Athens packs 2,500 years of Western civilization into a walkable city center. The Acropolis dominates the skyline, but the city’s appeal extends far beyond ancient ruins: vibrant street art in Psiri, Michelin-starred restaurants in Kolonaki, and the Athens Riviera beaches just 20 minutes south by tram. Most major archaeological sites sit within a 2km radius of Monastiraki Square and are covered by the 30 EUR Acropolis combo ticket valid for 5 days. Here are the essential things to do in Athens, organized by category.
Things to Do in Athens: Archaeological Sites
The Acropolis and Parthenon
The Acropolis is Athens’ defining landmark, a limestone plateau rising 150 meters above the city crowned by the Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike, and Propylaea. Built between 447 and 406 BCE under Pericles, the Parthenon remains the most important surviving building of Classical Greece. Entry costs 20 EUR or is included in the 30 EUR combo ticket. Hours vary seasonally: 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM in summer, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM in winter. Book the first time slot at 8:00 AM through the official Hellenic Heritage e-ticketing site to avoid crowds and summer heat. The site has minimal shade and uneven marble surfaces, so wear sturdy shoes and bring water. The Acropolis Museum at the base (Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, 10 EUR separate ticket) displays the Parthenon Marbles and artifacts found on the site.
Ancient Agora
The Ancient Agora was the commercial and political heart of Classical Athens where Socrates debated and democracy functioned. The Temple of Hephaestus from 449 BCE is the best-preserved ancient Greek temple anywhere. The reconstructed Stoa of Attalos houses the Agora Museum with everyday objects from ancient Athenian life. Entry is included in the 30 EUR combo ticket. The site entrance is on Adrianou Street in Monastiraki. Allow 90 minutes to explore properly.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Once the largest temple in Greece with 104 Corinthian columns, only 15 remain standing today. Construction began in the 6th century BCE and was not completed until 131 CE under Roman Emperor Hadrian. The site sits at the corner of Vasilissis Olgas and Amalias Avenues. Included in the combo ticket. The fallen column from an 1852 storm gives a sense of the temple’s original scale. Combine this with Hadrian’s Arch located 100 meters away.
Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds
The Roman Agora, built between 19 and 11 BCE, served as Athens’ marketplace during the Roman period. The Tower of the Winds, an octagonal marble clocktower from the 1st century BCE, functioned as a water clock, sundial, and weather vane. It is one of Athens’ most photographed monuments. Entry is included in the combo ticket. Located at the end of Aeolou Street in Plaka, just steps from Monastiraki Square.
Things to Do in Athens: Museums and Culture
National Archaeological Museum
Greece’s largest museum at Patission 44 in Exarcheia houses the world’s finest collection of ancient Greek art across 8,000 square meters of exhibition space. Highlights include the Antikythera Mechanism (the world’s oldest analog computer), the Mask of Agamemnon, the bronze Artemision Zeus/Poseidon, and Akrotiri frescoes from Santorini. Entry costs 12 EUR or 6 EUR reduced. Open Tuesday 1:00 to 8:00 PM, Wednesday through Monday 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM in summer, and 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM in winter. Plan 2 to 3 hours minimum. The museum cafe has a pleasant courtyard for a mid-visit break.
Benaki Museum of Greek Culture
Housed in a neoclassical mansion at Koumbari 1 in Kolonaki, the Benaki traces Greek history from prehistory to the 20th century. Unlike the archaeology-only focus of other museums, the Benaki includes Byzantine icons, Ottoman-era costumes, and Greece’s 1821 War of Independence artifacts. Entry costs 12 EUR. Open Wednesday and Friday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Thursday and Saturday 10:00 AM to midnight, Sunday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The rooftop cafe has excellent Acropolis views.
Museum of Cycladic Art
This intimate museum at Neophytou Douka 4 in Kolonaki specializes in Cycladic figurines from 3000 to 2000 BCE, whose minimalist forms influenced 20th-century artists like Brancusi and Modigliani. It also features ancient Greek and Cypriot collections. Entry costs 10 EUR or 7 EUR reduced on Mondays. Open Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Thursday 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM, Sunday 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Allow 60 to 90 minutes.
Things to Do in Athens: Outdoor and Scenic
Lycabettus Hill
Athens’ highest point at 277 meters offers 360-degree views stretching to Piraeus port and the Saronic Gulf. You can walk up via a winding path from Aristippou Street in Kolonaki (20 to 30 minutes) or take the funicular from Ploutarchou Street (8 EUR round trip, runs every 30 minutes from 9:00 AM to 2:30 AM in summer). The tiny whitewashed Chapel of St. George sits at the summit. Sunset draws the biggest crowds. The Orizontes restaurant at the top serves Mediterranean cuisine with Acropolis views, reservations recommended for dinner.
National Garden
This 15.5-hectare oasis behind the Greek Parliament was commissioned by Queen Amalia in 1838. It contains over 500 plant species, a small zoo, duck ponds, and a botanical museum. Free entry daily from sunrise to sunset. Entrances are on Amalias Avenue, Vasilissis Sofias Avenue, and Irodou Attikou Street. The gardens provide essential shade during summer sightseeing, with benches and a cafe near the Irodou Attikou entrance. The Zappeion Hall at the garden’s southern edge is worth a photo stop.
Athens Riviera Beaches
The Athens Riviera stretches 70km from Piraeus to Cape Sounion along the Saronic Gulf. The closest organized beaches to the center are Akti Vouliagmenis (20km south, tram T5 to Vouliagmeni, entry 5 to 10 EUR), Varkiza Beach (27km, free public section), and Astir Beach (20km, 25 EUR weekend entry, luxury loungers). The tram T5 from Syntagma reaches the coastal suburbs in about 50 minutes. Water temperatures hit 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) from July through September. Lake Vouliagmeni, a natural thermal spa 20km south, maintains 24 degrees C (75 degrees F) year-round and charges 15 EUR entry.
Things to Do in Athens: Neighborhood Exploration
Plaka and Anafiotika
Plaka, the oldest continuously inhabited neighborhood in Athens, sits at the Acropolis’ northeastern base with narrow pedestrian streets, neoclassical houses, and bougainvillea-draped staircases. Anafiotika, a tiny cluster of whitewashed Cycladic-style houses built by stonemasons from Anafi island in the 19th century, clings to the Acropolis slope above Plaka. Wander the lanes between Adrianou and Theorias Streets. Plaka restaurants are tourist-oriented; for better food, walk 10 minutes to Psiri or Monastiraki after exploring.
Central Market Varvakios Agora
The Varvakios Agora on Athinas Street is Athens’ central food market, a covered iron-and-glass hall from 1886 that houses 70 fishmongers on one side and 80 butcher stalls on the other. The surrounding streets fill with spice shops, olive vendors, and cheese merchants. Epirus Tavern inside the market serves traditional patsas (tripe soup) from 4:00 AM. Open Monday through Saturday 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM, fish section closes at 3:00 PM. The best time to visit is before 10:00 AM when the market is most active.
