20 Things to do in Athens Greece Travel Guide

Though our visit was brief, Audrey and I still made it our mission to see as many sights and attractions as possible around Athens, Greece. We set out to visit temples and ruins steeped in history, but along the way we also discovered that the Greek capital is a city with a pretty cool vibe, lots of art, and great food. This video guide will showcase 20 things to do in Athens, Greece:

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1) Parthenon (Παρθενών - Παρθενώνας)
2) Erechtheion (Erechtheum) Ἐρέχθειον - Ερέχθειο)
3) The Philopappos Monument (Μνημείο Φιλοπάππου) on Mouseion Hill
4) Traditional Greek Food (Greek Salad, Saganaki and Moussaka)
5) Mount Lycabettus (Lykabettos or Lykavittos - Λυκαβηττός)
6) Night views of Athens
7) Temple of Zeus at Olympia
8) Arch of Hadrian (Αψίδα του Αδριανού - Hadrian's Gate)
9) Monastiraki Flea Market & Vintage Market
10) Greek Street Food (Souvlaki - σουβλάκι and Gyro Pita - γύρος)
11) Street Art in Psirri (Psyri or Psiri or Psyrri or Psirri - Ψυρρή ή Ψυρή)
12) Kerameikos Cemetery (Νεκροταφείο Κεραμικού)
13) Changing of the Guard
14) National Garden (Royal Garden - Εθνικός Κήπος)
15) Athens Central Market - Agora
16) Agora (Ἀγορά Agorá)
17) Acropolis Museum (Μουσείο Ακρόπολης)
18) Plaka (Pláka - Πλάκα)
19) Hadrian's Library
20) Greek Cooking Class (Learning how to make Greek Food and Greek Cuisine)

We sincerely hope this travel guide to Athens, Greece is a good primer and introduction to Greek culture, Greek Food (Greek Cuisine), and numerous attractions and things to do and see in the city. We cover arts, entertainment, museums and architecture we feel is worth exploring. In terms of tourism this travel video attempts to take you to all of the famous sites as well as many of the off-the-beaten-path spots you may have otherwise missed out on.

Athens (Greek: Αθήνα, Athína - Ἀθῆναι)

20 Things to do in Athens Greece Top Attractions Travel Guide Transcript:

Well, good afternoon from sunny Athens. We are currently exploring the Greek capital. We recently actually spent a few days traveling around Meteora and now we're finishing up our trip here in Athens. We've got two full days to explore the city which isn't a lot of time but we're going to try to do our best.

Our first stop was one of the most recognized sights in Athens - the Parthenon, which was dedicated to the goddess Athena who was seen as the patron of Athens.

After sunset we lingered atop Mount Lycabettus for some night views of the city before taking the funicular down to the bottom. Seeing the Acropolis all lit up at night was a pretty cool sight!

Next up we visited the Temple of Zeus which once housed the statue of Zeus, and was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

When it comes to shopping, there are a few different options. We made our way to Monastiraki, which is one of the principal shopping districts in Athens. Here we visited both the Flea Market and the antique shops in the area. 

The Agora was the central spot in ancient Greek city-states, and it is where people gathered.

So we are wrapping up our time here in Athens. Any surprises or final thoughts to share? Yeah, something that really surprised me were just the amount of stray animals that I saw on the streets.

I also thought there was really good dining options as well. We had a number of really good Greek meals and also some really good International food too.

Final thoughts, I think this is a really underrated capital in Europe. A lot like Warsaw in Poland so if you have an opportunity to visit Athens in Greece definitely do so.

So what did you think of Athens? Well, I thought it was a really cool city and I actually had a great time here. It kind of reminded me a little bit of Tel Aviv with the Mediterranean feel but also Berlin because it is very artsy and gritty. So it's a really cool place to check out. Great food, lots of attractions. You have a mix of antiquity with urban.

And that's a wrap for Athens! We hope you enjoyed this city guide and that it'll come in handy when you plan your own trip.

This is part of our Travel in Greece series. We're making a series of videos showcasing Greek culture, Greek arts, Greek foods & Greek cuisine.

Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network

[samuelandaudrey]

A few tour ideas for ATHENS, Greece 🇬🇷
(These are affiliate links, so we do earn a small commission if you book through them!)

[DunhillX]

Hi Samuel and Audrey :-) I would like to add the following tips:

1] Lake Vouliagmeni - A lake located in the neighbourhood of Vouliagmeni [South Athens] offers a peaceful retreat away from down town. [25 minutes away from centre by car].

2] The beaches - While there are freebee beaches in Athens I think it's worth it to pay the entrance fee to the following beaches: Astir Beach, Kavouri Beach, South Coast Beach, Yabanaki Beach and Voula Beach. [25 - 30 mins away from centre by car].

3] Glyfada - A neighbourhood in south Athens with an array of eateries, bars, cafes and great shopping options. One can find good authentic Greek food here. [25 mins away from centre by car].

4] Kolonaki - Located in the heart of Athens, next to Syntagma Square this cozy neighbourhood offers good food, a strong cafe culture and very good nightlife options. Oh and great shops too! [Usually frequented by locals]

5] Kifissia - A suburb in north Athens offering great shops, eateries, cafes and a very green peaceful part of the city. Completely different to central Athens and much more aesthetically pleasing. [25-30 mins away from centre by car].

6] Sygrou Park [not to be confused with Syngrou Avenue] - Located next to Kifissia [North Athens] this park is simply a haven in the city. Very green, peaceful and many locals walk their dogs here. [25-30 mins away from centre by car].

