Athens in 2 days
The Acropolis, the ancient centre and Plaka in two days — with one morning that decides whether you queue or not.
- How long
- 2 days
- Getting around
- Metro lines 2 and 3 cover everything
Athens fits into two unhurried days on one condition: the Acropolis at opening, at eight. After ten you queue, and there is no shade on the rock — in summer the difference between pleasant and unbearable is one hour.
The rock, then the museum
The Acropolis, at opening. You enter from the west through the Propylaea; the Parthenon has been under restoration for decades and the scaffolding is part of the view, so plan for it. Ninety minutes is enough.
Down over the Areopagus — the rock with a view of the whole city, from which St Paul is said to have preached. Free, slippery, and the best view of the Acropolis from below.
The Acropolis Museum at the foot of the hill. The third floor is the Parthenon gallery with the frieze laid out as it stood — what is missing is in London, and the museum does not hide it.
Lunch in Koukaki, the quarter behind the museum, where the people who live there eat.
The Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus, the best-preserved Greek temple anywhere. Its own ticket, cheap and without a queue.
Plaka and Anafiotika — houses built by Cycladic masons in the nineteenth century, on the slope below the rock. In the evening, once the lamps come on.
Roman Athens and the markets
Hadrian's Library and the Roman Agora with the Tower of the Winds — an octagonal water clock from the first century BC.
The National Archaeological Museum, north of the centre. The most serious museum in the country and it wants two hours; the Mycenae mask and the Antikythera mechanism are the reason. On Tuesdays it doesn't open until 1pm — on that day simply swap this stop with the next one, the market.
The Varvakios market and lunch at one of the kitchens inside it. Open until the afternoon, longest on Saturdays, closed on Sundays.
Monastiraki and the flea market, then up Lycabettus by funicular — the highest point in the city and the only place the Acropolis is seen whole, from the side.
What is not worth it
- The hop-on bus. Central Athens crosses on foot in half an hour; the bus stops where you were walking anyway.
- The Temple of Olympian Zeus. Fifteen columns behind a fence, and since the combined ticket ended it is a separate charge — the path outside shows you nearly the same.
- Dinner on Plaka's main street. Two streets away, in Psyrri or Koukaki, the same dish is a third cheaper.
Before you go
Short answers to what people ask most before setting out.
What time should I go to the Acropolis?
Eight, at opening. After ten you queue, and in summer there is no shade or water on the rock. The alternative is the last hour before closing.
Is there still a combined ticket?
No. The official ticket for the Acropolis and six more sites was withdrawn on 1 April 2025; each site is bought separately now, best in advance from official sales.
How many days does Athens need?
Two for the city. A third only makes sense as a trip out — Sounion, Delphi, or an island from Piraeus.
Ready for Athens?
Where to next
Day trips from Athens
→Sounion for half a day, Delphi for a whole day, an island for one — and Marathon for those who have already…
Nafplio · 93 km
→An Old Town below Acronafplia, Palamidi fortress on the hill and Bourtzi on an islet in the harbour — all on foot, with a second day left for Epidaurus or Mycenae.
How well does Athens suit you?
→Six questions: a score for this place and others like it.
Front row for the next trip
Leave your email and we'll let you know when a new destination or story goes up.