So you’ve climbed the Acropolis, now what?

Ancient and modern Athens co-exist successful cleanable harmony with each other. Wherever you basal successful the Greek capital, the Parthenon volition ever beryllium successful presumption arsenic a changeless reminder of the city’s past and wherever it each began implicit 2 millennia ago. So aft you’ve climbed to the apical of the Acropolis and marvelled astatine this singular temple, built to honour the patron goddess Athena, filled your camera with the sprawling presumption of Athens, arsenic she stretches retired to the larboard of Piraeus, what’s next? Beyond the well-known taste attractions, here’s a circular up of what to bash successful Athens, that volition get you successful interaction with the modern broadside of the city.

*’Monastiraki Square and the Acropolis’

Unmissable moments and experiences to person successful Athens, beyond the Acropolis

Enjoy the Greek mode of life →

When considering what to bash successful Athens, getting a sensation of Greek culture, which is afloat of beingness and music, should beryllium connected the apical of your list. Athenian summertime nights are champion enjoyed outdoors and you tin spot live Greek dancing beneath the glow of the Acropolis (until 25th September) oregon 1 of the scheduled performances from the annual Athens and Epidaurus Festival. Movie screens determination to the unfastened aerial excessively from May to October and Cine Paris in Plaka is 1 of the oldest successful municipality bringing retired the aureate oldies, but it’s little astir the movie and much astir the slayer views of the Acropolis successful the background. Tuck into meze with unrecorded Greek euphony on the steep walkway of Mnisikleous oregon Erechtheos successful Plaka. Live rebetika euphony oregon the ‘Greek blues’ is presently having a resurgence successful the capital. A abbreviated taxi thrust to the aged gasworks precinct of Gazi volition get you to Gazarte, who docket play philharmonic acts (from each implicit the world) connected their rooftop stage.

Keep your nights going until the wee hours of the greeting down the lengthy roadworthy of Kolokotroni successful cardinal Athens, lined with trendy bars with imaginative names specified as Barley Cargo, Booze Cooperativa and The Bank Job.

*’Greek Dancing astatine Dora Strata Theatre’ photograph by Why Athens City Guide

Eat similar a local →

Many affectionately notation to Athens arsenic the largest colony successful Greece and erstwhile it comes to nutrient that is precise true. Freshly baked breadstuff is ever wrong scope and the famous Koulouri is however astir similar to footwear disconnected the day. Follow the aromas of location cooked “paradosiakos” nutrient successful non-touristy tavernas that are scattered each astir municipality including Diporto where determination is nary paper and lone a fistful of dishes served each day. It doesn’t get immoderate much rustic, authentic oregon delicious. This precise mercantile portion of Athens is wherever the city’s buzzing cardinal marketplace is located with location grown integrated nutrient that is bursting with colour and section flavours. A abbreviated locomotion to Athinas St is the java micro-roastery Mokka, where you tin bask a changeable of Greek coffee, prepared the aged manner way. Closer to the Acropolis successful the precise picturesque country of Thissio, you tin devour a kilo of lamb chops at To Steki tou Ilia and past locomotion it each disconnected successful the surrounding pedestrianised walkway with marketplace stalls on Agias Asomaton.

Explore past cities successful the centre of town →

Bon vivants and travellers are lured to the cobbled streets and tiny achromatic washed homes of Anafiotika connected the northeast broadside of the Acropolis. Follow the constrictive cobbled paths arsenic they zig zag down towards the past metropolis of Plaka wherever the Greek land ambiance continues.

Witness a fiery sunset →

There are galore hills to ascent successful Athens and not each pb to the Acropolis, 1 successful peculiar frames the Parthenon perfectly against the inheritance of the Aegean Sea. Jump connected the funicular oregon railway carriage that leads to the apical of Lycabettus Hill and acold brew volition beryllium waiting for you arsenic the unofficial thoroughfare vendors (who person fought bony and nail to beryllium there) await to greet you. Otherwise, bring your ain picnic and drawback a spot for the spectacular sunset.

*Witness a fiery sunset – ‘Sunset astatine Mt Lycabettus’ photograph by Why Athens

Discover the hidden pearls of the Attica coastline →

Organised city beaches enactment the Athens Riviera southbound of the city. If you privation to flight the metropolis entirely, support heading southbound to Cape Sounio wherever you tin walk the time basking successful the crystal wide waters of the galore secluded coves, earlier making the pilgrimage up to the Temple of Poseidon at sunset that is dedicated to the mythological God of the Sea. To acquisition the precise champion of the Aegean, fto the others bash the hard enactment and unbend connected committee a catamaran that volition instrumentality you to the champion swimming spots where you’ll consciousness similar you’re backmost successful the islands. After you’ve splashed around, an authentic Greek luncheon volition beryllium waiting connected board.

Dip your toes beneath a limestone cavern →

Athenians successful the cognize skip the crowds and caput to the thermal waters of Lake Vouliagmeni for bid and tranquillity. Just 30 minutes from town, unbend connected luxurious time beds acceptable beneath a limestone cavern. Garra rufa food volition nibble astatine your toes oregon you tin research much of the oversea beingness by signing up for a time of snorkelling.

Take location immoderate Athenian treasures →

Head to the precise hep country of Psirri adjacent to Monastiraki presumption and find everything handmade and authentic including Greek fisherman’s caps, bouzoukia, ceramics and copper wares. Look retired for vintage covering and vinyl records done the labyrinth streets and graffiti sprayed buildings. Calm the psyche with the clink, clink, clink of Greek interest beads and caput to Kombologadiko at the bound of Syntagma and Kolonaki for a peculiar acceptable made from semi-precious stones. If you’re looking for authentic ceramics, by- walk inexpensive imitations and sojourn the Attic Black store who manus marque each entity utilizing authentic and accepted techniques.

For thing a small different →

Take a interruption from each the splendid past antiquities and halt by the Hellenic Motor Museum with a backstage postulation of much than 110 cars from the precocious 1800’s until the extremity of the past century. The Ilias Lalalounis Jewelry Museum housed successful a neo-classical gathering astatine the basal of the Acropolis, is simply a treasure thorax of precious objects and jewellery created by Athenian maestro goldsmith Ilias Lalaounis.

For outdoorsy pursuits, instrumentality the cablegram car to the apical of Mount Parnitha (about 30 kilometres northwest from the centre) and hike this glorious mountain, which is the highest successful Attica lasting astatine 1400 metres. The Parnitha National Park is simply a blissful sanctuary of nature, filled with conifer trees and indigenous animals. The trekking and upland motorcycle trails volition get the bosom complaint going. Look retired for the mythological God of the wild, Pan whom the past Greeks believed to unrecorded here.

You tin research Mount Parnitha different mode and effort your luck astatine the Regency Casino wrong the Mont Parnes Hotel that was built successful the 60s and perched up precocious supra the mountain. It’s an awesome illustration of modern Athenian architecture. (Observe the formal codification and bring your passport to enter).

Dive into the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre (SNFCC)

This sprawling, eco-friendly analyzable connected Athens’ waterfront is simply a hub of modern creativity, featuring the National Opera, a state-of-the-art library, and expansive gardens designed by designer Renzo Piano. In 2025, drawback seasonal highlights similar the wintertime Festival of Lights oregon lace up skates connected the pop-up crystal rink overlooking the sea, blending precocious civilization with family-friendly fun.

Why Athens tip →

You tin sojourn many museums in Athens successful the aboriginal evenings until 8:00pm oregon 9:00pm (excluding Mondays). The Acropolis museum remains unfastened until 10:00pm connected Fridays.

*This station primitively featured in whyathens

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