What to See in Athens in 3 Days
Athens is a wonderful place. Its personality makes it unique, and we’re not just talking about the ruins, history, or gastronomy. It’s one of those places where you’d simply sit, have a coffee, and watch life in all its splendor. But since time is short, we’ve put together a travel guide to explore Athens in 3 days, and we’re sharing it with you.
Is Visiting Athens in 3 Days Possible?
While the time needed to see Athens varies by traveler, the only secret is to plan, plan, and plan. From our experience, it’s entirely possible to capture the essence of this unique place in just three days.
Exhausting? Maybe, but we’re here to lend a hand with this task. Ready?
Tips for Exploring Athens on a Weekend
Main tip: get an expert guide to show you the main sights in 2.5 hours with a free reservation… (You’re thinking it’s a joke, right?) Well, it’s not a joke. Here you can book a FREE TOUR of Athens, guided by city experts. This is our top tip for the guide… now let’s continue.
Some tips from our experience:
• Most museums are closed on Mondays, so keep that in mind.
• Starting each day before 8 or 9 a.m. is key to visiting all the tourist spots and avoiding long queues.
• We recommend taking the metro for long distances and avoiding buses or other surface transport, as the city can be a bit chaotic, and trips might take longer.
• If you’re an EU citizen, you only need your ID card/residence card/European passport to enter Athens. If not, check your country’s embassy website for entry requirements.
• Meal times differ slightly from the rest of Europe: lunch is usually from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and dinner is quite late, from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Keep this in mind when looking for a place to eat.
Main tip: get an expert guide to show you the main sights in 2.5 hours with a free reservation… (You’re thinking it’s a joke, right?) Well, it’s not a joke. Here you can book a FREE TOUR of Athens, guided by city experts. This is our top tip for the guide… now let’s continue.
Some tips from our experience:
• Most museums are closed on Mondays, so keep that in mind.
• Starting each day before 8 or 9 a.m. is key to visiting all the tourist spots and avoiding long queues.
• We recommend taking the metro for long distances and avoiding buses or other surface transport, as the city can be a bit chaotic, and trips might take longer.
• If you’re an EU citizen, you only need your ID card/residence card/European passport to enter Athens. If not, check your country’s embassy website for entry requirements.
• Meal times differ slightly from the rest of Europe: lunch is usually from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., and dinner is quite late, from 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. Keep this in mind when looking for a place to eat.
To manage your travel budget, find out how much a trip to Athens costs, and estimate expenses for tickets, accommodation, attractions, and food.
What to See in Athens in 3 Days - Day 1
Monastiraki Square
So much to see and fall in love with. Explore the Plaka neighborhood and walk along its narrow, cobbled streets. Enjoy Greek fast food like Souvlaki, a delicious pita sandwich filled with grilled vegetables and meat bits. Visit typical markets and, of course, Greek ruins.
On the first day, we’ll do most of our sightseeing on foot, so wear comfortable shoes and start early to see everything we’ve planned. Many places close by 3 p.m.
Acropolis of Athens
There’s no better place to start and take in ancient Athens than the Acropolis. This visit will take around 3 hours, but it’s well worth it.
To visit the Acropolis, you’ll need a ticket, which you can get on-site (though there are usually long lines, so we don’t recommend this) or online. The basic ticket lets you explore the Acropolis at your own pace and costs around €23.
We suggest booking a guided tour of the Acropolis as well to learn in detail about all the temples, ancient Athens, and its mythology, maximizing your experience.
The Acropolis is Athens’ most important monument, located 156 meters above sea level. This plateau is home to the most iconic structures of ancient Greece: the Propylaea gate, the Temple of Athena Nike, the Parthenon, the Erechtheion Temple, and along the southern slope, the Theatre of Dionysus. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is about 200 meters away.
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
The Acropolis opens around 8 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. The entry fee is €20, which includes access to the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Theatre of Dionysus, Kerameikos, Temple of Olympian Zeus, and Hadrian’s Library. This ticket is valid for 4 days from the date of purchase.
There’s also a new way to see all the archaeological sites in Athens with a combined ticket that includes skip-the-line access to the Acropolis and slopes, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, the Olympieion, Kerameikos, and the School of Aristotle (Lyceum).
Main Temples of the Acropolis:
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Located about 500 meters south of the Acropolis, construction began in the 5th century BC and was completed in the 2nd century AD under Emperor Hadrian’s rule, taking an impressive amount of time.
Its architecture featured 104 Corinthian marble columns standing 17 meters tall, of which only 15 remain today.
Near the temple stands Hadrian’s Gate or Arch of Triumph, built in Pentelic marble, 20 meters high, with the inscription: “This is the city of Hadrian and not Theseus,” marking the difference between the Greek and Roman cities.
Acropolis Museum
If you’re still hungry to learn more about Athens and its history, don’t miss the Acropolis Museum, where the most significant archaeological findings of Athens are displayed. You’ll walk over a glass floor and see part of what made up the ‘upper city.’
