48 Hours
S IX WAYS TO SPEND TWO DAYS IN GREECE’S CAPITAL
Six ways to spend two days in Greece’s capital
Athens is where ancient history meets the modern world, as ruins stand opposite bustling streets with shops, restaurants, and cafés. Key historic sites, shopping areas, and popular squares are easily reached on foot within central Athens’ Old Town (Plaka) and the adjacent Monastiráki neighborhood, making a pre- or post-cruise
for culture vultures
Greek history spans several millennia, but the so-called Classical period began in the 5th century B.C. with an explosion of cultural, architectural, and artistic achievements that remain threaded throughout society today. This is when Athens’ great temples were built, dedicated to the popular gods of Greek mythology. For example, the Parthenon once housed the 40-foot chryselephantine ( gold and ivory) statue of Athena, now lost to the ages. Built within a sloping Acropolis hillside are the ruins of the Theatre of Dionysus, noted as where ancient Greek tragedy was born. And a walk within the rock-strewn ruins of the Ancient Agora will follow in the footsteps of the great philosophers Socrates and his student Plato.
A host of excellent city museums showcase everything from Greek architecture to folk art and Byzantine history. The must-see National Archaeological Museum, the Acropolis Museum, and the Museum of the Ancient Agora showcase artifacts like vases, sculptures, and art that through the millennia have helped define Athens as the “cradle of Western civilization.”
for view seekers
The highpoint of ancient Greek civilization, the Acropolis, stems from atop a rocky hill, where its grand 2,500-year-old temple ruins can be seen from all corners of the city. At night, spotlights illuminate the Doric and Ionic stone columns of the colossal Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its six maiden-figurine pillars, and other smaller structures. And yes, views are breathtaking, even from city streets below.
The Acropolis looks out upon Athens’ sprawl, a jumble of red-roofed and whitebuilding facades all the way to a mountainous backdrop. Immediately below, within a leafy green patch, stand the stone ruins of the 600 B.C. Ancient Agora meeting place, while another view spotlights Hadrian’s Arch, built after the Roman conquest in 146 B.C., and the 15 remaining Pentelic-marble Corinthian columns of what was the massive Temple of Olympian Zeus.
On a steep Acropolis hillside, streets of Old Town lead to the pastel-colored alleyways of Anafiótika. Views from here also showcase landmark Lykavittós Hill (also known as Mount Lycabettus), capped by a restaurant, café, and chapel from where panoramas offer yet new perspectives of the distant Acropolis and city sprawl below.
FOR FOODIES
Athens’ food scene tempts a wide range of palates, with gourmet dishes served with local wines to what we associate with typical Greek cuisine. For traditional spicy meatballs ( keftedes), grilled souvlaki skewers, and feta-topped Greek salads, Souvlaki Row just off Monastiráki Square should be your first stop. It’s where restaurants with outdoor tables shaded by umbrellas and awnings offer extremely reasonable prices for such specialties including stuffed grape leaves ( dolmadakia), spiced gyro wraps topped with tzatziki sauce, creamy moussaka, baked beef and pasta pastitsio, and spinach-filled spanakopitas. Save room for desserts, including honey-soaked sesame seeds ( pasteli), nut-filled halva balls, and filo dough baklava.
Be sure to take Greek specialties home with you. Packages of Kalamata olives, bags of spices, and boxes of baklava and other sweets line store shelves along many of central Athens’ crowded pedestrian streets.
Packages of Kalamata olives, bags of spices, and boxes of baklava and other sweets line store shelves.
FOR THE BUDGET CONSCIOUS
Even those with generous budgets can take advantage of what may be Athens’ best money-saving tourist tip: purchasing a Combination Ticket for entry into the city’s most visited archaeological sites. During summer months, admission to the Acropolis alone is more than half the price of the Combination Ticket, which also includes entry into the Ancient Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and the museum and cemetery at Kerameikos. Entry rates for each site in winter are half of the summer rates, but not for the Combination Ticket.
Those more closely watching their budgets can join a free walking tour led by locals (tips are appreciated) and see centuriesold hand-painted icons in Byzantine churches and even ruins from behind fences, including Hadrian’s Library and the Roman Agora’s remarkably well-preserved Tower of the Winds. And a big tourist draw — absolutely free — is the Changing of the Guards ceremony next to the Parliament building involving slow-stepping Evzone guards in traditional kilt uniforms.
for families
The bright-red Athens Happy Train is a great way to combine family fun with exploring iconic city monuments and museums. The hop-on, hop-off chain of vehicle-pulled passenger cars snakes through Old Town and Monastiráki streets, with stops including the Acropolis, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, and the Acropolis Museum, among others. Some tours are geared for families and kids, including the Athens Walking Tour Inspired by Harry Potter, which dives into the magical and wizardry connection between Greek mythology and the popular books.
The shady National Garden, just across from Syntagma Square and Parliament, offers relief from summer heat and has a turtle pond, lakes with ducks, a playground with swings and seesaws, a small zoo, and a children’s library. Museums, meanwhile, are great for rainy days. The Museum of Greek Children’s Art inspires young artists to develop their talent, while the Hellenic Children’s Museum helps kids learn about Greek culture through games and hands-on activities.