Best Things to Do in Athens From a Local
Athens is loud, hot, historic, romantic, messy, and completely unapologetic about all of it.
That is part of why I’ve had a love-hate relationship with the city over the years, but it is also why putting together a guide to the best things to do in Athens is not as easy as it sounds.
Some of the most famous sites like the Acropolis and the Ancient agora are absolutely worth your time, while others sound more impressive than they end up being once you are there.
Take the Roman Agora or Hadrian’s Library for example. You can see almost everything just by walking around the perimeter.
The same goes for the Panathenaic Stadium. It is impressive, yes, but paying to go inside does not really change the experience.
And that’s why I’ve excluded those sites from this guide.
At the same time, some of the most interesting places in Athens barely get mentioned.
For example, there are the underground chambers beneath the Holy Trinity Church that most people walk past without realising what’s underneath.
Then there is Pnyx Hill, where democracy quite literally began, and where you can now sit in the same spot with one of the best views of the Acropolis without paying a thing.
That is part of what makes Athens so interesting.
The city is full of places that look “must-see” on paper but feel underwhelming in person, and others that get almost no attention despite being far more rewarding.
So in this guide, I’ve put together the things to do in Athens that I genuinely think are worth your time – the ones I’d recommend to a friend visiting the city I grew up in.
Just so you know: Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I might earn a small commission if you book or buy through them, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!
Quick Picks
| Best for | What to do |
|---|---|
| First-time visitors | The Acropolis |
| Ancient Athens beyond the Acropolis | Ancient Agora & Temple of Hephaestus |
| Best free Acropolis view | Pnyx Hill |
| Most charming neighbourhood | Anafiotika |
| Best city view | Lycabettus Hill |
| Best museum | Acropolis Museum |
| Best hidden gem | Athens Catacombs |
| Best local night out | Exarcheia |
If you only have a couple of days in Athens, focus on the places above. The rest of this guide will help you go deeper depending on your interests.
Map of Athens
Before proceeding to the article, take a minute to check this Athens map I put together in google maps for this guide.
It includes the main sights, museums, viewpoints, beaches, and other stops worth having on your radar, and it makes planning the trip much easier once you can see what fits together.
Must-See Historical Sites in Athens
1. The Acropolis
- Address: Athens 105 58, Greece
- Ticket: 30€ ($34.73)
The Acropolis of Athens is the crown jewel of the city. It is what the Eiffel Tower is to Paris or the pyramids are to Cairo.
I know that with famous landmarks there is always the risk of expecting too much, but I really do not think the Acropolis is overrated.
If anything, it is one of the few places in Athens that still manages to feel special no matter how many photos you have seen beforehand.
The visit begins at the Propylaea, the entrance to the sacred hill. Its massive columns are really impressive, even though the structure was never fully completed.
Further inside stands the Parthenon, the most recognisable monument in the country.
It is the largest temple on the Acropolis, built in honour of Athena, and once held a huge gold-and-ivory statue of the goddess that has long since been lost.
Nearby is the Erechtheion, the more unusual and, in some ways, more elegant temple, with its famous Porch of the Caryatids, where the roof is supported by six sculpted female figures.
Since daily entry is capped to 20.000 visitors, this is not a visit I would leave to chance, so booking ahead is a very good idea.
And go early if you can. Really early.
After about 11:00, the heat, the crowds, and the complete lack of shade start catching up with you, and that can take a lot away from the experience.
2. The Ancient Agora & Hephaisteion
- Address: Athens 105 55
- Ticket: 20€ ($23.16)
Even though the ticket is quite expensive, the Ancient Agora is such a large and important site that I still think it is absolutely worth it.
The agora was the centre of public life in ancient Athens, where citizens came to shop, meet, discuss politics, and listen to philosophers.
In antiquity, this would have been a busy, crowded part of the city, full of movement and conversation.
The monument that stands out most is the Temple of Hephaestus, which is still one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples anywhere.
Honestly, that alone is enough to justify the visit for me.
It sits slightly above the rest of the Agora, so it keeps drawing your eye as you walk through the site.
Many of its decorations are still visible and show scenes from Greek mythology, mainly the stories of Heracles and Theseus.
While the Acropolis represents the religious part of the city, the Agora shows how ancient Athenians lived, worked, and interacted every day.
It gives a picture of ancient Athens as an active city, and that’s why I love it.