7] Nea Erythrea - Located next to Kifissia this area has a great nightlife scene that rivals Mykonos [so they say] and has a string of bars and good eating options to choose from. Low Bar is always a good place to start the evening. [25-30 mins away from centre by car].

8] Thessio - In central Athens this neighbourhood is charming and gives a good idea of what 'Old Athens' looked like. It has great outdoor cafes and places to eat. It's nice to walk around here and just soak up the atmosphere.

Some of these suggestions are away from the tourist track but as Athens is not a large city it's easy to reach my recommendations. The tram runs into Glyfada and the electric train will take you in to the beginning of Kifissia. So why not check these untouched places out??? By untouched I mean unknown by most visitors to the city.

One last thing and I say this without prejudice I don't recommend the food in Monastiraki and Psyrri…..only because I don't think it's a good representative of authentic Greek food. Okay it's street food which is not bad but the neighbourhoods mentioned above will offer you great Greek food. Try 'Tzitzika Kai O Merminga' in Kifissia….for me one of the best greek restaurants in Athens.

Always happy to offer you more tips of Athens in neighbourhoods that are Off the Beaten Path!!

[randomguyonyourscreen]

My dream is to visit Athens Greece as it like its mythology and I wanted to visit it.

[anotherview]

Aw Athens, one of the best places I have ever traveled to. You guys managed to pack in a lot. Love the Greek people, friendly just like the Irish at home. The sites, the sun, the history, it's just such a special place

[roberttopolic]

I have visited Greece in September 2019 and i was very impressed from the Akropolis and the Parthenon in Athens ! I have visited the Temple of Poseidon at Kap Sounion, the awesome Monasteries at Meteora, the Oracle of Delphi, the Ruins of Olympia and Mykene and many more ! This travel to Greece was the favorite of my life, and i will never forget, that i was able to see this beautiful Country !!

[heather-tulletweedphotogra]

So many videos are 60% selfie and ego based. Thank you so much for being real people who don’t like to stare at their own faces. The info was informative, video was stable and info was helpful! A rare combo! Thanks so much you two.

[ChrisMiciano]

Great video. I miss Greece already and couldn't get enough of the food. One of my favorite places to visit in Europe.

[dturkki]

As a seasoned traveler, I really liked your succinct and balanced educational & experiential commentary. Greece will be my 100th country/territory visited in December, but this video was much better than watching something from Rick Steves. I hope you have future adventures planned. Best wishes!

[themissgina]

I love visiting these "ancient" cities. So pretty and full of culture. The free student passes were a plus too! 😁

[evelynarhondi]

Wow, you guys really spent your time here worthwhile!
Here in Athens, we all know that our city is not as peachy as most tourists think; there are many things we need to work on.
Non-the-less, thank you very much for your positive review!! I hope next time you visit you will have more time to discover the rest of Attica. Many regards from Greece!!

[VoltesWithElias]

No place like Greece. Great video. Thanks for sharing!

[oldproji]

Moussaka, pronounced "muss - aka" I believe, is my all time favourite Greek dish. So much so I learned how to make my own from scratch. The only problem is it is very time consuming in the kitchen but it is so delicious and worth the effort that I make enough for two helpings per person. A nice bottle of white wine and some garlic bread with a side dish of black olives to go with it, and eaten al fresco, it's just perfect.

[yukiyu]

Athens is very unique and by all means the most exciting place in the world., first thing you notice when visiting Greece are captivating smells -- mixture of lemon, olive and smell of oleander -- pink or white bushy flower that grows all over this country., and then this place takes you back to the 5th century B.C when it all started., or even earlier in the history. I miss this place and of course inevitable suflaki!! Thanks for upload, I wish I was there with you., cant get enough of Greece.

[srilakshmir]

lovely list! I am visiting Greece next week and I can hardly wait!

[TreneiroVlog]

Cool video. We will be visiting in May so I'm now checking out what we should see, thanks for cool tips

[duendedelasalturas]

Great Athens, , I was there on july 2015, 3 months before. Love for you 2.

[fayemajekodunmi]

Thank you for this video, my girlfriends and I are planning a trip and watching this video made it so much easier! Thanks again, I’m so excited.

[michaelwilliamson]

Nice video. I and my wife live in Stockholm, and I travel to Athens every second month,  as we have a small apartment in central Athens with a small garden.

[philipposphilippou]

Thank you so much guys for your very accurate, objective and complete -given the just two days available- report of the Athens sightseeings. No doubt there are lots of more things to see and enjoy here, yet let me congratulate you for the excellent, though -under the circumstances - very limited and purely commercial ("touristic") eye of your Travel Guide. I am glad you could intuit the spirit and potential of this fantastic city, as i may conclude from your final comments about it, no wonder why Athens is more and more becoming a major city break destination in Europe and not only. Let me know when you're coming back, i would be delighted to introduce you as a born and bread Athenian to the real beauty and wonders of this amazing city!

[Errr]

I love Greece. I worked in Piraeus for 6 months over a period of 9 months in 2004. Unfortunately due to the schedule of the project we worked pretty much 6 days a week but I did have a chance to go to others ports to work. While in Piraeus I spent a lot of time exploring Athens. I walked/climbed all over the Parthenon hills especially on the south side. It was quite an adventure finding lots of hidden archaeological treasures. I also got to go on day trips to the nearby islands. The one thing I really wanted to do was to go to Santorini but that would have required 2 days. I saw Santorini back in the 70's when I was in the Navy and it would have been nice to see it again. Anyway, nice video and thanks for sharing.