The best things to do in Athens, Greece

Athens is the capital and largest city in Greece. Before arriving in Athens I read some things about it being dirty and even dangerous, forget everything you have read like this. Sure the city seems busy and overpopulated and even the graffiti caught me off guard, since it seemed to be everywhere but like I was told by many, its not really graffiti, its art. As long as you take the normal precautions like in any city, you will feel safe there.

Many tourists use Athens as a starting off point to the islands they will visit later. I knew I wanted to see everything I could in the 2 days I was there before leaving for Mykonos and Santorini. See my list of 10 things to bring to Greece.

Book a free Walking tour - I wanted to be immersed in the culture and see the city and its real beauty from a local, so I booked a free walking tour through Athens Free Walking Tour. I was a little hesitant at first but the reviews were great on Trip Advisor. The tour itself is free but tipping the guide would be a considerate thing to do. We were matched with George, he was very knowledgeable, having studied history and archaeology. George had emailed me a few days prior and asked what we were interested in seeing. He met us at our hotel and took us on the subway to the centre of town for our 4 hour tour. It was such a great experience and one of the highlights of my trip. We got to see things up close and George brought us to an authentic Greek restaurant, which had the freshest vegetables I’ve ever tasted.

Acropolis and Parthenon - The Acropolis is an ancient citadel located on the hilltop above Athens, it contains the magnificent Parthenon, which was a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena. I recommend you arrive before it opens at 8:00am, ahead of the hordes of cruise ship and bus tourists or you can go late in the day after 5pm until closing at 8pm.

Temple of Olympic Zeus and Hadrian’s Arc - The Temple of Olympian Zeus is located in central Athens, it is a colossal ruined temple that was dedicated to Zeus. The temple has suffered over the centuries and much of its material was used in other buildings and today only 15 of the temple's columns are still standing. Hadrian’s Arch is located at the entrance of the site of the Temple of Zeus and is a marble arch built by the emperor Hadrian as the formal gateway to Athens.

Temple of Poseidon – The temple was dedicated to Poseidon and is located on a hilltop in Sounion. When you arrive at this location you will understand why it was chosen by the Ancient Greeks as a place to worship the God of the sea. There are only two rows of columns left of this temple but the atmosphere around it gives you an endless view of the Aegean sea. You can get to Cape Sounion from Athens by taking the drive along the scenic coast by bus, organized tour, private taxi or by car. It is a wonderful place to just sit, relax and take in all the history.

Visit the Plaka area, it is the oldest section of Athens and is located under the Acropolis. Most of the streets have been closed to automobiles but be careful of motorcycles and delivery trucks. It is filled with wonderful shops and cafes playing live music and the atmosphere is fun and energetic, the perfect place to spend an evening.

Do try the local cuisine, the food in Greece is very inexpensive but delicious. Eating and drinking in Athens is amazingly cheap – you can find little restaurants that sell gyros for 1 euro and a 2 euro glass of wine to go with it! Be prepared to eat a lot. My absolute must recommendation for Athens would be to do a walking food tour if you have time, since they take you to all the hidden gems that are away from the main tourist areas. Walking through the fish market is such a wild and authentic experience as well.

Visit Monastiraki Square - its a flea market neighborhood in the old town of Athens and is one of the main shopping districts. The area is home to clothing boutiques, souvenir shops, and specialty stores, it is a major tourist attraction in Athens and Attica for bargain shopping, the fresh fruit and produce found there is out of this world.

Monastiraki Station - during the excavation of the metro at this Station an excavated part of ancient Athens has been left open for public display. During the construction, archaeologists uncovered the remains of settlements and buildings.

National Garden – visit this beautiful oasis situated in the heart of Athens. The National Garden was created between 1838 and 1840 by order of Queen Amalia, the first queen of Greece. More than 500 plant species from Greece and around the world were planted there. This is a relaxing place to visit and get away from the bustling city.

Although I feel like my time in Athens was short, I was able to soak in alot of the Greek history there and I am thankful to have seen its true beauty.