Atene cosa vedere, dal Partenone al mercatino delle pulci

Se remane in città per diversi giorni, ecco cosa visitare ad Atene. Spunti, idee, consigli, per una Atene da vedere e da gustare. Athens in a weekend, è un’idea percorribile ma sacrifica molte attrazioni.

Tuttavia, pur volendo concedersi altre distrazioni, la capitale greca è una città molto amata dagli appassionati di arte antica che, a questo punto, potranno far visita all’Ancient Agora di Athens con il suo bellissimo Temple of Hephaestus e la Stoa of Attalos; meritano inoltre un ingresso il National Archaeological Museum, il Byzantine Museum e il Benaki Museum, mentre gli appassionati di lirica potranno visitare il piccolo Maria Callas Museum, ad ingresso libero. Athens Guide. Vediamo cosa vedere ad Athens, capitale Grecia, i monumenti più importanti, Athens Antica. Athens History.

Athens places of interest

1 The Acropolis, the Parthenon Athens

Athens Parthenon. It is impossible not to associate the idea of Athens with the Acropolis: an inseparable pair that strongly characterizes this European capital, one of the most economical and therefore much appreciated also by budget travelers. A visit to the Acropolis is absolutely one of the first things to see in Athens. On the rocky hill of the Acropolis towers the Parthenon, symbol of Athens and the most important tourist and cultural attraction in this area. The grandeur of this temple is evident, even more appreciable at night when the whole hill is enriched by the golden color of the lights and the surrounding panorama: on one side, you will see all of Athens “spread out” down the valley while on the other side you can admire part of the Peloponnese.

2 Acropolis Museum Athens and Plaka

Not far from the Parthenon, here is the Acropolis Museum while for an immersion into the ancient streets of Athens, nothing is better than a walk in Plaka, the neighborhood at the foot of the Acropolis which, despite the strong tourist-commercial character given by the presence of bars, guesthouses, and hotels, preserves the beautiful Byzantine churches and the characteristic alleys unchanged.

Acropolis opening hours

Every day: in summer from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm; in winter from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Ticket price to visit the Acropolis

The price of the ticket to visit the Acropolis is about 12 euros. It allows access to the Roman Forum, the Agora, the Kerameikos, the Theatre of Dionysus, and the Temple of Zeus.

Metro stop for the Acropolis

Stop Akrpolis Monastiraki.

What to see in Athens: museums

3 National Archaeological Museum Athens

Archaeological Museum Athens. This is the largest archaeological museum in Athens, which collects relics of the ancient Greek civilization. For art and culture enthusiasts, it is an important destination. Inside, you can visit a large collection of artifacts that survived the eruption of the Thera volcano, the island also known as Santorini, dating back to the sixteenth century BC. The Mycenaean collection with jewelry, weapons, jewels, and other artifacts dating from the ninth to the sixteenth century BC is very interesting.

Opening hours of the Archaeological Museum of Athens

Every day: in summer from 8:00 to 19:00; in winter from Tuesday to Sunday from 8:30 to 15:00, Monday from 13:00 to 19:30.

Ticket price to visit the Archaeological Museum of Athens

The ticket price to visit the Archaeological Museum of Athens is about 7 euros.

Metro stop for the Archaeological Museum of Athens

Stop Victoria.

4 Benaki Museum

The Benaki Museum houses the art collection of Antonis Benaki which in 1954, before his death, was donated to the State along with his residence that contains it. It is a very rich art heritage that goes from the third millennium BC up to the moment of the donation. Inside are the “Treasures of Thessaly,” precious jewelry, and many other important objects.

Opening hours of the Benaki Museum

Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; Thursday from 9:00 am to 12:00 am with free entrance.

Ticket price to visit the Benaki Museum

The ticket price to visit the Benaki Museum is about 6 euros.

Metro stop for the Benaki Museum

Stop Syntagma.

Things to do in Athens

5 Flea Market in Monastiraki

If you are hunting for shopping among markets, the ideal is to dedicate Sunday morning to the flea market in Monastiraki, while if you prefer fashionable shops the right streets are those of the Thissio and Gazi neighborhoods.

6 Central Market of Athens

Visiting Athens also means taking a stroll in the heart of the Greek city’s trade. The Central Market is the largest market in Athens where the inhabitants of the Hellenic capital usually shop. The central market of Athens is open every day from Monday to Saturday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Metro stop for the Central Market

Stop at Monastiraki and Omonia.

7 How to get to Athens and how to get around

How to get to Athens

Athens airport. Athens is accessible by plane through the international airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) located about 30 km from the city, to the northeast. The X94 bus line connects the metro station Amina Ethniki (Pentagon) with the airport. The first bus is at 06:30, the last at 20:55, at intervals of 10-20 minutes. The X95 line Syntagma Square – Airport Express starts at Syntagma square in the center of Athens and ends at the airport. Athens Metro. An alternative to public transport is certainly the metro, which works well.

How to get around Athens

In the city, you can get around on foot, as the places of interest are all easily reachable via almost always pedestrian streets. Alternatively, you can use buses which are very cheap, although almost always very crowded. The metro has three lines:

• Line 1, green, Piraeus-Kifisia, 24 stations, length 26 kilometers, 3 of which underground;
• Line 2, red, Anthoupoli-Elliniko, 20 stations, length 18.6 kilometers, completely underground;
• Line 3, blue, Agia Marina-International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”, 21 stations, length 40 kilometers.

The Proastiakós suburban railway serves the city which also has two tram lines.

8 Where to eat and drink in Athens

Athens nightlife venues

Late at night the life of Athenians bursts in the venues, which are very numerous and affordable here: the right places to go for sure are certainly the areas of Psirrì and Gazi, two former industrial sites now the beating heart of the nightlife of the Greek capital: among cocktail bars, nightclubs, venues for modern intellectuals, Athens is hectic at night, both in winter and summer, with the only difference that in the warmer months many clubs move to the coastal area, perhaps right inside beach resorts. Whether for nightlife, art or for the pleasure of discovering a new European capital, there are many things to do in Athens, a city that often represents a great solution for traveling while spending just enough.

9 Where to stay in Athens

Athens hotels. Accommodation in the city suits all budgets. There are luxurious hotels as well as romantic hotels in the Plaka area. The Syngrou area is mainly suitable for those traveling to Athens for work but it is a less interesting area. Here is a selection of hotels in Athens.