2 Days in Athens: 48 hours to remember!

A visit to Athens, even a short one, can be a very fulfilling experience. You might be on a business trip and you managed to add a weekend. Or you might be taking advantage of a unique ticket opportunity or any other occasion. The assumption is that you visit Athens for these two days and then leave. This is not about a stop on your way to the islands or returning after your vacation in Greece.

I love Athens, it is my city, and if I were to visit for only 48 hours this is what I would do.

Day 1 Morning walk in the Antiquities: Acropolis, Parthenon, and the Acropolis Museum.

A visit to the Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is where the first day starts. The Acropolis metro station (Line 2 Anthoupoli – Hellinikon) will guide you to the South Entrance. Visitors stand in awe as these ruins of the emblematic temple complex of the 5th century BC. on the rocky hill of Athens, live up to their reputation. As you walk down from the majestic Parthenon temple, you can see to your left the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, an impressive well-preserved landmark where numerous events take place throughout the year.

• Useful info tips:
  • Your e-tickets will save you valuable time
  • Weather friendly comfortable clothing and shoes are recommended
  • There is access for people with special needs to both the Acropolis Rock and the Acropolis Museum

The Acropolis Museum is the next step. This is an impressive visitor-friendly museum that will allow you to walk among antiquities and statues and feel the rhythm of Ancient Athens life as you gaze into the actual ancient city it was built upon.

Concerts, and evening events (ie on the European Museum Day May the 14th), are not uncommon so it might be a good idea to check their program here.

The ancient rock and the Acropolis Museum can be a handful. There are many options for a small break possibly around 12.00 o’clock so that you can continue with renewed strength. The Acropolis Museum Restaurant Cafe will not disappoint you. You can have a small light lunch, a coffee, ice cream, or all of the above.

Day 1 Noon in the old city: Plaka – Anafiotika – Monastiraki

Plaka and the Anafiotika neighborhoods are right next to Acropolis. There you can enjoy Athens the way it used to be about two centuries ago. Even if you are visiting during the hot summer months, this walk will be in protected narrow pedestrian streets far away from the city’s noise and hassle.

Your steps will lead you to Monastiraki Square where iconic landmarks await. Hadrian’s library, the Stoa of Attalos, and the Ancient Agora together with the Monastiraki flea market will provide a beautiful conclusion to your Ancient Athens visit.

There are numerous options for a tasty traditional late lunch or early dinner right there in Monastiraki square, for example, the “Thanassis” restaurant where you could try souvlaki.

Day 1 Evening: Nightlife in the city

Following your dinner and a good rest, the city is open for some drinks and – why not? – dancing! In the center of Athens, as you walk down Ermou Street right after our main square, Syntagma Square keep your mind open to the nearby rooftops. Small cute open bars are scattered.

But if you need a more concrete option, just keep on walking down Ermou Street. As you have passed the famous Byzantine church Kapnikarea and this pedestrian street ends, to your left you see once more Monastiraki square. A few more meters to your right, you walk into the Psirri neighborhood.

One bar next to the other, one restaurant next to a club, and people just enjoying their walk in one more pedestrian street of the Athens center.

There are venues in Psirri for any taste. Traditional taverns with Greek music where you can have wine and mezedes which is a variety of tasty dishes. Loud clubs which look empty at 11.00 in the evening, and a couple of hours later are packed. And all the in-between options.

In Athens, the night out ends only when you feel like it. There is no word for curfew in Greek.

Anastasia from New York

Athens is a safe city, as long as you avoid some specific streets around the Omonoia square and you do not drink too much too soon. Greek nights out work well when you pace yourself, there is no hurry.

Day 2 Morning Noon and Afternoon: The Hydra island

You have heard of the Greek islands. Here is an opportunity to see for yourself if the buzz is worth it.

A full-day excursion to a nearby island will – hopefully – only convince you to come back for more days. We suggest Hydra, one of the most beautiful and cosmopolitan islands in Greece. Hydra is a unique destination, even by Greek standards.

You can leave from Piraeus, the port of Athens – and the biggest port in Greece – as early in the day as you want and come late in the afternoon. The route takes less than two hours.

There is only one town the Hydra Port. The island’s population is about 2.000 people.

In Hydra, cars are not allowed so the main mean of transportation is walking, bikes, and some donkeys. You will surely be offered a donkey ride by the and if you are up to it, it can be a memory to take back with you.

If the weather permits it, mostly in the period May to October, you can enjoy swimming in the crystal clear blue waters of the surrounding beaches. The decision to swim is highly related to one’s perception of the weather. You will feel it is warm enough, or not, according to the weather you are accustomed to. In the following table, you can see the mean temperature (C for Celsius and F for Fahrenheit) Hydra enjoyed throughout 2021.

The decision to swim is highly related to one’s perception of the weather. You will feel it is warm enough, or not, according to the weather you are accustomed to.

Although a day at the beach is appealing if your interests include art, history, and beautiful architecture there are numerous sites to visit on this small beautiful island.

As you walk among mansions, monasteries, and byzantine churches you will understand why Hydra is considered to be one of the most romantic islands in Greece.

There is always the option of island hopping, where you would move in and out of all the Argolic Gulf islands, adding to Hydra Spetses and Poros, but we believe that focusing on one will provide a truly gratifying experience.

Day 2 Evening: Your dinner and a drink by the sea

Upon your return, a taxi from the port can take you to Kastella. It is only a 4 km distance, maybe a bit more if you ask for the route by the sea.

Kastella has been called the neighborhood all Athenians would like to live in. There you can enjoy again exceptional food from traditional greek tavernas with fresh fish to high-quality Indian or Chinese cuisine your taste will be pleased.

Colorful drinks in bars overlooking the beautiful port at night sound like a brilliant closure.

Your night out at this coastal part of Athens seems to be a perfect ending for a two-day experience in Athens to remember. And come back to.