~Carmen
We’ve been to Athens, Greece before, but it was with an organized tour group. As a teacher of ancient history, I wanted to go back and spend more time doing the things that interested me. Joe and I also love good food. In an organized tour, you can’t always pick and choose your dining options.
For our latest trip to Athens, Joe and I planned each moment of our 3-day trip with as many “must do” activities that we could tackle in 72 hours. During our trip, we also spent 3 days in Mykonos and 3 days in Santorini. Here is a quick 2-minute summary of our adventure:
6 “Must Do” Activities in Athens, Greece
Lodging in Athens
First things first, where should you stay? I loved the location of our hotel in Athens, the Philippos Hotel. The rooms are fairly small and they don’t have a pool, but the location is fabulous. We were just one block from the Acropolis Museum and a short walk away from a metro and bus stop. Getting to the hotel from the airport was easy peasy! The morning breakfast had a good variety and the front desk was super friendly and helpful.
Click here for a great deal on a Philippos Hotel stay!

Philippos Hotel

Hadrian’s Arch is a great meeting spot for tours.
1. Go on a Walking Tour
The best way to see Athens is definitely by foot. The ancient city center is fairly small and even though the streets tend to meandering to and fro, it is not that difficult to navigate on your own. We took 2 different walking tours during our 3-day stay.
On our first afternoon in Athens, Joe and I went on our own self-guided walking tour. I always like to do this when I first arrive at a destination. It is a great way to get a feel of a city’s layout and culture. See our detailed itinerary and directions by reading What to See on an Athen’s Walking Tour.
The other tour was a “free” walking tour which means that the guides don’t collect anything up front. They rely solely on tips. Now this doesn’t sit well with the licensed tour guides, and one really lit into our “free” guide. All I can tell you is that athens-free-tour.com provided us with an excellent walking tour of Athens and is highly recommended by my history teacher friends and Trip Advisor. We were told a specific time to meet up at Hadrian’s Arch. Then we were broken into small groups of 10.
The tour was suppose to last around 3 hours. Our guide warned us up front that he tended to go over 3 hours and to feel free to break off of the group at any time. Our tour ended up being 4 1/2 hours. It was chalked full of history, Greek culture, and interesting trivia. Joe and I loved that the group was small, and it was easy to hear our guide and ask questions as we walked.
2. See Ancient Ruins
I know you’re probably thinking a big “Duh!” with this suggestion. However, there is more to Athenian ruins that just a hike up the Acropolis to see the Parthenon. There are so many ruins in Athens that some sites that would be major attractions in other cities, are often overlooked in Athens.
A good place to start is at the Acropolis Museum. Here you will get details that will help you better appreciate the ruins and stories behind them. Some of the “must sees” include: the Acropolis (plan 2-3 hours), the Panathenaic Stadium, and the Ancient Agora of Athens. Admission to the Acropolis is 20 euros. For just 10 euros more, you can buy a combination ticket that will get you admission to 7 additional sites.

Clockwise from the top: Temple of Hephaestus (in the Ancient Agora of Athens), Temple of Olympian Zeus with the Acropolis in the background, and the Erechtheion (one of the large structures on top of the Acropolis)
3. Get a Good View of the City
Athens is a city of many hills, and you’ll see hotels and restaurants boast “Best view of the Acropolis!” Don’t buy it! You can see the Acropolis from almost any place in the city. Even at the top of the Acropolis, you can get some get pictures of Athens. We went to the top of Lycabettus Hill which is the highest point in the city. You can walk up or take a cable car ride.
Other good views can be found on the famous Filopappos Hill, Strefi Hill, and Mt. Immitos. Plan a picnic supper for a wonderful sunset experience! Do wear sturdy shoes with good traction and bring water. Plan your visit to avoid mid-day heat if you can help it.

View from the Acropolis of the Saronic Gulf

View from Top of Lycabettus Hill

My Handsome Chef Joe!
4. Eat a Variety of Greek Cuisine
There is more to Greek cuisine than just gyros and baklava. Because of Greece’s location on the Mediterranean Sea and occupation of the Romans and Turks, Greek food has been influenced by a variety of cultures. Joe and I love good food and before this trip I researched and asked Greek friends for food recommendations. I then made an extensive list of foods that we needed to try.
Greek food is heavy on vegetables and olive oil. Breakfast is light, but other meals are usually eaten late and can last several hours with many small dishes (mezedes) served. Starting a trip with a good list of foods to try makes you get out of your comfort zone and sample foods you would have never tried on your own. We didn’t try everything on my list, but we came pretty close (Read What to Eat & Drink in Greece)!

Grilled Meats
Another good way to learn about Greek cuisine is to take a cooking class. Joe and I have always loved taking cooking classes and the class we took in Athens was no exception. Not only did we learn to make a complete Greek meal, but we also made a new friend with the chef who was our teacher!

