Attractions, Beaches & Things to Do in Athens
Syntagma Square
The central Square of Athens is a transportation hub. Don't miss taking pictures of the Presidential Guard in front of the Parliament.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Athens
A tour that offers a clear picture and orientates the visitor about the location and the history of monuments and attractions in the Greek capital.
Ermou Shopping Street
Located in the very center of Athens, this pedestrian street offers a variety of shopping options as well as cafes and a few restaurants.
Museum of Ancient Greek Technology - Kotsanas
Private museum that sheds light on the unknown aspects & influence of ancient Greek technology.
Museum of Greek Children’s Art
Concentrating on the uniqueness of children's art proposing an alternative educational process.
Benaki Museum of Modern Greek Culture
Housed in the neoclassical mansion of Benakis family, while after its 2000 reopening focuses on the Greek culture and its evolution over the centuries.
Frissiras Contemporary Art Museum
Founded by the art-collecting lawyer Vlassis Frissiras, it hosts more than 3000 paintings and sculptures that have the human form as the main theme.
Plaka Neighborhood of Athens
The oldest district in island architecture of the last century is characterized by its village-like environment, tranquility, and great tavernas.
Museum of Cycladic Art
Founded in 1986, it hosts the largest exhibition of the Cycladic civilization. Findings that came from private collections and date since 3000 BC.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
The Olympian Zeus Columns is one of the largest ancient Greek temples. Founded in the 6th BC and completed 638 years later in the 2nd AD.
Roman Agora of Athens
The Agora was founded around 11 BC under the Roman administration. It was a bazaar, meeting place, and a hub of social life in Roman Athens.
Athens War Museum
Learn about the evolution of the Greek nation through its wars and military history, and lay your eyes on numerous battle devices equipment and weapons.
Acropolis of Athens
A natural fortress, this hill is home to Athena's Temple, the Parthenon. It is the symbol of classical Greece and Western civilization.
Panathenaic (Kallimarmaro) Stadium
The Ancient reconstructed stadium hosted sport competitions of the First Modern Olympic Games in 1896 and welcomed the UEFA Euro Champions in 2004.
Acropolis Museum
This award-winning museum hosts findings and artifacts from Acropolis and its buildings, as well as from other areas of ancient Athens.
Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum
Founded in 1994, it's located close to the Acropolis, and hosts over 4000 jewelry pieces, many of which were designed by the founder itself.
Museum of Illusions Athens
Contemporary and interactive museum that uses science and illusion in formulating entertaining tours addressed to everyone regardless the age.
Lycabettus Hill
This characteristic 277-meters hill in Athens offers a great view over the Athenian city landscape and is topped by a monastery and a viewpoint yard.
Benaki Museum of Islamic Art
Housed in a neoclassical building on Keramikos street, hosts a significant collection of items coming from the Middle East and the Persian empire.
Filopappou Hill
Southwest of the Acropolis is located the hill that got its name from a monument erected by the consul Philopappos during the Roman era.
National Archaeological Museum
Here you will find the richest exhibition of Greek history with findings from Prehistoric, Mycenean, Classic and Roman Greece.
Dora Stratou Dance Theatre
Institution dedicated to the learning, revival, & display of Greek traditional dances, while it offers courses of ethnographic & historic orientation.
Hellenic Motor Museum
Occupying 4000 sqm. of a building with distinctive design, it illustrates the car evolution displaying more than 110 cars of the 19th and the 20th century.
Technopolis of Gazi
Contemporary cultural complex in an formerly industrial area of Athens center, popular thanks to the number and variety of events hosted here.
Athens Railway Station
Commonly known as Larissa Station, it is the largest station in the country and serves as a hub that connects the Greek railway network.
Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
This cultural center hosts a series of interesting events, the National Library of Greece, the Greek National Opera, and has a massive park.
Allou! Fun Park
The biggest amusement park in Greece offers entertainment and loads of adrenaline-inducing experiences whole year round.
Benaki Toy Museum Athens
Housed in a fortress-like mansion, is based on the Maria Argyriadis private collection displaying toys & other childhood items from the whole world.
