The essential Athens bucket list — ancient sites, vibrant neighbourhoods, coastal escapes, and the everyday pleasures that make this city worth returning to.
No visit to Athens is complete without the Acropolis. The Parthenon, Erechtheion, and Propylaea sit on a rocky hill that has defined the city for 2,500 years. Go early — the first entry of the day offers cooler temperatures and far fewer crowds. The views across Athens, all the way to the coast, are extraordinary. Combine your visit with the Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill, which houses the original friezes and tells the full story of the site.
The Ancient Agora was the civic and commercial heart of ancient Athens — where Socrates debated, democracy was born, and daily Athenian life played out. The Temple of Hephaestus, one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples in existence, stands at its edge. Walk the Panathenaic Way and spend an hour in the Stoa of Attalos museum. This is one of the most underrated sites in the city.
The National Archaeological Museum holds one of the greatest collections of ancient Greek art and artifacts in the world. The gold death masks from Mycenae, the Antikythera mechanism, and the towering bronze statue of Zeus or Poseidon are among the highlights. Allow at least two to three hours. The museum is located in Exarchia — easily reachable by metro — and entrance fees are modest.
Plaka is the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in Athens. Its pedestrian lanes run past churches, neoclassical mansions, and tavernas that have been in the same family for generations. Within Plaka, the tiny enclave of Anafiotika feels like a Greek island dropped into the city — white-washed walls, bougainvillea, and cats sleeping in doorways. Walk it in the early morning before tour groups arrive.
Every Sunday, Monastiraki hosts one of southern Europe's most charismatic flea markets. Stalls extend from the square through Avyssinias and into the surrounding streets, selling antique furniture, vintage records, military surplus, handmade leather goods, and items of indeterminate origin. It is gloriously chaotic and genuinely fun. The surrounding area is also home to some of Athens' best street food.
About 70 kilometres south of central Athens, the Temple of Poseidon sits on a cliff above the Aegean. Lord Byron carved his name into one of the columns. The drive along the coast road is scenic, and the sunset from the cape is one of the most dramatic in Greece. Half-day tours from the city run regularly, or you can take the KTEL bus from Pedion tou Areos.
The Athens Riviera stretches from Piraeus south along the Saronic Gulf coast through Glyfada, Vouliagmeni, and Varkiza. Lake Vouliagmeni — a natural thermal lake cut into limestone — is a year-round bathing destination. The beach clubs along the coast range from neighbourhood spots to polished resorts. In summer, the Riviera is an easy tram or bus ride from central Athens.
Lycabettus is the highest point in Athens at 277 metres. The funicular from Kolonaki takes you to the top in minutes, where the chapel of St George and a rooftop restaurant await. The panoramic view over the city — Acropolis in the foreground, sea in the distance — is the best in Athens. Sunset is particularly popular. Walking up through the pine-covered paths is also a pleasant way to arrive.
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