Only a day in Athens? No worries - that is all you really need; MAYBE two if you want to have a more relaxed adventure and don't want to cram.
Where To Eat?
To Katiamo
We came across this place while walking to the Acropolis and I am SO glad we did. The people were so sweet and their homemade Greek food was incredible! Our first meal in Greece really exceeded our expectations and set the bar for the rest of the trip.
We shared a pretty large portion of the Beef Kokkinisto for 7 Euros - totally worth it.
God’s Restaurant
Leaving the Acropolis, there are a bunch of restaurants lined up along the streets. We stopped at God’s Restaurant - we weren’t super hungry and were planning on waiting a bit later to eat, but the restaurant was cute and the owners drew us in because they were SO friendly.
We ordered gyros (super cliché I know but you simply can’t go to Greece without trying the basics). The gyros where 10.50 Euros and 50 cents for a bottle of water. It was a pretty large portion and was INCREDIBLY tasty! (This was also the most expensive gyro we purchased the entire trip)
What To Do?
The Acropolis
(Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, Theatre of Dionysus, Odeon of Herodes Atticus)
When I arrived to Athens and only had a day to explore I was SURE I was going to visit the Acropolis.
Then I found out it was 20 Euros and I really debated going (I know, I can be super cheap sometimes - not gonna lie). I could sort of see the Parthenon from the bottom of the stairs and I really wasn't fully educated on what all the Acropolis had to offer so I didn't see it worth the price - especially since I had such little time to explore.
This may sound completely ignorant, but I didn't see it mentioned in any of the blog posts I read before traveling {Mariah maybe it's pretty obvious... if you read Google instead of people's travel blogs...) but all those monuments listed above are all generally in the same area. They all make up the Acropolis. As silly as it sounds, my boyfriend and I were sure it was just the Parthenon we were going to to see... but it was a pleasant surprise to us that for the one ticket purchased you see other historical archeology.
After minutes of debating, my boyfriend and I decided we wouldn't have properly done Athens if we didn't see the Acropolis.
I am SO glad we made that decision. We spent hours exploring and even just sat at the top admiring the view for some time.
Panathenaic Stadium
This is a quick and easy must do! It is the site of the first modern Olympic games in 1896.
Mount Lycabettus
This was a hike I was really looking forward to doing, but after visiting the Acropolis and seeing the city from there, I didn't feel this was a must do. Although if I went back I would definitely do it since the view looks incredible and there is a cute restaurant on top!
Monastriaki Flea Market
(Open every day but Thursday and Saturday)
I REALLY wanted to do this since I am obsessed with markets but unfortunately the day I arrived it was a holiday and it was closed. I heard from locals that it is a pretty average market to be honest, but I would still 100% do it if I were to go back!
Where To Stay?
Although hotels are reasonably priced in Athens I would definitely recommend an AirBnB. Here's why:
1. They usually offer picking you up from the port or airport for a reasonable price. This means arriving to your place directly without any hiccups or rip offs.
2. They can give you awesome tips and recommendations about where you are staying.
3. Check in and out is usually more flexible if you let them know in advance which is super helpful if your arrival or departure times are unusual.
4. You can have someone local to contact in case of an emergency.
5. It's an opportunity to make a friend with someone from another country!
We stayed with an awesome gentleman named Theofilos who was so helpful and did all of the above. This experience is more common than you think! Honestly, I sometimes choose AirBnB's over nicer hotels just for these benefits!
As a traveller, I definitely recommend you try it out if you haven't already! *Not sponsored by AirBnB*
xoxo
Mariah McAlpin
@mariahmcalpin
