How to see Athens in 2 days: a checklist of the most important sights to visit and areas to stroll on your Athen itinerary.
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Once upon a time, thousands of years ago, Poseidon (god of the sea) and Athena (goddess of love), were having a little squabble over which one of them should lend their name to a brand new city. Poseidon struck his trident on the ground and produced a spring (for naval power FYI), whilst Athena magically grew an olive tree (for peace and general good times). Two very lovely gifts, I’m sure you’ll agree. The people of the city decided that they preferred peace and the olive tree, and so decided to name their lovely city Athens after the goddess who had given it to them.
If only all decisions could be that simple.
So, when I arrived in Athens, I was expecting to find somewhere similar to Disney’s cartoon version of Hercules, all ancient temples and gods and goddesses strutting around like nobody’s business. Basically a city with a very old school vibe. It turned out that whilst, don’t get me wrong, the ruins of Ancient Greece are still very much prevalent in this glorious place, the city is hustling and bustling with a whole new modern and artistic feel to it. I am a true fan! Whilst there were plenty of visitors, it didn’t feel completely overrun with tourists in the style of fellow ancient city Rome, and crucially I didn’t feel in danger of being accidentally speared through the eye by a selfie stick round every corner. SCORE!
A Must-See in Athens: the Acropolis
Under normal circumstances I find the classic tourist hotspots mildly stressful due to the sheer amount of people and Disneyland-esque gloss that’s sometimes spread across these beaut places. Like a shimmering coat of plastic paint. I’m extremely glad that I swallowed back my fears of fellow tourists as the Acropolis is absolutely incredible. And ginormous.
The Acropolis is located on a flat-topped rock, and the view across the whole city is absolutely mental. The first time I visited, a storm was brewing across the vast sprawl of ancient and modern buildings right up to the mountains in the distance. The sun on the other side of the sky highlighted everything in a glistening gold, and almost convinced me that those Gods really were very much real.
The colossal columns of the Parthenon (that’s Athena’s temple, above), and the surrounding ruined temples are equally a sight to behold. Especially when you consider all the many different uses these buildings have had throughout history- from temples to various Greek gods and goddesses, to mosques and churches every time the city was conquered by a group of people belonging to a different religion.
And, pals, it’s not only temples and grand entrances at this place, no way Jose! The slopes around the Acropolis are home to several theatrical landmarks.
First and foremost the world’s first actual theatre, the Theatre of Dionysus. Because not only were those crafty Greeks intelligent enough to figure out astronomy and geometry and all that jazz- they also invented Theatre- and for that I salute them! As I was strolling past Dionysus’ Theatre, I ran into a group of students listening to a teacher who was explaining the whole set-up of the Ancient Greek stagey life, and let me tell you it was FASCINATING STUFF.
More awesomeness in Greece: Our Big Fat Greek Roadtrip
I think it would actually pay off greatly to have an actual guide tour of the Acropolis; some extremely interesting stuff has happened here.
The Odeon of Herodes Atticus sits a bit higher on the southwest slope and was built to house music concerts in the second century AD. Despite being abandoned after a hundred years or so, these days the spectacular Odeon is fulfilling its original purpose once again, and often hosts massive concerts.
And if all that doesn’t fascinate you enough, there’s a whole collection of other interesting sights to behold. Firstly the amount of ladies who are intent on climbing the slopes in heeled sandals, and secondly the odd collection of animals going about their daily business. Tortoises, birds, and I genuinely spent about twenty minutes watching an army of ants collecting bits of sandstone and transporting them back to their home. Not that I’m suggesting you pay a visit to the Acropolis in order to find the ants. That would be weird.
Realistically a visit to the Acropolis will take up a big chunk of your ‘Athens in 2 days’ itinerary. You’ll need at least half a day to explore, as the site is absolutely mahossive.
Entry to the Acropolis plus North and South slopes: €20 (reduced to €10 in winter)
Open 8am-8pm in summer, 8am-3pm in winter
Get a breath of fresh air in the National Garden
The National Garden sits right behind the Greek Parliament Building in the centre of Athens. Considering that it’s smack bang in the midst of all the hot hubbub of the city, this ginormous public garden provides quite a tranquil escape from it all.
The palm-lined main entrance is downright marvellous. And beyond that the park is quite a maze of twists and turns around a whole grotto of majestic trees, statues, lakes and random bits of ruined Roman and Greek buildings.