3. The Herodion
- Address: Dionysiou Aeropagitou, Athens 105 55
- Ticket: Free
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is an ancient amphitheatre on the Acropolis slopes.
It was built in the 2nd century AD by Herodes Atticus, in memory of his wife.
Seeing it from outside is already worth it. The stone, the curve of the theatre, and the position below the Acropolis all contribute to that.
In other years, I would absolutely tell you to try for a performance here if the dates lined up.
For 2026, though, the Athens & Epidaurus Festival has said the Odeon is out of the programme due to restoration works.
Fun fact: the Odeon gained some modern pop-culture fame when Coldplay filmed part of their “falling in love” video clip here.
Hidden Gems & Unique Historical Spots
4. The Athens Catacombs
- Address: Fillelinon, Athens, 105 57, Greece
- Ticket: 8€ ($9.27)
Visiting the catacombs under the Holy Trinity church is one of the most fascinating experiences I’ve ever done in the city.
The church itself is already worth a quick stop, but the real reason to come is what lies underneath.
Access to the catacombs is through a trapdoor inside the church, which leads down a narrow staircase. The space is small, quiet, and incredibly atmospheric.
Inside, you come across the remains of an ancient sanctuary dedicated to Apollo, parts of a Roman bath heating system, and sections of early Christian mosaic flooring.
There are also spaces where the first christians hid for days at a time in order to escape prosecution.
Once a few people have gathered, small tours begin, with the cantor showing visitors around and explaining the history of both the church and the underground ruins.
5. Pnyx Hill
- Address: Pnyx hill, 117 41
- Ticket: Free
Pnyx Hill is right across from the Acropolis, but does not get a lot of attention.
That is a shame, because this is where the Athenian Assembly met, the place where citizens gathered to speak, listen, and vote.
You can still see the stone platform where speakers addressed the crowd.
The site is simple – rock, open sky, and one of the clearest reminders in the city that politics was once something performed in public, out in the open, in front of everyone.
There is not much to “do” here in the usual sense, and that is part of the appeal.
You can walk around freely, sit on the rocks, and stay for a while. It is also one of the best places in the city for sunset with Acropolis views.
6. The Daphni Monastery
- Address: Iera odos, Chaidari 124 61
Daphni Monastery is a very good choice if you do not mind leaving the centre for a while.
It is not a place that ends up on every first-time Athens itinerary, but that is part of the appeal.
The monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, best known for its remarkable Byzantine mosaics, which are among the most important in Greece.
The interior has that quiet, gold-lit atmosphere that makes Byzantine churches very different from the grand ancient sites in Athens.
It is calmer, less crowded, and far less obvious than the standard Athens route of Acropolis, Plaka, and museum stops in the centre.
If you have already seen the big highlights, or just want to understand that Athens is not only about classical antiquity, this is a very rewarding place to add.
Best Neighborhoods to Explore in Athens
7. Anafiotika
Anafiotika is one of the prettiest corners of central Athens, even if “neighbourhood” almost is too big a word for it.
White houses, narrow paths, blue shutters, flowers, cats, tiny churches – for a few minutes, it really does feel closer to an island than to the middle of a capital.
You might have already heard that Anafiotika was built in the 19th century by workers from the island of Anafi, who came to Athens to help build King Otto’s palace.
What many people don’t know is that these houses were actually built illegally overnight.
For years, the Greek state planned to demolish the area, and parts of it were destroyed during the 20th century, but it survived and was later protected.
Around a dozen families still live there, even though they still haven’t received official ownership status and are at risk of losing their properties in the future.
Walking around, you’ll also come across two small churches. The first is Agios Georgios tou Vrachou, with beautiful views and a very simple, island-style look. The second is Agios Symeon, quieter and more hidden.
If you do decide you want food nearby, there are better-value options just outside.
Lyra is a great choice for modern Greek dishes with good ingredients, while Scholarchio is a long-standing, classic taverna that you can trust for good food and fair prices.
8. Exarcheia for Athens’ Best Nightlife
Exarcheia is one of the most underrated neighbourhoods in Athens for a night out.
It still gets treated as somewhere intimidating, but I have always found that reputation much louder than the reality.
What you actually get is one of the city’s most interesting evening atmospheres: a bohemian, alternative part of Athens with small bars, live music, late-night conversation, and streets that still feel local rather than “made” for visitors.