Piraeus
If you're heading to the Aegean islands, you will probably pass through Piraeus, a city adjacent to Athens and a major commercial and maritime center.
Port of Piraeus
Being the largest Greek port and one of the most significant in Europe connects the mainland with the numerous Greek islands of the Aegean Sea.
Varkiza Beach, Vari Attica
Fully-organized sandy beach that is really close to Athens. It can be crowded during the weekends and is easily reached by public transport.
Αkti Vouliagmenis Beach, Vouliagmeni Attica
Organized, sandy and clean beach that can be crowded on weekends and has an entrance fee.
Asteras (Astir) Beach, Vouliagmeni Attica
Exclusive sandy beach in a private bay. Its high prices correspond to the level of offered services.
Athens International Airport
The «El. Venizelos» Airport it's the largest and busiest Greek airport. Serving as the main getaway to popular islands and other destinations.
Archaeological Museum of Vravrona
Very close the archaeological site of Vravrona, the museum houses statues of children protected by Goddess Artemis of the nearby temple.
Port of Rafina
The port of Rafina is located on the eastern coast of Attica and serves the ferry connections to the southern Euboea & the Aegean islands.
Mprexiza Beach, Nea Makri Attica
Organized, sandy and small pebble beach that provides shower amenities and cloth changing places, but also with some nice beach bars.
Athens Marathon (The Authentic)
A contemporary annual long-distance race that revives an actual incident of 490 BC in Athens, and became an official Olympic game.
Rockwave Festival, TerraVibe Malakasa
A few kilometers out of Athens, this rock music festival attracts world-class famous bands. It is the biggest music festival in Greece.
Avlaki Beach, Porto Rafti Attica
Long sand and pebble municipal beach, that is organized and offers a lifeguard, but also includes numerous beach bars with many amenities.
Mavro Lithari Beach, Saronikos (Anavyssos)
Pebble & sand beach where its famous beach bars attracts many visitors especially in weekends.
Schinias Beach, Marathon Attica
Sandy & very shallow long beach that is ideal for families. It is close to the historical city of Marathon and to the homonymous national park.
Anavyssos Beach, Saronikos Attica
A shallow and windless organized beach that includes numerous beach bars but also a playground that makes it ideal for families.
Questions & Answers about Athens
Why Visit Athens?
- One of the oldest cities worldwide and the oldest European capital.
- Hosted the first modern Olympic Games between 6-15 April 1886.
- Athenians established the first Democracy in 508–507 BC.
Why is Athens named Athens?
The answer is given by an antiquity myth related to the controversy between two gods of Olympus for the name of the city. The goddess of wisdom Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon confronted each other in a battle that would indicate the best gift each of them would offer in the city. The two rival gods reached the peak of the Acropolis followed by the 10 other gods who were the judges and Cecrops l, the mythological king of the city who was a witness. Firstly, Poseidon stood in the middle of the rock and with his trident gave a strong blow to the ground. From there sprang a wave of saltwater, which formed a small lake. Then it was Athena's turn to present her own gift and she planted an olive tree on the rock, which was full of fruits. Then, Zeus announced the end of the fight and ordered the other gods to compare the two gifts and decide to whom the city should be given. King Kekropas, noticed that there was plenty of salty water from the sea surrounded the city. In contrast, the olive of Athena would be useful in providing food, oil, and timber. Thus, the city was finally, with a unanimous decision, named "Athens", in honor of the goddess of wisdom.
Why is Athens so popular?
Athens is a city that combines a tremendously rich heritage with a vivid and cosmopolitan perspective of a contemporary metropolis. It is considered as the core of western civilization where political thought, theater, arts, philosophy, science, architecture reached their epic climax. Archaeological sites, numerous museums, and other cultural institutions shed light on the history of a city that has been continuously inhabited for approximately 6,000 years. On the other hand, Athens is today a cosmopolitan capital and the epicenter of the financial, economic, industrial, political, transport, tourism, and cultural life of Greece. Its Mediterranean climate, cultural significance, and proximity to Greek islands make it a worldwide destination.