Is Athens guide in one day It is perfect for travelers who want to discover one of the cities with more history in the world, making the most of the time that a single day can give.
Cradle of Western civilization, Athens has in its charming neighborhoods such as Plaka and Monastiraki and its impressive archaeological sites such as Acropolis, its main tourist attractions, which you must include in your route through the city.
If you add to all this that it has one of the best gastronomies in the world with dishes such as tzatziki, Greek salad or musaka, among many others, Athens becomes one of the essential cities to visit in Europe.
Based on the experience of the days we spent in the city during our trip to Greece, we have made a guide to know the best of Athens in one day, designed for travelers who have little time or for your first day in the city. We start!
How to go from the airport to the center of Athens
The best ways to go from the airport to the center of Athens or to your hotel are these:
- Meter: With line 3 you can reach the center of Athens, getting off at the stops of Sintagma or Monastiriki Square. The journey is about 40 minutes and the approximate price is 8 euros, with a special bonus for two people of 14 euros and 20 euros for 3 people. The subway operates from 6: 35h to 23: 35h and you can connect with other lines if you have the hotel far from the center.
- Bus: You have 4 lines that operate 24 hours a day and connect the airport with the center and the port of Piraeus, where ferries operate to the best Greek islands. The journey to the center is approximately one hour and the price is 6 euros.
- Cab: For a price of about 40 euros, it can be a good option if you stay away from the center.
- Private transport: With a price similar to the taxi, it is the most comfortable option since a driver will wait for you at the airport, which will take you directly to your hotel. You can book it here.
For more information about the transfer you can consult this post on how to go from the Athens airport to the center.
Recommended hotel in Athens
During the time we spent in the city we stayed at the Phaedra Hotel, located in the Plaka neighborhood, 5 minutes from the Acropolis Museum and the Temple of Zeus. In addition to its magnificent location and stunning views of the Acropolis, it has one of the best quality / price ratios in Athens.
For more information on the best hotels and neighborhoods we recommend you check this post of where to stay in Athens.
Tips for traveling in Athens
- An excellent option to not miss anything and know the interesting history of the city is to book this Free tour of Athens Free! With guide in Spanish, one of the best free tours in Athens. It is highly recommended, especially in this city where few remains of old buildings are preserved, have the explanations of a guide.
- Although he has a reputation for dirty And insecure, you should keep in mind that the city changed a lot during the preparation of the Olympic Games and we assure you that today, you will not have at any time this impression.
- If you have little time you can book the Athens tourist bus that stops at all the most important points of interest in the city.
- Although it may seem silly, be very careful with the slippery floor of the Acropolis and other places such as the viewpoint of the Areopagus Hill. You would not be the first person to take a hospital visit because of a fall.
- Remember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot. You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
You can find more recommendations in this post of tips to travel to Athens essential.
What to see in Athens in one day
The route of what to see in Athens in one day It begins with the visit to the Acropolis of Athens that opens at 8 in the morning. Despite the looting he suffered throughout its history, this important archaeological site still preserves important buildings such as the magnificent Parthenon, the entrance of the Propylaea, the Dionysus Theater, the Odeon of Attic Herod, the temple of Erechtheion and that of Athena Niké. These monuments built from 499 B.C. to 429 B.C., and located on a peak over 150 meters high, form without a doubt, one of the most essential places to see in Greece.
The Acropolis of Athens
It is advisable, if you want to see the Parthenon with few people, arrive at the time that the doors open and climb to the top of the hill without stopping at the intermediate points of interest, for these visit it on the route you will do at the end of the visit , on the way to the exit. This way you will make sure to see the most important part at the beginning and without people.
A good option to learn about the history of each Acropolis building is to book this guided tour or this tour that includes a visit to the Acropolis Museum. In both tours you will have a guide in Spanish who will also accompany you on a tour of the main monuments of the city.
If you do not want to take a guided tour you can book this access ticket through the southern entrance of the Acropolis or this ticket to enter the Museum, in both you will access without queuing.
