Top Things to do in Athens – 3 Days Itinerary

Athens is one of my favorite destinations in Europe. I had the opportunity to visit Athens often in previous years. The vibrancy of modern life and the peacefulness of ancient times make me visit the city again and again. After my last visit recently, I decided to prepare detailed travel guides for Athens so that you can enjoy it as much as I did. After describing the places to visit in detail, I will share a 3-day itinerary at the end of this article.

Things to do in Athens

Athens is a great long weekend destination, a city you can enjoy in 3 days. First of all, I share the important tourist attractions.

To find out where to eat in Athens, be sure to read my Athens food and drink guide.

The Ultimate Athens Food Guide

Main Tourist Attractions in Athens

Acropolis of Athens: One of the most important monuments of the ancient world and the symbol of Athens, built in the 5th century BC. Even if you don’t go to any of the tourist attractions in Athens, I think you should definitely go here. This is where philosophers questioned the universe, where democracy and freedom of speech were born, where temples were built to honor the gods. There are several very important sites on and around this hill. The most famous is the Parthenon, but the Temple of Athena Nike, the Erechtheion, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Theater of Dionysus are also located here. The entrance fee to the Acropolis is €20 from April 1 to October 31 and €10 from November 1 to March 31.

Acropolis Museum: You can find comprehensive information about the art and history of antiquity in the museum, where artifacts excavated from the Acropolis are exhibited. The entrance fee to the Acropolis Museum is €15 from April 1 to October 31, and €10 from November 1 to March 31.

Ancient Agora: Located near the Acropolis, this archaeological site was used as a marketplace, gathering place and residential area for 5000 years. There are two important places to visit here: The Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos. Built in the 5th century BC to honor Hephaestus, the patron god of fire, metalworking and craftsmanship, the Temple of Hephaestus is one of the best preserved Greek temples. The Stoa of Attalos, rebuilt in the 1950s, now serves as the Ancient Agora Museum building. The entrance fee to the Ancient Agora is €10 in summer and €5 in winter.

Roman Agora: Very close to the Ancient Agora is the Roman Agora. This collection of markets and buildings was built in the first century BC during the rule of Julius and Augustus Caesar. The main entrance is through the Athena Gate. It is considered the world’s first meteorological center with its Wind Tower, sundial, water clock and weather vane. Roman Agora entrance fee is €8 in summer and €4 in winter.

Hadrian’s Library: Built in 132 AD under the rule of the Roman Emperor Hadrian, it was built to store papyrus book rolls. Hadrian’s entrance fee is €6

The Temple of Olympian Zeus: Construction began in the 6th century BC and was planned to be the largest temple in the ancient world to honor Zeus. When it was completed, it was one of the largest of the ancient temples with 104 tall columns, each 17.25 meters high. Shortly after its completion in the 2nd century AD, it was sacked by a barbarian invasion and very few of the original columns survive. The entrance fee to the Temple of Olympus Zeus is €6.

Kerameikos: The potter’s quarter in Athens where ceramics were born and the site of an ancient cemetery. There’s not much to see, just a quick stroll among the archaeological finds. Kerameikos entrance fee €8

There are Combined tickets that include entrance to the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, Hadrian’s Library, Kerameikos Ancient Cemetery and Aristotle’s School. It costs €30, which makes sense if you plan to visit the Acropolis and other sites, and is valid for 5 days.

National Archaeological Museum: This is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and houses one of the largest collections of Greek antiquity. It is located a bit outside the city center, and you can reach the museum by taking the metro and walking for 10 minutes from Omonia station. The entrance fee to the Archaeological Museum of Athens is €12 from April 1 to October 31 and €6 from November 1 to March 31.

Benaki Museum: The Benaki family donated their home and art collection to Greece. The museum houses Greek art from prehistoric to modern times, as well as a large collection of Asian art.

Panathenaic Stadium: This is a stadium that dates back to 330 BC. It was rebuilt in marble by Herodes Atticus in 144 AD. In 1896 it hosted the opening and closing ceremonies of the first modern Olympics. Panathenaic Stadium entrance fee is 10€. I visited it the first time I went to Athens but I don’t think it’s worth the price.

Syntagma Square – Changing of the Guard: This square is the main square and the busiest place in Athens. In front of the Parliament Building in the square is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which is guarded by uniformed soldiers. There is a changing of the guard every hour, and every Sunday at 11 o’clock there is a big ceremony to mark the changing of the guard. If you are in Syntagma Square at the time, you can watch.

