Location: Athens
Top Things to do in Athens
Top 10 Things to do Good for Kids in Athens, Attica
Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics. Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern subway, new freeways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable. Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.
Restaurants in Athens
1. Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 290 reviews
Kotsanas Museum of Ancient Greek Technology in the heart of Athens. In a unique historic Art Nouveau building (Unfortunately there is no access for people with disabilities because the building has been listed and unfortunately no relevant intervention can be made), Pindarou 6 and Akadimias St. in Kolonaki, with a total area of 700 square meters, guests will have the unique opportunity to get to know a relatively unknown aspect of Ancient Greek culture through the exhibition "The Hi-Tech Inventions of Ancient Greece – The origins of our modern technology", which includes approximately 100 selected exhibits, reconstructed inventions, from the robot-servant and the "cinema" of Philon to the automatic theater of Heron, and from the Hydraulic Clock of Ktesibios to the Antikythera Mechanism. At the same time, the same building will permanently house the independent exhibition of Ancient Greek Musical Instruments with 42 fully functional, reassembled reconstructed musical instruments.
Reviewed By 357alexm - Toronto, Canada
Very happy we went there. Exceeded our expectations. Not too big, but most of the artifacts are interactive. The young people working at the desk were very happy to guide us and explain the various artifacts. Going through this museum you realize how close the ancient Greeks came to discovering the steam engine and how close we were to having the industrial revolution two millennia before it actually happened.
2. Acropolis
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 35,632 reviews
The most famous site in all of Athens, this large hill lies in the center of the city and contains a cluster of ancient ruins.
Reviewed By DavidTis - Campbell, United States
Greek/World history comes alive. The hop on hop off bus is an excellent tour of the city of Athens and one of it's stops is the Acropolis. A must see for sure. Bring good walking shoes and your camera and scratch this one off your bucket list, if you like history you're gonna love the Acropolis!
3. Ancient Agora of Athens
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 4,225 reviews
These ruins, located in the heart of modern Athens, were once the site of the marketplace in ancient times, a political, cultural and economic center of the ancient world.
Reviewed By EileenMtShasta - Mount Shasta, United States
The area is breathtaking to imagine the history but is mostly a field of rubble, though there are many informative signs. The museum has many important and interesting artifacts, like the baby toilet from the 2nd century BC! The most intact structure is the Temple of Hephaistos, but entrance was blocked. The visit was made much more meaningful due to a free audio tour I downloaded from online, by tour guide Rick Steves, so I highly recommend it.
4. Parthenon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 16,764 reviews
The majestic ruins of an ancient Greek building, known for its dignified white marble columns and perfect sense of proportion.
Reviewed By 223ravik - Bangalore District, India
We visited Acropolis today. It is amazing to see Parthenon with its rectangular structure consisting of 17 columns in length by 8 columns in width- a huge structure dedicated to mythological goddess Athena. It takes you back 2500 years and makes you wonder about the life of folks then and the events that unfolded later on! Do not miss out the story of the Flag - when the nazis came in 1941, a young Greek soldier refused to change the Greek flag, instead wrapped it around himself and leapt to his death. He is remembered and honored even today. There is so much to see in Acropolis- be sure you have at least 2.5 hours! I also loved the story regarding the competition between Athena and Poseidon, and how she won!!
5. Stoa of Attalos
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 421 reviews
These ancient ruins were restored in the early 20th century and now house a collection of ancient Greek sculpture.
Reviewed By permia
While ancient ruins and artefacts are an Athens keynote, it was marvellous to see such a beautiful and faithful restoration splendidly reflecting the grandeur of the past. A gift to the city by Attalos II ruler of Pergamon for his excellent education courtesy of an Athenian it dates from around the middle of the 2nd century BCE. A fabulous colonnade is a highlight, with relatively unadorned Doric columns on the exterior, whilst the inner array has the Ionic style. With the purpose of reconstruction being as home to a museum of the Agora, from its dedication in 1956 it superbly fulfils the role.
6. Theater of Dionysus
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,063 reviews
Reviewed By KimD904 - Tweed Heads, Australia
Another site that amazes you at its size and grandeur. The theatre is the first of its type ever built and still hosts some of the worlds great acts as well as being still in use for local Athenians to watch regular performances. Among the historic area of the Acropolis, this theatre would have certainly been a focal point in ancient times. Another ancient that you just go 'WOW' when you first see it.
