# 30 Things to Do in Athens > 30 things to do in Athens: the Acropolis and top museums, Plaka and Anafiotika, sunset hills, markets, open air cinemas and day trips to Sounion and Hydra. URL: https://theauthenticgreece.com/things-to-do-in-athens/ Last updated: 2026-10-20 --- The best things to do in Athens go well beyond the Acropolis: climb its neighbouring hills for the views, lose a morning in the National Archaeological Museum, eat your way through the Central Market, catch an open air film under the Parthenon and take the coast road to Sounion for sunset. Below are 30 ideas, grouped by theme, with honest notes on which are essential and which you can skip if time is short. Prices and opening hours change, so check official sites before you go. ## Quick facts - **Must do:** the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora, the National Archaeological Museum and a sunset viewpoint. - **Time needed:** 3 days for the essentials, 5 days with day trips. - **Best season:** spring and autumn; summer is hot but brings open air cinema and festival evenings. - **Tickets:** each archaeological site now has its own ticket, bought on the official Hellenic Heritage platform. - **Free:** the hills, the National Garden, the Changing of the Guard, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation park and most neighbourhood walks. ## Ancient Athens ### 1. Visit the Acropolis The Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Temple of Athena Nike crown the rock that has defined the city for 2,500 years. Entry is by timed slot, so book ahead and go at opening or late in the day. Our [Acropolis visitor guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/acropolis-visit/) covers tickets, entrances and a route. ### 2. Spend a morning in the Acropolis Museum Glass floors over an excavated ancient neighbourhood, the original Caryatids and a top floor gallery where the Parthenon frieze is laid out facing the temple itself. Essential, and best visited on the same day as the Acropolis. ### 3. Walk through the Ancient Agora The heart of classical Athens, where Socrates debated in the market place. The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the best preserved Greek temples anywhere, and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos has a fine small museum. ### 4. See the Temple of Olympian Zeus Only a handful of the original 104 columns survive, but their height tells you how colossal this temple was. Hadrian’s Arch stands beside it on the road to Plaka. ### 5. Find the Tower of the Winds In the Roman Agora below Plaka, this octagonal marble tower served as a sundial, water clock and weather vane, with a carved wind god on each side. A short, rewarding stop. ### 6. Explore Hadrian’s Library and Kerameikos Hadrian’s Library, next to Monastiraki Square, preserves part of a grand Roman colonnade. Kerameikos, the ancient cemetery further west, is peaceful and green, with grave monuments and a small museum; check that it is open before you go, as access has varied. ### 7. Stand in the Panathenaic Stadium The only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, rebuilt on an ancient site for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896. You can walk the track, climb the seats and see a small exhibition of Olympic torches. ## Museums worth your time ### 8. National Archaeological Museum The largest archaeological museum in Greece. Look for the Mask of Agamemnon, the bronze god from Artemision, the Antikythera Mechanism and the prehistoric frescoes from Akrotiri on Santorini. Allow three hours at least. ### 9. Benaki Museum A mansion on Koumbari street in Kolonaki that tells the story of Greece from antiquity to the 20th century through jewellery, costume, icons and painting. The rooftop café looks over the National Garden. ### 10. Museum of Cycladic Art A small, beautifully presented collection of the marble figurines that inspired Modigliani and Picasso, plus a neoclassical wing used for temporary exhibitions. Good for a hot afternoon. ### 11. Byzantine and Christian Museum Icons, mosaics, frescoes and church treasures, set in gardens on Vasilissis Sofias avenue. Often quiet, and a fine introduction to the Byzantine side of Greek history. ## Neighbourhoods and walks ### 12. Wander through Plaka The oldest residential quarter, with neoclassical houses, Byzantine churches and bougainvillea draped lanes. The main streets are touristy; the upper lanes near the Acropolis are much more charming. ### 13. Climb into Anafiotika A tiny cluster of whitewashed houses built in the 19th century by stonemasons from the island of Anafi, squeezed below the north face of the Acropolis. People live here, so keep your voice down. ### 14. Browse Monastiraki and its flea market Antiques, vinyl, military surplus and tourist trinkets fill the streets around Avissinias Square. Sunday mornings are the most interesting time for the second hand stalls. ### 15. Spend an evening in Psyrri Workshops by day and bars, mezedopoleia and live music by night. Look out for the street art on the side walls. ### 16. Walk Dionysiou Areopagitou The pedestrian promenade circling the south and west of the Acropolis links the main sites and is one of the most pleasant walks in any European capital, especially at dusk. ### 17. Explore Kolonaki and Exarchia Two neighbouring areas with opposite personalities: Kolonaki is elegant and well heeled, with boutiques and cafés, while Exarchia is bohemian, political and full of bookshops, cheap tavernas and graffiti. ### 18. Visit Kapnikarea and the Little Metropolis Two small Byzantine churches in the middle of the modern city: Kapnikarea sits in the middle of busy Ermou shopping street, and Agios Eleftherios shelters beside the much larger cathedral. ## Viewpoints and sunsets ### 19. Watch the sunset from Lycabettus Hill Take the funicular from Kolonaki or walk up through the pines. The panorama from the chapel at the top takes in the Acropolis, Piraeus and the islands on a clear evening. ### 20. Climb Filopappou Hill Wooded paths lead up to the Monument of Philopappos, with what many locals consider the best view of the Parthenon. On the way, the Pnyx is where the assembly of ancient Athens met. ### 21. Stand on Areopagus Hill A rocky outcrop just below the Acropolis entrance where St Paul is said to have preached to the Athenians. The marble is very slippery, so go