Athens packs into a few square kilometres a heritage that other cities spread across whole regions. The historic centre is compact: almost everything that matters lies within a two-kilometre circle around the Acropolis, and you can see it on foot. Here are twenty places not to miss, grouped by area, with some practical tips so you don't waste time.
Around the Acropolis
1. The Acropolis. The sacred rock is the essential starting point. You climb from the west entrance, passing beneath the Propylaea, the monumental gateway; to the right juts the small temple of Athena Nike, at the top stands the Parthenon, and to the north the Erechtheion with the porch of the Caryatids. Book the first morning slot, when the light is soft and the cruise crowds have not yet arrived. Tickets are bought online with an entry time.
2. The Acropolis Museum. At the foot of the rock in the Makrygianni district, it is the indispensable complement to the visit: it holds the original sculptures, from the archaic korai to the Caryatids, up to the top-floor gallery that reconstructs the Parthenon frieze within sight of the temple itself. Beneath the museum you walk over an excavated ancient neighbourhood.
3. The Theatre of Dionysus and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus. On the south slope of the Acropolis are the theatre where the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides and the comedies of Aristophanes premiered, and the Odeon built in the 2nd century AD by the wealthy Athenian Herodes Atticus, which hosts concerts and performances of the Athens Festival in summer. See Greek theatre.
4. The Areopagus and Philopappos. Just below the Acropolis entrance, the polished rock of the Areopagus was the seat of the ancient court; according to the Acts of the Apostles, St Paul preached to the Athenians here. Further south-west, Philopappos Hill offers the finest view of the Parthenon, especially at sunset. Next to it is the Pnyx, where the citizens' assembly met. See the hills of Athens.
5. The archaeological promenade. The pedestrian streets of Dionysiou Areopagitou and Apostolou Pavlou circle the Acropolis linking the ancient sites: trees, kiosks, street musicians and, in the evening, one of the most beautiful walks in Europe.
Ancient Athens on the plain
6. The Ancient Agora. The civic, political and commercial square of the classical city. Today it is a tree-filled archaeological park, with the almost intact temple of Hephaestus (the Hephaisteion) and the Stoa of Attalos, the colonnade rebuilt in the 1950s that houses the Agora museum. Socrates questioned his fellow citizens here.
7. The Roman Agora and Hadrian's Library. Between Plaka and Monastiraki lie the ruins of the Roman-era market with the Tower of the Winds, an octagonal water clock decorated with personifications of the winds, and the colonnades of the library built by Emperor Hadrian.
8. Kerameikos. The monumental cemetery of classical Athens, just outside the walls, with funerary stelae, the Sacred Way to Eleusis and a small museum. It is one of the quietest sites in the city and shows how Athenians honoured their dead.
9. The Olympieion and Hadrian's Arch. Of the temple of Olympian Zeus, begun in the 6th century BC and completed by Hadrian more than six hundred years later, fifteen Corinthian columns about 17 metres tall remain standing, plus one fallen on the ground. Next to it, the arch marked the boundary between the ancient city and "Hadrian's city".
10. The Panathenaic Stadium. Built entirely of marble, rebuilt for the first modern Olympics in 1896 on the plan of the ancient stadium. You can walk the track and climb the podium.
Museums
11. The National Archaeological Museum. The world's most important museum of ancient Greek art: the Mycenaean collections with the so-called Mask of Agamemnon, the Cycladic figurines, the bronze god from Cape Artemision, the Artemision Jockey, the Akrotiri frescoes from Santorini and the Antikythera mechanism. Allow at least half a day.
12. The Benaki Museum and the Museum of Cycladic Art. Two outstanding private collections in Kolonaki: the Benaki tells the whole story of Greek culture, the Cycladic holds the marble figurines that inspired Picasso and Modigliani. See Athens museums.
13. The Byzantine and Christian Museum. In a 19th-century villa on Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, icons, frescoes, mosaics and manuscripts from late antiquity to the modern era.
Modern Athens
14. Syntagma Square and Parliament. The heart of the modern capital, in front of the former royal palace that now houses Parliament. Before the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier the Evzones, the presidential guards in kilts and pompom shoes, change every hour; on Sundays at 11 the ceremony is formal, with a band.
15. The National Garden and the Zappeion. The large shady park created by Queen Amalia, with ponds, turtles and peacocks, and the Zappeion exhibition hall. A refuge in the hot hours.
16. Plaka and Anafiotika. The oldest quarter, with neoclassical houses, little churches, stairways and open-air tavernas. Above it, at the foot of the rock, Anafiotika is a tiny village of white houses built in the 19th century by builders from the island of Anafi.
17. Monastiraki and Psyrri. The square with the Tzistarakis mosque and the metro station, the flea market, the souvlaki sellers and, a few steps away, the lanes of Psyrri with bars and music.
18. The central market. On Athinas Street, the covered meat and fish market (Varvakios) and, opposite, the fruit and vegetable market and shops selling spices, cheeses and olives. See markets and shopping.
19. Lycabettus. The highest hill in the centre (277 metres), with the chapel of St George at the top. Walk up from Kolonaki or take the funicular: at sunset the view stretches from the Acropolis to the sea at Piraeus.
20. The Byzantine churches. Small and precious, surviving among modern buildings: the Kapnikarea in the middle of Ermou Street, the Little Metropolis beside the cathedral, the Holy Apostles in the Agora. Outside the city, Daphni monastery has 11th-century mosaics, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
If you have more time
With an extra day you can add the Athens Riviera, with its beaches and the thermal lake of Vouliagmeni, Renzo Piano's Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center, with its park and sea views, and an off-the-beaten-track neighbourhood such as Pangrati or Koukaki. See the Riviera and neighbourhoods.
Planning your visits
| Time | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early morning | Acropolis and open-air sites, before the heat and the groups |
| Late morning | Acropolis Museum or National Archaeological Museum |
| Afternoon | Plaka, Monastiraki, markets, National Garden |
| Sunset | Philopappos, Areopagus or Lycabettus |
| Evening | Dinner in Psyrri, Koukaki or Pangrati, or a concert at the Odeon |
A few tips: archaeological sites close earlier than museums, especially in winter; on Tuesdays and public holidays some museums have shorter hours; in summer the Acropolis may close during the hottest hours in a heatwave. Full details on prices and free entry are in tickets and opening hours, and day-by-day routes in Athens itineraries.