2 Days in Athens, Greece - An Itinerary for First Time Visitors
Athens is a bustling, chaotic metropolis with SO much to do. Ancient ruins, modern museums, limitless restaurants and bars, mountains, beaches, lakes - you name it! You could spend forever in Athens and not see it all, but with limited vacation days, most visitors limit their time here in favor of those famous Greek islands.
So for those of you who don’t have endless vacation days to explore this crazy awesome city but want to fit in the most important bits, this 2-Day Athens Itinerary is perfect for your first visit to Greece.
DAY 1: Athens - Exploring the City
MORNING: LEAVE IT TO RICK
Take advantage of the cooler morning hours (assuming you’re going to Greece in the summer) and get yourself oriented with a guided walk through the center of Athens. I highly recommend Rick Steves’ guided audio tour of Athens to all my friends and travelers who visit Athens - the guy knows his stuff. It is a wonderful 1-hour guided walk through the center of Athens – you just plug in your headphones and go! Rick tells you exactly where to start, what streets to turn down, what to take note of and what buildings to peek into for a great little overview of the ancient city. In a little over an hour you will get a brief history lesson of Athens, from ancient ruins to modern day culture. You can download the map here and the audio here.
Of course, with your headphones in and your eyes taking in all the sites, beware of your belongings - you don’t want to stand out to pick-pocketers.
LUNCH
Rick’s Athens tour ends at Monastiraki Square. I recommend taking a break at this point to enjoy a delicious kebab at O Thanasis - a staple of the area. I’ve been frequenting this eatery since I was a little girl and it has grown from a tiny one-stop-shop, to a restaurant that has overtaken the entire street. It’s popularity amongst tourist doesn’t take away from its popularity with local Athenians. Order one of their famous kebabs (yiaourtlou is my favorite - topped with spiced Greek yoghurt and wedges of pita bread), always add a side of French fries because *leave no sauce behind*, pair that with a village salad a cold beer and you’ll be in heaven. The food makes up for the service, I promise. Now I’m hungry.
SHOPPING
Now that you’ve fueled up, it’s time to shop. In the Monastiraki Flea Market you’ll find endless shops selling Greek sandals, souvenirs, olive wood creations, leather goods, and various Greek products. Bartering is common, and so is pick pocketing - so be VERY weary of your belongings. Also, avoid buying perishable goods from the Monastiraki market as they will be overpriced and geared to tourists. For authentic culinary goods, visit the central market of Athens on Evripidou street.
NAP TIME
Just kidding. No time for naps when you’re traveling - though your Greek grandma would certainly encourage one. This would be a good time to drop off your recent purchases at your Athens hotel, powder your nose… and other things you do with a full tummy. You’ll be making your way up to the Acropolis soon so taking a little break before heading out could be needed.
GREEK COFFEE BREAK
As Athens begins to calm down in the late afternoon hours you’ll see a trend of coffee shops filling with locals. You’ll want your energy for your climb to the Acropolis so I recommend living like the Greeks and treating yourself to an afternoon Greek coffee. Back in the Monastiraki market on Mitropoleos Street is a quaint little café named Kafeneio Oraia Ellas.
Climb upstairs and order yourself a Greek coffee (they will ask you if you want it plain, “medium”, or sweet), enjoy the foamy little shot of caffeinated heaven while you indulge in one of their delicious home-made desserts. The galaktoboureko (see pic) is my favorite – a custard-filled phylo pastry. Karidopita, or “walnut pie”, is another Greek favorite that the restaurant excels at making. You definitely wont want to miss out on this caffeine and sugar kick before you hit up the next spot on this list of Athens must-sees.
Sidenote: A must-do in Greece is check off every coffee drink Greeks love.
ACROPOLIS MUSEUM
The Acropolis museum is a must-see before ascending the steps to the Acropolis itself. The building is a wonderful example of modern architecture in Athens and what it means to build in Greece. Designed by Bernard Tschumi, the building is nestled perfectly into the busy landscape, built AROUND ancient ruins that were discovered on site (because that happens all the time in Athens), and the very top level houses the friezes of the actual Parthenon in full-scale so you can have the experience of walking around the actual Parthenon. The entire floor is shifted to be oriented at the same angle as the acropolis itself. If you’re an architecture nerd like me - you can read more about it here. I love it because you can see the ancient designs in the exact light they were meant to be seen, at eye-level, with beautiful descriptions on the stories they were created to tell. It’s a wonderful experience to leisurely walk around the entire footprint in real-scale and get an understanding of what it might have looked like over 2000 years ago, while simultaneously looking out the windows to the real Parthenon perched above you.
THE ACROPOLIS
There are three main reasons you didn’t do this first thing today. Firstly, the cruise ships dock in Athens in the morning sending their crowds to the famous hilltop in the early afternoon. Secondly, if it’s summer, you wont be baking under the sun. Lastly, and most importantly in my opinion, the color of the marble warms under the setting sun, and the entire city of Athens sparkles below you during this golden hour. You can walk yourself through it at your own pace, or – you guessed it – Mr. Steves once again has you covered. I find it so much more entertaining to have a guide when it comes to ancient sites. So much of their history is lost to the untrained eye, and having an expert walk you through the experience is incredibly enlightening and makes history fun.
Rick Steeves’ audio-tour: Map here. Audio here.
Open 8am - 8pm
Buy tickets at the base. Approximately 20 Euro each.
SEE A SHOW AT THE ODEON HERODUS THEATER
From June to October, this ancient theater at the base of the Acropolis puts on spectacular performances. From concerts, to plays, to dance performances, events can be everything from local artists to internationally-renowned stars, it just depends on the night. Bonus: All theater performances are accompanied by English subtitles. Performances are typically at 9pm – sometimes you can get your tickets right before the show at the box office outside the theater, but I recommend you swing by earlier during the day or look online for more info on the specific performance so you can purchase ahead of time.
