Athens in 2 days: the perfect itinerary for a first visit

E By Emma · Updated 3 October 2026 · 5 min read · City Breaks

Two days is just right for a first taste of Athens. It's enough to see the Acropolis and its superb museum, wander the old streets of Plaka, explore the ancient marketplace where Socrates taught and catch a sunset from one of the city's hills. Flights from London take about three hours forty minutes, and many people add Athens to the start or end of an island holiday.

Before you go

• Getting in: Metro line 3 (blue) runs from the airport to Syntagma in about 40 minutes. A single airport ticket costs €9, and the ticket is valid for 90 minutes on the rest of the network. The X95 express bus runs 24 hours a day to Syntagma for €5.50 but can take an hour or more in traffic. Taxis charge a fixed fare to the centre.
• City transport: A 90-minute ticket costs €1.20 and a 24-hour ticket €4.10. You can also tap a contactless bank card on the readers. The 3-day tourist ticket (€20) includes one return airport trip.
• Tickets: Since 2025, each archaeological site sells its own ticket, and the old multi-site combined ticket has gone. Buy timed tickets for the state sites on the official Hellenic Heritage site (tickets.hh.gr). Prices below were checked in October 2026, so check current prices before you go.
• Where to stay: Plaka and Monastiraki are central and atmospheric. Koukaki, just south of the Acropolis, is quieter and full of good restaurants. Syntagma is handy for transport.
• Accommodation fee: Greece adds a climate resilience fee per room per night, from about €2 to €15 between April and October depending on hotel category.

Day 1: the Acropolis, its museum and Plaka

Early morning. Be at the Acropolis for opening time, 8:00 for most of the year. A full-price ticket costs €30 all year, with timed entry slots. Climb through the Propylaea to the Parthenon, the Erechtheion with its Caryatid porch and the Temple of Athena Nike. The views over the city are superb. Allow about two hours, and use the south-slope entrance near the Acropolis Museum if the main gate is busy.

Late morning. Walk down to the Acropolis Museum (€20). Its glass floors look down onto an excavated ancient neighbourhood. The top-floor Parthenon Gallery lines up with the temple itself, displaying the surviving sculptures alongside casts of the pieces held elsewhere. It's air-conditioned and the café terrace has a view of the Parthenon.

Lunch. Head into Plaka, the old quarter below the Acropolis. Skip the touts on the main streets and look for tavernas on the side lanes.

Afternoon. Climb into Anafiotika, a tiny cluster of whitewashed island-style houses on the slopes of the Acropolis, built by stonemasons from the Cyclades. Then visit the Roman Agora with its Tower of the Winds, and Hadrian's Library next door (about €10 each).

Evening. Walk up Filopappou Hill, opposite the Acropolis, for sunset. Then have dinner in Koukaki or on a rooftop in Monastiraki, with the Parthenon lit up above you.

Day 2: the Ancient Agora, Monastiraki and Syntagma

Morning. Start at the Ancient Agora (€20), the heart of ancient Athens and the birthplace of democracy. The Temple of Hephaestus is one of the best-preserved Greek temples anywhere, and the rebuilt Stoa of Attalos houses a small museum.

Late morning. Browse Monastiraki's flea market and the busy streets around the square. Try souvlaki or a koulouri, a sesame bread ring sold on street corners.

Midday. Walk to Syntagma Square to see the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The Evzones, in their traditional uniforms, change every hour, and the grandest ceremony takes place on Sunday mornings at 11:00. Then cool off in the shady National Garden.

Afternoon. Pick one:

• Panathenaic Stadium: The marble stadium that hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896. Entry is about €12, including an audio guide.
• Temple of Olympian Zeus: Huge columns of what was once the largest temple in Greece (about €20).
• National Archaeological Museum: One of the world's great museums of ancient art, with the Mask of Agamemnon and the Antikythera mechanism (€20). Allow at least two hours.

Evening. Take the funicular, or walk, up Lycabettus Hill, the highest point in central Athens, for sunset over the city and the sea. Finish with dinner in Psyri or Exarchia.

Two-day summary

With an extra day

• Cape Sounion: The Temple of Poseidon on a clifftop above the sea, about 90 minutes from Athens. It's best at sunset.
• Athens Riviera: Take the tram to the beaches and seaside towns south of the city, or swim at Vouliagmeni.
• Delphi: A full-day trip to the ancient sanctuary on the slopes of Mount Parnassus.
• The islands: Ferries leave Piraeus for nearby Aegina, which takes under an hour on the fastest boats. See our guide to the best Greek islands for first-timers.

When to go

April to early June and late September to October are ideal: warm, sunny and comfortable for sightseeing. July and August are very hot, often well above 35°C, so do the sights early and rest at midday. Winter is mild and quiet, with shorter opening hours at the sites.

Comparing classical capitals? See our guides to Rome in 48 hours and Istanbul for first-timers, or read our full Greece guide.

Prices and timetables are a guide and can change. This article contains affiliate links; if you book through one we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. How we work.