For a long, relaxed dinner, “Giantes” is one of the best choices, with its old-school courtyard and modern greek menu.
For drinks, “Enikos” is great when you want something quieter and more conversational, while “Falaina” is better for a more casual cocktail stop.
Lastly, “Warehouse” is a good pick for wine and sharing plates, and “Kavouras” is the place to keep in mind for live Greek music and a night that stretches late.
Museums in Athens Worth Visiting
9. The Acropolis Museum
- Address: Dionysiou Aeropagitou 15, Athens 117 42
- Tickets: 20€ ($23.16)
The Acropolis Museum is one of my favourite museums in Athens.
It displays original sculptures, statues, and everyday objects that once stood on or were used around the Acropolis.
One of the most impressive parts is the Parthenon Gallery on the top floor, where the sculptures are arranged in the same sequence as they were on the temple itself.
The most emotional part, though, is the Caryatids.
They are displayed in the same formation as they once were on the site, but there is an empty space between them.
That missing figure is the one now in the British Museum, and seeing that gap in person is a powerful detail.
Finally, the museum restaurant is worth mentioning in its own right. It has beautiful views of the Acropolis and serves Greek food with a more modern approach.
Sitting there after walking through the galleries is a very nice way to end the visit, even if it is expensive by Greek standards.
10. Explore the Athens Museum scene
Athens has far more museums than most short trips leave room for.
That sounds great in theory, but it is less helpful when you are standing there trying to decide what to do after the Acropolis Museum.
From that point on, the options go in completely different directions.
The National Archaeological Museum is great if you want the big masterpieces, the Museum of Cycladic Art for something more focused and beautifully curated, the Numismatic Museum for a place with far more charm than its subject suggests, the Benaki Museum for a broader sense of Greek history, or smaller places like the Maria Callas Museum, which are much more niche but can still stay with you.
That is exactly why I’ve gathered the best museums in Athens, so you can narrow things down properly instead of guessing on the day.
And if smaller, more specific museums are more your thing, I’ve also written a small review to the Maria Callas Museum.
Best Views in Athens
11. Lycabettus hill
The Lycabettus Hill has hands down the best views in Athens, and is the perfect spot to truly understand the scale of the city.
I’ve been up there plenty of times, and it never gets old. The view changes with the light, and each time is quite different. Sunset there is beautiful.
I’d say that it is the place where Athens feels calm, despite how busy it usually is.
You can walk up if you’re feeling energetic, or take the funicular (round trip costs 13€ / $15) if you want something easier – both are good options.
At the top, there’s the small white chapel of Agios Georgios and plenty of space to just stand, sit, and enjoy.
Oh, and there is also “Prasini tenta”, a small cafe-restaurant which makes a great stop after enjoying the view.
Food & Drink Experiences in Athens
12. Eat souvlaki and gyros
You cannot really say you have eaten in Athens until you have had souvlaki or gyros at least once, ideally standing up, with the whole thing wrapped in paper and absolutely no elegant way to eat it.
In Athens, that means warm pita, tomato, onion, fries, and some kind of filling tucked inside.
Sometimes it is grilled meat, sometimes spit-roasted gyros, and sometimes, thankfully, a very good vegan version too.
My own favourite is the vegan souvlaki from Cookoomela in Exarcheia. It is proof you do not need meat for this kind of food to be properly satisfying.
Prices are still fairly reasonable by European standards, even if I very much remember when a souvlaki cost €1.80, and some of the best ones still come from the most low-key spots.
Do not overthink it. Find somewhere busy, see where locals are queueing, check that it smells amazing, and that is usually your answer.
13. Try Loukoumades
Loukoumades are Greece’s answer to doughnuts, if doughnuts were smaller, stickier, and much harder to eat politely.
They are little fried balls of dough, crisp outside, soft inside, and best while they are still hot. The classic version comes with honey and cinnamon.
Today, there are also modern versions topped with chocolate, pistachio cream, ice cream, or fruit, especially in places that specialize only in loukoumades.
I’d recommend Stani for a traditional version, while LUKUMAΔΕΣ for a more modern twist.
Loukoumades are best shared, ordered after dinner, or grabbed late at night.
They’re messy, sticky, and impossible to eat politely.
14. Try Freddo Coffee
Freddo espresso is a Greek habit.
