Parthenon, Erechtheion and Tickets
Historic sitePlakaHistoric site
Price
€30, reduced €15Metro
M2 AkropoliTime
at least 2 hours- Gates open at 8: 00
Athens Quick Facts
| Weather | 15°C |
| Local time | 15:24 |
| Visa | Schengen Greece visa guide |
| Language | Greek |
| Internet | eSIM guide |
| Currency | Euro (€, EUR) |
| Plugs | Type C and F, 230 V |
| Country code | +30 |
Top Sights in Athens: the Acropolis, Plaka and the Agora
22 stops
Glass Floors, Caryatids and the Parthenon Gallery
MuseumKoukaki and MakrygianniMuseum
Price
€20, reduced €10Metro
M2 AkropoliTime
2 hours- Fridays until 22: 00
Temple of Hephaestus and Stoa of Attalos
Historic siteThiseioHistoric site
Price
€20, reduced €10Metro
M1 ThissioTime
1.5-2 hours- Museum in the Stoa of Attalos
Historic sitePlakaHistoric site
Price
€20, arch freeMetro
M2 AkropoliTime
45 minutes- Hadrian's Arch is free
Athens Travel Map
All stops, one map; toggle the layers.
Athens Travel Map: Things to Do, Food Stops, Hotels and Day-by-Day RoutesOpen map
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How Many Days in Athens?
Two days cover the centre of Athens: the Acropolis and its museum, Plaka, Monastiraki, the Ancient Agora and Syntagma. With three days you also fit in Lycabettus, the Panathenaic Stadium and Piraeus. A week leaves room for the Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruise, the Riviera and the Corinth Canal.
Day Trips from Athens: the Riviera, Piraeus, the Islands and Corinth
Trips
Day trips from Athens
four cardsWe reached the Riviera on the hop-on hop-off bus and the islands on a boat tour from Delta Marina; we took the metro to Piraeus. Each one is an easy day trip from Athens, Greece.
1
Can You Swim in Athens? The Athens Riviera
Glyfada, Vouliagmeni and Kavouri
Kavouri €15 at weekendsLake €16-19
Yes, you can swim in Athens. In summer, head south of the city, where the coast road and the beaches begin. We paid €15 each at Kavouri Beach, sunbed and umbrella included. It was very clean, and we wished we had come earlier in the morning. At Lake Vouliagmeni the hop-on bus ticket gave us a discount: we paid €17 each. More in our Athens Riviera guide .
Staying nearby: to stay right by the sea, look at Vouliagmeni.
2
Piraeus: Mikrolimano and Pasalimani
the port of Athens, ferries to the islands
End of metro line 1Ferry port
Most ferries to the Greek islands leave from here. Pasalimani has yachts and cafes facing the water. Mikrolimano is a small cove; we sat by the water in the evening and had seafood.
Staying nearby: if you have an early ferry, stay in Piraeus the night before; the options are in the Piraeus area card .
3
Hydra, Poros and Aegina Day Cruise
three islands in one day
€140 per personLunch included
We left Delta Marina in the morning and were back in the evening. We reached Hydra in about 2 hours 15 minutes and had 1 hour 45 minutes free on the island. We had 45 minutes on Poros and another 1 hour 45 minutes on Aegina. Know before you go that the boat is not a cruise ship but a big ferry with rows of seats.
Staying nearby: to spend a night on an island, look at Hydra.
4
The Corinth Canal
about an hour from central Athens
By train, bus or car
The canal opened in 1893 and links the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf. You can get here from central Athens by train or bus, but a car is the easiest. Without a car, there are day tours.
Staying nearby: if you are driving on to the Peloponnese, spend a night in Corinth.
Plan Your Athens Itinerary
Pick how many days you have and the plan builds itself, day by day, with a place to eat near each day’s stops. An Athens itinerary for 2 days, or a weekend in Athens, covers the Acropolis area and the old centre, which is the two days in Athens itinerary most first visits need; a 3 day Athens itinerary adds Syntagma, the Panathenaic Stadium and Lycabettus; a 4 days in Athens itinerary adds Piraeus, and with 5 to 7 days you can add the islands cruise and the Riviera, which makes it a full Athens vacation itinerary. Every stop is also on our maps of Athens, Greece below, so you can see where it sits on the map and save it for your phone.
