Updated 2026

14 best things to do in Athens

The Acropolis, ancient agoras and rooftop views over a city that never sleeps.

Photo: Stavros Kallis / Pexels · Pexels License

Heads-up: this page contains affiliate links. If you book or buy through them we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It never changes our picks. How we make money.

These picks cover classical and modern Athens: the Acropolis and its museum, the Ancient and Roman Agoras, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Plaka and Monastiraki, the marble stadium, the changing of the guard and the best viewpoints, plus a day trip to Cape Sounion. For each: honest cost, time needed, best time and when to skip it.

Things to do in Athens: tap a number to open it in Google Maps. Out of town (not on the map): 14. Day trip: Cape Sounion.

Tickets & tours in Athens: compare before you buy

Official sites are often cheapest for single museums; resellers are handy for skip-the-line combos, tours and free cancellation.

Tickets on Tiqets Tours on GetYourGuide Tours on Viator

Acropolis & the Parthenon

Acropolis Hill

The rock above Athens with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its Caryatids, the Propylaia and the little Temple of Athena Nike. The ticket also covers the slopes, including the Theatre of Dionysus.

Cost: €30 full price, €15 reduced, with a timed entry slot (2026, check hhticket.gr)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Best time: Opening time (08:00) or the last two hours

Insider tip: Book a time slot on the official site, hhticket.gr. Summer hours are 08:00–20:00 with last entry at 19:30; winter hours are 08:00–17:00 (2026). Bring water and a hat: there is little shade.

Skip it if: Never – but avoid the midday heat in summer.

Acropolis tours Compare on Viator

Acropolis Museum

Makrygianni, below the Acropolis

A modern museum built over excavated ancient streets. It holds the original Caryatids and the Parthenon sculptures that remained in Athens, with a top-floor gallery that faces the Parthenon itself.

Cost: €20 full, €10 reduced (reduced and free tickets at the desk only) (2026, check theacropolismuseum.gr)
Time needed: 1.5–2 hours
Best time: Friday evening (open until 22:00) or after the Acropolis

Insider tip: Mondays close at 17:00. In winter (1 November–31 March) it closes at 17:00 Monday–Thursday (2026).

Skip it if: You have less than a day – the Acropolis comes first.

Tickets & tours

Ancient Agora & Temple of Hephaestus

Monastiraki / Thiseio

The heart of ancient Athenian democracy and daily life, where Socrates taught. The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos houses a museum.

Cost: €20 full, €10 reduced (2026, check hh.gr)
Time needed: 1.5 hours
Best time: Morning

Insider tip: There is no combined ticket any more: each site is a separate ticket.

Skip it if: Ruins aren’t your thing – the view of the temple from Adrianou Street is free.

Tickets & tours

Plaka & Anafiotika

Below the north-east side of the Acropolis

Athens’ oldest neighbourhood, with neoclassical houses, small churches and tavernas. Anafiotika, a tiny cluster of whitewashed houses on the Acropolis slope, feels like a Cycladic island.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 1–2 hours
Best time: Late afternoon and evening

Insider tip: Anafiotika is a maze of stairs: follow the lanes up from Stratonos Street.

Skip it if: Never – it’s on the way between the sights.

Monastiraki Square & Flea Market

Monastiraki

A busy square with a Byzantine church, a mosque and a view of the Acropolis, next to a flea market and souvlaki shops.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 1 hour
Best time: Sunday morning for the market, sunset for the rooftop bars

Insider tip: Rooftop bars around the square have some of the best Acropolis views at sunset.

Skip it if: You dislike crowds.

Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds

Plaka

The Roman-era market of Athens, with the octagonal marble Tower of the Winds, an ancient clock tower with sundials and a water clock.

Cost: €10 full, €5 reduced; Hadrian’s Library is a separate €10 ticket (2026, check hh.gr)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Morning

Insider tip: You can see much of it through the fence for free.

Skip it if: You’re short on time.

Tickets & tours

Planning Athens?

Get our free printable city map + 48-hour checklist plus our ticket-saving tips.

By signing up you agree to receive emails from us. See our privacy policy.

Temple of Olympian Zeus & Hadrian’s Arch

Near Syntagma

Once the largest temple in Greece. Only a handful of its giant Corinthian columns still stand. Hadrian’s Arch beside it marked the way into the Roman emperor’s new city.

Cost: €20 full, €10 reduced; the arch is free (2026, check hh.gr)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Late afternoon

Insider tip: The columns are clearly visible from the street if you don’t want to pay.

