9 Best Things to Do in Athens (+ Tours Worth Booking)
Athens has almost too much to see. Here are the nine experiences worth your time, and the tours actually worth booking.
If you're like me, you'll find yourself awake too early on your first morning in Athens, ready to get out there and explore! I was there for four days before picking up a Virgin Voyages cruise, and the one issue (apart from the summer heat) is that there are almost too many things to see and do.
Athens isn't just about ticking the Acropolis off your list (though you absolutely should see it). This city has layers and layers of history, a very modern culture, delicious food scene, and enough fascinating neighbourhoods to fill up your entire stay. But you need to know which experiences are worth your time (and money), and which tours have you shuffling around in a group. Here's what not to miss (and why you should book a street food tour).
How Long Do You Need in Athens?
One Day: Focus on the Acropolis in the morning, then wander through Plaka for lunch and people-watching. You'll get a taste, but anything more will feel rushed.
Two Days: Add a food tour (essential for understanding modern Athens) and proper time in the museums. Much more satisfying.
Three Days: Include a day trip to the islands or Delphi, plus deeper exploration of neighbourhoods like Psyrri or Exarchia.
Longer: Athens makes an excellent base for exploring mainland Greece or as a jumping-off point for island hopping. The city reveals itself slowly.
1. Explore the Acropolis & Ancient Agora
Is the Acropolis worth the crowds? Absolutely. But go early, book ahead, and consider a guided tour if you want context beyond "old building, very important."
The Parthenon is genuinely stunning, scaffolding and all. The real revelation is how the ancient city layout becomes clear when you're standing up there.
Best approach: Early morning or late afternoon. The Acropolis Museum is essential afterwards.
Tour worth considering: Skip-the-Line Acropolis Tour with Licensed Guide (€35)
DIY option: Book tickets in advance, bring water, and use the audio guide. The Ancient Agora afterwards is less crowded and more atmospheric.
Getting there: Metro to Acropoli station (Red Line). Entirely walkable if you're staying in central Athens.
2. Take a Street Food Tour
This might be the best way to get oriented in Athens while understanding what locals eat. I did the Athens Street Food Walk and wished I'd done it on day one.
Multiple stops around central Athens, proper souvlaki (not gyros), Greek coffee at a traditional kafeneio, and you'll end up eating more than enough for lunch. Save room for the pistachio doughnuts!
What you'll discover: The difference between tourist food and what Athenians eat daily. Plus restaurants you'd never notice otherwise.
Alternative: Thanasis in Monastiraki for legendary souvlaki, then browse the Central Market for olives, honey, and spices.
3. Wander Plaka's Cobblestone Streets
Yes, it's touristy, but Plaka's narrow cobblestone streets and neoclassical buildings are genuinely charming. This is Athens' most photogenic quarter, good for your first evening stroll. Bring your camera.
The area includes archaeological sites, small tavernas, colourful flower stands and artisan shops. It's tourist-heavy but authentically beautiful, especially when the day-trip crowds have departed.
Best for: Souvenir shopping, traditional tavernas, and getting your bearings. The streets around Anafiotika feel like a Greek island village.
4. Experience Psyrri's Creative Scene
This former warehouse district is where young Athenians go for dinner and drinks. Expect excellent street art, innovative restaurants, and a grittier, more authentic feel than Plaka. I recommend it for younger visitors looking for a good value place to stay.
The neighbourhood transforms after dark, with rooftop bars and underground music venues. It's edgy without being unsafe, and you'll see contemporary Athens at its best.
Best for: Evening dining, craft cocktails, and understanding how modern Athens actually lives.
Best Hotels for Exploring Central Athens
Hotel Grande Bretagne - The grand dame of Athens hotels, right on Syntagma Square. Expensive but perfectly located.
Electra Metropolis - Stylish boutique option near Monastiraki with Acropolis views from the rooftop.
Athens Stories - Budget-friendly apartments in the centre of Monastiraki with rooftop terrace.
All three put you within walking distance of major sites and excellent restaurants.
5. Visit the Central Market
Athens' main food market is a sensory overload of fresh fish, meat, spices, and olives. Go in the morning when it's most active and vendors are setting up their displays.
This is where you'll find the ingredients that make Greek cuisine special - proper olive oil, mountain honey, and spices you've never heard of. The covered meat and fish halls are particularly atmospheric (let your nostrils be warned!).
What to buy: Olive oil, Greek honey, pistachios, and spices. Many vendors offer tastings.
6. Escape to Aegina Island
When Athens feels overwhelming, Aegina offers the perfect antidote. Just 90 minutes by ferry, this island feels worlds away from urban intensity.
The Temple of Aphaia is genuinely impressive - better preserved than most mainland sites. The town is charming without being precious, and the pistachios are legitimately the best you'll ever taste.
Best for: A relaxed day by the sea, fewer crowds, first taste of Greek island life.
Getting there: Ferries to Aegina depart from Piraeus Port Gate E7 about hourly (€8.50 each way). Metro Line 1 to Piraeus station (25 minutes), then follow the signs to the ferries.
7. Discover Exarchia's Alternative Culture
The bohemian quarter around the university reveals a bit of a different side to Athens. Independent bookshops, alternative music venues, and a distinctly intellectual atmosphere.
This is Athens' most politically engaged neighbourhood, with street art that tells stories and cafes where locals might debate everything from philosophy to football. It can feel a touch edgy, especially at night, but it's a real city doing its thing.
Good for: Independent bookshops, alternative music venues, and seeing Athens beyond the tourist sites.
8. Catch Sunset at Cape Sounion
The dramatic Temple of Poseidon perched on cliffs overlooking the Aegean makes for one of Greece's most spectacular sunsets. It gets busy in summer, but the views are genuinely worth it.
The drive through Attica's countryside is beautiful, and the temple itself is surprisingly well-preserved. This is classic Greece - ancient ruins, azure sea, and golden light.
Best approach: Cape Sounion Sunset Tour or rent a car for flexibility.
Public transport: KTEL bus from Mavromataion terminal (€6.90, 1.5 hours) or organised tour.
9. Explore the National Archaeological Museum
Often overlooked in favour of the Acropolis Museum (which is also excellent), this houses some of Greece's greatest treasures. The gold death mask of Agamemnon and the bronze Poseidon are jaw-dropping if you ever studied Classics.
Less crowded than other major sites, you can take your time with the exhibits. The Antikythera mechanism - an ancient Greek computer - is particularly fascinating for tech geeks (i.e., me).
Best for: Understanding the broader scope of Greek civilisation beyond just Athens.
That's me, outside the Acropolis Museum!
Athens rewards curiosity and wandering, but a little planning goes a long way. The city has been welcoming visitors for thousands of years, so don't stress too much about getting everything perfect. Sometimes the best experiences are the ones you stumble upon while looking for something else entirely.
Planning your Athens adventure? My Athens guides will help you make the most of your trip: