Athens is a city that has a lot to offer you. Yes you can tour the most important sights in just two days!<\/p>
Athens is an admirable city. One minute you walk into a very trendy area with shops, then you turn into a narrow street and suddenly you see ancient ruins right in front of you.
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The effect of this dramatic contrast is quite moving. You know the food is amazing. You do not eat anywhere like in Greece.<\/p>
And nowhere do you drink so much wine. People are hospitable and while taxis can take your money, you can prefer the most efficient metro. Most importantly, there is a lot to see and do.<\/p>
The Acropolis and the Ancient Agora<\/p>
And most importantly: You can see all of this in 48 hours including coffee, time consuming meals and a nap.<\/p>
The program includes:<\/p>
Acropolis (Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, Dionysus Theater, Odeon of Herodes Atticus)<\/p>
Acropolis Museum & Historical Plaque Ancient Agora (Temple of Hephaestus, Conservatory of Agrippa, Stoa of Attalos)<\/p>
Monastiraki Square and Flea Market National Garden and Temple of Olympian Zeus<\/p>
Syntagma Square and Panathinaiko Stadium<\/p>
The Conservatory of Herodes Atticus (Herodeion)<\/p>
All of this may seem like a ton for 2 days, but many of the sights only take a few minutes to see and explore as you go to your next stop.<\/p>
But how will you live in Athens, if you do not live it\u2026 in Greek?<\/p>
Things to do in Athens<\/p>
Day 1:<\/strong><\/p> 8:00 – Go to the Acropolis <\/a>when the gates open to pass the crowd and take lots of pictures. Get a map at the entrance to be sure you will not miss anything! The Parthenon of the Acropolis<\/p> 10:00 – Buy coffee in hand at the base of the Acropolis (near the metro) and walk to the shops of historic Plaka that open at that time.<\/p> 11:00 – Go to the Acropolis Museum<\/a>. Do not forget to look at the live excavation sites through the glass floors outside the entrance. The Erechtheion on the Acropolis<\/p> 13:00 – Food in Plaka. What else but a round skewer with a rustic salad?<\/p> 15:00 – Head east from the Acropolis to see the temple of Olympian Zeus<\/a>.<\/p> Keep walking until you see a large freeway and you will see the monument just across the street. Temple (Columns) of Olympian Zeus<\/p> 17:00 – Walk back to the subway through the National Park<\/a> and go to sleep for a while. We think we are tired\u2026<\/p> 20:00 – It’s time to wake up, get dressed and dine in Athens in Greek. You can ask friends or the reception of your hotel. We suggest you the amazing food at the restaurant “Geros tou Moria<\/a>” in Plaka, for his dancing and breaking the dishes! Note: They bring you special dishes to break. Do not start throwing dishes from here and there!<\/p> 22:00 – Walk in Monastiraki and Plaka.<\/p> Sit in a shop that will inspire you and order Greek wine.<\/p> Day 2:<\/strong><\/p> 08:00 – Wake up to enjoy traditional Greek coffee. You know, the one served in small espresso cups. Traditional Greek Coffee<\/p> 9:00 – Get on the subway and go to Syntagma. He spent a minute in the square, then walked to the Panathinaiko Stadium. The Panathinaiko Stadium (Kallimarmaro) 1<\/p> 1:30 – Take the metro and get off at Thiseio stop to walk to the Ancient Agora. There you can observe the very well preserved temple of Hephaestus, before passing to the Conservatory of Agrippa to the Museum of the Ancient Agora, which houses the Stoa of Attalos. The Temple of Hephaestus in the Ancient Agora<\/p> 13:30 – From the Stoa of Attalos<\/a>, Monastiraki is on the other side of the metro.<\/p> See the fresh products of the sellers in the square before you sit down to eat in Monastiraki. This time order appetizers for the middle of the table that you can share with your friends and maybe you could order traditional moussaka. Every restaurant will tell you that it is their best! The Stoa of Attalos<\/a><\/p> 16:00 – How about some souvenirs at the Flea Market in Monastiraki?<\/p> 17:30 – Go to the Tavern “Klimataria” for a Greek cooking class! You may not be hungry yet, but after a few hours in the kitchen, you will be ready to eat everything!<\/p> 21:00 – Go for a drink with your new friends from the cooking class or buy a small bottle of ouzo (traditional Greek aperitif) and go to your hotel. Along with water or ice cubes, you will learn to love it.<\/p> Evzonas outside the Syntagma Little tips: Buy the all-day subway ticket, not the hourly rate. Keep it in your wallet or somewhere you will not miss it! Checks on MMMs are not continuous, but they are regular. Take your time at every meal. Lunch and dinner require a few hours of enjoyment. Wear shoes without a flat sole. There are marbles EVERYWHERE. Seriously, many sidewalks are made of marble. Get used to the light breakfast and dinner at very advanced hours.<\/p> Most Greeks just drink coffee and maybe eat a toast for breakfast, so you will not find many restaurants open in the morning.<\/p> Your solutions are two:<\/p> Breakfast at the hotel or breakfast from the fast food Everest<\/a>, Grigoris <\/a>etc You can see the Acropolis from everywhere in Athens. Do not stay in the room because you have a view of the Acropolis! If you want to eat a round souvlaki in Athens, do not forget to say “with pie”.<\/p> If you do not say so, they will offer you a plate with chopped gyros, vegetables and sauce, but you can not eat it as a sandwich. When buying tickets to the Acropolis, buy a Multi-day ticket for the whole day, which will take you to all the attractions<\/a>.<\/p>