Most people who come to Athens see it as a city they pass through on the way to the islands and give it one day. That is a mistake. The Acropolis hill is visible from everywhere in the city, and the neighbourhoods beneath it have changed completely over the last ten years. Give it two full days and the city shows itself. Below I have written the route, the rule about tickets and the ferry question.
The Acropolis and the museum
Go up to the Acropolis at eight in the morning, when it opens. In summer there is no shade on the hill at midday and the stone holds the heat, so in July walking there turns into a trial. The Parthenon has been under restoration for many years, so the cranes end up in your photographs. The ticket is also sold as a combined one and covers the Ancient Agora and Hadrian’s Library too.
The Acropolis Museum is at the foot of the hill, and the excavations are visible under its glass floor. The upper level lays out the Parthenon frieze at the same angle, and through the window you see the temple itself. Go to the museum after the hill — then what you saw falls into place. Taking the tickets in advance gets you past the box office queue on summer mornings.
Plaka, Monastiraki and Anafiotika
Plaka is the old neighbourhood at the foot of the Acropolis, with narrow streets and cafés. A market is set up on Monastiraki square, and on Sundays a flea market opens there. Anafiotika is a small corner hidden inside that district; its white houses are in island architecture, because the men who built it came from the Cyclades.
Lycabettus hill is the highest point in the city and is reached by funicular. At sunset everything from the Acropolis to the sea is visible from up there. The Psyri and Koukaki neighbourhoods are the liveliest places for the evening.
Food and prices in Athens
Souvlaki and gyros are the street food; one comes to 4–6 euros and fills you up. In the family restaurants called tavernas, lunch with salad, feta and grilled meat costs 12–18 euros. The eating places inside the central meat market work at night too. Stay away from anywhere with a photo menu and someone calling customers in at the door.
A three-star hotel in the centre is 70–120 euros, and 60–100 in the Koukaki district. A hostel bed starts at 20–35 euros. The combined Acropolis ticket is 30 euros and a day ticket on the metro 4.5.
From Athens to the islands and Delphi
Piraeus harbour is half an hour from the centre by metro, and the ferries to all the islands leave from there. Aegina, Hydra and Poros suit a day trip, all three being under two hours away. Santorini and Mykonos, on the other hand, take five or six hours by fast ferry, so you have to stay the night. The ferry timetable changes with the season, and in summer places run out quickly. The price difference by season is large, so compare the flight options on bilet.az.
Delphi is three hours away by road and is an ancient temple complex on a mountainside. The temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion is two hours off and is the most famous spot for sunset.
The season in Athens
April–June and September–October are the best months, at 22–28 degrees. July and August climb to 38 and the city gets very hot; in that period it makes more sense to cross to the islands. Winter is mild, 12–16 degrees, with occasional rain. In winter there is practically nobody on the Acropolis. Official information is on the This is Athens site.
In short
Athens is not a one-day stop but a city that asks for two full days. Go up to the Acropolis at opening time, save the museum for afterwards, and check the ferry ticket in advance depending on the season. If you are planning it together with the islands, look at Granit AS group tours for a ready-made route. For a visa and a route, fill in the application form.
Note: the prices in this article are those at the time of publication and may change with the season.
