Athens in 3 Days
Athens in 3 Days
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Having studied Greek literature in college, Athens had always been on my travel wish-list.
Needless to say Athens has many charms. Other than its rich historical heritage, it is also a perfect destination to relish culinary delights and enjoy a friendly, vibrant culture. It is also quite affordable and a great starting point for island hopping in Greece.
We visited Athens during Easter, giving us a good three days to enjoy Athens, which I think is a perfect duration for Athens.
This 3-day itinerary covers the capital city's highlights. You can always add more days and visit the famous Greek isles from here like Santorini, Mykonos and more...
Being a huge history buff, I prioritized covering iconic landmarks like the Acropolis, Parthenon, Ancient Agora, and Greek God Temples unique to Athens, that offer fascinating insights into ancient Greek civilization. But this itinerary also covers great food joints, beautiful squares and a taste of the amazing culture of Athens.
Let’s begin with where to stay -
We went with Plaka (Historic Center), also known as the "Neighborhood of the Gods," since it is the most central area to stay in Athens. Cobblestone streets, neoclassical buildings, and proximity to major attractions – it ticks all the right boxes.
We stayed in Electra Metropolis Hotel, a luxury hotel with a rooftop pool and restaurant offering stunning views of the Acropolis. We loved its central location, the rooms were comfy, the breakfast was great and they had dairy-free desserts and milk alternatives😍. They also have a sister hotel Electra Palace if you find them fully booked.
More stay options in Plaka -
Luxury Spend - AthensWas Hotel: A chic boutique hotel with modern design, located on the pedestrian street leading to the Acropolis Museum.
Budget Friendly - Adrian Hotel: boasts of a rooftop terrace offering Acropolis views.
Other great areas to stay in Athens –
Monastiraki. Stay for vibrant flea market, lively square, and bustling atmosphere. It's a great area for those who want to be close to shopping, dining, and nightlife while being within walking distance of major attractions.
Koukaki. Trendy, up-and-coming neighborhood just south of the Acropolis. It’s a quieter, more authentic Athenian area with plenty of local cafés, bars, and restaurants, offering a more relaxed vibe while still being close to major sites.
Psiri/ Psyrri. One of the liveliest areas, known for its bohemian atmosphere, street art, and thriving nightlife scene. Packed with tavernas, bars, and artisan shops, it is ideal for a vibrant, edgy stay.
How to get around -
Athens is a very walkable city. Most attractions can be covered on foot if you stay in the center. Otherwise make use of their modern and reliable metro system to navigate the city. And lastly, for airport runs, taxis are easily available and Uber also works in the capital.
Day 1:
We started our day in the stunning breakfast area of the hotel with gorgeous view of the Parthenon. It is breath-taking - the first glimpse of Acropolis, no matter from afar. To witness such a timeless sentinel perched high above the heart of Athens, one can feel its presence, a testament to the ancient civilization that transports one to the past.
We soaked in this view while enjoying a morning cuppa and some yummy buffet treats.
We headed out to the Mitropoleos square, 2 minute walk from our hotel, where we admired the Holy Metropolitan Church. Another 5 min walk led us to Monastiraki square from where we took a metro to to the National Archaeological Museum, which houses a vast collection of ancient artifacts, including the famous Mask of Agamemnon, Antikythera Mechanism and Bronze Statues of Zeus and Poseidon. It is a must see for every history enthusiast. We spent a good 2.5 hrs here before coming back to the Monastiraki square.
From Monastiraki square, we took an afternoon guided food tour, but you can easily explore this neighbourhood and try some Greek delicacies by yourself, and then spend time in Psyrri exploring the street art and the vibrant tavernas in the evening.
We loved our food tour, and it did involve a tour of Psyrri, central fish, meat & produce market, and Evripidou, the herb and spice street of Athens.
Olive market in Psiri
Fresh Produce market
Pastitsio
Entrance to Underground Taverna
I don't even know how we all managed to eat so much but the tour lasted for a good 4 hours and also included a sit down meal with fava, greek salad, mousakka, calamari, and souvlakis, and ended with a delicious gyro that we had to takeaway! I think we all ate more than what we paid for the tour and our guide showed us the best spots to come back to later on our trip.
The street art scene in Psyrri is a photographer's delight, and really worth exploring. These are also covered by specialised tours if you are an art-enthusiast.
In the evening we also explored Little Kook in Psyrri, another must see spot in the neighbourhood. It has a fairy-tale, magical vibe, with ever changing seasonal themes and immersive decorations. It is super pretty and gram-worthy. The desserts here are also theme based and yum, though we were too full on the food tour so we had to give those a miss.
For sunset, we went to Lycabettus hill by taking a funicular (Cable Car). It offers a beautiful view of the city.
TOP TIP - You can also have dinner at Orizontes restaurant, located at the top of Lycabettus Hill, which was unfortunately closed at the time of our visit.
