Roavina

City guide · Greece

Athens

A photograph of Athens
Photograph · Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de · CC BY-SA 3.0 de

Athens combines an ancient pedestrian core with a much larger modern city. The Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki and the Ancient Agora form the central visitor cluster. Syntagma and Kolonaki extend east, while the National Archaeological Museum lies north and the coast runs far to the south. Piraeus is a separate port city within the wider urban area and needs its own journey.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Practical information

Language spoken
Greek
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+30
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Euro (EUR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
112
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type C and F · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No single verified statement covers the mainland and all islands

Turn this list into a plan

Set your days, your pace and the hours you actually want to be out. The planner works around closing days and travel time, and leaves room to eat.

Plan Athens

Planning a visit

Suggested stay
Not recorded
Getting around
Walk, metro, tram and bus
  1. January: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  2. February: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  3. March: good time to visit
  4. April: best time to visit
  5. May: best time to visit
  6. June: good time to visit
  7. July: recurring difficult conditions
  8. August: recurring difficult conditions
  9. September: good time to visit — current month
  10. October: best time to visit
  11. November: good time to visit
  12. December: viable with meaningful trade-offs
  • Best time
  • Good time
  • Viable with trade-offs
  • Difficult conditions

Sources

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Roman Agora of Athens Roman Agora of Athens
    02 45 min

    Roman Agora of Athens

    Ρωμαϊκή Αγορά Αθηνών

    The Roman Agora is an archaeological site in central Athens, located to the north of the Acropolis. It was constructed during the Roman period and served as a commercial and administrative centre, distinct from the earlier Classical Agora.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  2. Syntagma Square Syntagma Square
    03 45 min

    Syntagma Square

    Πλατεία Συντάγματος

    Syntagma Square is the central plaza of Athens, Greece, serving as the political and geographic heart of the capital. It derives its name from the Greek constitution (syntagma) granted in 1843.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  3. Odeon of Herodes Atticus Odeon of Herodes Atticus
    04 45 min

    Odeon of Herodes Atticus

    Ωδείο Ηρώδου Αττικού

    The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone Roman theatre structure on the southwest slope of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  4. Museum of Cycladic Art Museum of Cycladic Art
    05 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Cycladic Art

    Μουσείο Κυκλαδικής Τέχνης

    The Museum of Cycladic Art is a private museum in Athens dedicated to ancient Aegean cultures, with particular emphasis on Cycladic art of the Early Bronze Age.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  5. Kerameikos Kerameikos
    06 45 min

    Kerameikos

    Αρχαιολογικός Χώρος Κεραμεικού

    Kerameikos is an ancient cemetery and archaeological site in Athens, located northwest of the Acropolis along the Eridanos River. The area served as the primary burial ground for the city from the 12th century BC through Roman times.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  6. Byzantine and Christian Museum Byzantine and Christian Museum
    07 1 hr 30 min

    Byzantine and Christian Museum

    Βυζαντινό και Χριστιανικό Μουσείο

    The Byzantine and Christian Museum is a major museum in Athens, Greece, dedicated to the preservation and display of Byzantine and post-Byzantine art and culture.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  7. National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum
    08 1 hr 30 min

    National Gallery - Alexandros Soutsos Museum

    Εθνική Πινακοθήκη - Μουσείο Αλέξανδρου Σούτσου

    The National Gallery–Alexandros Soutsos Museum is Athens's national museum for modern Greek art.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  8. Museum of the City of Athens (Foundation Vourou-Eutaxia) Museum of the City of Athens (Foundation Vourou-Eutaxia)
    09 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of the City of Athens (Foundation Vourou-Eutaxia)

    Μουσείον της Πόλεως των Αθηνών

    The Museum of the City of Athens occupies the neoclassical residence of King Otto, Greece's first monarch following independence. Located on Klafthmonos Square, this historic mansion represents a significant period of Athenian urban development.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  9. Numismatic Museum of Athens Numismatic Museum of Athens
    10 1 hr 30 min

    Numismatic Museum of Athens

    Νομισματικό Μουσείο

    The Numismatic Museum of Athens is a museum dedicated to the study and display of coins, medals, and related objects. It occupies the former mansion of Heinrich Schliemann, the German archaeologist who excavated Troy and Mycenae.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  10. Temple of Hephaestus Temple of Hephaestus
    11 45 min

    Temple of Hephaestus

    Ναός Ηφαίστου

    The Temple of Hephaestus stands in the Ancient Agora of Athens, a well-preserved Doric temple dedicated to Hephaestus, god of fire and metalworking. Constructed largely of Pentelic marble, it dominates the western side of the agora.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  11. Hellenic Motor Museum Hellenic Motor Museum
    12 1 hr 30 min

    Hellenic Motor Museum

    Ελληνικό Μουσείο Αυτοκινήτου

    The Hellenic Motor Museum is an automobile museum located in Athens, Greece. It presents a collection of vehicles spanning multiple decades of automotive history.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  12. Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments
    13 1 hr 30 min

    Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments

    Μουσείο Ελληνικών Λαϊκών Οργάνων

    The Museum of Greek Folk Musical Instruments occupies a historic townhouse in the Plaka district beneath the Acropolis. Established through private initiative, it preserves and displays the sonic heritage of Greek regional traditions.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  13. Jewish Museum of Greece Jewish Museum of Greece
    14 1 hr 30 min

