The Greek capital has a lot to offer its visitors. It’s a buzzing city with an exciting nightlife, all sorts of delicious foods to try, and some of the most important vestiges in the world.
It’s a city with a long rich history dating back more than 3500 years. Remnants of another time are scattered all over the city and the surrounding areas.
A good place to start is in Athens’ historical center and the best way to visit is to simply wander around and immerse yourself in the ancient neighborhoods. A good starting place would be the Acropolis.
Visiting the Acropolis
When we think of Athens this is the picture that comes to mind: The view of the world-renowned Parthenon majestically sitting atop Acropolis Hill. This is probably the most visited site in Athens and a definite must-see. The hilltop citadel was erected in the 5th century BC and is primarily dedicated to Athena, Goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare.
This site had been on my list of places to see for a very long time, having been fascinated by ancient civilizations ever since I learned about them in history class when I was a teenager. At last I was there, and eager to get a closer look.
One funny memory we have is of an angry man who was arguing with his family about how he didn’t want to spend €10 each to go inside, and they would simply look at it from the outside. After traveling thousands of miles to get here, we could not even dream of not going in and felt sad for them.
Entering the site by the Propylaea (ancient main entrance) the first temple we encountered to the right was the Temple of Athena Nike, built to protect the entrance to the Acropolis. It dates back to 426-421 BC. Straight ahead we could see the iconic Parthenon; despite the scaffolding it was still magnificent! The ancient temple, built between 447 and 438 BC, is dedicated to Athena.
To the left of the Parthenon we could see the third most important temple, the Erechtheion, erected in 421-406 BC to honor Athena and Poseidon. This temple’s most remarkable feature is the Porch of the Caryatids where the columns have been replaced by sculptures of women. Five of the original caryatids can be seen at the Acropolis Museum, the sixth one is at the British Museum in London. A few other monuments can be seen around the Parthenon, including the Old Acropolis Museum.
Great vistas of Athens and the surrounding area can be seen from the Acropolis Rock. From our perch we could see vestiges of ancient temples and amphitheaters.
The 6th century BC Theatre of Dionysus is quite impressive with its capacity of 15,000 people. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an ancient stone theater built in 161 AD, was renovated in 1950 and is still in use today. We could even see the Temple of Olympian Zeus in the distance!
Roaming around Monastiraki and Plaka
On the way down from the Acropolis, why not explore some of Athens’ oldest neighborhoods and see more vestiges along the way.
We saw interesting sights including the Ancient Agora, Roman Forum, Hadrien’s Library, the Church of the Holy Apostles, and the Tower of the Winds (also called the Horologion of Andronikos of Kyrrhos) which is an ancient water clock complete with sundials and a compass. It felt like we were walking through an open-air museum!
The streets around Monastiraki Square are lined with tourist shops and restaurants. It was the perfect place to take a break and indulge in an authentic Greek feast. We ordered a lot, and the waitress brought us extra dishes to try: a lamb stew and a thick cold Greek yogurt with honey for dessert. It was the first time we had tried yoghurt with honey, and we’ve come to enjoy it at home since, it’s delicious! (Unfortunately, we didn’t have such a great experience on our most recent visit. )
At the foot of the Acropolis there is the historical neighborhood of Plaka. This is another district that is best explored on foot by wandering through its narrow cobblestone streets. Plenty of shops with quality products, sidewalk cafes and tavernas can be found in the area making this a good spot to shop and eat out.
Watching the sunset from Mount Lycabettus
This is one of the top places to watch the sunset and get panoramic views of the Acropolis, city and sea beyond. It’s an easy hike up to the viewing area, but there is a cable car for those who prefer.
We enjoyed a spectacular sunset from the terrace of the summit’s restaurant, Orizontes Lycabettus. On the menu, seafood and Greek specialties. A perfect way to end a day of sightseeing!
Escaping the crowds at the National Garden
Located next to the Syntagma Square and Greek Parliament Building, this historic park is well worth seeing. Inside the park there is a botanical garden with exotic plants, walking paths, a playground and the Zappeion Exhibition Hall. Now used as a conference center, the Zappeion was originally built for the first Modern Olympic Games held in 1896.
Nearby, built on the site of an old sanctuary dedicated to Zeus, there is the Temple of Olympian Zeus. The temple was completed in 456 BC and had a total 104 columns each measuring 17 meters in height with a diameter of 1.7 meters. Of these, only 15 columns remain standing, one lies on the ground. Next to the sight there are the remnants of Hadrian’s Arch, built to honor the Roman Emperor Hadrian.
Climbing up Filopappou Hill
Another good place to get a bird’s-eye view of the city is from the top of Filopappou Hill next to the Monument of Philopappos. Here, there isn’t any cable car, and one needs to walk up using a set of uneven stone stairs through a tree-lined path.
Warning: The area is known for frequent muggings. On our way up we encountered a young woman traveling alone. She was crying and told us she had been robbed. We went up anyway but paid attention to our surroundings and came down just after sunset and at the same time as other tourists. There’s safety in numbers!
The park has a few other historical landmarks to see including: Socrates Prison, Deaf Man’s Cave, Themistoclean Ancient Wall of Pnyx and the Greek Orthodox Church of Agios Demetrios Loumbardiaris.
One evening, we came back to see a traditional dance show at the open-air Dora Stratou Theatre. We enjoyed the performance and the costumes were beautiful. It was like being at a living museum!
There is so much to see and do in Athens that we could add a lot more to this list, including visiting the prestigious National Archaeological Museum and the Acropolis Museum. This is one of those places that I wouldn’t mind revisiting. It was a nice add-on to our Greek Island cruise.
Related Posts: