Three Days in Athens, Greece: The Ultimate Itinerary
Want to know how to spend the perfect three days in Athens, Greece? This handy guide gives you a day by day breakdown of where to eat, drink and explore in the capital of Greece.
Athens is a city that has it all – ancient temples, a thriving culinary scene, and a varied nightlife, so it’s no surprise that over 6 million tourists flock here every year.
A long weekend is the perfect introduction to Athens, giving you enough time to visit the main sights, explore the different neighbourhoods, and enjoy the restaurants and nightlife at your own pace.
My guide to 3 days in Athens covers the main sights, as well as a few hidden gems, to ensure you have the perfect weekend in the city.
This post is sponsored by Visit Greece, but all opinions are my own.
Day 1: Sample delicious Greek cuisine & learn about the Acropolis
For your first day in Athens we’re taking it slow, with a leisurely lunch of delicious Meze food, followed by a guided tour of the Acropolis museum, and a fine dining experience at one of the city’s best restaurants.
Getting from Athens airport to the city centre
You’ll most likely be arriving into Athens international airport, and I’d recommend booking a transfer to take you to your hotel.
The airport is quite far away from the centre of the city (about a 40 minute drive), so you’ll want to be as comfortable as possible.
Alternatively, you can take the metro (line 3), with trains departing every 30 minutes, or the airport bus (X95), with buses departing every 20-30 minutes, 24 hours a day.
Check in to your hotel
During my trip to Athens I stayed at the 5*, Electra Metropolis, and I’d highly recommend it for your trip.
It’s ideally located just a short walk from the main sights, there’s two swimming pools, modern bedrooms, and a rooftop with unrivalled views of the Acropolis.
Leisurely lunch at Cherchez La Femme
After dropping your bags at your hotel, it’s just a 2-minute walk to lunch at Cherchez La Femme.
Designed to bring back the feeling of a “Kafeneion” – a traditional Greek café once synonymous with Athens city life, the menu is Meze style and meant to be shared.
Using the best Greek ingredients and produce to create innovative twists on classic dishes, this is the perfect place to start your 3 days in Athens.
Marvel at the Metropolitan Cathedral
Wander across the road to the Metropolitan Cathedral (literally – you can see it from your table in Cherchez La Femme).
This grand cathedral is one of the most significant religious buildings in Athens and is beautiful inside and out.
Guided tour of the Acropolis Museum
Just an 11-minute walk from the Metropolitan Cathedral is the Acropolis Museum, a space dedicated to the findings from the Acropolis hill.
Visiting the museum before the Acropolis itself gives you a unique opportunity to really understand what you’re looking at when you go, and get a feel for everyday life in Ancient Greece.
The entire modern city of Athens is constructed above the ancient city, and you’ll get a true appreciation of this as you wander through the museum, with glass floors allowing you to see the excavation work below.
The museum gives you an incredible insight into how the Acropolis has changed throughout the years, including the destruction and building of its temples.
The museum is built over three floors and the 3rd floor has the exact dimensions and orientation of the Parthenon, the most famous temple on the Acropolis.
As you come to the end of your visit and the sun is setting, you’ll have an incredible opportunity to see the Acropolis by day and night, from the terrace of the museum’s café.
Fine dining experience
For dinner, head to Makris, an award-winning restaurant located in the historic Thisio neighbourhood.
The 8 or 13-course tasting menu is made up of ingredients sourced from the restaurant’s very own farm, as well as small local producers.
There’s an emphasis on seafood (after all, Athens has close proximity to the water), but a vegan option is also available.
Every dish was a work of art, paired with impeccable service to make for a truly unmissable dining experience.
Day 2: Sample local food & experience Athens nightlife
It’s day two in Athens, and what better way to learn about a city than through its food? We’re heading out on a gastronomy tour with Alternative Athens, before learning about a Greek icon in a brand new museum. In the evening you’ll visit another excellent eatery, before enjoying drinks at one of the craziest bars I’ve ever been to.
Athens food tour
On our second day in Athens we headed out on a gastronomy tour with Alternative Athens, and it was my favourite activity of the whole trip.
The tour focuses on smaller, independent suppliers, and we visited shops, restaurants and markets I never would have found on my own.
Having a guide means you discover the hidden gems of the city, and my personal favourite was a very unsuspecting café that turned out to have the most incredible view of the Acropolis.
Throughout the tour you’ll sample Greek delicacies like baklava, bougatsa and souvlaki, as well as visiting traditional Greek tavernas and learning about the history of each dish (and why nothing can ever truly be claimed as originating in Greece or Turkey)
Maria Callas Museum
After freshening up at the hotel, head across the road to the newly opened Maria Callas Museum.
The museum is dedicated to the life and career of iconic Maria Callas, who’s often regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century.
You’ll get to learn about her early life as well as her fame, and see the outfits, jewellery and wigs she wore during her performances.