A note: Even if the performance that night is not something that really piques your interest, I still encourage you to go. Tickets are inexpensive, and you can always leave whenever you want. I personally think it’s worth the experience of sitting in an ancient amphitheater, in the country that invented theater! It’s truly magical to watch the ancient backdrop spot-lit with beautiful colors under the night sky, right beneath the glow of the Parthenon.
DINNER
Greeks don’t even start thinking about what’s for dinner until 8pm - which is a win for you as a traveler because that means you can fill your day with sites and activities without worrying that you’ll miss a meal! Make a late evening reservation at a restaurant with a great rooftop view of the acropolis and end your day with a relaxed meal with a spectacular meal. If you’re looking for a gourmet Greek, my personal favorites is The Zillers Roof Garden.
DESSERT
Around the corner from Zillers you’ll find Lukumades, a little shop selling…. loukoumades, or Greek donuts. This shop is definitely the new, trendy, hip, foodie version of a dessert that’s existed forever. They put a spin on the classic dish by pumping them one by one with a filling of your choice. I recommend getting the classic version with honey and cinnamon, and then trying one more fun flavor.
Note: if you’d like to try the more traditional version of this dessert, from a place that’s been making them since the 1920s, check out Krinos Loukoumades. Unlike Lukumades, this place is not a late night place so you’ll have to time your visit accordingly.
LATE NIGHT COCKTAILS
Still feeling the effects of the nap and coffee? Or maybe your jet lag has kicked in in a good way. Either way there are no shortage of bars and neighborhoods to explore in Athens. The Psiri district is a young, lively neighborhood in central Athens - head there and pop into various bars and drinkeries such as Dos Gardenias. Or stay in the Syntagma area and explore some of my favorites such as Drunk Sinatra, Six D.O.G.S., and Noel Bar.
Day 2: Athens - Experiencing the Coast
FROM ATHENA TO POSEIDON
You’ve seen Athena’s temple (the Parthenon), now see Poseidon’s on the Cape of Sounio. This temple was the first sign seafarers saw that told them they were approaching the glorious city of Athens. It is said that upon reaching this point, they could see the gleam of Athena’s spear shining from her statue at the Acropolis. Check out the point where the Aegean Sea got its name - where King Aegeus plunged himself into the sea when his son, Theseus, returned from fighting the Minotaur and forgot to p. ut up white sails to signal he was successful. Whoops. Youths, amirite?
You can rent a car and drive, or use the public bus system. Google maps will show you the way!
FOOD. AGAIN.
Lunch at To Sardelaki me Thea with great fresh seafood and so many Greek meze dishes… you wont know where to start. Enjoy views of the sea and sit outside on a beautiful day. IMPORTANT: there are two Sardelaki restaurants - make sure you go to the one on the coast “me Thea” (aka, “with a view”). I always go ham on all the appetizer dishes - they bring many to you ready to go on a tray and you just point to what looks good (the melitzanosalata (eggplant puree) is smokey and fresh and delicious, as are the shrimp, fried sardines, salads, fresh fish, octopus, calamari… you get it. Please bring me back some or tag me (@hellatravels) so I can live vicariously through you and your meal.
LAKE VOULIAGMENI (QUICK DETOUR)
Across the (very busy) street from the restaurant and you’ll find yourself at Lake Vouliagmeni - the lake the neiborhood is named after. Translating to “sunken lake” this geographical marvel is worth seeing. There is a full-time restaurant/bar/cafe on the property. You can lounge by the lake and enjoy a drink, or even bring your bathing suits and swim and relax while the sun is still out.
Note: There is a cover charge to sit in the organized swimming area and the service at the restaurant/cafe leaves MUCH to be desired. If you’re patient and want to just sit and enjoy the view over a coffee or drink that will take a while to arrive, go for it. I actually prefer to just sneak in and sneak out to see the lake and be on my way.
THE STAVROS NIARCHOS FOUNDATION CULTURAL CENTER
This might be my favorite site in Athens right now. Another destination for the Architecture nerds, but also anyone looking to see an amazing new destination that has majorly enriched locals’ lives. The SNFCC itself is in the coastal Faliro neighborhood of Athens (my family neighborhood!) as you make your way back towards the city center. It is more than just a building… it is an outdoor park and greenspace, houses Greece’s national library, contains performance halls for the opera, ballet, and theater, has rotating exhibits, lovely cafes, and views overlooking the sea on one side, and the acropolis on the other. Enjoy the show the dancing fountains put on, climb the beautiful outdoor stairs to the top of the green roof that is covered in native plants and get whiffs of lavender, basil, and oregano, and let that lead you down to the park below where you can catch one of the countless interactive activities or performances on the ever-changing docket.
See more about the SNFCC and check out its calendar of events here: https://www.snfcc.org/en
EXPLORE AND DINE IN MIKROLIMANO
Mikrolimano is a picturesque spot a little further down the coast from the Faliro neighborhood where the SNFCC is located. It is the small port neighborhood of Athens, and combines beautiful views with picturesque walks and delicious seafood. Enjoy dinner here along the Marina to wrap up your day.
That should cover it! This itinerary is definitely PACKED for 2 days in Athens, but of course it’s up to you how you’d like to spend your time. And to be fair, most of it is eating delicious food… is that not how everyone travels?
Have you been to Athens? I want to hear all about it! Leave a comment below with your favorite memory, or ask me a question if you’re going. I’d love to share more about my favorite city. :)