Where to Get Lost in Historical Athens – Athens itinerary. Check out some wonderful historical sites, markets, beaches, and the best places to visit in Athens Greece.
Where to stay in Historical Athens – Hotel stays in Athens
Click here to have a look at these two hotels.
Best time to visit Athens – Athens Itinerary
- Springtime – March to May
- Autumn time – September to November
- Summertime – June to August are very hot and overcrowded too
- Wintertime – Dec to Feb can be windy and rainy. (off-peak season).
Places to Visit in Athens | What to do in Historical Athens
Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece in south-eastern Europe. Famous for 5th-century old Greek civilization it is also the historical capital of Europe. Historical Athens is also known as the birthplace of DEMOCRACY. Democracy was first introduced to the world in 500 B.C. by Greek kings in Athens, which is now the most commonly accepted in many parts of the world and is running successfully all over. Let’s read about What to do in Athens in this post.
Explore Athens by getting lost in its enchanting history and lovely heritage sites. So get ready to know
Where to Get Lost in Historical Athens | Places to visit in Athens –
Get Lost in Acropolis and its surrounded areas. Acropolis is a settlement located on the hilltop which is seen everywhere in Athens. Acropolis is done by walking tours as it takes around 3 to 5 hours at a hurried speed and if properly then 2 days. There are many combination tickets available at the entrance of Acropolis which is valid for many days or single day option is also there. Click here to book your Acropolis Guided tour. Book Hop On Hop Off bus separately without entrance to museums by clicking here. Know more about the best monuments in Athens to visit.
Historical Athens Itinerary
1.) PARTHENON
Constructed in 447 B.C. when Greek power was at its peak, this is a Greek temple dedicated to Goddess Athina on which Athens has been named. In the Greek language, Athens is known as Athina.
2.) ERECHTHEION
This is a marble temple situated to the north of Acropolis. It is dedicated to Athina and Poseidon. Built between 421 and 406 B.C.
3.) ODEON OF HERODES ATTICUS
This is an ancient amphitheater built in 161 A.D. and renovated in 1950. It is a stone structure on the southwest slope of Acropolis. Many open-air musical concerts are arranged here with the authentic feel of the old Greek era. Book your tickets in advance
4.) THEATRE OF DIONYSUS
This Theatre is built in 6th century B.C., on the foot of the Acropolis which is a major theatre in Athens. It is the first stone-cult theatre that can occupy 17000 people. Dedicated to Dionysus, goddess of wine and plays.
5.) AGORA OF ATHENS
Located to the northwest of Acropolis.
All five places are located in the Acropolis area. As these places are scary, proper care should be taken while visiting them.
- No eatables are allowed inside. Water is allowed inside.
- Touching and sitting on them are not allowed.
- There is a lot of walking involved in the open sun, so be prepared for this.
- While walking down you will reach Plaka street.
6.) EXPLORE PLAKA STREET –
It is like a small village or island under the shadow of an Acropolis. Famous for shopping for Greek things. Antique bars and cafes with authentic food are located here. Also, explore Anafiotika in Athens – one of the most photogenic streets of this historical city.
7.) ACROPOLIS MUSEUM –
This museum is an archaeological museum on the findings of the archaeological site of the Acropolis of Athens. It was founded in 2003.
8.) TEMPLE OF OLYMPIAN ZEUS- Athens Historical Sites
It is a monument of Greece and a former colossal temple at the center of the Greek capital Athens.
9.) HEPHAESTUS TEMPLE- Athens Historical Sites
It is well preserved modern Greek temple.
10.) PLATIA SYNTAGMATOS (SYNTAGAMA SQUARE) –
Also known as ‘Constitution square’ because Parliament is located here. it is located in the central part of Athens. Famous shopping areas and hotels are located in this area. Well connected by bus, taxis, and metro. Prefer to stay here when in Athens. In front of the Greek Parliament, a unique Guard of Honor Ceremony takes place at every hour worth watching.
11.) BEACHES AND HARBOR OF ATHENS-
Piraesus is an old port city located within Athens’s urban area. This is a classical port city of Athens. It conducts all import and transit trade of Athens.
