This is probably not your first time in Athens. So you have been to Acropolis and marveled over the Parthenon. You have visited the Acropolis Museum, and quite recently, so you have seen the new excavations that have revealed Ancient Athens right underneath the building. Is there anything else worth visiting apart from Monastiraki Flea Market?
There are many places to visit and things to do in Athens most tourists do not have the time and/or the inside information. Following are some of the things we locals do in our city.
1. The suburbs: Beautiful walks and shopping therapy
- Northern Suburbs: Kifissia
You can take the green line from the Omonoia or the Monastiraki metro station and head north. Kifissia is a luxurious suburb with many trees and shady streets, boutiques of international designers, and art galleries.
You can choose among many traditional family taverns and modern restaurants or elegant cafes.
An interesting visit to the Goulandris Museum of Natural History (closed in August) is right there at 13 Levidou street, just a 9-minute walk from the station, as you walk through the Park. The exact route is here on the map.
- Southern Suburbs: Glyfada
One of the most lively neighborhoods in Athens, it combines luxury brands with a joyful sunny setting. Glyfada is right next to the sea and you can go from Syntagma Square
- by Tram – it is not very fast but you will enjoy the route.
- via the metro red line/Hellinikon Station and then the 122 bus – it will take about 30 min.
- via the metro red line/Hellinikon Station and then a 5 euro taxi – 20 to 25 min distance.
With its famously clear waters and organized beaches, Glyfada feels like summer most of the year.
In the evening, people from all over town come for drinks, or at their favorite Italian, Indian, or traditional Greek restaurant. Others just enjoy the sunset on Glyfada beach or next to the luxury boats at the marinas.
- Piraiki and Mikrolimano
Athens and Piraeus are inseparable. When you find yourself in Athens, a visit to Greece’s biggest port is a wise choice. Especially if you like the sea. And rocks. And ancient walls. Or all of the above.
Walking on the sidewalk by the sea at Piraiki next to the Walls that were used to protect the city c. 400 BC. you will reach the luxurious yachts marine Marina Zea and right next to that Microlimano (it means small harbor).
An absolutely beautiful path with restaurants and bars for a variety of tastes overlooking the sea.
2. Athens is surrounded by picturesque nature
- Vouliagmeni’s Lake
There are capital cities in Europe famous for their lakes. Athens is not one of them.
Vouliagmeni’s Lake is a lovely exception.
Moving on after Glyfada you will pass Voula and reach one of the most expensive neighborhoods in Athens, Vouliagmeni. There you can visit the Lake and swim any time of the year as the water temperature is 21° – 29° Celsius ( 71 to 84 Fahrenheit) all year long.
Lake Vouliagmeni is equipped with beautiful sunbeds, chaise-lounges, and tables with seats. Ticket prices: 15 € on weekdays and 18 € on the weekends. Children up to 5 yrs can enter for free. For more information see here.
- Votanikos garden
The Botanical Garden is located in Chaidari, at a distance of 8 km from the center of Athens, and occupies an area of 1860 acres, on the northern slopes of Mount Egaleo.
The main entrance of the Botanical Garden is at 403 Iera Odos Avenue and it is open from 8.00 in the morning until sunset all year long.
There you will have the opportunity to see a very large collection of plant species that are found in various parts of the world. Also, there is an impressive selection of plants in the Athens landscape.
- Mount Penteliκο
There are many nature-loving discoveries for you to enjoy at the mount of Penteli or Penteliko.
By car, you can be in the area of Drafi within only 30 minutes starting from Syntagma Square, a bit more if there is traffic.
You can find yourself in nature among pine trees and wonderful small waterfalls. Here is a map of one of the most popular waterfalls in the area. A picnic is always fun there.
A day in Penteli apart from the beautiful landscapes also includes super dining options in traditional restaurants like the Kristalis restaurant in the Pentelis square.
Mount Penteliko is also where the famous Penteli marble comes from. This marble is considered to be of exceptional quality and was used to build the Parthenon Temple in the Acropolis.
3. Suggestions for the Art Enthusiasts
- 1st Cemetery of Athens – Chalepa’s Sleeping Beauty
The Sleeping Beauty of Chalepa is a sculpture by the famous Greek sculptor, Giannouli Chalepa.
It was created in the 1880s and placed in the First Cemetery of Athens in honor of a 17 yrs old Athenian, Sofia Afentaki. It is considered one of the masterpieces of art.
You can see it among many other sculptures, tombs, and monuments in the First Cemetery of Athens right behind Kallimarmaro Stadium.
Access is easy and only 7 minutes by car, by tram (T6), or bus (227, 856, A3) from Syntagma Square.
- SNFCC
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center is a venue for cultural events which includes the building facilities of the National Library of Greece and the National Opera, as well as an urban park and other facilities.
There are always exhibitions going on both outdoors and within the premises. Many kiosks offer food and drinks and there is a very good chance you will witness some live music events. Usually, the access is free for all.
Even though it is very close to the center, just a few minutes down Synggrou Avenue toward the sea, the public transportation is not that good. My suggestion is that if you have not rented a car, the 7 € taxi from Syntagma Square is worth it. When visitors have a few days available in Athens, and of course, they need to see all the classical sites, they might miss it.
Locals, on the other hand, appreciate it a lot.
- Basil and Elisa Goulandris Foundation
Pablo Picasso, Claude Monet, Francis Bacon, Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne, Dominikos Theotokopoulos (El Greco), and many more in one visit to the center of Athens!
If you want to see the only sculpture exhibited by Edgar Degas, The Little Dancer Aged Fourteen, or works by Roy Lichtenstein, and Alberto Giacometti, you can visit the Basil and Elise Goulandris Foundation to the left of the Kallimarmaron Stadium on 13 Eratosthenous str.
