Things To Do In Athens
The timeless city of Athens is a place where finding things to do means journeying through diverse and exciting layers of history. Signs of the city's ancient past are never far behind its modern façade, and together they create one of the most wonderfully idiosyncratic places on earth.
Below you'll find a selection of popular things to do in 2019 including day trips to the ancient sites of the Peloponnese and guided tours of the Acropolis Museum.
1) Athens Open Tour:
To unlock the largest bulk of things to do in Athens with the least hassle, book yourself on the Athens and Piraeus open-top bus tour. This bus tour allows passengers to hop-on and off at over 24 stops throughout the Greek capital and nearby port city of Piraeus. As of late 2017 visitors can also ride the Riviera & Beaches route to key attractions along Athens' Poseidonos Avenue such as Glyfada Beach and Vouliagmeni Lake.
Helpful staff will always be on hand to provide travel advice, insightful history and personal recommendations. Amongst famous sights such as Syntagma Square and the Parthenon, you will also visit some of Athens' top visitor attractions, such as the Panathenaic Stadium and the Temple of Zeus.
2) National Archaeological & Benaki Museum:
The Archaeological Museum houses the largest collection of artefacts from Greek antiquity and chronicles the nation's ancient history as a whole, while the Benaki Museum traces Greece's cultural evolution through a stunning and extensive art collection.
3) Acropolis Museum:
The city's most visited institution is arguably the renovated Acropolis Museum. The building's focus is on showcasing artefacts excavated from around the hill of the Acropolis. Exhibits are arranged in such a way that they illustrate the religious and cultural practices of Athenians from the Archaic through to the Roman periods. It's possible to avoid the Acropolis Museum's ticket queues by booking yourself on a guided 'skip-the-line' tour. There will be an experienced guide as well as free roaming time.
4) Explore Piraeus:
Piraeus is a flourishing port city right on Athens' doorstep. It serves as the capital's gateway to the Saronic Gulf and is a prime cruise ship destination. Things to do in Piraeus include Archaeological Museum of Piraeus and the Hellenic Maritime Museum (featuring triremes)!
Piraeus is also the location from which you can embark on a full day cruise to the Saronic islands of Hydra, Aegina and Poros.
5) Embark On A Mini Odyssey:
Coach day tours from central Athens are a popular tourist activity. Arise bright and early for a journey to the sites of Delphi, Mycenae and Epidaurus, and Cape Sounion. We highly recommend at least one, as you'd be missing out on wonders such as the Temple of Apollo, the Castalian Spring, the Tomb of Agamemnon and many other locations of semi-mythical status.
