Things in Athens Greece that You Must See

If you are planning on island hopping in Greece this summer, I would definitely recommend spending some time in Greece’s capital.

Athens is a beautiful city, that holds so much history, making it full of things to do and see.

In this blog, I will cover 8 things you must do while visiting Athens. I will be writing a separate blog about where I would recommend eating in Athens.

So, let’s get into it!

The Acropolis

Of course, the Acropolis is one of the main attractions in Athens, so it is a must see if you are in the city.

The monuments that are homed here are over 2,500 years old and has been regarded as some of Greeks greatest architecture. The Parthenon Temple is known as one of the world’s finest masterpieces.

There is also an Acropolis Museum that showcases treasures that had been removed from the top of the hill and installed here for safekeeping.

The Acropolis is open Monday to Sunday from 8am-8pm.

If you are a European citizen under 25 years of age, you can enter this attraction for free. You need to show proof of this when entering the attraction. However, if you are not, full admission will cost €13 per person.

You can buy tickets here:

https://www.acropolis-tickets.com/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8lsMBmYnNjSqnkUFJED717R7BtF6zi60hCxmkeuWBLvX9fvOgGRwUIaAgGhEALw_wcB

Ancient Agora

The Agora is the heart of ancient Athens’ civic life, this attraction is filled with history, where you will see many finds from ancient Greek life.

This archaeological site is located beneath the northwest slope of the Acropolis, that was used for commercial and social activities in ancient Athens.

From the Agora you will see the most beautiful views of the Arcopolis, where you can take some stunning pictures with it in the background.

If you are a European citizen under 25 years of age, you can enter this attraction for free. You will need to show proof of this upon entering the Agora. However, if you are not, full admission will cost €7.50 per person.

You can buy tickets here:

https://www.tiqets.com/en/ancient-agora-of-athens-tickets-l159506/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc_ola&utm_campaign=14222851901&utm_content=151020794331&gclid=Cj0KCQiA6fafBhC1ARIsAIJjL8ldFB3bzVjZm2sExdX2RCJln76Q–5zIeABrgIS7GHCaq49gxk3aCgaAkEgEALw_wcB

Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre

Home to both the Greek National Opera and the main branch of the National Library, this is a contemporary building that stands out among Athens ancient architecture.

If you are lucky, your trip may align with a show in this centre but if not, it is definitely worth heading out here to enjoy other activities, such as, Stavros Niarchos Park.

This is the perfect place to relax and take in the beautiful views surrounding the park.

Plaka Old Town

I would definitely recommend staying around this area in Athens if you can because Plaka Old Town is one of the most beautiful places in the city.

Strolling through these cobbled streets, is what you see when you picture Greek islands. With lots of shops and restaurants in this neighbourhood, it is the perfect place to browse the shops, take a stroll, or to grab some food.

We thought that this was definitely the nicest part of the city, although it is touristy, it has such a special feel to it.

Panathenaic Stadium

This stadium was built in the 4th century BC and was restored in 1896 for the first modern Olympic games.

The unique white marble seats that crowd the stadium are beautiful and hold so much history from the 1800s.

I would definitely recommend buying a ticket into the Panathenaic Stadium, which includes an audio tour, access to the stadiums exhibition about the modern Olympics, and a opportunity to see the stadiums beauty.

Tickets into the stadium cost €10 per person, and although this can be a little more pricy than other attractions, it is definitely worth seeing.

You can buy tickets here:

http://www.panathenaicstadium.gr/TicketsShop/Ticketprices/tabid/150/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Syntagma Square

This is known as the centre of the city, home to the Hellenic Parliment building. Here, you will see two guards unable to move from their positions protecting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

If you are lucky you may be able to see the ceremonious changing of the guard that happens every few hours.

The square holds a lot of history, so heading over here will be a cheap and cheerful activity for you history buffs, who are interested in finding out more about ancient Athens.

Little Kook

This themed cafe/street is located in Psyri and heading down here to have a coffee or a cake is an experience you don’t want to miss out on.

Every few months the theme of this cafe changes. When we were hear it was themed as the Nutcracker but a few weeks previous, they had an Alice and Wonderland Theme.

This is the perfect place to snap a few pictures and after this stroll through the beautiful streets of Pysri.

Athens Art

In recent years, Athens has become big in the art scene, if you are interested in art, I would definitely recommend heading to some of Athens galleries.

Cheap Art Athens, The Bredder, National Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Goulandris Foundation are four galleries I would definitely consider heading to if you are in Athens.

The streets below the Acropolis are home to some of Athens best street art also.

Overall, Athens holds so much history, where you will never be stuck for something to do.

If you are planning to island hop in Greece this year, I definitely would recommend spending a few days in this amazing city.