This is the order we travelled. We move fast; split days if needed.
Day 1 The Acropolis, the museum, Plaka and the Agora (free on the first Sunday, November to March)
Nearest station M2 Akropoli
Day 2 Syntagma, the National Garden, the Stadium and Lycabettus
Nearest station M2, M3 Syntagma
Flights to Athens, Car Rental and the Piraeus Ferries
By Air
A flight to Athens, Greece lands at Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos); the Athens airport code is ATH. Follow the “train” signs out of arrivals and go down to the metro; it runs to Syntagma in the centre and on to Piraeus. The airport metro, the X95 bus, taxis and city tickets are in our Athens transportation guide . Find the cheapest flight to Athens, Greece Ad
By Ferry
Piraeus is the port for most Greek island ferries, and metro line 1 (green) ends there. The ferry gates and how to reach the port from the airport are in our Athens transportation guide .
By Car
You do not need a car in central Athens; the metro and your feet cover it. A car makes sense for trips out of the city such as the Riviera coast, Cape Sounion or the Corinth Canal. Picking one up at the airport and heading straight for the motorway is easier than looking for parking in the centre.
That is the easiest way to rent a car in Athens, Greece, and the search also lists budget car rental offers. Athens, Greece car rental prices Ad
Athens Hotels: Our Two Stays and Which Area Suits You
8 areasThe areas to stay in Athens are around the Acropolis: Plaka, Monastiraki and Psiri, or Syntagma for a first visit; Koukaki and Makrygianni by the Acropolis Museum; quieter Thiseio; upmarket Kolonaki; and Piraeus if you have an early ferry.
We stayed one night at Hotel Byron in Plaka and five nights at M18 Studios Monastiraki Gems on our winter trip. We also once stayed next to Omonia Square; it can feel uneasy in the evening, so we do not suggest it for a first visit. See all Athens hotels Ad
Stay
Where we stayed in Athens
two hotelsFirst visit: Plaka or Monastiraki. Near the Acropolis Museum: Koukaki. Centre fully booked: Syntagma. Early ferry: Piraeus.
1
Hotel Byron
Plaka · one night
We stayed one night at Hotel Byron in Plaka. Other hotels in the area, with prices, are in the Plaka area card .
2
M18 Studios Monastiraki Gems
Monastiraki · five nights on our winter trip
On our winter trip we stayed five nights at M18 Studios Monastiraki Gems in Monastiraki. Hotels in Monastiraki and Psiri are in the Monastiraki area card .
Best Time to Visit Athens: Weather by Season
Apr-MayBest
11-25°C
Jun-AugVery hot
23-34°C
Sep-OctBest
14-28°C
Nov-MarQuiet
6-14°C
Is Athens Expensive? Daily Budget in Euros
On a Budget
€30-40
A 24-hour ticket, the free stops (Monastiraki, Plaka, Anafiotika, the changing of the guard at Syntagma, the National Garden, Philopappos), souvlaki for lunch, gyros for dinner and a portion of loukoumades.
Mid-Range
€85-110
A classic Athens day: tickets for the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, gyros in Monastiraki for lunch, the Lycabettus funicular before sunset and dinner at a taverna.
Luxury
€180-220
The Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruise (€140 per person, lunch included) and seafood in Mikrolimano on the way back. A full island day, without the hotel, lands in this band.
Per person, for one day. Food is included; accommodation and flights are not.
For 3 days in Athens, multiply the daily band by three. The 24-hour ticket is €4.10 (official info, October 2026).
Prices are from the bills in our videos and the official fares.
Public transport: metro, tram and buses share one ticket: €1.20 for 90 minutes, €4.10 for 24 hours; the airport metro has its own ticket, €9 one way (official info, October 2026). The centre is walkable; you need a ticket for the airport, Piraeus and the Riviera.
Tickets and tours: we paid €28 each for the Acropolis; the current price is in our Acropolis guide . The Panathenaic Stadium was €12 and the Lycabettus funicular €13 return.
The Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruise was €140 per person, lunch included. Before you book a packaged Athens tour, add up these items; you can see the centre on your own. Athens tours and tickets with current prices Ad
Food: souvlaki €2.50 to €3.50, gyros €5 to €8, loukoumades €4 to €8; a taverna dinner for two in Kolonaki was €53. Our bills are in the food section.
Free: Monastiraki Square, Plaka and Anafiotika, the changing of the guard at Syntagma, Ermou Street, the National Garden and Philopappos Hill. In winter, add the state museums and sites that open their doors on the first Sunday of the month; the dates are in the travel tips below.
Where We Ate in Athens: Gyros, Souvlaki and Loukoumades
37 food stopsThe dishes people look for in Athens are gyros, souvlaki, moussaka, tiropita (cheese pie), loukoumades and Greek salad. What we tried: gyros at Hoocut, souvlaki at Kostas and at Lefteris o Politis, tiropita at Ariston, loukoumades at Lukumades and honey sheep’s milk yoghurt at Stani. What we did not: we never sat down for a plate of moussaka on these trips, so we do not write about it as if we had. Every place we ate on this trip, from Ariston to Stani, has its bill written up in the where to eat in Athens guide we put together after the trip.
Where to Eat Gyros in Athens
Street foodMonastiraki and Psiri
Per person
€4.20-5.50 (pita)What to order
gyros pita, gemistaAddress
9 Agias Irinis Square, Monastiraki- Hours: Sun-Thu 12:00-23:30, Fri-Sat 12:00-24:00
Where to Eat Souvlaki in Athens
Street foodSyntagma
Per person
€3.50What to order
beef souvlakiAddress
Syntagma- We paid €3.50
The Cheapest Souvlaki in Athens
Street foodOmonia
Per person
€2.50What to order
minced meat souvlakiAddress
20 Satovriandou, Omonia- We paid €2.50
- Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00-21:30, Sat 10:00-17:30, closed Sunday
Gyros and Souvlaki on Mitropoleos Street
Street foodMonastiraki and Psiri
What to order
gyros pita, chicken souvlaki pitaAddress
43 Mitropoleos- Hours: daily 12:00-01:00
Food Tip
What we paid: at Mpirmpilo, meze, salad and grilled octopus for two came to €53. Beef souvlaki at Kostas was €3.50, gyros at Hoocut €5 to €8 and a portion of loukoumades at Lukumades €6 to €8. These are from the bills in our videos; today's menus may be a few euros different.
Athens Travel Tips: Tours, Acropolis Timing and Free Sundays
Tips
Athens travel tips
five thingsTour or no tour, Acropolis timing and the free Sundays are the three things that change your plan most.
1
Should you book an Athens tour or go on your own?
the centre does not need a tour
Centre on footIslands and Corinth by tour
We have always been to Athens on our own. The Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki and Syntagma are within walking distance of each other, and the metro runs from the airport to the centre. What is hard on your own is seeing several islands in a day, or reaching Corinth and Delphi; pick your tours for those.
A guided tour of Athens, Greece makes sense mainly for these day trips; most Athens, Greece tours to the islands leave early in the morning.
2
Climb the Acropolis at opening time
by midday it is queues and heat
Gates at 8:00No shade at the top
We went first thing in the morning and walked around comfortably. On the way down we saw a long queue at the gate. Buy your ticket online; hours and prices are in our Acropolis guide .
3
Free museums on the first Sunday in winter
1 November to 31 March
First SundayState museums and sites
Many state museums and archaeological sites in Greece are free on the first Sunday of every month from 1 November to 31 March, and on a few special days (official info, October 2026). We saw the Tzistarakis Mosque this way. Plan your dates around it and the ticket money stays in your pocket.
4
Is Athens safe? Be careful around Omonia at night
we stayed there, so we say it
Careful after darkBag in front
Is Athens, Greece safe? In the centre, yes, with the usual care in crowds. Omonia Square is one of the main transport hubs, but it can feel uneasy in the evening. We once stayed at a hotel there, which is why we mention it.
