When many people think of Greece they immediately go to images of perfectly turquoise water, whitewashed streets, scenes from Mamma Mia, and delicious food. If you’re like many tourists planning a trip to Greece, you’ll likely fly into Athens before taking a smaller flight or ferry over to islands like Santorini or Paros. But before heading to the islands, you can’t miss spending some time in Athens, one of the oldest cities in the world. Don’t worry, if you’re trying to maximize your time in the islands but still see the most important sites in Athens, you can actually hit quite a few of them in just one day.
Athens Key Info
How to Get There
Fly into Athens International Airport (ATH)
Currency
1 Euro (EUR) = $1.2 USD
Language
Greek
Climate
Mediterranean
How to Get Around
Metro, Taxi/Uber, Walking
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How to Get from Athens Airport to the City Center
After arriving at Athens International Airport and clearing customs/immigration, head directly into the city center. There’s a few ways to get into the city from the airport depending on your budget and how much convenience you’re looking for. You can take a taxi, arrange a private transfer, or take the metro.
The airport metro line runs about 10 euros, takes about 45 minutes, and drops off at a few stations in the city center, but it’s not available late at night, so depending on when your flight arrives it might be a good option. However, you may still need to take a taxi to your final accommodations depending on how far it is from a metro station, what time it is, and how much luggage you have.
If you want the convenience of door to door service, then a taxi is a great option. You can call a taxi through the Uber app (all Ubers in Athens are tied to taxis) and airport transfers follow daytime/nightime fare schedules (around 40 euros during the day, 55 euros after midnight). If you want a taxi, I recommend booking it through the Uber app instead of hailing one at the airport so you can be sure of the price beforehand and don’t run into any issues with being overcharged. If you have a larger group, you can also arrange private transport with many providers or directly with your hotel.
Early Morning: Acropolis + Parthenon
Your first stop will be the Acropolis of Athens, the landmark most people imagine when they think of ancient Greece. The Acropolis is an ancient citadel on a hill overlooking the city and home to several iconic landmarks like the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. Built in the 5th century, it’s now one of the most visited historical landmarks in the world!
You’ll want to start your morning as early as you can in order to beat the crowds. Even at 9am it was quite busy, so if you can get the 8am slot I would definitely recommend going as early as possible. The Greek sun is also way stronger than you think, and even in the morning it was starting to get quite hot in mid-May, so if you visit in the summer it will be even more intense.
We did a guided tour to learn about the history and thought it was worth it for the amount of information the guides provided. There were several archeological ruins in the Acropolis that we wouldn’t have understood the significance of without one!
Tip: The marble steps leading to the top can be quite slippery, so you’ll definitely want to wear comfortable shoes with good tread.
Late Morning: Plaka + Olive Oil & Liqueur Tasting
After visiting the Acropolis, head to the nearby neighborhood of Plaka. It’s filled with cute streets and shops and beautiful architecture. It gets pretty crowded, so you really only need an hour or so to walk through and explore.
While we were in the neighborhood, we also stopped at Brettos to do an olive oil and liqueur tasting which I’d definitely recommend. We started with the liqueur tasting and tried a few options from limoncello to ouzo, a Greek specialty. Afterwards we went back to the main room and tasted a few different types of olive oil while learning about how it’s made. We wanted to buy some to take home with us, but unfortunately we had only packed carry-ons and had limited room in our suitcases!
Afternoon: Monastiraki + Greek Food Tour
Next, head to nearby Monastiraki. This neighborhood has views of the Acropolis and also has lots of shopping nearby. This is where your food tour will begin as well.
One of my favorite things to do while traveling is take a food tour. It’s such an amazing way to learn more about the local culture, meet people from all over the world, and of course eat delicious food!
This food tour explored a few different neighborhoods and we were able to try a wide range of Greek foods and drinks. Definitely make sure to come hungry, because we were so full by the end we had to take the souvlaki from the last restaurant to go!
Evening: Wine Tasting and Making Experience
In the evening, I’d recommend a wine making experience. This was one of my favorite activities we did in Athens! We learned all about the different types of wine, how they are produced, the regions they come from, as well as how to properly taste wine and the different notes to look for.
Each wine also had its own unique cheese pairing, and they were all delicious. I wish we could have eaten more but we were still pretty full from the food tour!
Then we were able to apply our learnings and create our very own blend of wine by mixing and matching the different varietals to our liking. Once we landed on the perfect combination, our hostess took our recipe and made an entire bottle of it. We then learned how to cork our wine and seal it in wax as well! It was the perfect souvenir to remember the experience by and was such a fun activity.
If you just want to have a traditional wine tasting, they offer those as well! We had actually originally booked the regular wine tasting with the same company and then changed to the wine making + tasting experience so we could add one more person to our reservation.
Visit One of the 50 Best Bars in the World
If you have extra time in your day, I’d recommend stopping by Baba Au Rum Bar. It’s one of the 50 best bars in the world and has amazing cocktails!
Best Bars in Athens
Baba Au Rum
Line Athens
The Bar in Front of the Bar
The Clumsies
Barro Negro
Couleur Locale
The Best Time to Visit Athens
Greece has a mediterranean climate, which means hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. Summer is the peak season and you can expect the largest crowds, highest prices, and intense heat. Summers can easily reach the 90s and the Greek sun is really intense, so it will feel MUCH hotter than what the forecast says. Every year there are stories of tourists falling sick with heat exhaustion, or even heat stroke when a heat wave moves through Europe. If you visit during the summer, make sure to stay hydrated, wear sunscreen, bring lightweight/breathable clothes and try to avoid being in the sun for too long in the afternoon when it’s the strongest.
In my opinion the best time to visit Athens is during shoulder season, either late spring or early fall. During these seasons, the weather is still warm but not roasting, crowds are more manageable, and hotel prices will be lower.
Is Athens Safe for Tourists?
Athens is generally considered to be fairly safe and does not have a lot of violent crime in areas that tourists frequent. The main thing to be aware of will be petty crime like theft. Pickpockets are notorious for targeting tourists in crowded areas and public transportation, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your belongings at all times. I’d recommend cross body bags instead of open face totes/purses and don’t keep your phone or wallet in your pockets.
How Many Days to Spend in Athens
If you’re planning on visiting the islands as part of your trip to Greece, I’d recommend two days in Athens. 2 days in Athens is plenty of time to see the major historical sites and museums, explore the city, and enjoy great Greek food. When I went to Greece I only had one full day in Athens and was still able to see most of the major highlights (it was a jam packed day though!). If you don’t want to be as rushed then two days in Athens is perfect.
If you have an extra day in Athens, then I’d recommend seeing a few more historical sites like the Temple of Poseidon or a Greek Cooking Class!
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