There’s a collection of animals hanging out in the middle of this pocket of peacefulness as well. Back in the day (a day in 1920 to be precise), the King of Greece was bitten by a pet monkey whilst strolling in the park and subsequently died of septicaemia. Poor lad. These days you’re more likely to run into slightly more timid animals like goats, antelope, peacocks and harmless little bunny rabbits, so don’t panic, pals. No risk of monkey bites here.
Entry to National Garden: free of charge, my friends!
Open from sunrise to sunset daily.
Visit the original Olympic stadium
As we are all well aware, the Greeks invented the Olympics, and it’s still possible to go and visit the original stadium at Olympia. Which is in the Peloponnese. Not in Athens. Duh.
But the Panathenaic Stadium in Athens is built on the same site as several ancient racecourses and stadiums, built for the Panathenaic Games which were held to honour that good old goddess Athena.
They really did love the Goddess of Love around these parts, didn’t they?
After a great many years of abandonment and general disrepair, the stadium was again reconstructed (entirely out of marble might I add; fancy), for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It’s still a rather splendiferous sight and is used regularly for various sporting and musical events, although you can also go in and have a run around yourself if you fancy getting physical. Or alternatively have your picture taken in front of it, like these people.
Entry to the Panathenaic Stadium: €5 (and that fee officially includes a run or two on the track, though there is an official morning jog 7.30am-9am daily aside from this. Good times.)
Marvel at the Athens changing of the guard
Call me crazy, but I am fascinated by any kind of official ceremony. And the Athens changing of the Guard never lets me down in its grandeur.
We humans are very strange creatures with our pomp and circumstance, and let’s face it- there must be more effective security systems in place for palaces and parliament buildings than a few fabulously dressed gentlemen brandishing swords. Yet there’s something intriguing about it that I just bloody love, I tell ya! The changing of the guard outside the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Athens is like no other I have ever witnessed.
The soldiers who stand on guard in Athens are called Evzones. They are highly respected members of the Greek army, and wear some of the most glorious accessories I’ve ever seen on a soldier. Our English soldiers may have busbies (the ginormous black furry hats). But these guys have kilts, and pom poms on their shoes, all of which make for an over all very chic effect.
They also walk in a way that is mildly tai-chi like, lifting one leg into the air in slow motion and circling the ankle, before slamming their clogs down on the floor and lifting up the other leg to begin the cycle again. Once they reach their post they have to stand statue-like (literally no moving allowed), until they’re relieved or are allowed to go for a very slow synchronised walk so as not to get pins and needles from being still for so long. A fellow soldier even comes along to mop their brows of sweat beads and neaten up their uniforms every once in a while, which is rather helpful.
All this slow-motion business is a genuine spectacle to behold, and something I’d recommend anyone and everyone needs to see.
The changing of the guards is a completely free event to watch and happens every Sunday at 11am (though it’s of course possible to go and say hi to the lads whenever you feel like it. Just don’t expect them to say anything back.) There is a smaller changing of the guards ceremony on the hour every single day.
Sample the best Athens street food
I’m not gonna lie, whenever I’m travelling solo it’s pretty rare that I go out for dinner on my tod. Lunch maybe, but dinner feels a bit more on the awkward side. So normally it’s the street-food route that I tend to go down.
Luckily Athens is in no way short of options for street food. An Athenian breakfast staple is the large pretzel-like rings of sesame-seeded dough called koulouri which vendors sell from carts all along the busiest streets. Various filo-pastry pies are also popular.
But the number one top Athens street food (for me) was definitely souvlaki. I’m not normally a massive fan of pork, but upon entering Kostas in Agias Irinis Square, Kostas himself informed me that if I wanted a true souvlaki it would simply have to be pork. And who am I to argue? After all, there was a sign on the wall informing me that Kostas is at an age where he’s at risk of a stroke, so I couldn’t even consider going for a chicken version for his health reasons. In any case that pork souvlaki was bloody delicious I tell ya.
Well done, Kostas old boy. You’re a true good’un.
If you’re up for a less meaty experience, (ie you’re looking for vegan restaurants in Athens) Vegan Nation makes a whole selection of tasty goods either to sit in and sample at the tiny shop in Psyri or to take away. The smoothies and salads are particularly da bomb, however they also do vegan versions of Greek classics like moussaka, as well as dishes from around the world like sushi and tacos. No holds barred in this place, and I appreciated that you can be sure it’s fresh as a daisy food.
