Athens City Guide
Ancient Greek architecture to marvel at, an abundance of sunshine and stray cats, urban greenery, great restaurants and cafés – Athens is perfect for a city trip and deserves to be more than just a stopover on your way to a Greek island. Here are some of my recommendations to make the most of your trip: from a nice hotel to stay at, to good food and some sights and neighbourhoods to explore.
STAY AT MONA ATHENS
We stayed right in the city centre at Mona Athens twice already. It’s a lovely boutique hotel with stunning rooms, great breakfast, fantastic staff – and a roof terrace that offers glorious views of the city and Akropolis Hill. From there, you can easily explore the city’s main sights and neighbourhoods on foot. If you prefer to stay in a quieter neighbourhood, check out their sister hotel, Sheila Athens in Kolonaki.
EAT AND DRINK IN ATHENS
COFFEE & SNACKS
Located in the heart of Exarcheia, this is a perfect spot for breakfast or a light lunch. You might have to wait in line, but their bread and sandwiches are worth the wait.
Enjoy great coffee, delicious sandwiches, homemade jams, bread and cinnamon rolls – or a glass of wine – at this light-filled café in Koukaki.
KORA bakery in Kolonaki sells terrific sourdough bread and pastries. The sandwiches are made with sourdough that has been fermented for at least 20 hours. There is no indoor and limited outdoor seating, so stock up on snacks to enjoy while exploring Athens.
This hip café offers good options for a second breakfast or lunch in Pangrati. They serve a great selection of fresh salads, soups, and huge sandwiches that are perfect to share.
DRINKS & NIBBLES
Explore delicious wines while seated around a green marble bar or on a bustling street in the city centre of Athens. According to their website, they have around 200 Greek wines on their list. They also offer little bites so you won’t get hungry.
In a hidden courtyard in the centre of Athens, you will find Cantina Social, an unassuming bar perfect for a cold beer after exploring the architectural heritage of Athens. There are also a lot of cats around to keep you company!
This is a perfect spot in Kolonaki to sit outside in the late afternoon sun for an aperitivo and some people-watching. This place has been around since the turn of the 20th century, and it is a firm favourite among locals.
Materia Prima Pagrati & Materia Prima Koukaki
Materia Prima offers fantastic wines and a selection of seasonal dishes to accompany them. The sommeliers here will tell you everything about Greek wines you want to know.
DINNER
Dinner at Seychelles is an absolute must when you visit Athens; almost everyone who ate here will tell you so. Delicious food is prepared in the open kitchen, and the atmosphere in the restaurant is very charming. Order several dishes and share them with your travel companions to make the most of your visit.
ERGON House is inside a hotel complex in the city centre, but the food here is excellent – make sure you try the Graviera cheese from Ioannina in kataifi pastry. Also, the food hall is perfect for some souvenir shopping.
This “Greek-inspired bistro” serves regional dishes in a fancy setting. So, if you are looking for an occasion to dress up during your trip to Athens, this could be it. Many dishes are prepared on the large hearth in the restaurant's centre. The menu is rather focused on meat, but they also offer an array of seafood dishes.
ATHENS NEIGHBOURHOODS TO EXPLORE
Exarchia is a vibrant neighbourhood influenced by counterculture and bohemianism. The streets are adorned with street art, independent bookstores sell modern literature among anti-capitalist textbooks, and students gather in the many cafés and bars around Plateia Exarcheion. The area's role as a hub for social and political movements is palpable. Highlights include the bustling Kallidromiou Farmers' Market on Saturdays – and the view across the city from the top of Strefi Hill.
Right next to Exarchia lies Kolonaki, and the contrast between those two neighbourhoods couldn't be more significant. Here, you'll find chic boutiques, art galleries and trendy restaurants. Kolonaki is home to affluent residents and draws visitors seeking a more upscale experience. A walk between alternative Exarchia and luxurious Kolonaki showcases Athen's diversity. You will also find two museums worth seeing in Kolonaki: the Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art and the Benaki Museum.
The neighbourhood at the foot of the acropolis is full of quaint streets and has a laid-back atmosphere with hip cafés, restaurants and bars. Neoclassical architecture mixes with contemporary art spaces. From here, you can stroll up Filopappou Hill and enjoy a walk in nature, or wander the neighbourhood streets, marvel at balconies filled with tropical greenery and catch a glimpse into everyday life in Athens.
Pangrati offers many nice cafés and bars and a relaxed vibe. It is also home to the vast First Cemetery of Athens; it might be a bit spooky, but it is still a great place to get lost, marvel at stately graves and crypts – and meet a lot of friendly stray cats. Close by is the Panathenaic Stadium, a historic marble structure that hosted the first modern Olympic Games in 1896.
Plaka is Athens's oldest, most picturesque neighbourhood but feels the most touristy. Getting lost in the labyrinthine streets is still worthwhile. Plaka has a vast selection of restaurants serving traditional Greek fare; some might be tourist traps, but if you trust your instincts, you will find affordable, simple fare and friendly service here as well.
SIGHTS TO SEE IN ATHENS
Obviously, there are many historic sights to see in Athens, ranging from ancient Greek and Roman ruins to Byzantine churches. These are three I think you should not miss.
Akropolis Hill is an obvious destination, but I want to emphasise that it is worth a visit. I loved hiking around the Akropolis and marvelled at the Parthenon and the Temple of Athena Nike. I also really liked the restoration site vibe of the place and seeing all those stones neatly stacked and numbered around the Parthenon, waiting to be lifted to their final position by a giant crane, like big puzzle pieces.
To learn more about the history of the Akropolis and Athens, visit the Akropolis Museum. Most awe-inspiring to me were those statues that still retain pigments of colour, and I loved learning how colourful the buildings on the Akropolis must have looked in ancient times.
Northwest of the Akropolis lies the Ancient Agora with the Temple of Hephaestus and more remnants of Ancient Greek culture. The Stoa of Attalos, reconstructed in the 1950s, houses the Museum of the Ancient Agora, where you can learn more interesting facts about life in Ancient Greece.
MORE ON ATHENS
I wrote an article (in German) about the neighbourhoods of Athens for the magazine supplement of the «NZZ am Sonntag». You can read the full article on NZZ Bellevue.