We ended the day sipping cocktails at our own hotel terrace - Metropolis Roof Garden, which is great for enjoying acropolis views at night (especially if you are not staying here).
Day 2:
This was the day we chose to cover all the monuments. You can easily make this your first day, but we were tired on our first day and the weather was not perfect so we had decided this itinerary for day 2.
You can choose to cover them on your own, but a guided tour is recommended if you want to experience the history in all its glory. This is an activity I most heartily recommend a tour for, since the myths, legends and archaeology breath life into these monuments. We took the Athens Highlights: a Mythological Tour and found it superb.
We took an early morning tour to avoid crowds at Parthenon, something highly advisable.
Starting at Adrian's Arch, we then covered Temple of Olympian Zeus, before making our way to the Acropolis. It is best to buy Acropolis tickets in advance from the official website to get the right time slot, avoiding queueing up. Once inside Acropolis, the Odeon Amphitheatre should be your first stop. It's magnificent.
We then moved on to the Theater of Dionysus, the Temple of Athena Nike, and the Erechteion, and finally the Parthenon.
We then left the Acropolis and went to the Ancient Agora of Athens. We learnt more about the history of the civilisation and finished at the Temple of Hephaestus. The views of the Agora are very memorable, and one can also visit the Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds close by if interested.
Not Enough? A short walk from the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum houses incredible artifacts from the site. It’s a perfect follow-up to the Acropolis visit as it adds more context to what you’ve just seen. (Wouldn't lie, we skipped it).
Our tour lasted a good five plus hours and saying goodbye still felt hard. We wanted to take another shower (it is sweltering in the summers) so we headed back to the hotel after the tour. We had lunch at Ergon right next to our hotel and loved it. It has a nice "modern agora" vibe and we also bought a few condiments to take home from here.
We then spent the late afternoon covering Hadrian's Library, another interesting monument close to Monastiraki Square, and then spent time roaming around the charming streets of Plaka.
This is a perfect time to also do some shopping or window shopping - from local boutique stores and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. I bought a lovely Athena ring from a silver store and it has quickly become one of my favourite accessory pieces.
We had our dinner at Plaka at Ella - a lovely urban Greek restaurant with beautiful terrace seating, which was quite well priced and everything from Fava to Dolmadakia, Oven baked fish Plaka and saganaki, was delectable. Would highly recommend for a lunch or dinner when around city centre.
Streets around Monastiriki are perfect for late night dessert - again very fantasyland vibes, lovely gelatos and sorbets and yes, chocolate fountains. Cherry on top, they open till late.
Day 3:
We reserved this day for visiting one of the temples. We chose a day trip to Temple of Poseidon at Sounion, perched dramatically on the cliffs above the Aegean Sea. Day Trip to Delphi is another great idea to see the Temple of Apollo and the ancient theatre, but we had already seen another temple of Apollo at Delos (from Mykonos) so we went for Poseidon's temple.
We spend the morning with a stroll around Monastiraki flea market, and a cafe lunch. Don't forget to try some Ouzo or Mythos beer on a nice sunny day.
Post lunch we headed for Cape Sounion. We wanted a dramatic setting so spent sunset there. It is around 1.5 hrs away. If you go by yourself, you can take out time to take a swim at Sounio Beach and have a seafood lunch at a seaside taverna like Akrogiali. There is also a sunset tour available for ease of transport.
We made our first stop at lake Vouliagmeni, a serene spot worth exploring if you have your own transport. They have a nice boating area and sun-bathing spots. The waters are also naturally thermal and therefore therapeutic. It offers a natural spa experience and there is also a spa, cafes, changing rooms and more at the lake.
As you begin to get closer to the hill, you can catch splendid views of Poseidon's temple, overlooking the Aegean Sea. The queue for tickets is not bad here.
The temple sits dramatically on a clifftop setting, and on a clear day several islands can be seen in the distance. The sunset here, as I mentioned before is one of the most stunning in all of Greece. Sailors would stop at the temple to pray to Poseidon, the god of sea for safe voyages.
You can also find the stone where Byron carved his name. It is the same temple that Byron also referenced in his poem -
"Place me on Sunium's marble steep,
Where nothing, save the waves and I,
May hear our mutual murmurs sweep;
There, swan-like, let me sing and die:
For our last night dinner, we went to G H Attikos restaurant which has beautiful night views of Parthenon from up-close. The food was really nice and the photos dont do justice to the place. You can also opt for dinner at Varoulko Seaside in Piraeus, another wonderful alternative if you want the views of the marina, and enjoy a Michelin-star menu.
We ended our trip here, but you can always add another day for Delphi, or a day and a half for a more off-the-beaten-path Meteora monastery. You can also go to any Greek isles from here. Santorini, Mykonos, Milos, Paros - all breathtakingly beautiful and worth a visit, making it a hard choice to pick just one. I hope you enjoy the history, a taste of local life, and the delectable food in this timeless city!
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