Hadrian’s Gate: A Roman arch built in 132 AD to celebrate the contributions of the Roman Emperor Hadrian to the city. There is another Hadrian’s Gate in Antalya, known as the Tri-Gates.

Monastiraki Square: This is a very lively and busy part of Athens. It is located near the Library of Hadrian and the Ancient Agora. There is a Greek Orthodox church, a mosque, a metro station, the columns of Hadrian’s Library and lots of shops. On Sundays there is a flea market.

Varvakeios Market: This is the municipal market selling meat, seafood, fruit, vegetables, spices, etc. It is closed on Sundays. I like to visit markets in the cities I visit, but if you are not interested, you can skip it.

Areopagus Hill: This hill, where you can see one of the most iconic views of the Acropolis, is also known as Mars Hill.

Philopappos Hill: Another hill where you can enjoy views of the Acropolis and the city. It is less crowded here.

Lycabettus Hill: This is the highest viewpoint in Athens, you can take the Lycabettus Cable Car or walk up.

Ermou Street: We can liken this place to Istiklal Street. There are lots of shops and cafes.

Plaka: A very touristic neighborhood stretching from the Acropolis to Syntagma Square. If you are in Athens, you should definitely visit Plaka. It has an authentic atmosphere with its cafes, souvenir shops and narrow streets.

Anafiotika: As you walk from the Acropolis to Plaka, you pass through this quaint little neighborhood. There are roads and white houses as if you were on a Greek island. It is a very photogenic and quiet place.

Psiri: A small neighborhood close to Monastiraki. It has very nice restaurants, bars and a lively nightlife. You should definitely go here for dinner and a drink.

Exarchia: This used to be known as the anarchist neighborhood of Athens and not many people went here. However, in recent years it has become a very popular and colorful neighborhood with nice places and boutiques and murals on the buildings.

Alternative Less Touristy Places in Athens

For those who want to explore the city’s lesser-known, alternative routes, here are some places worth visiting.

Athens National Park and Zappeion: The Zappeion building, which served as the official Olympic village for the 1896 Olympic Games and hosted fencing events, now hosts cultural events such as exhibitions, wine tastings, fairs, etc. It is also a park I recommend for families with children.

Panepistimiou Street: It was one of the first streets opened during the modernization of Athens during the reign of King Otto. It is a wide street with neoclassical buildings such as the Academy of Athens, the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the National Library of Greece and the Academy of Athens. You can see one of the city’s famous murals here. It is located near Kolonaki, a wealthy neighborhood.

B&E Goulandris Foundation Museum: This museum was created by Basil (Vasilis) and Eliza Goulandris, wealthy art lovers of Greece. On each floor of the 5-story museum you can see sculptures and paintings by leading artists of the 19th and 20th centuries.

National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST): Opened in 2000, the museum exhibits the works of leading international and modern Greek artists. In addition to the permanent collection, there are constantly renewed exhibitions.

Athens’ First Cemetery: This is the city’s official and oldest cemetery. It may sound strange, but if there are cemeteries with imposing tombstones in the cities I visit, I go, they are like free open-air museums.

3-Day Athens Travel Itinerary

For those who are going to Athens for the first time, I have prepared a day by day itinerary. I have gathered the places that are close to each other on the same day. If you are only going for the weekend, you can do the first 2 days of this itinerary. Of course, you may not be interested in all of these, or you want to travel more slowly, you can make cuts accordingly.

Athens Travel Itinerary Day 1

Acropolis, Anafiotika, Plaka, Monastiraki Square, Ermou Street, Psiri, Varvakeios Market, Panepistimiou Street, Lycabettus Hill

Athens Travel Itinerary Day 2

Acropolis Museum, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Areopagus Hill or Philopappos Hill, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Gate, Athens National Park and Zappion

Athens Travel Itinerary Day 3

Kerameikos, Benaki Museum, Exarchia, National Archaeological Museum, Vassilis and Eliza Goulandris Foundation Museum, Panathenaic Stadium, Athens First Cemetery, National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST)

I hope my Athens guide will be useful for you. If you have any other questions, please leave them in the comments. If you have any suggestions, I would also welcome them in the comments. Have a nice trip!

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