How to spend the perfect day in Athens, from historic walks to modern art

Finding fresh ways to explore Athens might not seem an easy feat: one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world is also one of the most famous — and with good reason. But the Greek capital is constantly evolving, delivering grit, glamour and glory in equal measures. It’s where modern art and ancient antiquities not only coexist but thrive, where coffee houses and street food cafes are teeming with creative folk, and where joggers spend the morning doing laps in the world’s only all-marble stadium. Here’s how to make the most of your day in the city. 

8am: Jog like an Olympian

The marble Panathenaic Stadium was first built in 330 BCE and rebuilt in 144 CE by Herodes Atticus, before being excavated in 1869. In 1896, it hosted the closing ceremony for the first modern Olympic Games, and has since welcomed superstars such as Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder to its hallowed stage. It’s open for joggers between 7.30am and 9am — you’ll need to buy a ticket and sign a health and safety form before going in.

10am: Fuel up with a koulouri

Psirri is the kind of neighbourhood where you’ll find late-night bars rubbing shoulders with restaurants and antique shops that have been in the same family for generations. To Koulouri tou Psirri — a simple bakery that’s been here since the 1960s and is open 24/7 — serves up a great selection of coffee, Greek pies and desserts. But its magnum opus is koulouri: warm rings of bread topped with sesame seeds, which Athenians love for breakfast.

11.30am: Admire modern art

Athens has plenty of 19th- and 20th-century buildings that have been converted into galleries. In Kolonos, a couple of miles north of the Acropolis, the former Public Tobacco Factory has served as a factory, prison and air-raid shelter. Its biggest makeover was in 2021, when it opened as a contemporary art space hosting Greek and international artists. The National Museum of Contemporary Art (EMST), built on the site of the old Fix Brewery, is also worth a visit, too.

1pm: Have lunch in downtown

Right in the heart of historic Athens is the family-run Feyrouz, where mum and lead cook Feyrouz prepares delicious Levantine dishes, such as lahmacun (flatbread), kibbeh (meatballs), peinirli (‘pizza boat’) and pistachio baklava. If you’re in the mood for traditional Greek food, grab a table at Atlantikos in Psirri, which dishes up great seafood — such as fried mussels with garlic sauce and grilled tuna souvlaki — at great prices.

3.30pm: Coffee at the TAF

For a mid-afternoon frappe or cocktail, duck into TAF (The Art Foundation) just off the flea markets in Monastiraki. It’s part bar, part cultural hub for art, music and local design. The leafy, vibrant courtyard is perfect for escaping the often-punishing Greek sun and is encircled by 19th-century Ottoman-era dwellings that now serve as meeting rooms and workshop spaces. Try to time your visit for when there’s an exhibition on the second floor.

6pm: Walk like an ancient Athenian

There’s nothing quite like the half-a-mile long Dionysiou Areopagitou for Ancient Greek history. The marble promenade at the foot of the Acropolis is where you can take in remnants of the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Arch of Hadrian and the grand Odeon of Herodes Atticus as well as a mix of modern and neo-classical houses. It’s a good place to wile away an evening sipping coffee and listening to the gentle strums of the bouzouki (a long-necked lute) from nearby restaurants and street performers.

8.30pm: Dinner with a view

If a bottle of cold, local craft beer with views of the Parthenon temple is up your street, head to Cava Nektar, a fun, relaxed restaurant and liquor store on Athens’s main shopping thoroughfare, Ermou Street. The building used to be the stables of King Otto — the first king of modern Greece, who ruled between 1832 and 1862 — and now houses a kaleidoscope of booze, from local wines and mastiha (a sweet liqueur) to rare Mexican tequila.

10.30pm: Drink after dark

The stylish rooftop bar at the Brown Acropol hotel, with wonderful views of the Acropolis and a relaxed atmosphere, is perfect for a nightcap. For something grittier, or if you want to stay up into the early hours, head into the neighbourhood of Exarcheia, 15 minutes’ walk north east. The stomping ground of anarchists and political activists is where late-night bars, such as 1982, combine decently priced drinks with quirky local art.