Here are the top 20 best things to do in Athens
Athens has a very long history, which is only natural considering it is one of the oldest cities in the world. The city is almost 3500 years old, and has been the capital of the Greece since the ancient times. As such, the city has always been a hub of culture, philosophy and art, and now it’s also important as a center of commerce, shipping, entertainment and media. Athens is visited by tourists daily, as people want to see both the new and especially the old beauty of the city, considering it has been the hub of the ancient Greek civilization. The city is full of ancient structures that have often been dedicated to the gods of Olympus. If you want to see these attractions, then here are the top 20 things to do in Athens, a list that’s definitely going to be useful.
- Acropolis
Probably the most recognizable landmark of Athens, the Acropolis is an ancient citadel in the heart of the city with many buildings and structures of historical significance. There are more acropoleis throughout Greece, but the one in Athens is without a doubt “The Acropolis”.
2. Partheon
The Parthenon can be considered the main building of the Acropolis, and was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the patron of Athens, and the origin of the name of the city. Unfortunately, the building has been damaged over the years, but it still mostly intact, and its easy to imagine how beautiful it could have been back then, if it is so wonderful now in such a state. Visiting the Partheon is without a doubt high on the list of things to do in Athens.
3. Erechtheion
The Erechtheion is found at the Acropolis, and is a temple dedicated to both Athena and Poseidon. The main function of the building was to hold religious artifacts and relics like the Palladion, a wooden effigy from Athena, the marks and salt water of the place where Poseidon struck down, and the olive tree that grew from the rock that Athena hit with her spear. It is also supposedly the burial place of some mythical kings.
4. Acropolis Museum
The Acropolis Museum, like its name suggests, is a museum focusing on the archaeological findings at the site of the Acropolis. The museum houses most of the artifacts that have been found throughout the years here, so it is definitely worth a visit. The building itself was also built on some ruins, of which some art still visible for visitors in a creative way.
5. Plaka
While you are at the Acropolis, make sure to visit the neighborhood of Plaka and take a breat there. This district has numerous maze-like narrow streets and friendly restaurants and cafés. Shops are also available for tourists. Even if you are not interested in these, just taking a stroll here is a joy thanks to the beautiful streets.
6. Temple of Olympian Zeus
The Temple of Olympian Zeus can be found in the central part of Athens. These ruins were once a beautiful temple dedicated to the head of the Olympian Gods, Zeus. The building is mostly ruined nowadays, and only some of its pillars remain. One can only imagine the sight it once was.
7. Benaki Museum
The Benaki Museum is a museum focusing on Greek art, but not only the ones from ancient times, but modern ones as well. It has a large collection of paintings and other works of art. For a while, it contained Islamic and Chinese art as well, but they are now located in a branch museum. If you are interested in modern arts, and not just the ancient ones, this place is a must-visit.
8. National Garden
The National Garden of Athens is a beautiful garden that can serve well for recreational purposes, or if you just want to take a stroll between the trees of the garden. The garden has numerous columns, sculptures and busts that are worth visiting. There is also a duck pond, a playground for children and a café. The garden is popular among the tourist attractions of Athens.
9. National Archaeological Museum
While the Acropolis Museum is dedicated to the Acropolis, the National Archaeological Museum focuses on artifacts and archaeological findings from all over Greece. This museum is the largest of its kind in Greece, and is a must-see for everyone who find the ancient Greek civilization fascinating. The museum has paintings, vases, sculptures, and many other kinds of art.
10. Anafiotika
The Anafiotika is another scenic neighborhood near the Acropolis. Unlike the Plaka, this district is mostly inhabitated by people from the Cycladic Islands, and so the architecture has a Cycladic style as well, with numerous small and white buildings. Since it was built on the hillside, the Anafiotika has lots of stairs and terraces, which can provide a beautiful view of Athens. The narrow streets offer a peaceful and tranquil experience, surrounded by the houses and the bougainvillea flowers.
11. Byzantine and Christian Museum
The Byzantine and Christian Museum offers an insight into the Greek history that was after the ancient Greek civilization. The museum has around 25000 items, including scriptures, frescoes, fabrics, pottery and paintings, among other things.
12. Ancient Agora
The Ancient Agora was the center of the ancient Greek civilization in Athens. It was a cultural, political, spiritual, athletic and artistic gathering place. It was here that people from both high and low social status gathered, and exchanged thoughts, among other things. Most of it is in ruins nowadays, especially the buildings that surrounded this square. Excavations were done here many times to reveal significant archaeological artifacts about the ancient civilization.
13. Church of the Holy Apostles
As one of the only buildings that remained intact near the Ancient Agora, the Church of the Holy Apostles is a byzantine church from a later era of Greek history. The building was built over a nymphaion, a sacred spring.
14. Areopagus
This rock outcropping at Athens, called the Areopagus (“Ares Rock”), was a popular place among tourists as visitors can climb the hill-like rock and see a wonderul view of the surrounding city. In ancient time, this place was used by the court during the trials of deliberate homicide. The reason for that is because this place was supposedly used when Ares was accused of the murder of Poseidon’s son.
15. Church of Panagia Kapnikarea
The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea is one of the oldest Greek Orthodox churches in Athens. It was built in the byzantine period, and is often visited by religious people. The church itself is very small, but still as beautiful as the bigger ones.
16. Museum of Cycladic Art
Just like its name suggests, the Museum of Cycladic Art is dedicated to works of art from the Cycladic Islands of the Aegean Sea. These are mainly from ancient times, but the collection is large, containing about 3000 items. It is worth visiting to see the differences of Greek artifacts from a place that was further away from the central city of Athens.
17. Monastiraki
The Monastiraki is a shopping district in Athens. If you want to do some shopping in Athens, then this is the place to go, as it is one best of kind, with a big flea market full of souvenir shops, speciality stores and clothing botiques. Restaurants and cafés can be found here as well. The beautiful streets here are a major tourist attraction in Athens.
18. Syntagma Square
The Syntagma Square is the center of modern Athens socially, commercially, politically and historically. It can be found infront of the Old Royal Palace, the seat of the Greek Parliament. It’s a gathering place for both citizens and tourists. The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is also located here. It’s a memorial dedicated to the fallen Greek soldiers during war times. In their honor, the ceremonial changing of the guards is also held here.
19. Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium is a large stadium made only of marble, the only one of its kind in the world. The original stadium was built for the Panathenaic Games, but later it was used less and only during the 19th century was is fully excavated and remade into its current state. It was used for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. It has been since used for many other sport events like the Athens Classic Marathon.
20. Theatre of Dionysus
The Theatre of Dionysus was the first stone theatre in the world, and a major cultural location of the ancient Greek Civilization. The theatre could hold as many as 17000 people, and had great acoustics. It was dedicated to the god of play and wine, Dionysus. It is supposedly the birthplace of the famous Greek tragedy. The theatre was mostly preserved, and can be visited by anyone. This wonderful and ancient theatre is a must-see on the list of things to do in Athens.
If you want to see other ancient cities, check out our collection. Or if you would like to see another important city of ancient Europe, see this list of the top 20 places to visit in Rome.