Explore Monastiraki
Another short walk from the museum and you’ll find yourself in Monastiraki square. Surrounded by rooftop bars, restaurants and cafés, there’s a vibrant atmosphere here reminiscent of its past as a busy marketplace.
It’s famous for its flea market, and I’d recommend walking through and browsing the antiques, clothes, gifts and food items on sale.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) was built in 2016 to support art, culture and education across the city.
It’s located in the Kallithea neighbourhood of Athens and is home to the Greek National Opera and the National Library of Greece, as well as gardens and a 42 acre park.
Most impressively, the majority of attractions here are free or very affordable for the general public. Its purpose is to bring people together and give back to the community of Athens, and residents and tourists benefit from walking tours, sailing, rock climbing and ice-skating in the winter months.
Dinner at Zohos restaurant
Zohόs is one of Athens newer restaurants, and it’s located in the garden of the Electra Palace hotel, the sister hotel to Electra Metropolis.
Based around a Meze concept of sharing food amongst family and friends, Zohόs works with local suppliers to prepare “nose-to-tail” dining, in an effort to reduce waste and promote the diversity of ingredients.
Staff are only too happy to recommend dishes, and the menu is very accommodating of dietary requirements.
The combination of light & airy interiors with a varied, seasonal menu, makes this another restaurant you can’t miss in Athens.
It’s time for drinks
Athens has really good nightlife, no matter what music you’re into, you’ll find something to suit your taste.
We visited Juan Rodriguez, a lively bar with energetic staff, eclectic decorations (including carousels in the middle of the bar), and a DJ booth. It’s loud, fun and slightly mad, but definitely unmissable.
For somewhere a bit more laid back, try Bartesera. A great playlist paired with delicious cocktails makes this the perfect place for a few drinks after dinner.
Day 3: A whimsical café & the Acropolis
We’re saving the best till last and for your final day in Athens we’re off to the most Instagrammable café in the city, before heading to the main event – the Acropolis, and a stroll around the picturesque neighbourhood of Plaka. Afterwards, we’re finishing up with brunch in one of Athen’s most iconic buildings.
The most Christmassy café in Athens
Little Kook is a whimsical, themed café and dessert shop known for its extravagant decorations. It opened in 2015 in a converted neoclassical house and its menu is dedicated to cakes, crepes and sweet treats.
Its decor includes vibrant colours, intricate designs, and themed installations that change throughout the year, often in line with holidays like Christmas, Halloween and Easter.
Not only is the inside of the café decorated, but the surrounding streets adopt the same theme, creating an incredible immersive experience that you can walk through.
We visited Athens in December, so the café was covered in Christmas decorations, but it changes depending on the season. If you’re visiting during Valentines, Halloween or Easter, expect to see Little Kook decorated accordingly.
I’d recommend getting here at 8:30am if you want to avoid the crowds. This will give you 30 minutes to take photographs before the café opens, when you can grab a table inside and enjoy a drink.
The Acropolis
The Acropolis is top of most people’s lists when they visit Athens, and with good reason. Made up of temples, sanctuaries and ancient buildings, it was the centre of everyday life in ancient Athens, and it’s a truly incredible experience to see it up close.
I’d recommend booking a guided tour with Alternative Athens, which will take you through the city, past impressive sights such as the National Garden and the Arch of Hadrian, before you make your way up to the Acropolis.
Having a tour guide is a much more enriching experience than going alone, you’ll learn about the history and meaning behind each of the buildings on the Acropolis, and their passion for the city is truly infectious.
Make sure you allow time for photographs, as there’s so many incredible photo opportunities on the Acropolis.
Wander through picturesque Plaka
The Plaka neighbourhood is one of the oldest in the city, known for its charming, narrow streets, bustling atmosphere and grand neoclassical houses.
I’d recommend visiting the Acropolis and then wandering through Plaka afterwards, as they’re located very close together.
Grab brunch at Athénée
Located just a 15-minute walk from Plaka, Athénée is a popular restaurant spot with a rich history. It opened in 1939 and has played host to many famous faces over the years.
Now, it’s run by two brothers, and aims to provide a modern twist on Greek classics. It’s especially popular for Sunday Brunch, which is when we visited, and is well known for its incredible pastries.
Athénée is the perfect place to end your 3 days in Athens, with its vibrant, welcoming atmosphere reflective of the city itself.
Quick tips for your 3 days in Athens
Get this: A private transfer to take you straight from the airport to your hotel (it’s quite a long journey so you’ll want to be comfortable)
Don’t miss: A guided tour of the Acropolis. It’s an incredible insight into life in Ancient Greece
Bucket list experience: A day trip to the incredible monasteries and caves in Meteora
Flights: Find the cheapest flights to Athens with Skyscanner
Stay: Find the most affordable hotels in Athens on Booking.com
3 days in Athens: the wrap up
Hopefully you’ve found my guide to 3 days in Athens helpful. It surpassed my expectations and only solidified my love for Greece, and I can’t wait to return.
If you have any questions, leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to answer them.