Skip it if: You’ve seen enough columns – view it from outside.

Tickets & tours

Panathenaic Stadium

Pangrati

A stadium built entirely of marble. It hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.

Cost: €12 full, €6 reduced; under 6 free (2026, check panathenaicstadium.gr)
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Morning

Insider tip: Open 08:00–19:00 from March to October and 08:00–17:00 from November to February (2026). Run a lap of the track!

Skip it if: Sport bores you – the outside is impressive enough.

Tickets & tours

Syntagma Square & the Changing of the Guard

Syntagma

The central square, in front of the Hellenic Parliament. The Evzones of the Presidential Guard, in traditional uniforms, change at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every hour on the hour.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 20–45 min
Best time: Sunday at 11:00 for the big ceremony with a band

Insider tip: For the Sunday ceremony, arrive around 10:30 to get a good spot.

Skip it if: Never – it’s free and central.

#10

National Garden

Next to the Parliament

A shady park behind the Parliament, with ponds, shaded paths and the Zappeion hall at its southern end.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 30–60 min
Best time: Hot afternoons

Insider tip: A cool short cut from Syntagma to the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the stadium.

Skip it if: You’re short on time.

#11

Lycabettus Hill

Kolonaki

The highest hill in central Athens, with a chapel at the top and a 360-degree view of the city and the sea.

Cost: Free on foot; funicular €10 one way, €13 return (2026, check orizonteslycabettus.gr)
Time needed: 1–1.5 hours
Best time: Sunset

Insider tip: The funicular starts at Aristippou Street in Kolonaki. Walking up is steep: allow 30–40 minutes.

Skip it if: You’ve already had the view from Philopappos Hill.

#12

Philopappos Hill

South-west of the Acropolis

A pine-covered hill with a Roman monument on top and one of the best free views of the Acropolis.

Cost: Free
Time needed: 45 min
Best time: Sunset

Insider tip: Paths start near the Acropolis entrance on Dionysiou Areopagitou. Wear shoes with grip: the marble paths are slippery.

Skip it if: It’s very hot and you’ve already climbed the Acropolis.

#13

National Archaeological Museum

Exarchia

Greece’s largest archaeological museum, with the gold Mask of Agamemnon, the bronze Artemision god and the Antikythera Mechanism.

Cost: €20 (2026, check namuseum.gr)
Time needed: 2–3 hours
Best time: A hot afternoon

Insider tip: Opens later on Tuesdays (13:00 in summer, 2026).

Skip it if: You only have one or two days.

Tickets & tours

#14

Day trip: Cape Sounion

About 70 km south-east of Athens

The Temple of Poseidon stands on a cliff above the Aegean. Sunset here is one of the classic Greek views.

Cost: €20 full, €10 reduced (2026, check hh.gr)
Time needed: Half day
Best time: Late afternoon for sunset

Insider tip: The site is open daily from 09:30 until sunset. The direct KTEL coastal bus was suspended from 4 October 2026, so check the service, or go on a tour.

Skip it if: You have less than three days.

Sounion tours Compare on Viator

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Athens?

Two days covers the Acropolis, its museum, the Ancient Agora, Plaka and Monastiraki. Three days adds the stadium, the Temple of Olympian Zeus and a sunset hill at a relaxed pace; four lets you add Cape Sounion, Aegina or Delphi.

How much does the Acropolis cost?

In 2026 the Acropolis and slopes ticket costs €30 (€15 reduced) with a timed entry slot. Buy it on the official site, hhticket.gr. There is no longer a combined ticket for the Athens sites.

How do I get from Athens airport to the city?

Metro line 3 goes to Syntagma; the airport ticket costs €9 (€16 return). The X95 express bus also goes to Syntagma, 24/7, for €5.50 and takes about an hour (OASA, 2026).

When is the changing of the guard?

Every hour on the hour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier on Syntagma Square. The big ceremony with a band is on Sundays at 11:00.

Is there a tourist transport pass?

Yes: the 3-day tourist ticket costs €20 and includes one airport round trip by metro or express bus. A 24-hour ticket costs €4.10 (OASA, 2026).

Plan your next step

Where to stay in Athens →

Neighbourhoods compared, with hotel picks per budget.

3-day itinerary →

All of this turned into a day-by-day route.

Athens City Quest →

Explore the highlights as a treasure hunt.

Athens travel guide →

Quick facts, getting around and every guide.

Packing list →

A printable checklist for city breaks.

Tours & tickets in Athens

See options