Strong espresso, shaken with ice until chilled and lightly foamy, served cold and drunk slowly. It’s clean, bitter, refreshing, and very much a part of everyday life in Athens, no matter the season.
Its history is surprisingly recent.
Freddo espresso became popular in Greece in the early 2000s, when younger coffee drinkers started moving away from instant coffee (the classic frappé) and toward espresso-based drinks.
Greeks adapted espresso to the climate, keeping it cold but preserving its intensity. The result was freddo espresso.
Today, you’ll see people carrying one everywhere, from early morning to late afternoon. It’s not meant to be rushed, and it’s definitely not meant to be overly sweet.
15. Take a Cooking Class
A cooking class is a really nice way to do something food-related in Athens without just booking another restaurant.
It gives you the chance to learn how to make Greek dishes, get a better sense of the ingredients behind them, and then eat everything you cooked, which is obviously the best part.
SOYBIRD offers some fantastic cooking classes including vegan ones, where you cook a range of dishes together, have wine or other drinks, and end the experience with a shared meal.
16. Greek Wine Tasting
Wine lovers have a good excuse to go a little deeper in Athens than just ordering a glass with dinner.
A proper tasting is a good way to get a feel for Greek wine without having to do all the homework yourself first.
It also helps that these tastings tend to come with cheese, olives, bread, and the sort of things that stop the whole experience from becoming too serious.
A formal tasting is not the only way to do it, though.
Athens has some very good wine bars too, and Drunky Goat is still one of my favourites in the city.
The wine is excellent, the food is really good, and it is an easy place to spend an early evening.
Unique & Local Experiences
17. Attend a festival at Gazi
If you want to see Athens at its most alive, social, and fun, you should attend a festival in Gazi.
This former industrial neighbourhood has become one of the city’s main event spots.
Most major events take place at Technopolis, the old gasworks turned cultural venue, or the old parking space at OSY. They’re spacious, industrial, and perfect for crowds, food stalls, and music stages.
Three festivals stand out, and they’re among my favorite things to do in the city.
The Athens Street Food Festival is exactly what it promises.
Pop-up stalls from all over Athens take over, serving everything from burgers and bao buns to tacos, Asian street food, loaded fries, and desserts.
People come with friends, share plates, grab a beer or a cocktail, sit wherever they find space, and stay for hours.
Then there’s the Athens Coffee Festival, which says a lot about how seriously Greeks take their coffee.
This festival brings together roasteries, baristas, and coffee professionals from Greece and abroad, but it’s not just for experts.
The best part? With the ticket price you can enjoy as much coffee as you want for free.
Finally, there’s Vegan Life Festival Athens, which is one of the nicest surprises and my personal favourite.
Even if you’re not vegan, this festival is absolutely worth visiting. It focuses on plant-based food, sustainability, animal rights, and ethical living, but it does so in a very open, welcoming way.
18. National Theatre Performance
- Address: Agiou Konstantinou 22, Athens 104 37
The National Theatre of Greece is a very good place for a cultural evening that is a bit different from the usual museum-and-ruins routine.
The programme moves between ancient drama, modern Greek plays, and international works, so it is worth checking what is on while you are in the city.
This season, performances with English surtitles include The Cherry Orchard and Doll (based on A Doll’s House), while summer productions such as The Persians and Lysistrata are also been presented with English surtitles on selected dates.
19. Athens Planetarium
- Address: 387 Syggrou Ave, Athens
I have been going to the Athens Planetarium since I was a kid, and I still enjoy it now. It works really well for both children and adults, which is probably why it has stayed so popular for so long.
The planetarium is part of the Eugenides Foundation, and it’s actually one of the best in Europe.
The dome is enormous, the projections are immersive, and the whole experience is really impressive.
What I also like is that the shows are easy to follow.
They manage to be educational without being too technical, so it is the perfect place to enjoy even if you are just looking for something a little different to do in Athens.
You can check the current programme and opening details on their website.
20. Take a Photo tour
Athens is easy to photograph badly.
The city gives you plenty to work with, but that does not always mean the light is right, the background is clean, or the photo ends up looking the way you imagined.
That is why a photo tour is an easy way to get better results without having to work it all out yourself.
21. Attend a Stand up comedy show
Athens has a lively stand-up scene, and it is honestly one of my favourite things to do in the city.