    Jewish Museum of Greece

    Εβραϊκό Μουσείο Ελλάδος

    The Jewish Museum of Greece in Athens preserves and explains the history of Jewish communities in Greece through objects, documents, images and personal traces of everyday life.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  14. Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum
    15 1 hr 30 min

    Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum

    Μουσείο Κοσμήματος Ηλία Λαλαούνη

    The Ilias Lalaounis Jewelry Museum is a specialised Athens museum devoted to jewellery, decorative arts, and the work of Greek designer Ilias Lalaounis. Housed in a historic building, it connects ancient Greek visual traditions with modern wearable art.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  15. Frissiras Museum Frissiras Museum
    16 1 hr 30 min

    Frissiras Museum

    Μουσείο Φρυσίρα

    Frissiras Museum is an art museum in Athens, Greece, and a worthwhile stop for travelers who want to explore the city beyond its ancient monuments.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  16. Herakleidon Museum Herakleidon Museum
    17 1 hr 30 min

    Herakleidon Museum

    Μουσείο Ηρακλειδών

    Herakleidon Museum is a private museum in Athens, housed in a neoclassical building in the historic Thiseio district. Its programme connects art, science and education through changing exhibitions and cultural activities.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  17. Athens University Museum Athens University Museum
    18 1 hr 30 min

    Athens University Museum

    Μουσείο Ιστορίας Πανεπιστημίου Αθηνών

    Athens University History Museum presents the story of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens through the people, objects and records connected with its academic life.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  18. Epigraphical Museum Epigraphical Museum
    19 1 hr 30 min

    Epigraphical Museum

    Επιγραφικό μουσείο

    The Epigraphic Museum in Athens houses the largest collection of ancient Greek inscriptions in the world. It operates as a specialized institution dedicated to the study, preservation, and display of epigraphic material.

    • Must see
    • Museum
  19. Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens
    20 30 min

    Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens

    Μητροπολιτικός Ναός Αθηνών

    The Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, also known as the Cathedral of the Annunciation, is the principal cathedral of the Church of Greece in the capital.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  20. Agios Eleftherios Church, Athens Agios Eleftherios Church, Athens
    21 30 min

    Agios Eleftherios Church, Athens

    Παναγία Γοργοεπήκοος και Άγιος Ελευθέριος

    Little Metropolis is a small Byzantine church situated in central Athens, near the Metropolitan Cathedral. The church is also known as the Church of St.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  21. Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea
    22 30 min

    Church of Panaghia Kapnikarea

    Παναγία Καπνικαρέα

    The Church of Panagia Kapnikarea is a Byzantine-era church standing prominently on Ermou Street in central Athens. It dates to the 11th century, though portions may reflect earlier construction.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  22. Church of the Holy Apostles Church of the Holy Apostles
    23 30 min

    Church of the Holy Apostles

    Άγιοι Απόστολοι

    The Church of the Holy Apostles is a Byzantine-era church within Athens’s Ancient Agora archaeological site.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  23. Petraki Monastery Petraki Monastery
    24 30 min

    Petraki Monastery

    Ιερά Μονή Ασωμάτων - Πετράκη

    Petraki Monastery is a working Orthodox religious site in central Athens, offering a quieter encounter with the city’s ecclesiastical life than the Acropolis and its archaeological monuments.

    • Must see
    • Place of worship
  24. Philopappos Monument Philopappos Monument
    25 45 min

    Philopappos Monument

    Μνημείο Φιλοπάππου

    The Philopappos Monument is an ancient funerary monument situated on Mouseion Hill, southwest of the Athenian Acropolis.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
  25. Athens War Museum
    26 1 hr 30 min

    Athens War Museum

    Πολεμικό Μουσείο

    • Must see
    • Museum

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

How the city is laid out

Use the Acropolis as the central landmark. Plaka and Anafiotika sit on its northern and eastern slopes, Monastiraki and the Ancient Agora lie northwest, and Syntagma stands farther east. The National Garden links Syntagma with the Olympic and museum zone. Exarchia and the National Archaeological Museum are north of the centre, while coastal districts and Piraeus require metro, tram or bus connections.

Checked 2026-08-26

Getting around

Walk through the Acropolis-Plaka-Monastiraki core and use the integrated OASA network for longer journeys. Metro, tram, buses and trolleybuses cover Athens and its suburbs, with Line 3 connecting the airport and central city. The tram is useful for selected coastal routes, while Piraeus is best treated as a separate transport leg. Consult OASA for current routes and ticket products.

Checked 2026-08-26

Common questions

How many days should I spend in Athens?

A fixed duration is not recorded. Build the visit around the Acropolis core, central museums and neighbourhoods, then add the coast or Piraeus only when time permits.

Can I walk between the main ancient sites?

Yes. The Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki and the Ancient Agora form a practical central walking area. Use transit for the National Archaeological Museum, coast and Piraeus.

What public transport serves Athens?

The OASA network includes metro, tram, buses and trolleybuses. One integrated network connects the centre with suburbs, the airport corridor and major visitor districts.

How do I reach Athens from the airport?

OASA identifies Metro Line 3 and airport express buses as direct public transport options. Check the operator before travel because airport ticket products differ from ordinary urban journeys.

Is Piraeus part of the central Athens walking route?

No. Piraeus belongs to the wider urban area but is a separate port destination. Give it a dedicated metro or bus journey rather than adding it to an Acropolis walk.