12.) NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM OF ATHENS –
It houses most of the important Greek civilization and culture artifacts collected from archaeological sites all over Greece. Click here to view visitor timings and opening days.
13.) UNIVERSITY OF ARTS & CULTURE, ATHENS –
Located in Syntagma Square, this place is vivacious and modern.
14. ) EVENINGS OF ATHENS – Historical Athens Itinerary
Book your table on a rooftop bar to get a perfect view of the Acropolis under the evening skies, with colorful shadows falling all over the Acropolis, with your favorite drink or coffee. Many bars and cafes are on top of the hotel to give this perfect view of ancient historical Athens with authentic Greek food and beverages. Some are ‘A’ for Athens, Acropolis View Hotel, 360 Cocktail bar, and many more. This picture I have taken from 360 Cocktail bar.
Book 3-course dinner with live Greek dance performances in historic Plaka by clicking here.
I went to Kalokerinos for dinner with a dance show. Check Kalokerinos by clicking this link.
KEY EVENTS OF HISTORICAL ATHENS
- Rockwave festival (July)
- Athens & Epidaurus Festival (June – Aug)
- International Jazz & Blues Festival (Jun)
- Athens International Dancing Festival (July)
- August Moon Festival (August)
- Athens International Film Festival (Sept-Oct)
- Athens Carnival (Jan-Feb)
- Panigiri
DAY TRIPS FROM ATHENS, Greece
- Cape Sounion and the Temple of Poseidon.
- Hydra, Poros and Aegina daycruise from Athens – Visit Saronic islands from Athens.
- Mycenae, Epidaurus, and Nafplio.
- Delphi & Meteora 2 days tour from Athens.
- Ancient Olympia.
- Ancient Corinth guided tour.
USEFUL READS ON ATHENS – Athens Itinerary planner
- From Athens there are many one or two day tours to other places. Read this for planning whole Greek vacations.
- Looking for luxurious stay in Santorini then read my reviews on this
- There are many sayings or quotes showing why people love to visit Greece. Greece is lovely.
- Visit Temple of Poseidon, a perfect day trip at Cape Sounion.
- Read about 10 places where you can get the best views of Athens from Backpackers Wanderlust.
- There are many exciting Day trips from Athens, which you would love to do it.
- Means of transportation in Athens – Private Bus tours like Big BUS, metro, trams, Walking or Foot tours and public buses.
- Currency – Euro
- Shopping Tips– Leather sandals, Purses, Greek-styled jewelry, Greek cotton clothes, artifacts, pumice stones, Handmade olive soaps, Olives, Fruits, and many more.
- Greek people are friendly and hospitable.
- Vegetarians will love this place as lots of vegetarian food is available in Greek-style cuisine.
So come with me and get lost in Historical Athens Greece.
Related Reads – Greece Travel guide
- Best Things to do in Mykonos
- Explore Volcanic Santorini
- Go for Excursion to Delphi and Meteora.
- Read these facts before planning for to Greece.
- Greece Itinerary.
Loved it… Then Pin it…. Things To Do in Athens Greece
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One of my favourite places to visit, so thanks for bringing back good memories. You’re totally right about spending 3 hours in Acropolis, it’s very easy to do. Plaka Street is fun though a little touristy. A great place to buy souvenirs.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus looks so grand. Just wow. I would love to attend the musical concert here. The old temples and structures must have transported you to a bygone era. I love reading about Greek history. I would love to visit someday.
I would love to visit Athens, learning about the ancient greeks was always one of my favourite parts of history, the amazing stories of their gods and the tales of life in ancient times always fascinated me.
Never been to Greece yet but it is on my bucket list! Thanks for sharing the great insights! I’d love to visit Athens and explore these historical sites!
Athen is wonderful with so much ancient history. I was there for one week in January – it was quite a nice time of the year to visit there. The weather was nice and very springish.
I have just booked a holiday the first of this year today. Travelling is brilliant and perfect for learning about new cultures.
Athens looks like an incredible place to visit with so much to see. I’d love to see the temple for real. It looks amazing!
Great guide! I’m obsessed with Greece and I love Athens!
