1-day In Athens
Athens offers a captivating blend of ancient history, vibrant culture, and modern charm. You can explore iconic landmarks like the Acropolis, enjoy authentic cuisine, and experience the lively atmosphere in neighborhoods like Plaka.
Our Mediterranean cruise ended in Athens. We spent two days in Meteora before concluding our trip in Athens.
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Views from the rooftop terrace at Athens City View Urban Suites
We stayed at Athens City View Urban Suites. The Suites are located in the center of Athens with views of the Parthenon and Acropolis. It’s on a pedestrian-only street with lots of restaurants to choose from. Enjoy a free breakfast and beautiful views on the rooftop terrace.
We only had one full day in Athens, so we scheduled a bike tour with the Electric Bike Day Tour at 10:00 a.m. This was the perfect way to get around the city and see a lot in a short amount of time. We met at their office, a five-minute walk from our hotel. Our guide was Constantino, and he spent extra time with the three kids (ages 9,10, & 11) and made sure they were comfortable on the electric bikes before our tour. Constantino did a great job keeping their attention and helping them get excited about the sites. They also gave each of us a water bottle, which was a nice touch.
Highlights of our bike tour:
Athens Trilogy: Our tour began at three neoclassical buildings: The Library, the University, and the Academy. They are regarded as the city’s most beautiful buildings and extend over three blocks.
Syntagma Square: A unique experience was watching the changing of the guards in Athens. The Presidential guards, guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the Hellenic Parliament Building. Evzones (guards) are an elite unit of the Greek army and it’s a very high honor for a Greek guard to be selected for this special unit. The guards are handpicked according to their height. They must be 6’1 and have big feet. While on guard they have to be completely expressionless. They also have to master the special ceremonial walk for the changing of the guard.
The Changing of the Guard Ceremony takes place every hour, daily. The Grand Change takes place at 11 am on Sunday mornings.
Tip: Arrive 10 minutes early to secure a good spot.
Panathenaic Stadium: This stadium hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics in 1896. This was the venue for 4 of 9 sports. It was also used as an Olympic venue in 2004. This is the site of the last exchange of the Olympic torch before it leaves Athens for the host country.
National Garden: Right in the heart of Athens, a beautiful area to escape the busy city. The park is accessible from seven entrances. Visit the zoo, botanical museum, or the play area for children.
Temple of Olympian Zeus: A former temple dedicated to “Olympian” Zeus. During the Roman period, the temple was the largest temple in Greece. Not long after its completion, it was pillaged by a barbarian invasion. Fifteen of the original columns still stand.
Zappeion Hall
Zappeion Hall: Used during the 1896 Summer Olympics as the main fencing hall. In 1906 it was used as the first Olympic Village.
Acropolis: We stopped near the Acropolis and Areopagus Hill and got a quick history lesson. The entrance wasn’t included, we had tickets later in the day.
Anafiotika: A charming neighborhood on the Northeastern slopes of the Acropolis. Known for its whitewashed houses with narrow alleyways. A lovely place to explore.
Roman Agora: A marketplace and civic center in ancient times, located North of the Acropolis.
Monastiraki: This is a lively neighborhood in Athens known for its flea market, Monatiraki Square, and vibrant atmosphere. The Monatiraki Flea Market is not just a place to shop, but an experience. We loved wandering through the stalls.
Psyrri: A bohemian neighborhood, more authentic and less touristy, and one of the oldest areas in Athens. You’ll find cafes and some fun shops. Great spot to go out for dinner.
Little Kook
Little Kook: I was really excited to see Little Kook. I’ve seen it all over Instagram, It’s a popular fairytale-inspired cafe. They change the decorations for each holiday. You can get crepes and other treats. They are known for their whimsical decor. We got to see it decorated for Halloween and it was amazing!
Overoll Croissanterie
After our bike tour around Athens, we went to nearby Overoll Croissanterie and tried their Nutella Croissants… my favorite croissant ever! The French should be nervous about how good the Greeks are at making its iconic baked treat! There was a line when we arrived but it moved quickly. 😋
Tip: A popular activity in Athens is a food tour: Athens street food tasting tour.
After lunch, you have a few options:
Mount Lycabettus: You can rise above the city of Athens on majestic Mount Lycabettus. Ascend to its summit, either by a leisurely hike or a funicular ride. You’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of ancient ruins and the Aegean Sea.
National Archaeological Museum: The largest museum in Greece and is one of the most important museums in the world. Learn about Greek history and see artifacts from the Neolithic Times.
The Acropolis Museum: This was created to protect and display artifacts from the Acropolis.
Plaka
We walked through Plaka on our way to the Acropolis. Plaka is an older neighborhood with narrow cobblestone streets lined with tiny shops selling jewelry, clothes, and local ceramics. This neighborhood stretches from the Acropolis to Syntagma Square.
The whole gang!
It’s better to visit the Acropolis earlier or later in the day to avoid crowds, I made our reservations at 5:00 p.m. Book tickets for the Acropolis & Parthenon on the official site (Our tickets didn’t include a tour). Closing times change throughout the year, make earlier reservations if you need more time. It was nice to go as the sun was setting, our pictures were beautiful. We didn’t take a tour, but it would have been nice. Click here to schedule a walking tour of the Acropolis & Parthenon. This tour takes you to the Acropolis, Parthenon & Acropolis Museum.
The Acropolis of Athens has a storied history dating back to the 5th century BCE. Pericles initiated its construction, and it became the center of ancient Greek civilization. The Parthenon, dedicated to the goddess Athena, was completed around 438 BCE. Over the centuries, the Acropolis faced invasions, transformations, and preservation efforts, now standing as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Areopagus Hill
Exit the Acropolis from the main gate and then it’s just a short walk to Areopagus Hill. This is a historic site with great views of the Acropolis. The Apostle Paul stood on the Areopagus (stone hill) overlooking the city of Athens, he began his famous speech from Acts of the Apostles, one that would go down in history.
Lots of great photo opportunities from Areopagus Hill. Make sure to wear shoes that have good traction, rocks are slippery on the stone hill.
Graffiti
One of the things I was surprised by on our visit to Athens was the amount of graffiti. I’ve never visited a city with more graffiti (I visited Athens 25 years ago and don’t remember this amount of graffiti). I asked our tour guide about it and he said it’s because of the high youth unemployment rate and periods of economic and political unrest.
Plaka
We spent the evening in the Monatiraki Flea Market doing some last-minute souvenir shopping. It would have been nice to have more time in Athens. You could easily spend 2-3 days here. We were gone for 16 days and it was time to get back to reality.
