Explore Athens in a day with this helpful guide.
Will one day be enough? Yes, it will be. Through our 1 day Athens Itinerary, we are covering all the major tourist destinations & ‘hot’ eating and shopping venues. To make it easy & manageable for you, we have even listed the recommended time you should spend at a given destination (which we think will be enough for you to have a gist of it). However you will have to start early; we advise you to rent a car – it will help you to follow the schedule spot on and save time.
Athens is the capital city of Greece which also happens to be the largest one in the country. As per the historical records, it is believed that it is the one of the oldest cities in the world that have been inhabited continuously for over 5000 years. Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, the ancient Theatre of Dionysus, the ruins of the Asklepieion and the Stoa of Eumenes are some of the noted sites of historical importance in Athens. Athens historic center is now a 3-kilometer pedestrian zone which makes it the largest in Europe.
Things to do in Athens in a day
01 Syntagma Square
- Stay for 20-30 minutes
Have an early breakfast and reach Syntagma Square by 8 am.
Syntagma Square is the center of the city where the Parliament building is located. It is a must-see Athens’ attraction. The parliament building was built between 1836 and 1847 as the residence of King Otto who became the first king of modern day Greece after liberation from Ottoman Empire.
In front of the parliament resides the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The tomb is guarded by soldiers, known as Evzones – and their shifts change every hour. You can take pictures with them!
02 Temple of Olympian Zeus
- Stay for 60 minutes
After witnessing the change of guards, walk to the nearby Temple of Olympian Zeus and Hadrian’s Arch. (Tip: Use Google maps)
The Temple of Zeus is the biggest ancient temple and a really interesting historical place. The site opens at 8 am and you have to pay an admission fee of 6 Euros.
03 The Acropolis
- Stay for 1.5 hours
For this one, we suggest you get the tickets in advance and beat the rush; it opens at 8 am and the admission fee is 10 Euros. If you happen to be visiting on the first Sunday of the month, don’t bother buying a ticket, admission for this specific day is free. Don’t forget to see the panoramic view of the city from the top.
04 The Acropolis Museum
- Stay for 1.5 hours
Whether you like history or not, your 1 day Athens Itinerary is supposed to cover at least one museum, and the Acropolis Museum is the best of all.
Spend an hour and a half in the museum and after exiting, go to the restaurant and café area of the museum–admission is free there–and grab your lunch.
05 Areopagitou Street
- Stay for 1.5 to 2 hours
By now, you will be a bit tired, so rest for a few minutes & have a leisurely stroll along Areopagitou Street. Walking down the Areopagitou Street is a must!
Enjoy the walk and once you reach near Thissio metro station, the street merges with Apostolou Pavlou. On the left of this street there is a green area called Filopappou hill where Socrates’ prison is located.
06 Monastiraki Square
- Stay for 30 minutes
Next stop is Monastiraki Square, which is located right next to Monastiraki metro. Street musicians & lots of locals, it is the best place to buy souvenirs, clothes, camping equipment and other random stuff.
07 Athens Central Market
- Stay for 30 minutes
A trip to Athens is never considered complete without a visit to a local market. Athens Central Market is a great place to spend the evening and while here you can have a look at the herbs, olive oil and the spices. Since you will not want to buy fish and meat, 30-45 minutes will be enough. It is a great place to buy fruits or have fresh juice.
Athens Central Market remains closed on Sundays.
08 Psirri neighborhood
- Stay for 30 minutes – 1 hour
It is one of the best places to have a deep insight into the art scene of Athens. This neighborhood has some of the best pieces of street art in the country.
Though there are a lot of streets in Psirri Neighborhood, Aristofanous, Riga Palamidou, Sarri, Nika, Louka, Ag. Anargiron and Agatharchou are the best among the lot.