Damn, those photos are so amazing, i’m in love with Athens, though Greece is full of amazing sights, man wish i could see these places someday.
Though I’ve been to Greece, I’ve only been to Rhodes, not Athens 🙁 I’d love to go one day though – I was in Cyprus this summer, and spent a lot of time exploring the old ruins and the tombs. I loved it x
You won’t like it but I am not much into travelling. But by checking out details and pictures I found ERETHEION to be the place I would love to visit one day if I could. Almost all listed places are new to me.
Thanks for sharing this list.
Athens is a perfect place to explore historical and cultural essence. I hope Greece come out of economic recession soon…Did you feel any distress as a tourist? I loved all the pics you have shared in the post…
I did not felt any distress. In-fact Greek people are very loving and hospitable as compared to other developed nations.
Your pictures are so wonderful.. Greece has always been one of my dream destinations.. We were planning to go there last year, but didn’t pushed through because the air ticket prices were so expensive, if coming from Doha.. Hopefully we can get to visit this next year.. I will take note of this post for future reference.
I didn’t know they did a guard of honour the same way that England does– of course, not the same history but that is fascinating. I would spend all day in each of these historical places– I would just stand there breathing in the awesomeness.
Our neighbors went to Athens in the spring. I swear, your post is like looking through their photo album. He’s a huge history buff and loved all of the museums and sites from ancient times. She is a foodie (like me) and fell in love with the food. x
Yes Greek food is delicious and healthy too. As you are foodie, you would love that
Ohh thank for reminding me that I need to go back to Athen! I was there in 2002 and I hardly remember anything from these magnifique sites! And my brother and sister inlaw got married there because my sister inlaw is greek but I couldnt go! Helas!
We’re headed to the Greek islands in a few weeks and decided to skip Athens altogether. Why???? Wish I saw your post before we booked everything. Oh well, another reason to go back I suppose 🙂
I visited Athens as a child and I went to every place you described here! You have brought back loads of my childhood memories as I really loved that trip!
What a beautiful city Athens is. I can’t wait to visit Greece, it’s been on my list for a very long time. Thanks for sharing so many great tidbits and advice! Will definitely be referencing your post for future trips
Ah, Athens! Theres no place like it in Greece. I was just there last year and I absolutely fell in love with this city! Many have a lot of mixed feelings when visiting Athens but I liked it. Athens is the place to go if you really are interested in Greece Mythology’s history. ( I was a bit disappointed when other Islands in Greece didn’t offer that much history than in the capital, don’t you think?) Also, did you get to visit Delphi? Only a two hour drive from the city and its an amazing place to learn more about Greeks 🙂 ! Let me know your thoughts 🙂 – Mariella
Yes we visited to Delphi and meteora which are more recommended than Athens.
I’m ready to get lost in Athens. Great post Yukti!!
Athens is such a beautiful city filled with so much history, I went their last year and was in awe after visiting all these ancient cites. I love exploring ancients ruins and Athens perfectly fits the bill.
I would like to go to Athens so badly! I love history and Athens is basically the city of history. Not to mention the natural beauty of Greece itself!
Greece was already on my mind but mainly regarding Santorini. You’ve provided such detailed information on Athens that I now think we can not skip or spend less days there. Such lovely pictures have provoked the historical side of mine and would add all of these in my itinerary. Pinning your post!
This looks amazing, I’d love to visit with the kids. Apparently the Acropolis museum has loads of trails for little ones so families can go and not be bored! And there is a bike station nearby that rents out tandem bikes which sounds pretty fun!
Whenever I read about Athens, I do get ‘mazed. It’s so full of historical pieces that one would think it was a history class. I don’t mind getting lost at the Theater of Dionysus. I did a minor in drama and Dionysus seems to be the name on everyone’s lips every second. I’ll love to see the remnants of Dionysus.
I would so gladly get lost in Athens!!! Sadly I missed Athens the last time when I was in Europe, as the flight costs were sky rocketing. Hopefully I’ll get to visit Greece in future! Its all those places that I’ve studied about in art history classes, that you’ve mentioned…
Really you will love this place, as you like scupltures and history a lot.
