2 days in Athens

Day by day

1. Day 1: Acropolis and Parthenon and Areopagus Hill

   Acropolis and Parthenon, Areopagus Hill, Acropolis Museum and Panathenaic Stadium, then Psyrri in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Acropolis and Parthenon

      Restoration work and scaffolding are a permanent part of the site, and the marble paths are polished smooth, so wear shoes with grip.

   2. Late morning

      Areopagus Hill

      It gives a close view of the Acropolis walls and across the Ancient Agora, and it costs nothing to climb.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Souvlaki and gyros

      Souvlaki counters on Mitropoleos Street at Monastiraki and neighbourhood grills (souvlatzidika) across the city.

   4. Afternoon

      Acropolis Museum

      The top-floor Parthenon Gallery lays out the surviving frieze in the same orientation as the temple, with plaster casts marking the pieces held in London, and five of the original Caryatids stand together on the first floor.

   5. Late afternoon

      Panathenaic Stadium

      You can walk or run the track, sit in the royal seats and see a small exhibition of Olympic torches and posters. It is still the finish line of the Athens Marathon.

   6. Evening

      Psyrri

      Dense streets of bars, mezze places and live-music tavernas just north of Monastiraki, busy every night of the week.

2. Day 2: National Archaeological Museum and Changing of the Guard at Syntagma

   National Archaeological Museum, Changing of the Guard at Syntagma, Ancient Agora and Temple of Hephaestus and Plaka and Anafiotika, then Gazi in the evening.

   1. Morning

      National Archaeological Museum

      It is a 15-minute walk north of Omonia.

   2. Late morning

      Changing of the Guard at Syntagma

      The guard changes every hour in a slow, high-stepping ceremony, and a larger ceremony with a band takes place on Sunday mornings.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Greek salad

      Every taverna; it is at its best in summer when tomatoes are in season.

   4. Afternoon

      Ancient Agora and Temple of Hephaestus

      The Doric Temple of Hephaestus on its western hill is one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos houses a museum of everyday finds, from voting shards to a child's potty.

   5. Late afternoon

      Plaka and Anafiotika

      The steep, unsigned paths feel like a Cycladic village a few minutes from the city's busiest streets.

   6. Evening

      Gazi

      Clubs and bars around the old gasworks, now the Technopolis cultural centre, with a younger crowd and late hours.

Before you go

• Acropolis and Parthenon: Entry is by timed ticket and morning slots sell out in high season; buy online from the official Hellenic Heritage e-ticket service.

If it rains

• Swap in Benaki Museum (Kolonaki): Combine it with the Museum of Cycladic Art, a few minutes' walk away along Vasilissis Sofias Avenue.
• Swap in Museum of Cycladic Art (Kolonaki): It is compact enough for an hour; start with the Cycladic gallery on the first floor.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 10–14 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 9.5 hours in December to 14.8 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Metro. Line 1 (green) runs from Piraeus through Thiseio and Monastiraki to Kifisia; line 2 (red) stops at Akropoli and Syntagma; line 3 (blue) links Monastiraki and Syntagma with the airport.

More or fewer days

• One day in Athens
• 3 days in Athens
• 4 days in Athens
• 5 days in Athens

Questions travellers ask