Welcome to the remarkable birthplace of Western civilisation, Athens. If you are reading this, I know you are not here just to cross off a checklist. You are here to soak in the history, inhale the sea air, and reveal the essence of a city where the ancient meets the completely modern in a gorgeous, wonderful mess.
For years, I had been dreaming of Athens, only thinking of the Parthenon’s golden light. But when I landed, I realised the city offered something much richer. Beyond the amazing ruins, the busy squares, and the scattered hills, there are secret gardens, ropes of street art, and family-owned tavernas where wine flows and stories never cease.
This is more than just a standard tourist guide. It is a collection of 11 intensely personal moments, from the still small wonder of a tucked-away coffee shop to the exhilarating extravagance of a golden sunset. These experiences, hidden gems in Athens, and popular tourist spots are the ones that resonated with me the most, one traveller speaking to another.
So lace up your most comfortable walking shoes and leave your reservations at home. Join me as I take you to the absolute best of this phenomenal city. Wishing you a trip to Athens filled with light, laughter, and the unmistakable echo from antiquity. This amazing trip is the perfect holiday choice!
My Travel Experience: 11 Unforgettable Things to Do in Athens
1. Stand On Top of Lycabettus Hill at Golden Hour
While the Acropolis is a must-see, if you want to see the vastness of Athens, you have to go up to Lycabettus Hill. It is the highest point in the city, and the views from the top are incredible. I can assure you that the short, steep walk (or easy funicular ride) is worth every drop of sweat! Make sure to time it right, and go up right before sunset. When the sun is low, it casts a golden rose-coloured light over the entire city, and the distant Parthenon gleams a if it were a piece of jewellery.
If the day is clear, you can see the Aegean Sea sparkling in the distance. It is completely a perspective moment, and it reminds you that the city you are standing in has seen thousands of years of human drama. This is one of the truly unique things to do in Athens. These amazing sights are among the key Athens attractions.
2. Get Lost in The Cycladic Charm of Anafiotika
This is probably Athens’ biggest secret, and an actual beautiful secret deep in the shadow of the Acropolis. As you walk around Plaka, be on the lookout for small entrances that are not marked in any way, and these will lead you to Anafiotika. This tiny neighbourhood was made by island builders who migrated to Athens, and they built a pocket of their Cycladic homes right in the city.
Imagine: white walls, little blue doors, bougainvillaea spilling over stone stairs, mixed with an overall quietness. It is less like Athens and much more like a sleepy village in the middle of Mykonos or Santorini. I spent a lovely morning here simply getting lost in the labyrinth of alleys while the noise of the city faded and I listened to stray cats softly purring. It is just good magic and a good, peaceful feeling. This is one of the essential things to do in Athens.
3. See the City’s Vibe on a Street Art Tour
Most visitors come to see ancient ruins and are unaware of the modern history painted right on the city walls. Athens is now considered one of the street art capitals of Europe, and much of this contemporary art occurred during the controversial economic crisis of the past decade and served as a powerful political and social commentary. You should take a guided tour through some of the neighbourhoods, like Exarcheia or Psirri. For me, hearing the stories behind the larger murals, the artists, their experiences, and what they were trying to express provided a richer and more layered understanding of contemporary Greek life itself. It was like an open-air gallery, raw, honest, and utterly unforgettable. If you are looking for unique things to do in Athens, this is a must. Why not check out one of the many Athens walking tours focused on street art?
4. Searching for Vintage in the Flea Market of Abyssinia Square
If you’re in Athens on a Sunday, cancel all other plans and dive into the Abyssinia Square (or Avissinias Square) Flea Market, which is just off Monastiraki Square. This is not just shopping, but searching through Athens’ recent past. The open-air flea market is a wild but beautiful maze of stalls filled with all the stuff possible: vintage vinyl records, antique furniture, old Greek lace, military objects and postcards that were yellowed by time. Just be sure to rummage and negotiate, but that’s all part of the adventure! A lovely place to people watch, drink a coffee, and likely find that perfect, special, or meaningful souvenir! This market is a true hidden gem in Athens.
5. Enjoy a Sunset Drink with the Parthenon as a Backdrop
Athens is a great city for rooftop bars. It seems that every fashionable hotel or building has taken the opportunity to put a great view of the beautifully lit Acropolis on offer. Finding the right place became an evening ritual for me! There is something hugely cinematic about having the opportunity to be perched up away from the noise and movement of the streets, drinking an ice-cold glass of white wine, as you watch the Parthenon go from bright, sunlit marble to a glowing, electric monument against the deep, indigo sky.
I loved Athens in Monastiraki for its iconic and centrally located vantage point, so plan to arrive one hour before sunset if you want the best view. The romance of it will take you away! You might consider an Athens hop-on on hop-off bus ticket to get you close to the Monastiraki area easily. This is a must for Athens sightseeing. For travellers planning their routes, Athens’ official transport information offers reliable updates on buses, trams, and metro connections throughout the city.
6. Enjoy the Real Local Experience at Kallidromiou Farmers’ Market
If you want a really real experience of Athens, get away from the tourist area and go to the Kallidromiou Farmers’ Market in the Exarcheia neighbourhood on a Saturday morning. This is where Athenians go to shop. It’s an exciting street market located all along Kallidromiou Street – cheerful, noisy, colourful, and thoroughly Athenian. The stalls are packed with fresh, seasonal, local, and colourful food like heaps of red tomatoes, fragrant bundles of herbs, local olives as big as oranges, and local honey in jars. Get some sun-dried figs, or some of the freshest fruit you will ever taste. It’s too much for your senses in the best way possible. You get a lovely view into the mixing bowls and kitchen of the Athenian community. This is one of the most authentic hidden gems in Athens.