It is open 5 days a week (closed on Monday and Tuesday) and the ticket is 8 €, while children up to 12 yrs enter for free.
4. Ideas for the kids and the teenagers!
- Attika Zoological Park
To keep the children impressed and happy, a safe choice is the Attika Zoological Park.
You can use the metro to get to Doukissis Plakentias Station and then Bus 319 (every 35′) or get a taxi from the center of Athens, it will cost about 30 € and it will take approximately 20′.
You will see mammals like lions zebras and giraffes. There is a section with reptiles like alligators and pythons (!) and a big variety of birds. There are also dolphins!
Tickets are 18 € for adults, 14 € for kids older than 3 yrs, and for kids up to 3 yrs old the entrance is free. You can book your e-ticket here.
There are guided tours and a zoo cafe. The Park is open every day of the year.
- SNFCC canal / SNFCC bikes
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is not only a hub for the arts. Families have a great time there when they sail in the canal which provides kids with extreme joy!
It is for free! All you need to do is pre-book your seat here.
Also, there are bikes available to rent for kids and adults!
It is open until midnight. You and your family can decide to have fun until dinner time and then choose among these two tasty options:
a) Within the premises there is a high-quality, not high-priced restaurant right next to the souvenir shop.
b) On the other hand, there is a traditional Greek tavern right outside the venue. As you leave, keep the sea to your left and walk for about 100 meters.
- Kart in northern Athens – Kartodromo
42 acres of Kart truck await you and your family at the 28th kilometer of the Athens-Lamia National Road. There, you will see the First Tolls in Afidnes. The area is called Kiourka. You will need to go by car. If you want to check these Rent-A-Car services you can learn more here.
Kartodromo offers different types of kart cars according to the driver (adult/child).
For a 10 min ride tickets are 10 € (children) and 12 € (regular). All the equipment necessary i.e helmets are included.
There is also the option for you to race with your kid in the same two-seat vehicle. What an experience! This ticket is 14 € and it includes both driver and co-driver (child up to 8 yrs old).
Generally, it is open from noon until 21.00 in the evening.
For more information, you can contact [email protected] or call +30 22950 23265.
5. Special Sightseeing in Athens
- The Hellinikon Experience Center
The Ellinikon Experience Centre is an interactive hub that showcases The Ellinikon through play and discovery. Available to all ages, it is both educational and enjoyable. The Ellinikon will be a new smart and sustainable city open to all, and three times the size of Monaco.
Today one can visit the Experience Park, a 70-acre space built on the site of the Athens Historical Airport. The Park has approximately 500 trees, 55.000 plants, a fine collection of souvenirs at the shop, and fresh coffee and sweets at the Ellinikon Café. It is open daily from 11.00 to 22.00.
It is located very close to the Ellinikon Metro Station, about a 10′ to 15′ min walk.
The visit is for free, all you need to do is book your preference here.
- National Library of Greece
Was there a world before the internet? Did people read? Books? What a notion!
Our children can not imagine a world without wifi as we cannot imagine life without electricity.
That is why a visit inside the Neoclassical Building of the National Library, the Vallianio Megaron, is so important.
A visit which unfortunately can be overlooked within the plethora of the antiquity experiences in Athens.
Visitors need to enter, smell, stand still and listen to the quietness, and if possible sit down in the main hall with a book in hand. It feels a lot like time travel.
- Glyfada’s ancient ruins
According to the Christian tradition, this is the location where Apostle Paul disembarked in the port of Aixoni (now Glyfada) in the middle of the 1st AD century. He then followed the ancient road to reach Pnyx in Athens, to preach about the new religion.
Greeks had a rich collection of gods at the time. The twelve Olympians were considered the major deities of the Greek pantheon and there were also numerous semi-gods and heroes for every possible occasion or need.
But, to be safe, they were worshiping one more, the “unknown god”, just in case they had forgotten someone. Apostle Paul talked to the Athenians about this “new, unknown god”.
Next to these ancient ruins, there is an exquisite Restaurant – Bar – Cafe right by the sea and it is called Ark. Highly recommended!
6. Some streets make a difference in the city
- Varis-Koropiou taverns – only if you really like eating meat!
At the Southern suburbs and after you have left Glyfada and Voula you will meet the Varis – Koropioy Avenue which heads towards the airport.
If you happen to pass by that area late afternoon or in the early evening you will be impressed by the colorful selection of Greek taverns, one next to the other. They are famous for their tasty meat selection and the loud welcoming tsoliades (men dressed in traditional Greek costumes). Each one is trying to lure you into his restaurant.
If you like eating meat I suggest you give in and enjoy the food!
- Protogenous Street
Very close to the Monastiraki Square there is the Protogenous Street which connects Athinas street to Heroon Square in Psirri.
It is filled with vintage stores, skateboard shops, and pizza places where one can visit underground clubs. In the evening people move from bar to bar with their drinks in hand and they are relaxed.
- Pireos Street
You might have heard of bouzoukia a type of late nightclub with Greek music. Or you might have seen the movie, “My Greek Fat Wedding” where Greeks smash plates as they are having fun.
Well, this is not done that much anymore. But still, a night out at the bouzoukia, assuming you like Greek music, even a little, is an experience off the beaten path.
Pireos Street is one of the main roads where these nightclubs are located. As you pass by Kerameikos metro station the available options are highly visible both to your right and to the left side of the street. The names of these clubs change continuously along with the singers staring at them.
Keep in mind that nothing happens before midnight and should you decide to go, be prepared to leave the club in the not-so-early morning hours. Also, this is not a cheap exercise. It can cost about 200 euros for a bottle of whiskey or half that price for a bottle of wine. Pistes (it means stages) are a cultural phenomenon to be enjoyed under specific circumstances, meaning preferably with locals.