10 Top Things To Do In Athens, Greece

Introduction

Athens is a city that has been around for millennia, and it has so much to offer. The Acropolis, the ancient agora and Plaka are just some of the best places to visit in Athens.

Acropolis

As an ancient city that has been around for many thousands of years, it's no surprise that Athens has quite a few things to offer visitors. One of the most notable is the Acropolis, which is one of the highest points in Athens and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here you can see pretty much everything else that makes up this old city: ancient ruins, beautiful buildings and statues, churches and other religious buildings---it's all there!

The Acropolis is also known as "Mount Lycabettus" (which means "wolf hill"), because legend says that wolves used to live on top of it before humans took over. The most important site in Athens today is still home to some remnants from its past; including parts of temples dating back thousands years ago!

Ancient Agora

The Ancient Agora is the site of the ancient marketplace and has stood since around 300 BCE. It's a great place to hang out and people watch, but we recommend visiting during the week if you want to avoid crowds. The Ancient Agora is one of Athens' most popular tourist attractions, so be sure to go early in your trip if you want an uncrowded experience.

Plaka

Plaka is a neighborhood in Athens, Greece. It is located in the center of the city and it's known as a great place for tourists to visit. The streets are filled with shops, restaurants and cafes that will keep you entertained all day long. This neighborhood also has many hotels and hostels so you can stay here if you want to spend more time with local people.

Philopappou Hill

Philopappou Hill is a hill located in Athens, Greece.
It was named after the Greek philosopher Philopappus of Athens, who was born there in the 4th century BC.
The hill overlooks the city and can be accessed from many places across Athens including Lycabettus Hill, Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, Filopappou Square, Kolonaki Square and Panepistimiou Street.

The National Archaeological Museum

Location: 3 Patission Street, Athens
Hours of operation: Tues-Sun 9AM - 7PM
Admission: 5 euro (free on Tuesdays)
What to expect: A long line and a lot of ancient artifacts. If you are claustrophobic or don't like crowds, this is not the place for you. It's also best to go early in the morning before it gets super busy. The museum has a lot of outdoor space, so if it's hot outside---and it will be---you'll want some shade. And as with any place that asks for your passport upon entry, be sure not to leave anything valuable in your bag; there are lockers available for storage at no additional cost!
What To Wear/Bring : Comfortable shoes and clothes that make sense given the temperature outside (we recommend shorts). A bottle of water wouldn't hurt either! You'll probably want sunscreen too since there isn't much shade inside the museum itself (if anything at all). Avoid bringing large backpacks or diaper bags into buildings housing ancient artifacts because they tend to get lost easily among crowds of tourists looking around at everything else rather than watching their stuff carefully enough while remaining focused on what they came here specifically for which was seeing these ancient treasures first hand without distraction from other things going on around them during their visit instead."

Pnyx, Mars Hill and the Agios Eleftherios Church

Pnyx, a hill in central Athens. The Pnyx was the location of the Assembly of the Athenians, which was established in 508 BC by Cleisthenes and where public debates were held.
Agios Eleftherios Church, also known as the Church of the Apostles. Built between 1835 and 1841 with funds from King Otto I, this church contains many relics including bones purported to be those of St. Andrew's brother Stachys and St. Philip's daughter Philisia; however, these have been disputed as fakes or misidentified remains.
Mars Hill is a hill in central Athens where St Paul preached Christian doctrine for three months after his conversion on his way to Corinth.

Benaki Museum

The Benaki Museum, a museum in Athens, Greece, houses a collection of Greek and European art. The museum was founded by the collector and philanthropist George A. Benakis who donated his collection to the Greek State in 1955.

The museum opened its doors on May 13th 1955 as an independent institution with no government financial aid and without any legal mandate to receive or borrow works of art. In June 1958, the Minister of Education issued a law granting it all necessary powers (and exceptions), including those required for issuing loans abroad; later that year another law established payment rules for artists' rights holders whose works were being exhibited at public institutions such as museums (the so called "Benaki Tax").

Monastiraki Square and Flea Market

Monastiraki Square is the heart of Athens. It's a popular tourist destination and great place to shop for souvenirs and antiques. There are many restaurants, cafes and bars in the area that serve traditional Greek food.

The Cemetery of Kerameikos and Ancient Ceramic Art Museum of Greece

Located at the southern tip of Athens, this museum houses one of the largest collections of ancient Greek pottery. The cemetery was in use from 600 BCE to 400 CE, and it was the burial ground for many important figures in ancient Athens. As such, you can see a variety of monuments that were built there over time, including grave markers and even entire buildings.

Mount Lycabettus (Likavitos) and Strefi Hill

Located at the highest point in Athens, Mount Lycabettus (Likavitos) is a must-see for anyone who loves hiking and views. The hike up to the top of the hill is steep and it will take you about 20 minutes or so to get there, but once you're there you'll be rewarded with incredible views of both Athens and its surrounding islands. It's also a great place to catch some sun or have an afternoon coffee while taking in all that Greece has to offer!

If walking isn't your thing, there's always public transportation available as well. If you want to see everything in one day then this is how we recommend doing it:

Take metro line 3 from Syntagma Square until Omonia Station
Transfer lines 1 & 2 until Evangelismos Station
Transfer lines 2 & 5 until Syntagma Square

Conclusion

With all of these incredible historical and cultural sites, Athens is the perfect place to visit. Whether you're looking for a quick getaway or planning on staying longer than usual, this city has something for everyone. From ancient ruins to museums of modern art, there are endless opportunities to explore both ancient and modern Greece at once!

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