Athens

City in Attica

You probably won't avoid passing by the capital. The cradle of Western thinking, Athens is a vibrant city rich with history, arts, and nightlife.

A photo showing the rock of acropolis and the Monastiraki Square in Athens.
photo: dronepicr / CC BY 2.0
What To Do?
How To Go?
Where To Stay?

Athens Attractions

An aerial view of the Acropolis Hill and Plaka in the midst of a densely populated modern Athens.
photo: Public Domain
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must visit

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.

The front part and the entrance of Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center in Athens.
photo: Georgios Liakopoulos / CC BY-SA 2.0
must visit

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.

An overview of the interior of the Panathenaic (Kallimarmaro) Stadium of Athens.
photo: Badseed / CC BY-SA 3.0
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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.

A picture showing white columns and other remains of the Roman Agora of Athens spread around on grassy grounds.
photo: Sekundenschlaf~commonswiki / CC BY-SA 3.0
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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.

An overview depicting Syntagma Square of Athens situated in front of the Greek Parliament.
photo: C messier / CC BY-SA 4.0

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.

A panoramic view of the hill of Lycabettus among the buildings of the city of Athens.
photo: Graham-H
hidden gem

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.

Buildings aligned in the pedestrian shopping street of Ermou in Athens.
photo: ChristosV / CC BY-SA 3.0

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.

photo: Chrisfl (Retouched by AM) / CC BY-SA 2.5
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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.

photo: Wolfgang Moroder / CC BY 2.5

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.

Athens Things to Do

Excited participants during an adventure ride on a game of Allou! Fun Park in Athens.
photo: Facebook: Allou Fun Park

Allou! Fun Park

The biggest amusement park in Greece offers entertainment and loads of adrenaline-inducing experiences whole year round.

A picture showing the buildings of the cultural venue Technopolis of Gazi in Athens.
photo: Χρήστης Templar52

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.

Crowd in front of the stage of the Rockwave Festival at TerraVibe park in Malakasa.
photo: Thaliapap
distant ≈ 40.6km
temp. closed

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.

The finishing line of the Athens Marathon in the Panathenaic Stadium.
photo: Kostas Limitsios / CC BY 2.0
distant ≈ 39km
temp. closed

Athens Marathon (The Authentic)

Contemporary annual long-distance race that revives the run of Pheidippides from Marathon to Athens to deliver news of the victory over the Persians in 490BC.

A street with colorful houses in the old traditional district of Plaka in central Athens.
photo: JFKennedy

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.

photo: tiqets
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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.

photo: Erud / CC BY 3.0
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Dora Stratou Dance Theatre

Institution dedicated to the learning, revival, & display of Greek traditional dances, while it offers courses of ethnographic & historic orientation.

Athens Museums

A view of the exterior of the Acropolis museum in Athens among hundreds of modern buildings.
photo: Ernest McGray, Jr. / CC BY-SA 2.0
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Acropolis Museum

This award-winning museum hosts findings and artifacts from Acropolis and its buildings, as well as from other areas of ancient Athens.

The front side and the main entrance of the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.
photo: George E. Koronaios / CC BY-SA 4.0

National Archaeological Museum

Here you will find the richest exhibition of Greek history with findings from Prehistoric, Mycenean, Classic and Roman Greece.

The exterior and the outer yard of the Archaeological Museum of Vravrona.
photo: Tomisti / CC BY-SA 4.0
distant ≈ 33.1km

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.

The front side and the main entrance of the War Museum of Athens.
photo: Suicasmo / CC BY-SA 4.0
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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.

The front side and the main entrance of the Museum of Greek Children’s Art in Plaka of Athens.
photo: Hoverfish

Museum of Greek Children’s Art

The title might be misleading because it's not only for Greek children. Workshops, plays, and games are all part of the alternative educational process.

photo: tiqets
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Museum of Ancient Greek Technology - Kotsanas

Private museum that sheds light on the unknown aspects & influence of ancient Greek technology.

photo: Zde / CC BY-SA 4.0
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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.

photo: George E. Koronaios / CC BY-SA 4.0
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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.

photo: tiqets

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.

photo: Hoverfish
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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.

photo: tiqets
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Museum of Illusions Athens

Contemporary and interactive museum that uses science and illusion in formulating entertaining tours addressed to everyone regardless the age.

photo: SurfAst / CC BY-SA 3.0
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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.

photo: George E. Koronaios / CC BY-SA 4.0
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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.

photo: tiqets
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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.

Athens Beaches

A photo showing the Asteras (Astir) Beach of Vouliagmeni, Attica.
photo: dronepicr / CC BY 2.0
distant ≈ 26.1km

Asteras (Astir) Beach, Vouliagmeni

Exclusive sandy beach in a private bay. Its high prices correspond to the level of offered services.

The beach of Schinias and some facilities of the local beach bar.
photo: George Terezakis / CC BY-SA 2.0
distant ≈ 45km

Schinias Beach, Marathon

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.

A picture depicting the Αkti Vouliagmenis Beach of Attica.
photo: Mister No / CC BY 3.0
distant ≈ 25.8km

Vouliagmeni Beach

Organized, sandy and clean beach that can be crowded on weekends and has an entrance fee.

A panoramic image showing the Avlaki Beach at Porto Rafti in Attica.
photo: Ossony / CC BY-SA 4.0
distant ≈ 41km

Avlaki Beach, Porto Rafti

Long sand and pebble municipal beach, that is organized and offers a lifeguard, but also includes numerous beach bars with many amenities.

Facilities of the Mavro Lithari Beach Bar at the homonymous beach of Anavyssos.
photo: FB: Mavro Lithari Beach Bar "Karavi"
distant ≈ 42.8km

Mavro Lithari Beach, Anavyssos

Pebble & sand beach where its famous beach bars attracts many visitors especially in weekends.

People enjoying the sun, the sand, and the good weather at Varkiza Beach of Attica.
photo: Andreas Kontokanis / CC BY-SA 2.0
distant ≈ 25.8km

Varkiza Beach, Vari

Fully-organized sandy beach that is really close to Athens. It can be crowded during the weekends and is easily reached by public transport.

The seafront promenade at Nea Makri area that passes by the sandy beach.
photo: Dimitris Kamaras / CC BY 2.0
distant ≈ 35.7km

Mprexiza Beach, Nea Makri

Organized, sandy and small pebble beach that provides shower amenities and cloth changing places, but also with some nice beach bars.

The facilities of one of the beach bars located on the Anavyssos Beach at Saronikos, Attica.
photo: Georgios Liakopoulos / CC BY-SA 3.0
distant ≈ 46.3km

Anavyssos Beach

A shallow and windless organized beach that includes numerous beach bars but also a playground that makes it ideal for families.

Athens Day Trips

Numerous sailing ships anchored in the marina of Piraeus.
photo: Rajeev Rajagopalan / CC BY 2.0

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.

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.

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