To complete the visit, when you go down the hill, you can climb the small mount of the Aerópago, which has fantastic views of the Acropolis.
Aerópago Hill
The next visit of Athens in one day It is a walk through the narrow streets of the picturesque Plaka neighborhood, another of the best things to do in Athens. This old neighborhood, located at the foot of the Acropolis, still retains the essence of traditional Greece with its historic buildings, taverns and terraces full of people.
Plaka neighborhood
Touring the Plaka area located closer to the Acropolis, you will reach the impressive temple of Olympic Zeus, which still retains 15 of the 104 Corinthian columns of its construction. The temple that kept the great statue of Zeus inside, was not finished until the 2nd century AD, thanks to Adriano, in whose honor, the great 20-meter-high Hadrian's door was built, located next to the Temple of Zeus.
An interesting option to get to know the legends of the city and that leaves from this temple is to book this free mythological tour of Athens for free!
Temple of Zeus
Upon leaving the temple, the Athens in one day, continue in the Plaka neighborhood stopping in charming places like the Tripod Street, the Agia Ekaterini church, the Lisícrates Monument and the Mnisikleous stairs, where you can have a good beer and the traditional baklava sweet, in the Yiasemi coffee.
Following the route through Adrianou, the oldest street in the city full of souvenir shops and restaurants, you will arrive at Monastiraki Square, the most beautiful in the city and another of the essential places to see in Athens. In addition to having a great atmosphere throughout the day, the square has several interesting buildings such as the Byzantine church of Pantanassa and the Ottoman mosque of Tzistarakis as well as fantastic views of the Acropolis.
Monastiraki neighborhood
The Athens in one day continues through the Monastiraki neighborhood, although before we recommend you make a stop to approach some of the best restaurants of traditional Greek food such as All That Jatz or Kallipateira.
After lunch, the afternoon of Athens in one day Start with a walk through the markets around the square like the Pazari or the Yusurúm flea market and then approach Pandrosou and Ifestou streets, perfect for finding a typical or original souvenir.
The next stop is the Roman Agora, built between 19 BC. and 11 BC, by Emperor Augustus. This old power center of the city has several interesting buildings such as the Tower of the Winds, the Athena Arquegetis Gate and the Hadrian's Library, which we advise you to visit.
Roman Agora
Very close to the Agora Rome is the Ancient Agora, a meeting point for the ancient inhabitants of the city and another interesting place in the city. This enclosure of the 600th century B.C. It concentrated the most important buildings in Athens and although most of them are few remains, it is worth entering even if only to see the impressive Temple of Hephaestus.
Finished these visits and taking into account that there is still a time for sunset, the route continues heading towards Mount Lycabettus, located 2 kilometers from the center, from where you can enjoy the best sunset over the city. To get to this, considered the best viewpoint in the city, located on a top of 227 meters high, you have two options: on foot or by funicular.
We recommend the second option because it is much less tired and faster.
Lycabettus Hill
When you descend from the mountain, you can return by taxi to the Plaka neighborhood to enjoy the magnificent atmosphere at night, which is concentrated around Kidathineon street and its adjacent ones. After strolling through its streets full of charming places, you can dine a good tzaziki and moussaka in Liondi or Arcadia, two of the most recommended restaurants in the city.
To finish the Athens in one day there is nothing better than walking along the pedestrian street that surrounds the Parthenon, at this illuminated hour, which begins near the Acropolis Museum and ends at the Aerópago Hill.
If you have one more day, you can follow the Athens guide in two days.
Map of the route of Athens in one day
Do you want to organize a trip to Athens?
Get it here:
The best offers of Flights to Athens here
The best hotels at the best prices in Athens: here
Book the best tours and excursions in Athens in Spanish here
Book your airport transfer⇆Atenas here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Athens guide in two days
Rent your car to travel around Greece at the best price here
The best offers of Flights to Athens here
The best hotels at the best prices in Athens: here
Book the best tours and excursions in Athens in Spanish here
Book your airport transfer⇆Atenas here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Athens guide in two days
Rent your car to travel around Greece at the best price here