Athens is a place, that I have stumbled across many times in school. Some of the places, I had heard before, the remaining were an addition. Will definitely be taking a trip soon and checking out all these places for myself.
I have always wanted to visit the Greek capital and stroll around Acropolis, remembering the legends of Olympus. It’s impressive what the antique Greece was able to build! My favorite sight from your article is the Odeon, it looks fascinating! There is so much history in Greece!
I love Athens!! Great pictures and information about visiting this beautiful city. There’s just so much history packed into relatively small place in the scheme of things. Looks like you managed to see a lot of it!!
Wow, you guys visited so much of Athens! I’m visiting this November and hope to get beautiful photos as you took. I’ve never read about the harbour before so I’ll be sure to add this to the points of interest of Athens to visit!
I love your post on this city. its really concise and your pictures are amazing. i love how the city goes through 3 phases of time in a way, with the ancient sites on top, then traditional Greek places and crafts and then the modern city! stunning.
I’ve been to Athens a couple of months ago, I absolutely loved it! Especially getting lost in Plaka little streets! We also enjoyed the smaller harbour & beach near Pireo. And all the rooftops overlooking the acropolis! What a beautiful city!
Firstly you have some beautiful photos there 🙂 I love Athens, it is so full of history and those ruins everywhere are amazing to explore. I would of loved to have booked a dinner and watch Greek dance performers that would of been really cold to see. I am going to add Piraesus the old port city to my list for next time, as it looks so lovely.
My children have been learning about some of these amazing historical places at school. It would be wonderful to plan a visit so they can see it all for themselves rather than from photos in a book. I love that we could combine this with a shopping and beach visit too 😊
Birthplace of democracy and Greek Science. I just imagine that it’s the birthplace of Greek Science but I’m not going to do an experiment to prove it or anything. (too nerdy?)
This looks like a very comprehensive list. The Greek dancing look particularly fun.
As a historian, I would completely geek out if I ever make it to Athens. There’s so much history and so much to do. Your guide is awesome and I need to make this a priority to visit! Dinner and dancing with Greeks would be so much fun! And delicious!
I was going to make a bad joke.
Where to get lost?
Go out at night and it might not take you long.
lol
Anyway, great article! Thanks so much
I’m yet to explore this incredible city, having read and heard so much about Athens it will definitely a dream come true when I do visit. You have listed down all the must visit places in this historic city of Athens, and no doubt exploring these will get you lost in a world of its own. Dinner with Greek dance show sounds like a fun way to spend the evenings in the city.
The more I read about Athens, the more I am determined to visit this city soon! The architecture shown from your photos look amazing, especially the Parthenon. I imagine they must have looked even more more marvelous in the city’s heyday. I’d love to watch the Guard of Honor Ceremony, too!
Your photos are beautiful!! I was just in Athens last month but was only there for one night. The ruins were so cool to see, but I wish I would’ve had more time to do other things like see a show at dinner. That’s definitely something I’ll be adding to my list next time I’m in Athens.
Athens was definitely on my bucket list. Thanks for all of the great info here. I will have to keep all this information for when I do make it there.
Love your Parthenon photo! I adored Greek mythology as a kid and I’ve wanted to go to Athens ever since. I still haven’t made it there, but hopefully soon! Clearly, there’s so much to explore.
Athens is literally packed with historical and cultural sites! Everything on this list is on my bucket list too! To read about them and see their photos only piqued my interested some more!
Excellent round up of the attractions in Athens. Such a warm, and wonderful people in Greece. I loved exploring the history and culture, this article takes me back.
I have a friend who lives in Athens but I have yet to visit him. The city is so historic: democracy, Greek temples, you name it! It’s so photogenic too. Thanks for your comprehensive post!
I love Athens, I have never been, only studied a lot of it for my History degree. I recently worked for documents 14 in Kassel and heard so much about Athens, which is the sister city for the art exhibition. I have to go and see all the things I learnt about for myself. My sister was there recently and sent me so many pictures making me so jealous!
I absolutely love Athens and did everything you said in your post! When did you visit? I was there in summer and it was too hot exploring the Acropolis and all the ancient ruins. I completely agree about the friendly Greeks, they’re lovely!
I went in first week of April