Itinerary · Athens, Greece
48 hours in Athens
Two days to fall for Athens: ancient Athens and a sunset on the Hill of the Muses on the first, then the Changing of the Guard, the marble stadium, the smart streets of Kolonaki and the city spread out below Lycabettus on the second.
Two full days, mostly on foot
Show the route on a map
Day 1 · 8:00
1The Acropolis & Parthenon
Start at the top, and start early. At opening time the marble is still cool, the light is soft and the crowds have not yet arrived. Book a timed ticket online the day before.
Day 1 · 10:30
2Acropolis Museum
Walk down to the museum at the foot of the rock, where the Parthenon sculptures are shown in a glass gallery that looks straight back up at the temple.
Day 1 · 12:30
3Klepsydra
Climb into upper Plaka for a coffee and a slice of apple pie at one of the city’s smallest cafés, with the Roman Agora below you.
Day 1 · 13:00
4Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds
Look for the carved wind gods on the octagonal Tower of the Winds, an ancient clock tower that once told the time by sun and water.
Day 1 · 14:00
5Diporto
Lunch the old Athenian way, in a basement taverna with no menu beside the Central Market: chickpeas, grilled fish and barrel wine at shared tables.
Day 1 · 16:00
6Ancient Agora & Temple of Hephaestus
The marketplace where Socrates walked, shady and quiet in the late afternoon, with one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere.
Day 1 · 18:30
7Philopappos Hill
Follow the stone paths up the Hill of the Muses for sunset. As the light fades, the Parthenon glows gold across the valley.
Day 1 · 21:00
8Kuzina
Dinner on the pedestrian street in Thiseio, with the floodlit Acropolis above the terrace.
Day 2 · 9:00
9Syntagma & the Changing of the Guard
Be in front of the Parliament a few minutes before the hour to watch the Evzones change guard. On Sundays, the full ceremony with the band is at 11am.
Day 2 · 9:30
10National Garden
Slip through the gates beside the Parliament into Queen Amalia’s garden, and follow the shady paths south to the Zappeion.
Day 2 · 10:30
11Panathenaic Stadium
Walk the track of the only stadium in the world built entirely of marble, home of the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Day 2 · 12:30
12Museum of Cycladic Art
In Kolonaki, the small, mysterious marble figures of the Cyclades that inspired Picasso and Modigliani.
Day 2 · 14:00
13Papadakis
A long lunch of fresh fish and island flavours from Paros, just around the corner.
Day 2 · 16:30
14Da Capo
Coffee on Kolonaki Square, watching the smartest neighbourhood in Athens go by.
Day 2 · 18:30
15Lycabettus Hill
Take the funicular, or walk up through the pines, to the highest point in central Athens. Stay for sunset, when the whole city turns pink, all the way to the sea.
Day 2 · 21:00
16The Clumsies
End with a cocktail at one of the bars that put Athens on the world’s cocktail map.
Wear comfortable shoes with good grip: the marble paths on the hills are polished smooth. Carry water, as there is little shade on the Acropolis. Opening times change with the seasons, so check before you go.
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