Monastiraki Flea Market
5. Shopping & People Watching
Central Athens is one big shopping area with a fun variety of stores. One of the main streets dedicated to shopping is Ermou Street. It’s a pedestrian street that runs from the Monastiraki Flea Market down to Syntagma Square. The Monastiraki Flea Market is about as eclectic as you can get! Open every day of the week, you can find antiques, furniture, and of course, souvenirs. Bartering is expected, especially in smaller shops.
The Plaka area is also full of shops and cafes with outdoor seating. There’s nothing more relaxing than doing a little shopping then sitting at a cafe watching all of the tourists walking by.
6. Take a Day Trip-
There are many great and inexpensive day trips you can take while visiting Athens. Two full days is enough time to see most of the major sites in Athens. If staying longer, consider traveling out of the city. You are close enough to the sea to take a boat cruise. Greece is also a mountainous country with loads of landscapes and additional ruins to see. We have done the following day trips and highly recommend them!
Delphi can be reached by car or bus. It usually takes 2 1/2 – 3 hours. As an ancient Greek city-state, Delphi was the site for the oracle who would give predictions about future events. Delphi was also the site for the worship of the Greek god Apollo.

The Ruins at Delphi
Another great trip outside of Athens is a half day trip to Cape Sounion to watch the sun setting on the Temple of Poseidon. On our trip, we brought our swimsuits for a quick swim before heading on to the temple.