If you are looking for comedy in English, Athens English Comedy Club is the obvious place to start.
They host regular shows with both Greek and international comedians, so it is always worth checking what is on while you are in town.
22. Explore the Escape room scene
For some reason, escape rooms really took off in Athens.
There are loads of them across the city, with everything from horror to adventure and all sorts of stranger themes in between.
So if you are with friends, want something indoors, or just need a break from ruins and long walks, it is a fun way to spend part of the day.
You can find a list of available rooms online and pick whatever looks most like your kind of chaos.
Beyond the City Center
23. Swim at the Athenian Riviera
One of Athens’ biggest advantages is that the sea is never far away.
The Athenian Riviera stretches along the southern coast, with beaches, beach bars, and swimming spots easily reachable from the city.
It’s not a tropical escape by any means, but it’s clean, convenient, and very much part of Athenian life.
Vouliagmeni is the part I would choose first. Surrounded by pine trees and clear water, it is better than other beaches in the earlier stretches. There are both organised beaches and quieter public spots, so there’s something for everyone.
Glyfada on the other hand is livelier and more urban. Its beaches are long, busy, and paired with cafés, shops, and beach bars that stay active well into the evening.
Water is not as good as Vouliagmeni, but It’s a good choice for swimming combined with people-watching, food, and drinks.
For a break from ruins and museums, the Riviera is an easy win.
Alternative Side of Athens
24. Dark tourism in Athens
Athens has a much darker side too.
Beyond the ruins, cafés, and views, there are former torture sites, abandoned hospitals, wartime traces, and stranger corners of the city that tell a very different story.
It is not the version of Athens most people come for first, but it is there.
If that interests you, I’ve put together a guide to the dark tourism spots in Athens, from the well-known ones to the places that are easier to miss.
Tips for First-Time Visitors to Athens
- Book early. Flight and hotel prices in Athens can rise quickly and unexpectedly. For flights, I’d check Skyscanner. For ferries, Ferryhopper. For hotels, Booking.com.
- Stay central. Syntagma, Koukaki, Plaka, and Kolonaki are not always the cheapest areas, but they make the trip much easier, especially on a first visit.
- Sort out your data before you land. I would not pay airport or local-carrier prices if I could avoid it. An eSIM is the easier option. Saily has plans starting from $4.99, and the code NICK5 gives you 5% off.
- Avoid the worst of summer if you can. From mid-June to late August, Athens can get brutally hot. Walking around in 35-40°C (95-104°F) is not fun. Spring and autumn are far kinder.
- Do not overplan the day. Athens is not a city you rush well. Leave room for walking, coffee, meals that go on longer than expected, and neighbourhoods you did not mean to end up in.
- Do not take a random taxi from the airport. If you need a taxi, order it through Freenow or Uber. Otherwise, take the metro or the airport bus and save yourself the usual nonsense. I explain all of that properly in my Athens Airport Guide.
- Use the metro. The Athens metro is cheap, safe, and takes you almost anywhere. On Fridays and Saturdays it runs 24 hours.
- Eat where the city is eating. If the menu has photos, someone is trying to drag you inside, and nobody Greek is in sight, keep walking. A busy place, a queue, and no performance outside is a much better sign.
- Do not expect everything to run perfectly. Athens works better when you stop fighting its rhythm. Things run late, meals start late, and the day does not always move neatly.
- Don’t be scared of “ugly” neighborhoods. Some of the best food, cafés, and bars are in areas that don’t look perfect. Exarcheia, Psirri, and Gazi all prove that.
- Stay out later. Athens is better after dark. Dinner starts late, the streets fill up again, and a lot of the city’s energy only kicks in once the sun goes down.
And when you need a break from the city, a good day trip helps.
Final Thoughts
Athens is not a perfect city.
It is noisy, chaotic, scruffy in places, and occasionally exhausting.
But it is also funny, layered, full of life, and very easy to love once you let it be.
That is probably the simplest way to describe my relationship with it too.
If you slow down, eat well, walk a lot, stay out late, and don’t take things too seriously, you’ll get it.
This guide will not show you everything, but it will show you the version of Athens I know and have come love.
And once you have a better sense of what the city is like, the next thing that really shapes your trip is choosing the right area to base yourself in.
So before you book, it is worth reading my guide on where to stay in Athens, because staying in the right neighbourhood can completely change how the city feels.