The centre around the Acropolis, Plaka and Syntagma stays busy with visitors until late. In Monastiraki and on the metro, keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket in the crowds.
5
In summer, keep midday off the open sites
July and August are the hottest months
Hat and waterHills at sunset
The Acropolis, the Agora and the Temple of Olympian Zeus have no shade. Do the open sites in the morning and a museum at midday. Climb Philopappos and Lycabettus towards sunset; we took the funicular up Lycabettus, and the view is best at that hour.
Greece videos
Hydra, Poros and Aegina cruise
Athens Riviera
Syntagma, the National Garden and the Athens markets
Athens food tour: gyros, souvlaki, loukoumades and the market
Breakfast and food spots in Athens
Piraeus: Mikrolimano and Pasalimani
Athens vlog, part 2: the Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki and Mikrolimano
Celestyal Journey ReviewMore from Greece
Athens Travel Vlog: Best Moments on YouTube
1:27From the airport to the city · the metro and the ticket machines2:17Monastiraki Square · the flea market and the Acropolis view6:53Syntagma and the Evzones · the changing of the guard every hour9:25The Ancient Agora · the Temple of Hephaestus11:43Plaka and Anafiotika · the old quarter under the Acropolis12:48The Acropolis Museum · glass floors and the Parthenon Gallery13:45The Acropolis · the Parthenon and the view over the city16:58The Panathenaic Stadium · €12 entry19:21Lycabettus Hill · €13 return on the funicular20:38The Athens Riviera · Vouliagmeni and Glyfada Watch the full Athens vlogFrequently Asked Questions About Athens
How many days do you need in Athens?
How many days in Athens, Greece is enough? Two days to visit Athens cover the centre: the Acropolis and its museum, Plaka, Monastiraki, the Ancient Agora and Syntagma.
What time zone is Athens in?
Athens is on Eastern European Time, UTC+2 in winter and UTC+3 in summer. Greece changes the clocks on the last Sunday of March and October, like the rest of the EU. The Quick Facts box at the top of this page shows the current time in Athens, Greece right now, so you can check the local time before you call a hotel or book a slot.
When is the best time to visit Athens, Greece?
When to visit Athens, and the best time of year to go: here is what the weather in Athens, Greece by month looks like, season by season. Spring (about 11 to 25°C) and autumn (about 14 to 28°C) are the best for walking between the sites.
Summer is hot, around 23 to 34°C, but it is the beach season. Winter is mild, around 6 to 14°C, quieter, and many state museums are free on the first Sunday of each month. Athens in October still has warm autumn days, and Athens in winter is quieter, with the archaeological sites closing earlier in the afternoon.
Is Athens expensive?
How expensive Athens is to visit depends on your day. Without the hotel, a budget day is about €30 to €40 per person, a classic day with the Acropolis, the museum and a taverna dinner €85 to €110, and an island cruise day €180 to €220. Street food keeps it cheap: our beef souvlaki at Kostas was €3.50.
Where to shop in Athens, and is there an outlet?
For shopping in Athens, Greece, the main street is Ermou, and the Monastiraki flea market is liveliest on Sundays. The best-known outlet is McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Athens in Spata, near the airport (official info, October 2026).
Do I need a visa for Athens?
Greece is in the Schengen Area, so it depends on your passport. Who needs a visa and how to apply is in our Greece visa guide .
How far is Athens from Thessaloniki and Piraeus?
Thessaloniki is about 500 km by road, around 5 hours on the A1 motorway (route planner, October 2026). Piraeus is 15 to 20 minutes from the centre by public transport.
What is there to do in Athens at night?
At weekends, the big music halls in Gazi have well-known Greek singers on stage, mostly in the winter season. In summer there are concerts at the open-air theatre on Lycabettus Hill; we went to one there. Next to the Zappeion there is an open-air cinema in summer.
Is Athens worth visiting?
Yes, for the Acropolis and the old centre around it, for the food, and for the islands a short ferry ride from Piraeus; we keep going back, in summer and in winter. For a first Athens trip three days are enough.
How We Made This Guide
We checked prices on site or officially. Prices and hours can change.
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