carefully. ### 22. Have a drink on a rooftop Monastiraki, Syntagma and Thissio are full of rooftop bars and hotel terraces facing the floodlit Acropolis. Prices reflect the view. ## Food, markets and local life ### 23. Eat around the Central Market The Varvakios market on Athinas Street is a loud, real working market of butchers and fishmongers, surrounded by spice shops, delis and basic tavernas. Go in the morning. ### 24. Watch the Changing of the Guard The Evzones guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma change every hour on the hour, and on Sunday mornings at 11:00 there is a full ceremony with a band. ### 25. Walk in the National Garden A shaded escape from the traffic behind the Parliament, with ponds, ducks and old trees. Continue to the Zappeion and on to the Panathenaic Stadium. ### 26. Catch a film at an open air cinema From late spring to early autumn, open air cinemas such as Cine Thisio and Cine Paris in Plaka show films, usually in the original language with Greek subtitles, with the Acropolis as a backdrop. ### 27. Spend an afternoon at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center The home of the National Library and the Greek National Opera, set in a large free park by the sea in Kallithea, with a canal, a lighthouse terrace and great views. ## Beyond the centre ### 28. Drive to Cape Sounion The Temple of Poseidon stands on a headland about 70 kilometres south east of the city, and sunset there is a classic. The coast road along the Athens Riviera passes beaches, and Lake Vouliagmeni, a brackish lake fed by warm springs, is a popular swim stop (entry fee). For flexibility, hire a car for the day; see [renting a car in Greece](https://theauthenticgreece.com/renting-a-car-in-greece/). ### 29. Take a day trip to Delphi The sanctuary of Apollo and its museum sit on a dramatic slope of Mount Parnassus, around two and a half hours by road. It is a long day, but one of the great archaeological experiences in Greece. ### 30. Escape to an island From Piraeus, fast boats reach Aegina, Poros and car free Hydra in roughly 40 minutes to two hours. Our [Hydra travel guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/hydra-travel-guide/) explains the island, and the [Greek ferry guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/greek-ferries/) covers how to book and which port to use. ## How to fit it all in With three days, focus on numbers 1 to 3, 8, 12, 13, 19 and 24, and add Sounion on the last evening. Our [3-day Athens travel guide](https://theauthenticgreece.com/athens-travel-guide/) turns these into a day by day plan. With five days, add Delphi or an island, plus the Benaki and Cycladic museums. Base yourself close to the sights to save time; [where to stay in Athens](https://theauthenticgreece.com/where-to-stay-in-athens/) compares the neighbourhoods. ## Practical tips - **Book the Acropolis first:** it is the only sight in Athens where advance booking is essential in high season. - **Separate tickets:** since the combined ticket was discontinued in April 2025, buy each site’s ticket separately on the official platform. - **Heat:** in July and August, sightsee early and late, rest at midday and expect heatwave closures at outdoor sites. - **Closed days:** many museums and sites close on 1 January, 25 March, 1 May, Orthodox Easter Sunday and 25 and 26 December, and some museums close one day a week. - **Getting in:** the metro, express buses and taxis all link the airport to the centre; see [Athens airport to the city](https://theauthenticgreece.com/athens-airport-to-city/). - **Pickpockets:** keep valuables zipped away on the metro and in crowded Monastiraki. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is the number one thing to do in Athens? Visiting the Acropolis, ideally together with the Acropolis Museum at its foot. Book a timed entry ticket in advance and go at opening time or late in the afternoon to avoid the worst crowds. ### What can you do in Athens for free? Climb Lycabettus on foot, Filopappou Hill or Areopagus Hill, walk Plaka and Anafiotika, watch the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma, stroll in the National Garden and visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation park. Archaeological sites also have several free admission days a year. ### How many days do you need in Athens? Three days covers the main sights comfortably. Allow four or five if you want a day trip to Delphi, Cape Sounion or a Saronic island such as Hydra or Aegina. ### Is there a combined ticket for Athens archaeological sites? No longer. The official combined ticket was discontinued in April 2025, so the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and the other sites are each sold separately on the official Hellenic Heritage platform. ### What is there to do in Athens in the evening? Watch the sunset from Lycabettus or Filopappou Hill, have a drink on a rooftop facing the Acropolis, eat meze in Psyrri or Pangrati and, in summer, catch a film at an open air cinema such as Cine Thisio. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the number one thing to do in Athens? Visiting the Acropolis, ideally together with the Acropolis Museum at its foot. Book a timed entry ticket in advance and go at opening time or late in the afternoon to avoid the worst crowds. ### What can you do in Athens for free? Climb Lycabettus on foot, Filopappou Hill or Areopagus Hill, walk Plaka and Anafiotika, watch the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma, stroll in the National Garden and visit the Stavros Niarchos Foundation park. Archaeological sites also have several free admission days a year. ### How many days do you need in Athens? Three days covers the main sights comfortably. Allow four or five if you want a day trip to Delphi, Cape Sounion or a Saronic island such as Hydra or Aegina. ### Is there a combined ticket for Athens archaeological sites? No longer. The official combined ticket was discontinued in April 2025, so the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora and the other sites are each sold separately on the official Hellenic Heritage platform. ### What is there to do in Athens in the evening? Watch the sunset from Lycabettus or Filopappou Hill, have a drink on a rooftop facing the Acropolis, eat meze in Psyrri or Pangrati and, in summer, catch a film at an open air cinema such as Cine Thisio.