Things to do in Athens 5 days

You read many interesting things and you saw many great photos of Athena (how the locals call it) and now it is time to go and see it with your own eyes!

If you visit Greece, this magnificent city and one of the oldest places on Earth is waiting for you!

But there are so many things to explore around the city and you have just 5 days in Athens!

Short introduction

The beating heart of the Greece, Athens is a city that rose like a phoenix from its ashes a number of times in its long history.

It’s a city of ritzy restaurants, bars and sophisticated clubs open up until dawn in addition to a stream of beautiful archaeologic sites and also a number of world-class galleries.

Add a shoreline populated with sandy beaches within driving range, and you have a location that’s both inspiring and irresistible.

Athens has constantly been a leading location for visitors.

Whether it is for its social heritage, its galleries and also monuments, its coastlines or the sunlight, it is an exceptional area to find.

Athens History

Athens is among the oldest European cities, commonly regarded as the native home of Western World.

Its history begins in the Neolithic duration in between 4th as well as 3rd millennium BC.

The very first settlement on the site of Athens was situated on the rock of Castle which translates as “high city” in Greek.

According to the Greek folklore, the name “Athens” emerged from a competitors between the goddes of wisdom, Athena, and also the god of sea, Poseidon.

Both intended to end up being patron of the city.

To please the citizens, Poseidon used his power to create a large, foamy stream of water.

People were delighted with the generous offer received from Poseidon.

Soon after, they realised it was only seawater unfit for human consumption.

Athena, in turn, gifted the city with an olive tree.

A very sensible option, it gave the people food, fuel, as well as wood to develop homes.

So, eventually, they made a decision in favour of Athena to be their patron and also called the city in her honour.

 

5 day itinerary in Athens

It can be very exhausting and stressful to research and plan on your own the best way to see all these wonderful places.

To help you navigate this urban forest, we have actually picked a few of the coolest streets as well as squares to go to while in the Greek capital.

Fortunately, I can give you a helping hand and tell you which are the best things to see when in Athens and how to organise your trip to see all the attractions in a single trip!

 

First of all, book your accommodation somewhere close to the city centre not to waste a lot of time in public transport.

Hotel Grande Bretagne Athens is one of the best choices from Athens.

It is located right in the heart of the city offering amazing views over the Acropolis.

It has one of the best spas from the entire city and its interiors are quite spectacular!

Then follow my 5 days itinerary for an unforgettable trip:

These are the new essentials you have to pack for your trip

Day 1. Explore Athens main streets

Finally, the moment you are waiting for is here and you landed at Athens airport.

Take a taxi or public transport and go to your hotel to leave your luggage and be free to explore this wonderful city.

One of the first things to do in Athens 5 days trip is to explore the old and charming streets of Athens.

Start with Plaka street and continue with Monastiraki flea market, these are two traditional greek places to see.

Discover one of the oldest markets from the city and enjoy a cocktail on one of the many rooftop bars from the city where you can spend the rest of the afternoon.

When the night comes head up to a traditional taverna for some greek music and really tasty food!

Day 2. Dive in antiquity: the Acropolis Hill and the Acropolis Museum

The most iconic attraction from the entire city is the Acropolis.

It is located on a hill overlooking the modern city and is one of the best places from Europe to admire ancient ruins and impressive constructions.

The main attraction from the Acropolis Hill is the Parthenon.

You will also find here other beautiful ancient sites like The ancient Agora, roman agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus .

These are some of the most beautiful archaeological sites.

If you prefer to visit museums, consider the National archaeological museum, Benaki museum.

Some museums are in the heart of the city not far from Syntagma Square, National Gardens and Panathenaic stadium.

On your tour across the hill, you will pass by

• Odeon Of Herodes Atticus which is a second-century theatre,
• Propylaia, the main gate to Acropolis and
• The Temple of Athena Nike, one of the most impressive ruins from the area.

 

You’ll need a full day to explore the whole area!

There are so many ancient ruins to explore in a single day.

To get straight to the point and not lose precious time wandering around the area, I recommend you to book a guided tour.

Athens: Acropolis Small-Group Guided Tour with Entry Ticket is the best way to explore the area and gather all the information you need about each site you will see in one of the 5 days in Athens.

In the ticket price, you have included the entrance fee and skip the line option.

 

Take with you a hat, water and suncream, the last thing you want is to get some sunburns!

Acropolis Museum is another hot point of Athens.

This impressive collection of ancient artefacts should be on your things to do in Athens 5 days list!

The museum was open in 2009 and become very quickly one of the most important attractions of the city.

Day 3. Get in touch with local culture and traditional food

After such a tiring day of walking along with the Acropolis Hill and the Acropolis Museum it’s time to relax and enjoy your time spent abroad!

It is the moment to get inside the local culture and traditions and to get in touch with the locals.

And what better way to explore the local culture if not by food?

Here you have plenty of options:

• you can choose to visit the most iconic greek taverns from Athens where
• you can taste the local food and wine while listening to Greek music, or why not
• learn to cook like greeks and having fun on a cooking class?!

I always choose to go to a cooking class when I am in a foreign country.

It is one of the best ways to socialise and get in touch with the locals and their culture in during your 5 days in Athens trip you have enough time for this!

With Athens: Greek Cooking Group Class you’ll get the opportunity to learn from professionals how to cook tasty Greek meals.

You will prepare a three courses meal and learn how to combine them with local wine, plus you’ll get many more other recipes to cook them at your home.

Day 4. Go outside the city and explore the Temple of Poseidon

The next on my things to do in Athens 5 days list is to go outside Athens and explore a little bit of its neighbourhood.

A great destination for a day trip outside the big city  during your Athens in 5 days tour is the Temple of Poseidon and Cape Sounio.

It is located about 80 kilometres away from Athina and is a very popular place among those who want to explore a little bit of Greece.

There are buses which leave from Athens to Cape Sounio or you can choose for a guided tour, with transport and professional guide included.

Cape Sounion: Sunset Tour from Athens is a 5.5 hours trip which starts at 4 p.m from the pickup point in Athens.

You’ll travel along the southern coast of Greece and arrive at Cape Sounio before the sunset.

Prepare your camera and your phone to take some memorable photos with the Temple of Poseidon in the sunset.

Wow, these 5 days in Athens were really full of surprises!

Day 5. Buy souvenirs and pack your bags

Because time is running fast and you are on the last day of your stay, it’s time to buy some souvenirs for you and your friends.

Something to remember you about Greece and the perfect moments you have to spend in Athens.

 

I am sure you’ll have a wonderful time in this city.

You saw all the main attractions of the city, you get in touch with the local culture and you even visited Cape Sounio, the southern point of Greece mainland!

 

Follow this list with the best things to do in Athens 5 days and you’ll have a perfect Greek holiday!