After exploring the heart of Athens, many travellers start dreaming of the rest of Greece. Even a brief encounter with the country can leave you enchanted. For a glimpse of Greece’s charm, check out this story of falling in love with Greece.
7. Relax with a Speciality Coffee at Myller
In a busy city, finding a quiet place for a good coffee can feel like a real find, and Myller in Psirri was my own little haven. This tiny place is a truly hidden gem in Athens that many tourists walk straight past. It has a lovely, minimalist feel and a focus solely on great, high-quality coffee beans and quality brewing. For coffee lovers, this place is heaven! I enjoyed sitting on their sunny terrace, soaking up the peaceful vibe while watching the world drift by with my flat white coffee in hand, perfectly brewed every time. It is the perfect relaxation after a marathon morning of dodging tourists at the main archaeological sites.
8. Go on a Greek wine adventure at Cinque Wine Bar
As someone who has been to Athens before, I did not know much about Greek wine. But that changed completely at Cinque Wine Bar in Psirri. This small, cosy place is designed for wine exploration. There will not be any stiff wine tasting here; the staff is friendly and knowledgeable and will take you through regional varietals you never knew existed. The wines are organised wonderfully, and there are helpful tablets with tasting notes/stories about each bottle. Enjoying a flight of wine with a platter of delicious local cheeses and cured meats (for example, a Greek meze platter) equals a formula for a perfect, easy, relaxed, elegant night. It is a great way to taste the terroir of Greece without ever leaving the capital. Trying a wine flight is one of the classier, unique things to do in Athens.
9. Eat Outside on the Mnisikleous Street Stairs in Plaka
If you want an evening of true Athenian charm, you will want to find the well-known Mnisikleous Street Stairs in Plaka. These sloping stone steps have dozens of tables and bright cushions from the tavernas that fill the area. It makes for a collective dining experience that is full of life and laughter. I chose a lovely little taverna and enjoyed a tasty dinner of meze (Greek tapas) and a glass of local wine. The atmosphere is cosy, the views are beautiful, and the friendly chaos of Athenian life around you makes for a memorable dinner. It is best to arrive a little early to grab the best seats if it is a warm night! Experiencing the stairs is a classic thing to do in Athens. Taking one of the Athens walking tours often ends right in this vibrant area. When planning what to see in Athens, definitely put this on your evening itinerary.
10. Watch a classic film under the stars at an open-air cinema
A fun summer activity in Athens is the Summer Open Air Cinema. And when I say open air, I mean an actual cinema with the Acropolis in view. How amazing is that? I visited the Thision Open Air Cinema, one of the oldest and most beautiful open-air cinemas. Watching a classic film or modern movie, usually in English with Greek subtitles, is like a return to glamour in a golden era. It’s so relaxing to have a cold beer or hot popcorn with the lit-up Parthenon twinkling over the screen. This is a moment of easy romance and culture, no question. I really recommend it. This is definitely one of the most unique things to do in Athens. An Athens hop-on-hop-off bus is a great way to easily reach this area, close to many other Athens landmarks. If the islands are calling, here’s a guide to 20 Greek islands worth visiting to help plan your next adventure.
11. Take a Tasty Bite at The Black Salami Microbakery
At last, an establishment for real lovers of food. If you think you don’t know what a quality sandwich tastes like, think again! Hidden in the cool Exarchia neighbourhood, The Black Salami Microbakery takes a simple sandwich and turns it into a piece of art. The space is small and simple and makes no pretences about anything except the quality of their ingredients: freshly-baked breads, outstanding cured meats, and clever flavour combinations. It is more of a grab-and-go establishment, but wow, the quality is amazing. It is the perfect fuel to start exploring the day and a fantastic representation of modern Athens’ culinary creativity that you don’t want to miss out on. Finding the best street food is one of the fun things to do in Athens. Is Athens worth visiting for the food alone? Absolutely!
Goodbye, Until Next Time
Dear travellers, as I ended my adventure in Athens, I began to see this city as more than its history; it is its heart and its people and its incredible ability to marry the past with the present and race toward the future, all at the same time. Athens does not want you to say, “How beautiful!” or ask you to admire it. Rather, it asks that you experience it: Climb its hills, sip on the elusive wines, and get the art paint smeared on your shoes.
I hope this personal list of things to do in Athens, shared with you by Low Cost Vibes, will whet your appetite to unearth the city’s irrepressible character. The Athens Hop-on Hop-off Bus can help you see a lot of the city quickly, but I also recommend joining one of the organised mythology tour options or walking tours of Athens. Is Athens worth visiting? Every time! The Athens hop-on hop-off bus is great for getting around the major areas, and the Athens walking tours focus on individual neighbourhoods.
Safe journey, and may the sounds of the Acropolis stay in your heart until we meet again on the road.
Kalo Taxidi! (Good Journey!)
FAQs about Things to Do in Athens
The best time to go is typically spring (April-May) and fall (September-October) when the weather is pleasant and the crowds are smaller.
You can take the Metro (Line 3), the suburban rail, or the 24-hour X95 express bus.
2-3 full days are generally enough to see the important historical sites and a few neighbourhoods.
Yes, for the most part, Athens is safe. However, tourists should be cautious about petty theft (pickpockets) in very crowded areas like the Metro or Monastiraki Square.
Credit cards are very acceptable in most hotels, restaurants, and shops; however, it is helpful to have a little cash (€) for small purchases and family-run tavernas.
