Athens is far more than a quick stop on the way to the islands. Beneath the headline of the Acropolis is a city layered with ancient sites, world-class museums, lively neighborhoods, great food, and a rooftop culture built around that floodlit view. Two or three days is enough to hit the essentials and still leave time to wander. This guide rounds up the best things to do in Athens for a first-timer, from the unmissable to the easily overlooked.
This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
1. The Acropolis and Parthenon
The obvious one, and rightly so. The ancient citadel and its temple to Athena are the defining sight of Athens — go at opening or late afternoon to beat the heat and crowds. Allow time for the whole hilltop, not just the Parthenon: the Erechtheion's Caryatid porch and the views over the city are part of the experience.
2. The Acropolis Museum
The modern museum at the foot of the hill displays the original sculptures in context, with a glass floor over live excavations and a top floor aligned with the Parthenon. It's the piece that makes sense of everything you see up on the hill — don't treat it as optional.
3. The Ancient Agora
The civic and social heart of classical Athens, where Socrates once held forth. The Temple of Hephaestus here is one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples anywhere — arguably more complete than the Parthenon. It's included in the combination ticket and far quieter than the Acropolis.
4. The National Archaeological Museum
A short ride north of the center, this is the world's greatest collection of ancient Greek art and artifacts — gold from Mycenae, bronze statues pulled from the sea, and room after room of antiquity. For anyone curious about the ancient world, it's a highlight of the whole trip.
5. Wander Plaka and Anafiotika
The old town under the Acropolis is made for aimless strolling — neoclassical houses, bougainvillea-draped lanes, and tucked into the slope, the tiny Anafiotika quarter that looks like a Cycladic island village set down in the capital. Some of the most pleasant hours in Athens cost nothing.
6. Eat your way through Monastiraki and the markets
The souvlaki and gyros strip in Monastiraki is some of the best cheap food in Europe. Beyond it, explore the central market, the mezze spots of Psyrri, and the modern Greek bistros the city has become known for. A guided food tour is a great way to eat well and learn the city at once.
7. Catch a rooftop sunset
Athens has turned its best asset — the floodlit Acropolis — into a rooftop-bar culture. A drink at sunset with the Parthenon glowing across the skyline is one of the city's signature experiences and worth the splurge at least once.
8. Change of the guard at Syntagma
In front of the Parliament on Syntagma Square, the Evzones (presidential guards) perform a ceremonial changing of the guard in traditional dress — a quick, free, photogenic stop, with a larger ceremony on Sundays.
9. Take a day trip
With a third day, escape the city: Cape Sounion for sunset at the clifftop Temple of Poseidon, Delphi for the mountain sanctuary the ancients considered the center of the world, or the seaside town of Nafplio with nearby Mycenae. All are doable as day trips from Athens.
Putting it together
A first-timer's two days might be: day one for the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, and the Agora, then Plaka and a rooftop sunset; day two for the National Archaeological Museum, Monastiraki and the markets, and Syntagma. Add a day trip if you have a third day. It's a compact, walkable city, so you can see a lot without rushing — and the Metro covers anything beyond walking distance cheaply.
How to get around between the sights
The good news for sightseeing: most of the headline sites cluster in the walkable historic core, linked by the pedestrianized Dionysiou Areopagitou promenade that loops around the base of the Acropolis. For anything farther — the National Archaeological Museum, Kolonaki, the port — the Metro is clean, cheap, fast, and reaches the airport and Piraeus too. A single ticket covers a window of travel including transfers, and walking plus the occasional Metro ride handles everything a first-timer needs. Taxis and the FREENOW app fill the gaps, and they're reasonably priced by U.S. standards. You won't want or need a rental car in the city — parking is a headache and the center is best on foot.
FAQ
What are the must-do things in Athens?
The Acropolis and Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, the Ancient Agora, and the National Archaeological Museum are the essentials, plus wandering Plaka and catching a rooftop sunset over the floodlit Acropolis.
What can I do in Athens in two days?
Day one: the Acropolis, Acropolis Museum, and Agora, then Plaka and a rooftop sunset. Day two: the National Archaeological Museum, Monastiraki and the markets, and the changing of the guard at Syntagma.
Are there good day trips from Athens?
Yes — Cape Sounion for the sunset temple, Delphi for the mountain sanctuary, and Nafplio with Mycenae are all popular day trips, doable by tour or public transport.
Is Athens good for food?
Excellent. From a few-euro gyros in Monastiraki to modern Greek bistros and rooftop dining, it's become a serious food city. Walk a few streets back from the tourist squares for the best value.
What's free to do in Athens?
Wandering Plaka and Anafiotika, the changing of the guard at Syntagma, window-shopping the markets, and simply taking in the views of the Acropolis from around the city all cost nothing.
