Athens 7-day itinerary

1. Stop 1

   National Archaeological Museum of Athens

   This is the largest and most popular of Athens' many museums, and is usually very crowded. Its vast collection includes treasures unearthed from Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann; a staggering array of sculpture including the earliest known Greek figurines dating from around 2,000 BCE; frescoes from the volcanic island of Santorini; and remains of Antikythera mechanism, the oldest known mechanical computer. Plan to make several visits to absorb it all.

2. Stop 2 · 25 min walk

   Kanellopoulos Museum

   A small but excellent museum displays artifacts from Mycenean Greece on, and includes some wonderful Persian artifacts.

3. Stop 3 · 17 min walk

   Benaki Museum of Greek Culture

   Visit the beautiful Neoclassical main building which houses collections of Greek art, from ancient times through the Byzantine period and the modern state. Open late and for free on Thursday evenings. The museum shop is a good place to buy souvenirs. There is a small selection at high prices but the quality is excellent.

4. Stop 4 · 4 min walk

   Museum of Cycladic Art

   Holds the second largest collection of Cypriot antiquities in the world outside Cyprus, after the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Some of the most popular exhibits include the Cycladic figurines, the idols from Early Bronze Age Cyclades, whose style greatly influenced modernist work in the 20th century, and Cypriot pottery and Ancient Greek artifacts, especially the ‘Scenes of Daily Life in Ancient Greece’ display, which is popular with families.

5. Stop 5 · 8 min walk

   National Gallery

   It's one of Greece's main art institutions and features paintings and works of art from some of Greece's and Europe's best from the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphasis is given to popular Greek contemporary artists including Giannis Tsarouchis, Domenikos Theotokopoulos (a.k.a. El Greco), Theodors Vrizakis, Nikolaos Kounelakis, Nikiforos Litras, Konstantinos Parthenis, Maleas, Giannis Moralis and others.

6. Stop 6 · 34 min walk

   Benaki Museum of Islamic Art

   An excellent collection which anyone interested in Islamic art will want to see. The museum was opened in 2004 as a branch of the Benaki, but is in a different part of town in two connected buildings.

Eat · Σουβλάκι Κώστας 1950 συνταγμα (Kostas): It's authentic, friendly and fast.

1. Stop 1

   Pnyx

   If Athens is the birthplace of democracy, then Pnyx is its cradle. Around 507 BCE this rocky hill, overlooking the Akropolis, became the meeting place for the ekklesia, Athens' early democratic assembly. This site thus witnessed addresses by Pericles, Aristides and Alcibiades during the "Golden Age" of Athens, and had a capacity for 6000 to 13,000 hearers.

2. Stop 2 · 6 min walk

   Ancient Agora

   The site of the ancient city centre is a green space with a beautiful view of the Acropolis. It was built as a multipurpose area, then evolved into a religious area over time. The Ancient Agora was eventually abandoned and then large parts of it were later built over for a thousand years. The open space you see today was excavated starting in the 1850s.

3. Stop 3 · 4 min walk

   Temple of Hephaestus

   The Temple of Hephaestus or Hephaisteion, is a well-preserved Greek temple dedicated to Hephaestus; it remains standing largely intact today. It is a Doric peripteral temple, and is located at the north-west side of the Agora of Athens, on top of the Agoraios Kolonos hill. From the 7th century until 1834, it served as the Greek Orthodox church of Saint George Akamates. The building's condition has been maintained due to its history of varied use.

4. Stop 4 · 4 min walk

   Stoa of Attalus

   This building was reconstructed in the 1950s from its original foundations, incorporating as much of the original structure and materials as possible, with limestone quarried from Piraeus and roof tiles made of clay from Attica. It is used as a museum to house relics found in the Agora.

5. Stop 5 · 4 min walk

   Church of the Holy Apostles

   From the 11th century, one of the oldest churches in Athens.

6. Stop 6 · 4 min walk

   Roman Agora

   This area became the main marketplace of the city after the Ancient Agora to the west became primarily a religious facility under Roman rule. It houses the Tower of the Winds, an eight-sided tower with a different wind deity on each side, the remains of ancient shops, and a fountain. Although the official entrance faces the end of Pikilis, you cannot buy tickets at the entrance. The ticket office is just around the corner and across the street to the north, on Epaminonda.

Eat · The 2 Brothers: The best souvlaki in this part of Athens.

1. Stop 1

   Acropolis of Athens

   It was the ancient fortified town of Athens, dating back to the Late Bronze Age. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its historic role and the many iconic buildings of the Greek Classical age, among them the Parthenon, the Erectheion, and the Temple of Athena Nike. The key landmark of Athens, visible from afar, the Acropolis dominates the Athenian sky and symbolizes the foundation of modern culture and civilization. The Acropolis is considered to be an enduring symbol of Western civilisation.

