Things to do in Athens: Attractions and places to visit

1. Acropolis and Parthenon

Probably the most famous and important ancient site in the western world, the Acropolis and the Parthenon Temple are symbols of the historical importance of the whole of Greece. The gleaming marble of the Doric Parthenon temple was transported by Mount Penteli with unimaginable effort to build the temple for the “Virgin Athena” in 438 B.C., whose enormous 12-metre-high statue was venerated in it.

Gables and friezes of the temple complex of the Acropolis were once colorfully decorated and gilded. In 510 BC the Oracle of Delphi declared the Acropolis the seat of the Gods. In 1687 the temple buildings were seriously damaged by an explosion when the Venetians attacked the Turks who had stored their gunpowder on the Acropolis.

2. Acropolis Museum

After decades of planning, the Acropolis Museum was opened at the foot of the southern slope of the Acropolis in 2007. Its completion was repeatedly delayed by new archaeological finds on the museum grounds. 130 million were finally invested in the design of the museum. The ruins of an old Athenian quarter, which were discovered during the construction work, are visible through the glass floor. The exhibition rooms show vases, votive offerings, marble statues and bronze figures.

All rooms are glazed from floor to ceiling and provide a clear view of the Parthenon in the immediate vicinity. On the top floor of the museum, the 160 metre long frieze of the temple is displayed in a glass atrium. Mounted at eye level, it follows the floor plan of the building. A video installation explains the whereabouts of the so-called Elgin Marbles, the marble parts of the Parthenon, which Lord Elgin brought to the British Museum in London and which are still waiting to be returned to Athens.

3. Syntagma Square

The long tradition of the country is embodied in the Evzones of the presidential guard in their traditional costumes in front of the parliament building, magnificent luxury hotels line the square with its green spaces and water walls. People gather here again and again for spontaneous rallies, street musicians play on and Athenians rush from the underground station towards the shopping street Odos Ermou.

Since 2011, the graffiti “No Signal” has been located in Kriezotou Street in the immediate vicinity of Syntagmaplatz. It was commissioned by the artist Panos Sklavenitis as part of the project “Visual Art Interventions in Public Urban Space”. Athens is a city with many talented graffiti artists, whose work is publicly promoted and protected by the College of Arts and the Greek Ministry of Culture.

4. National Garden Athens

The 15.5-hectare National Garden was once the botanical garden of Queen Amalie. Today it is a public oasis in the middle of the big city, ideal to get to rest or to find temporary retreat in the shade on the further exploration tour. Many park benches amidst Californian palm trees invite you to linger.

The green area in the immediate vicinity of Syntagma Square is so peaceful and spacious that it is even a home for leisurely wandering turtles. The National Garden surrounds the Zappeion, a columned hall built by Ernst Ziller in classicist style, which is used for many public occasions. Behind the park lies the old Olympic Stadium from 1896, where the first Olympic Games of modern times were held.

5. Monastiraki

Whether Greek Orthodox icons, painted by monks on Mount Athos, printed coffee cups with Greek motifs, wool sweaters in traditional knitting style, old records, handmade bouzoukia, Greek wine or leather sandals – there is always something to discover and buy in Monastiraki.

Located directly at the subway station of the same name, it is a popular sight in Athens. Those who actually don’t find anything here that is good to use or to give away can quickly escape the hustle and bustle about the souvenir articles offered and just relax one subway station further on at Thission and the temple of Hephaistos in the green from shopping.

6. Lykavittós

Whether by cable car or on foot from the elegant Kolonaki shopping district up through the forest: the way to the highest elevation of the city at 277 meters is worthwhile for anyone who wants to see the enormous dimensions of the Greek capital up to the Saronic Gulf at a glance. The small chapel high above the town is dedicated to St. George. On the floor of the chapel there is an inscription indicating that the chapel was built by the Athenian metropolitan Benedict around 1785 on the ruins of an older temple.

Usually it is the locals who drive to the large viewing terrace of the “Wolf Hill”. From here, after sunset, they look at the glittering sea of the lights of their city, which seems to lie at their feet in complete silence. But also for tourists the importance as an important sight of Athens is getting bigger and bigger. From Lykavittós it is always possible to capture an impressive panoramic view of Athens.

7. Sculpture Dromeas

The “Dromeas”, which translates into German as “Der Läufer”, is a 12-meter-high sculpture consisting of individual stacked, sharp and jagged glass panes. It stands in the middle of a busy street and shows the shape of a moving runner from different perspectives. The Greek artist Costas Varotsos began working on the sculpture in 1988, which he was only able to complete in 1994.

Until then, the original place for their construction was relocated. Actually, the “runner” should be at Omonia Square. Fearing that the vibrations of the subway might break the work of art, the runner, who also commemorates the famous battle of Marathon, is now standing on the Megáli toú Genous Scholí square near the Hilton Hotel.

8. District Gazi

Gazi has an eventful history. For a long time the district was a working-class district, where people who worked in the nearby gas works found affordable housing. Cheap stays and brothels have gradually been converted into music clubs since the turn of the millennium. Today Gazi is a magnet for young and young at heart Athenians and international visitors to Athens.

The inner courtyards of the residential complexes attracted artists who moved into their studios here. Cafés, restaurants, bars and clubs opened and ensured that Gazi developed an active nightlife. Gazi’s Technopolis has been transformed into an event site since the closure of the gas station there with its eight buildings. The Athens Biennale also takes place here every two years.

9. Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center

Since 2017, a 210,000 m² site has been located on the former site of the Athens racecourse in the Bay of Faliro. The Greek shipowner Stavros Niarchos provided a total of 630 million euros for the construction of the 210,000 m² site. The park with over 1,400 trees also includes a large seawater basin and is used for concerts and open-air events. The buildings designed by architect Renzo Piano house the Greek National Library and the National Opera.

In addition, the SNFCC houses several cafés, including one on the roof of the building, from which the view extends as far as Piraeus and the sea. The opera hall holds 1,400 visitors, the boxes are made of cherry wood. Integrated screens allow the audience to obtain multilingual information on the works on display. It is one of the most important sights and event locations in Athens.

10. Cape Sounion

About 70 kilometres before Athens, at the southern tip of Attica, lies the marble temple of Cape Sounion, dedicated to the sea god Poseidon. The temple from the 5th century B.C. is located on a terrace 60 meters above the sea, steeply the cliffs fall down into the sea. A tragic misunderstanding caused King Ageus to plunge down the cliffs because he falsely assumed that his son Theseus had died fighting the Minotaur of Crete.

The temple of Sounion is a popular destination for observing the contours of the nearby Aegean islands before the spectacular sunset colours. The whole area is part of a Greek national park. The National Highway 91, which connects Athens with Sounion, passes many large beach bars and exclusive restaurants, which are ideal in the evening hours on the way back to enjoy dinner or a drink overlooking the sea.

Best time to visit Athens

We recommend the following months as best time to travel for exploring the attractions and acivities of Athens:

May, June, July, August, September, and October

You can find more information about the weather, including all climate data, on our climate page for Athens.