Sunset at the Temple of Poseidon
Have you been or want to go to Athens, Greece? Please share by commenting below! Any questions? Please ask!
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Trippin' Turpins (Kelly)
July 13, 2017 9:53 pmNever been to Greece but now that we have decided to keep sailing around the world we have set our sights firmly on the Mediterranean and thoughts of Greece are in my mind! I will pin this for later reference. Thank you.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 9:50 amThanks for pinning. Keep sailing!
Kate and Kris
July 13, 2017 11:17 pmWe love free walking tours! And Greek food is lush! Haven’t made it to Athens yet, but you’ve inspired us some more.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 9:50 amGlad we could inspire you. A visit to Athens is memorable!
Angie (FeetDoTravel)
July 15, 2017 5:24 amThis is a seriously awesome list! I visited Athens for the Olympics back in 2004 and managed to squeeze in a couple of extra “must-see” things but not enough! The day trips are a Fabulous idea, I never thought of that. Pinned for when I return to Greece (island hopping is on my bucket list!) #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 9:53 amYou’ll find Greek island hopping fairly easy. I’m working on posts about Mykonos, Santorini, and Crete right now!
Raymond Carroll
July 15, 2017 5:32 amImpressive – a teacher of ancient history! I love history too and have always fancied a trip to Greece. Lots of world famous landmarks to see in your list. Well done – inspired!
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 9:55 amI teach 6th graders, so we’re not talking detailed history. We get to cover all of the fun stuff– Great Wall, the pyramids, Roman soldiers!
Paul and Carole
July 15, 2017 12:47 pmWe have just spent a week cruising around Greece and reading your post and watching your video has bought back lovely memories. We love Greece and can’t wait to return. Thanks for sharing this informative post. #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 9:56 amI’ve enjoyed seeing all of your pictures!
Travel Lexx
July 16, 2017 5:04 amReally looking forward to visiting Greece for the first time – it’s a beautiful country with an incredible history (like Greece is the first country that comes to mind when I think of the word “history”) and delicious food. Definitely somewhere I need to go sooner rather than later – great post and tips!
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:00 amI hope you can visit Greece soon!
Flo
July 17, 2017 1:51 amI fell in love with Athens! So much history and culture, I’d love to go back one day. A day trip to Cape Sounion sounds fantastic, I wish we had more time the first trip around. We did make it to Delphi and it is truly breathtaking.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:01 amDelphi is such a unique place. I wish we could have spent more time there!
My Travelogue by Bhushavali
July 17, 2017 9:17 amEverytime I see a post on Greece I feel so depressed that I missed it when I was in Europe last time, coz the flight tickets were sky rocketing. Athens is so high up in my wishlist! Esp being an art history major, all the art and architecture in Athens were a major part of my studies! Thanks for the tip on free tours!
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:02 amOh my goodness! My daughter is working on her master’s in art history. I know you would be in art heaven visiting Greece!
Leesa
July 17, 2017 9:36 pmI loved your comment on “people watching”. People watching (in a non-creepy way) is basically a sport in Greece. It’s great just relaxing and letting the world go by and there’s no better place to do it than in Greece.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:04 amGreeks aren’t in a hurry so it’s easy to spend a couple of hours sitting in an outdoor cafe, watching the people walk by!
Rob+Ann @TravelLatte(.net)
July 18, 2017 6:47 amThe walking tours ate mandatory… because so is the eating of all that great Geek food!!! Great list, guys!
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:05 amI’m surprised that we didn’t gain more weight (I did pack on a couple of pounds), but all of the walking definitely helped!
Barry
July 18, 2017 9:21 amNice tips – I just visited Athens and managed to see a few of the sights. However, it was mega hot during my visit, topping 41c for a couple of days. It certainly made it hard going!
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:06 amIt was pretty hot when we were there, too! All of the white stone just seems to intensify the heat!
Tracy
July 18, 2017 6:04 pmI have never been to Green but Greece is one of the places I would love to go especially to see all those buildings and learn the history behind it on the spot. And definitely, I will not skip the sunset at the Temple of Poseidon. It looks nice. 🙂
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:06 amThe sunset at the Temple of Poseidon was one of my favorite things in Greece!
Shona
July 18, 2017 10:26 pmAthens became one of my favourite cities after exploring it by foot. I agree, definitely the best way to see it. The views, food, wine and the locals’ generosity of spirit is why I’d return to Athens without hesitation.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:07 amThe Greek people are definitely a major reason we love traveling to Greece!
Stephanie (1AdventureTraveler)
July 19, 2017 12:18 pmGreat activities to do in Greece. I have not been there yet but I will pin this for later use. I would love to see the ruins. Thanks for sharing! #feetdotravel
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:09 amThank you for pinning!
Scarlett Begonias
July 19, 2017 1:33 pmThose views are incredible, and Greek food is always delicious. It must be the best in Athens! Love this guide 🙂
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:10 amYou can definitely eat some of the best food in the world in Athens!
Samantha Sparrow
July 22, 2017 11:18 amI would want to do all of these things, especially seeing the ancient ruins – but those views are just magical. I’d love to visit Athens, I’m a little worried about the heat so I’ll probably go out of season.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:10 amDefinitely don’t go in July or August. That’s when the heat is pretty brutal!
Only By Land
July 23, 2017 1:08 amI’ll check out Philippos Hotel for my stay in Athens, the location sounds like it’s perfect! I’ve read about the sites of interest in Athens before but never about the day trip to Delphi, this is something I’ll add to my Athens itinerary.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:12 amLike I wrote, the Philippos Hotel is fairly small and doesn’t have a pool, but the location for us was perfect!
Harsh Gupta
July 23, 2017 9:56 amAthens, Greece is such a gorgeous place to visit and it has been on our list for so long. I love all your tips especially about the walking tours since we both love it the most.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:13 amSince there are so many ancient sites clustered together in the city center, walking is the way to go!
Swati & Sam
July 23, 2017 5:14 pmWe are planning to be in Greece this September, This article is right in time. 🙂 Would definitely love to explore the ruins. Greek cuisine looks amazing.
Pack Your Baguios
July 25, 2017 10:13 amGlad it could help with your future trip. Have a wonderful time in Greece!
Gokul Raj
July 26, 2017 10:55 pmWalking tours are the best. I always take them whenever I get a chance. It takes you to the hidden corners of the city and lets you enjoy the local culture at a slow place and Athens is definitely a place to do a walking tour.
Pack Your Baguios
July 27, 2017 9:20 amThat’s why we love them, too!
Siddharth and Shruti
August 11, 2017 9:27 amGreek food is enough to get us to visit Greece! Walking tours are such a great way to explore! The view from top of Lycabettus Hill is stunning!
Pack Your Baguios
August 20, 2017 2:10 pmWalking helped us burn off all the calories from the delicious Greek food!
Graham
September 13, 2017 12:16 pmI haven’t been to Greece yet, but the ruins at delphi and poseidon’s temple look like they might bring me over there! Don’t get me wrong – the historic buildings in Athens look super cool, and the fact that they’re interspersed with newer buildings makes for really striking visuals. But the historical sites outside the city are what really interest me. It’s so cool to walk around sites like those and visualize how they looked thousands of years ago. It’s also amazing to be able to walk on the same ground as the ancients who consulted the oracles, or made sacrifices to Poseidon. I think if I ever make it over there I’m going to lean heavily to the out of city tours!
Pack Your Baguios
September 18, 2017 8:50 amThere’s something magical about the ruins away from the city. It is easy to imagine the Ancient Greeks making pilgrimages to these wonderful places!
Anthony
September 20, 2017 2:43 pmSuper helpful tips. Never been to Athens, but you make it seem a really awesome place to visit. Trying out reek cuisine is one thing that will make me want to visit even more.
Thanks for sharing great tips.
Pack Your Baguios
September 25, 2017 8:44 amIf you like history and great food, then a visit to Athens is a must!