For coffee in Athens…
Ever the fan of a good coffee/bookshop combo, I very much appreciated Little Tree Books and Coffee, located on a quiet corner near the Acropolis museum. With a cozy interior, big wide open windows, and a few tables and chairs nestled underneath the shady trees outside, Little Tree is mainly home to students and hipstery people with interesting haircuts. Plus a very small selection of English books if you fancy a browse. Beaut food, friendly people and a surprisingly tranquil atmosphere all combined to lead me to the conclusion that this place is an absolute gem.
A quirky and fun coffee place in Athens is Little Kook in Psyri. This coffee and dessert restaurant changes its theme regularly, and I love going back whenever I’m in the city to see what the latest theme will be. My favourite so far is the Mary Poppins theme. BRILLIANT.
It’s a little more out of the way, but my number one coffee place in Athens is near the Panathenaic Stadium. The food and coffee is great but it’s the owners stories of his beloved city, and occasional free biscuits, that keep me coming back to this place. Kekkos has a ginormous selection of traditional freshly baked pastries and sweets, and is a very traditional Athens bakery. No hipsters, no fancy decor. I blooming’ love it here.
Explore some of the most awesome neighbourhoods in Athens
Athens is an extremely walkable city which holds a massive concentration of different neighbourhoods both antique and modern, within a fairly small area. IT’S JUST BLOODY BRILLIANT I TELL YA!
Related: A Guide to the Most Explorable Neighbourhoods in Athens
Don’t get me wrong, maybe just wandering around and seeing what you chance upon isn’t exactly to everyone’s taste. But whether it’s the graffiti-covered and bunting-shrouded alleys of Psyri, the grand tree-lined open avenues around the presidents house, or the crowded and noise-filled flea market of Monastiraki- you will never be short of something interesting to spot or exciting to hear. And for that reason I don’t think Athens is a location I could ever become bored of.
Find an Athens rooftop bar
You absolutely cannot visit Athens without spending some time in one of the city’s rooftop bars.
After a few hours spent scoping out the city, soaking in the yelling of market traders, pigeons zooming left right and centre and yellow taxis doing basically the same thing as the pigeons, I realised I needed somewhere chilled out to relax a bit before my early flight to Santorini the next morning.
Cue: THE ROOFTOP BAR.
For my first 2 days in Athens, I was staying at the Athenstyle Hostel in Monistiraki, and when I saw the signs by the elevator leading me to the ROOFTOP BAR, I was very much up for checking it out. Not only are the views of Athens at sunset awesome, but it’s nice to have a different vantage point out of the heat and hustle on the streets below.
There are rooftop bars like this one dotted all over the city, from the humble hostel bar to five star swanky versions. Entry to the rooftop bar at Athenstyle is free, though don’t expect to be able to hang around up there for long if you haven’t bought a drink! I spent one night in a dorm room there for around €28.
So is it actually possible to ‘see’ Athens in 2 days
It is fully possible to explore Athens in 2 days.
But be warned- I’m 99% certain that you’ll want to come back and explore. This city has something to offer for EVERYONE, and whenever I’m in Greece I always stop in Athens for at least a couple of days to see what awesome things I can find.
Athens truly is one glorious place.
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TIPS FOR VISITING ATHENS
- A metro runs directly between Athens Airport and the city centre, and costs €10 for a one way ticket, with a journey time of around forty minutes.
- Or…bus X95 runs between Athens airport and Syntagma Square for a mere €3.20 which is a bargain in my opinion, folks. It just might be wise to check at the ticket office that there won’t be any strikes before you need to actually board the bus. That old chestnut caught me out on one of my several trips back and forth.
- A taxi between Athens and Athens Airport costs around €38. Ouch. However, hopefully all taxi drivers are as nice as mine and will also declare that they simply must stop and get coffee for both driver and passenger at no extra charge. What a guy.
- If you’re getting a ferry to or from Athens, bear in mind that the port is not called ‘Athens.’ It’s Piraeus. FYI.
- It’s super easy to get from Piraeus to Athens city centre- there’s a metro connecting them.
- When you buy a metro ticket in Athens, you don’t go through any ticket barrier or validate your ticket anywhere before boarding the train. So don’t panic if you can’t find any machine to do this because such things do not exist.
- Steer clear of the restaurants aimed specifically at tourists. They are not the one. Not only are they generally completely overpriced (Greece in general is an extremely affordable country to travel in- I mean, coffee for a Euro!? Gyros for two!?), but the food is just more guaranteed to be nicer at a family-run place.
- I love Athens.