7. Herod Atticus Odeon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,698 reviews
Second-century theater built into the hillside.
Reviewed By JLC-mtl2015 - Montreal, Canada
This is one of the two theater accessible on the slope of the Acropolis. This one is not the oldest but the one that has been renovated to welcome artists from around the world still today. The whole surrounding, the façade, the love story of Herodes Atticus, the city backstage and the Acropolis hill background makes this place way bigger than the 5,000 spectators capacity. No wonder why it is still active today and many musical performance have been held here. It provides a unique stage and show. While on the Acropolis site you can see also the Theater of Dionysus and on top of the Acropolis Hill, surrounding the Parthenon you can see the Temple of Athena Nike, the ruins of Propylaea and the Erechtheion. All this, for the price of 1 ticket. If you want tricks on how to skip the line see my review on the Acropolis.
8. Mount Lycabettus
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,125 reviews
Walk or take the funicular tramway to the top of this hill for the best views of Athens
Reviewed By 37SueFo - Swanley, United Kingdom
Get a taxi to the funicular railway, and when you get out at the top, a couple of flights of steps will bring you out to the church and terrace, with 360° views of the city, looking down on the Olympic stadium and the Acropolis and across to Piraeus. There are a couple of bar/restaurants so you can have a drink and take in the views
9. Panathenaic Stadium
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 6,727 reviews
The Old Olympic Stadium in Athens Greece, built of granite in late 19th century on the site of ancient Athens from the 4th Century; hosted the first modern games in1896.
Reviewed By Steve_and_Zoe2013 - Codsall, United Kingdom
If you’re in Athens and have an hour or two to spare we would highly recommend this site. It is within moderate walking distance or couple of bus stops from the city centre and a very peaceful place to wander round, soak in some Olympic history and even run round the track or stand atop the podium if you like. The audio tour included and both informative and well planned, guiding you round the stadium at a leisurely pace and to the Olympic museum that includes a flame from every olympics! Views are amazing and we enjoyed our visit very much.
10. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,254 reviews
Reviewed By 116enjoyit - Rome, United States
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (Greek: Μνημείο του Αγνώστου Στρατιώτη, romanized: Mnimío tou Agnóstou Stratióti) is a war memorial located in Syntagma Square in Athens, in front of the Old Royal Palace. It is a cenotaph dedicated to the Greek soldiers killed during war. It was sculpted between 1930 and 1932 by sculptor Fokion Rok. The decision to build a monument was taken by army general and “constitutional dictator” Theodoros Pangalos. In his capacity as Army Minister, an advertisement was placed in the Espera newspaper, requesting a "submission for a study of the construction of a tomb of the Unknown Soldier, in front of the Old Royal Palace, suitable for this purpose". On 9 October 1926, the Army Ministry approved and granted by majority the study made by architect Emmanuel Lazaridis. The location of the monument at the Old Palace was suggested both by the architect himself and by Pangalos, who wish for the Army Ministry to be housed in the building. However in 1929, after fervent reaction and continuous meetings, Eleftherios Venizelos, setting aside his disagreements with Pangalos, decided that the best location would be the original one in Syntagma Square, reasoning that the Monument ought to be in the city centre, much like the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The construction committee had given all responsibility for the construction to Lazaridis. Initially, he had worked with sculptor Thomas Thomopoulos who had proposed as a central sculpture a representation of the Gigantomachy with an angel (representing Greece) lovingly receiving the dead soldier. Despite Lazaridis initially agreeing to this design, Thomopoulos's sculpture was never built due to lack of funds. In 1930, Lazaridis instead assigned Fokion Rok as sculptor with a unanimous decision of the construction committee. The committee then approved a new proposal for the sculpture, a gunner lying on the ground. This design was deemed appropriate owing to its calmness and simplicity. For the construction, a large-scale excavation and levelling of terrain took place. The Tomb was unveiled on 25 March 1932 by then Prime Minister Andreas Michalakopoulos, with the participation of many foreign delegations, followed by a parade of the monument guard. At the same time, a torch was brought from the monastery of Agia Lavra to light the eternal flame in the centre of the cenotaph.
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