle of ancient theatre, there is also a great variety of modern theatre. If you're not a theatre-goer, opt for traditional and contemporary dances, jazz, traditional Greek music and classical music events.

#6 Enjoy fabulous views of the Acropolis at Filopáppou Hill

Known in antiquity as the 'Hill of the Muses', the pine- and cypress-clad slopes of Filopáppou Hill provide fabulous views of the Acropolis and beyond.This hill's strategic height has played an important, if generally sorry, role in the city’s history: in 1687 it was from here that the shell that destroyed the roof of the Parthenon was lobbed; more recently, the colonels placed tanks on the slopes during their coup of 1967. 

The hill’s summit is capped by a grandiose monument to a Roman senator and consul, Filopappus. To the west, paths lead across to Áno Petrálona and the Dora Stratou Theatre through the ancient district of Koile. You can clearly see remnants of rock-cut houses here, as well as the ancient Koile road, which led from the city to the port at Pireás, protected by the Long Walls – a vital strategic thoroughfare in antiquity.

#7 Visit the National Gardens

The most refreshing acres in the city, the National Gardens are not so much a flower garden as a luxuriant tangle of trees.Just behind the Parliament building are the verdant landscaped grounds of the National Gardens. 

They were originally the private palace gardens, a pet project of Queen Amalia in the 1840s; supposedly the main duty of the minuscule Greek navy in its early days was the fetching of rare plants, often the gifts of other royal houses, from remote corners of the globe. Today, the gardens house nearly 500 beautiful and unique types of flora, plants and trees, from all over the world.

#8 Eat at in on of the Tavernas

Athens has some of the best and the most varied tavernas in Greece – and many places are sources not just of good food, but a good night out too. Tavernas range from the glitzy and fashionable to rough-and-ready beachside ones with seating under a reed canopy. Really primitive ones have a very limited (often unwritten) menu, but the more elaborate will offer some of the main mayireftá dishes, as well as standard taverna fare: mezédhes (hors d’oeuvres) or orektiká (appetizers) and tis óras (meat and fish, fried or grilled to order). Since the idea of courses is foreign to Greek cuisine, starters, main dishes and salads often arrive together unless you request otherwise. The best strategy is to order a selection of mezédhes and salads to share, in local fashion.

#9 Visit the Benaki Museum

The main museum holds a collection donated to the state in 1954 by the wealthy cotton merchant Emmanouil Benakis, who was born into the Greek community of Alexandria, and is probably the only museum to cover all the ages of Greek culture and history with Greek works of art from prehistoric to modern times. There is also a superlative gift shop and a very popular roof café. 

When the Benaki was renovated in 2000 to focus on Greek history, all the fine Islamic objects from the collection were moved to an excellent annexe, the Museum of Islamic Art in the Psyrrí district (Agíon Asomáton 22). Here, two converted neoclassical houses display over 8,000 items across four floors – the recreated ornate reception room from a Cairo mansion is a highlight. Down in the Gázi neighbourhood meanwhile, the Benaki Museum Pireós Annexe (Pireós 138) features the best in contemporary painting, photography and installations.

Best time to visit Athens

The best time to visit Athens is during spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November). These months offer pleasant weather, fewer tourists, and the chance to explore the city's historical sites comfortably.

High season

Summer,being the high season in Athens, is packed with tourists that typically results in higher prices. Most summer days feature dry, furnace-like heat. Many Athenians leave the city during this season, and if you can avoid it, don’t visit between late June and mid-September. From early June until the end of September, the weather is hot during the day and warm in the evenings, with 12–15 hours of sunshine per day. The average temperature in July is 34°C.

Shoulder season

During the shoulder season, the weather is still very pleasant. In April the average temperature is 15°C, while in October it averages 19°C. Although there is little chance of rain, take a jacket to protect you from the wind. The shoulder season is a great time to visit Thessaloniki thanks to weather and lower prices of accomodation and flight tickets. Moreover, during spring and autumn time you don't have to struggle with the crowds.

Low season

Winter in Athens is chilly. Snow falls occasionally, but rain – including violent thunderstorms and flooding – is more common. Usually, December is the wettest month. Weather can be quite changeable. Many hotels and restaurants close and there is an overall smaller range of choice of tourist activities. However, the prices are lower and you can look for bargains. The average temperature in January is 7°C.

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