The Plaka Neighborhood and the Roman Agora or Roman Forum
Time to recharge. We recommend finding a place for lunch in Plaka, or the “Neighborhood of the Gods.” In Plaka, you’ll find Syntagma Square, though we’ll return the next day to see the changing of the guard.
Besides wandering Plaka’s charming, maze-like streets and savoring traditional dishes, you can also visit the ancient Roman Agora, located in the city center. Remains visible today include a city market and public square built between 19 and 11 BC.
Monastiraki
Another must-see is the Monastiraki neighborhood, where you can shop in a bazaar setting with negotiable prices for books, cookware, antiques, and more. It’s also a great place to eat at one of its terraces while watching the city’s day-to-day life.
A great tip is to take a night tour of Athens to see Monastiraki Square, the Plaka neighborhood, and Anafiotika, where you’ll get unforgettable views of the illuminated Acropolis.
Day 2 in Athens
The second day, perhaps a bit less hectic than the first, is an opportunity to dive deeper into Athens.
Mount Lycabettus
Where can you take the best photograph and appreciate Athens like nowhere else? That’s right, at Mount Lycabettus. This hill, about 278 meters high, can be reached either by foot or by cable car.
From this mount, you’ll get the best views and photos of the entire city of Athens. So, if you’re a photography lover, this is a must-visit stop.
Syntagma Square
Located in the Plaka neighborhood, this is another spot on the list of “historical places in Athens” since it was here that democracy began to take root after Ottoman rule. Over the years and still today, it’s a gathering place for strikes and demonstrations, as well as various festivals and ceremonies.
Across from this square, you’ll see the Greek Parliament and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Around 10:30 am, precisely at 10:45, the changing of the guard takes place in the square. It’s a very traditional and interesting activity and one of the many free things to see in Athens.
You’ll see about 120 soldiers from the Presidential Guard in their elegant ceremonial uniforms, leaving a lasting memory.
National Garden of Athens
Very close to where we are now, and just across from the National Gardens, we’ll reach the Panathenaic Stadium. An impressive site where the first Olympic Games were held in 1896.
Amazingly, it was built on the same site where the Panathenaic competitions took place in 330 B.C.
Panathenaic Stadium
Very close to where we are now, and just across from the National Gardens, we’ll arrive at the Panathenaic Stadium. This impressive site hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Amazingly, it was built on the same location where the Panathenaic Games took place in 330 B.C.
Cape Sounion
Once you’ve finished with the morning sites, we invite you to take a short trip. About 65 kilometers or an hour away, a beautiful drive along the Aegean coast awaits. You’ll enjoy an incredible sunset.
Here, you can also visit two temples: the Temple of Poseidon and the Temple of Athena.
Up top, you’ll see the National Monument, a perfect replica of the Parthenon in Athens, and the Nelson Monument, where you can climb up to the terrace and gaze over the city once more. Plus, you can access a small museum if you’d like.
Day 3 in Athens: Excursion
Since this is the last day in this Greek paradise, we have some fantastic options for you. We recommend taking a day trip from Athens to explore different areas and better understand Greek culture and history. Here are our suggestions.
Hydra
Visit Hydra Island in the Saronic Gulf. With around 3,000 residents, you can reach it by ferry (costs around 50 euros). Here you’ll find incredible beaches like Spilia, Avlaki Bay, Mandraki, Kaminia, Vlychos, Molos, and Bisti. It’s the perfect place to relax and enjoy an unexpected final day.
If you’re not in the mood for the beach, there are also significant sites to visit, such as the Monasteries of Theotokos and Profitis Ilias, the Church of the Assumption, and the Genoese- and Venetian-style mansions.
One of the options we recommend is a one-day excursion: a cruise to Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. The cost is around 100€, allowing you to see three beautiful and distinctive Greek islands in a single day, a unique experience away from the hustle and bustle of Athens.
Delphi
For the most curious travelers!
A wonderful day trip awaits. You’ve likely heard of the “Oracle of Delphi,” which you can explore on this excursion. This one-day trip will take you to Delphi, one of the most legendary and iconic cities of the ancient world. It’s one of Greece’s most popular destinations today, an ideal place to dive into Greek mythology and history.
Meteora
For travelers who love discovering amazing things!
Meteora is a surreal landscape, with stunning hills topped with monasteries that seem impossible to build! It’s without a doubt one of the most impressive landscapes you’ll find in all of Europe.
And yes, you can see it all on a day trip from Athens! This excursion is done by train and bus, so there’s no need to worry about logistics as everything is included and offers maximum comfort.
One-day excursion to Meteora
That wraps up our tour of Athens, a place where we’ve left a part of our hearts in exchange for a few blisters from so much walking, exploring, and memorizing.
If you have a few extra days, we recommend visiting Meteora. Its name means “rocks in the air,” a phrase that perfectly reflects what you’ll see there.