2. Stop 2

   Propylaea

   The monumental gate at the western end of the Acropolis with Doric columns of Pentelic marble. In a prominent position on a steep bastion to the right of the entrance is the Temple of Athena Nike

3. Stop 3

   Parthenon

   This massive temple was built in the 5th century BC in thanksgiving for the Greek victory over Persian invaders. It was later converted into a Christian church, then an Ottoman mosque. It was mostly intact until 1687, when a Venetian bomb landed on the Parthenon, which the Ottomans had used as a munitions dump. From 1800 to 1803, the 7th Earl of Elgin removed many of the surviving sculptures and shipped them to England.

4. Stop 4

   Erectheion

   This elegant temple was primarily dedicated to the goddess Athena. The uneven ground led to a complex plan, with an east-facing entrance lined with six Ionic columns. Unusually, the temple has two porches, one borne by Ionic columns, the other supported by huge female caryatids.

5. Stop 5

   Theatre of Dionysus

   Classical Athens' main theatre, the first theatre ever built. Many of the great Greek plays were performed here for the first time. According to Plato's Symposium, it could hold an audience of 19,000 spectators. Aristophanes' The Clouds, mocking Socrates, was first performed here, and Plato considered this play to be a contributing factor in Socrates' trial and execution.

6. Stop 6 · 4 min walk

   Odeon of Herodes Atticus

   This theatre, built in 161 CE, is still used for concerts and plays. The stone backdrop is still preserved to a remarkable height of 3 stories, because it was incorporated into a later fortification on the site.

Eat · Vegan Beat Athens: Vegan street food restaurant. Tasty food and nice people that work there. A good place for all vegans and even non-vegans. The true Parthenon of the vegan scene of Athens. Excellent vegan souvlaki.

1. Stop 1

   Panathinaiko Stadium

   The stadium that housed the first modern day Olympic Games of 1896. Earlier versions of the stadium date as far back as 330 BCE. It's an enormous, white, marble stadium, with a horseshoe configuration.

2. Stop 2 · 20 min walk

   Lycabettus Hill

   A 200m hill bordering the Kolonaki district. You can reach the top by walking (the path starts 15 minutes from Evangelismos metro stop, and will take 30 minutes to walk up the winding, but paved and not steep, path) or by a funicular railway (€10 single/€13 return trip). From halfway up looking towards the sea there are astonishing views of the Parthenon with the blue of the sea glimpsed between its columns.

3. Stop 3 · 94 min walk

   Olympic Stadium

   Olympic Stadium is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

4. Stop 4 · 104 min walk

   National Theatre

   A low but imposing building erected between 1882 and 1890 by architect Ernst Ziller in the eclectic style of that age, commissioned by King George I.

5. Stop 5 · 18 min walk

   Syntagma Square

   Syntagma Square is the central square of Athens, Greece. The square is named after the Constitution that Otto, the first King of Greece, was obliged to grant after a popular and military uprising on 3 September 1843. It is located in front of the 19th-century Old Royal Palace, housing the Greek Parliament since 1934. Syntagma Square is the most important square of modern Athens from both a historical and social point of view, at the heart of commercial activity and Greek politics.

6. Stop 6 · 4 min walk

   Hellenic Parliament Building

   This building is on the eastern side of the square. It was the former royal palace before Greece became a republic. At its base, facing the square, is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

Eat · The Traditional: Traditional Greek food. If you want to eat in a quality village tavern in the center of Athens, you will come here. Great roasted food, salads and appetizers! The food is handmade.

1. Stop 1

   Daphni Monastery

   An 11th-century Byzantine monastery and UNESCO World Heritage site. Damaged by an earthquake in 1999, but has now been fully restored.

2. Stop 2 · 205 min walk

   Kaisariani Monastery and Gardens

   A nice escape from the city in the foothills of Mount Hymettus. Walking trails. There's a functional monastery one can walk in, and several ruined chapels or basilicas up on the walks.

Eat · Krasopoulio tou Kokkora: Among the best traditional Greek restaurants in Athens downtown. The owner is smiling, polite and very keen to assist. A wonderful casual lunch or dinner spot. Fresh ingredients and substantial portions.

1. Stop 1

   Piraeus

   Listed as a next stop from Athens. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

2. Stop 2

   Rafina

   Listed as a next stop from Athens. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

3. Stop 3

   Italy

   Listed as a next stop from Athens. Check the regional train or bus the night before.

Eat · Pack snacks from town. Do not count on a full menu at a small station.

1. Stop 1

   Philopappos hill

   Philopappos hill is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

2. Stop 2

   Ardettos hill

   Ardettos hill is a listed stop in this neighborhood.

3. Stop 3

   National Gardens

   A Peaceful and beautiful park in the centre of Athens, easily the coolest place to hide from the summer sun. Wander around, check out the quirky art that seems to sprout up every now and again, look on in disbelief at the "zoo", sit on one of the benches, enjoy the luxuriant flowers and vegetation, marvel at the turtle and duck ponds, have a frappe in the cafe, and spot one of the resident tortoises exploring... it's a fun place to hang out.

4. Stop 4

   Pedion tou Areos

   The Pedion tou Areos or Pedion Areos is one of the largest public parks in Athens, Greece.

Eat · Go back to a place that already worked.