Tips for visiting Athens Greece

September 23, 2021

Tips for visiting Athens Greece

Greek Gods, History, and Ruins!

Have you always wanted to visit one of the oldest cities in the world? Athens is so full of character, friendly people, and charm. When you walk the marble streets in Athens you will stumble across ancient ruins amongst apartment buildings. It makes you wonder what it really looked like before modern technologies.

Being half Greek and visiting Greece throughout my life, my appreciation of the country has grown more and more. I would like to share with you the many tips and recommendations for your visit to Athens.

The Acropolis

If you did not know, the Acropolis sits at the center of Athens. As you see the city surrounded below, it gives you the perspective of how big the city is. The Acropolis sits on it’s heavenly pedestal and every view of it is beautiful. This historical site has survived centuries of natural disasters, wars, and destruction.

I have visited the Acropolis a handful of times and want to impart some knowledge to new visitors of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Wear rubber sole shoes: Most of the pathways and stairs on the walk up to the Acropolis are made of marble. Soft bottom shoes will cause you to slip and slide. I have seen quite a few people slide and fall. Be careful with your steps.

Visit before 10am: The Acropolis opens at 8am and people visiting from cruise ships and tours will come in around 10am. It will always be crowded, but when it first opens you will have a better chance to see it with less people. Also the morning will not be as hot during the tourist summer season. It is a steep hike up so you will guarantee work up a sweat.

Sit and enjoy the views: It is so easy to just hike up see the sites and make your way down. Walk around, take in the beauty and admire how tough it must of been to haul marble up a hill.

See a different perspective: When you make your way down from the main Acropolis site, near where the ticket booths are, there is a giant rock formation. Stairs were built onto it that you can see a different view. See the picture below to see the viewpoint!

Acropolis Museum: The museum has original pieces from the Acropolis showcased on multiple floors. The museum also has a restaurant and provides beautiful views that look out to the Acropolis. This is definitely worth a visit!

Where to stay and how to travel around Athens

There are many places to stay within Athens, but my recommendation is to stay in Plaka or the little towns surrounding the Acropolis. Plaka and Monastiraki are the main areas with plenty of restaurants and stores to shop.

Our Airbnb in Plaka was one of the best! A nice modern apartment with an amazing view of the Acropolis. I loved it so much and will provide the link for you here. It is walking distance to the Acropolis and all the shopping areas. Super convenient!

There are many Airbnbs and hotels to choose from. A hotel that I saw that seems very nice is Niche Hotel Athens. Go to their rooftop for drinks with a view!

My recommendation for traveling around Athens is to take public transportation (ie: Taxi, Metro, Bus, etc). This is easier than having a rental car in my opinion for two reasons: hard to find parking and the drivers. Admittedly, it feels like Mario Kart. Drivers can be rather aggressive and road rules seem to not really matter. Let’s say I have experienced some interesting situations. Also be aware Athens is made up of all one way roads in the city.

One thing to note if you do decide to get a rental car: most rentals will be Manual. It is possible to get an automatic car, but there are few and you will pay more money. This is just something to keep in mind!

While the fast paced and cultural experience of the city is fun, there is much more to see and do on the outskirts of Athens.

What to do outside of Athens

Visit the nice upscale town of Glyfada, which is a suburb along the coast south of Athens. Glyfada is a good place to do some shopping and go to some restaurants near the water. I went clubbing here as a teen, but shh don’t tell anyone! 🙂

My father has an apartment in a beach town south of Glyfada called Varkiza. I have grown up coming here and have made many memories. This is a good area to go to the beach and have a slower paced day. There are many beach clubs on the water, so sit, have some drinks, and enjoy the Mediterranean breeze.

Even further south there is Poseidon’s temple in Sounion. This is a great place to see more historical sites on a cliff overlooking the sea. I have visited this picture perfect spot a few times. I will show you a throw back picture from here. Come to watch sunset, it will not disappoint.