Explore Athens
Ancient wonders, lively neighbourhoods and hidden corners, then the day trips, beaches and parks beyond them.
Places to see47 placesAncient wonders, lively neighbourhoods and hidden corners.Neighborhoods13 districtsAthens is a patchwork of very different districts, here's a quick feel for each.Day trips12 tripsWays to extend your trip beyond the city.Beaches7 beachesYou do not need a car to swim in Athens.Parks5 parksAthens has more shade than its reputation suggests, and almost all of it is free and open.Family and science14 placesPlanetarium, zoo, aquarium, hands on museums and adventure parks.Galleries and street art24 placesNational collections, foundations, private galleries and the street art areas.Virtual tours33 toursThe Acropolis, the big museums and the city’s streets, from your screen.
Places to see
More in Places to see ›
Places to seeAcropolis and ParthenonThe crowning sight of Athens and the symbol of classical Greece.
Places to seeAcropolis MuseumA striking modern museum holding the treasures of the Acropolis.
Places to seeAncient AgoraThe civic heart of ancient Athens, with the preserved Temple of Hephaestus.
Places to seePlakaThe oldest neighbourhood, a maze of neoclassical lanes below the Acropolis.Neighborhoods
More in Neighborhoods ›
NeighborhoodsKolonakiUpscale district at the foot of Lycabettus Hill, with galleries, cafes and the Benaki and Cycladic Art museums.
NeighborhoodsKoukaki & MakrigianniThe walkable strip just south of the Acropolis that took off after the Acropolis Museum opened.
NeighborhoodsPsiriQuiet by day, one of Athens' liveliest nightlife districts after dark.
NeighborhoodsExarchiaThe student and countercultural neighborhood beside affluent Kolonaki, historically self contained and independent minded, now slowly gaining serious restaurants as it…Day trips
More in Day trips ›
Day tripsCape Sounion Sunset TripA coastal drive south to the Temple of Poseidon, timed for sunset over the Aegean.
Day tripsDelphi or Meteora Day TripA longer trip to the mainland's two most famous ancient and religious sites; both are doable in a long day from Athens, though Meteora is easier as an overnight.
Day tripsFood & Market Walking TourGuided tastings through Plaka, Monastiraki and Psiri, often pairing street food with a stop at the Varvakios Central Market.
Day tripsIsland Day Cruise from PiraeusA boat trip to nearby Aegina, Poros and Hydra, a popular way to see the islands without committing to an overnight stay.Parks
More in Parks ›ParksThe National Garden156,000 square metres in the middle of Athens, laid out from 1839 as the royal garden and the only historic garden in Greece.ParksFilopappou HillThe pine covered hill opposite the Acropolis, with the best free view of the Parthenon in the city, especially at sunset.ParksLycabettus HillThe highest point in central Athens, with a chapel and a view across the whole basin to the sea.ParksStavros Niarchos ParkAround the Cultural Center in Kallithea, and the largest new green space built in Athens in decades.
Photo credits on this page
- Acropolis and Parthenon: Photo: Jim Killock, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Acropolis Museum: Photo: Yair-haklai, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ancient Agora: Photo: Ελένη Μαυρομανωλακη, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Plaka: Photo: JFKennedy at English Wikipedia, Public domain (PD-user), via Wikimedia Commons
- Kolonaki: Photo: Greecelightning, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Koukaki & Makrigianni: Photo: Dimorsitanos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Psiri: Photo: Badseed, CC BY-SA 3.0 (also offered under GFDL), via Wikimedia Commons
- Exarchia: Photo: Stolbovsky, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cape Sounion Sunset Trip: Photo: Petroskaz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Delphi or Meteora Day Trip: Photo: Takeaway (en.wikipedia), CC BY-SA 3.0 (also offered under GFDL), via Wikimedia Commons
- Food & Market Walking Tour: Photo: Badseed, CC BY-SA 3.0 (also offered under GFDL), via Wikimedia Commons
- Island Day Cruise from Piraeus: Photo: Jebulon, CC0 1.0 (public domain dedication), via Wikimedia Commons