Views of Athens 🇬🇷🏛️

I love Athens. I know a lot of people treat Athens like the place you fly into, see the Acropolis and then hurry off to the islands, but please don’t do that. Athens deserves some time of its own. There is something amazing about sitting outside drinking a freddo cappuccino while looking at something that has been standing there for thousands of years like it’s completely normal. 😂 Athens is history, food, shopping, rooftop restaurants, little cobblestone streets and complete chaos all mixed together. It can also be HOT, crowded, and you’re going to WALK—a lot—so comfortable shoes are not optional. Those ancient streets were clearly not designed with our cute vacation heels in mind. 😂

For a first trip, I’d give Athens at least two days if you can. If you only have one night before a cruise or heading to an island, you can still see quite a bit if you stay near the Acropolis. If you have an extra day or two, add the Athens Riviera—Glyfada and Vouliagmeni. They’re close enough to Athens but feel like a completely different vacation.

Where We Stay 🏨

For a first visit, I love staying around the Acropolis, Plaka and Koukaki because you can get to so much easily. Our absolute favorite is COCO-MAT Athens BC. We’ve stayed there several times and I still love it. I’ll get the biggest drawback out of the way first: the rooms are small. But honestly, I don’t care. You’re in Athens—get out of your room. 😂 And when you finally come back after walking what feels like 400 miles, you’ll understand why I keep recommending it because the beds are INSANELY comfortable.

The entire COCO-MAT hotel feels more like an art museum than a hotel. You enter through these enormous doors, walk over glass where you can see archaeology underneath you, and there are beautiful wooden birds that look like they’re flying up through the building toward the glass roof. Downstairs there are archaeological remains, turtles—which for some reason make me ridiculously happy 😂—and a beautiful spa where you can use the steam room or sauna or book treatments.

Then there’s the breakfast. DO NOT SKIP BREAKFAST. It’s fabulous. You can order eggs and omelets, there’s fruit and Greek breakfast foods, they make your coffees, and there’s a fresh orange juice machine that I apparently find much more exciting than a normal person should. 😂 The location is probably the biggest reason we keep going back. You’re basically across from the Acropolis Museum, minutes from the Acropolis and Plaka, and the Acropolis Metro station is right there.

Unfortunately, COCO-MAT Athens BC had to remove its rooftop pool, and I am STILL upset about it. 😭 That pool overlooking the Acropolis was perfect. Would I still stay there? Absolutely. I love the hotel too much—the location, beds, breakfast, design and spa are all that good.

When we really want a pool, we stay at Divani Palace Acropolis. The location is also excellent, and after spending hours walking around Athens in the summer heat, having a pool to come back to is WONDERFUL. They also have a beautiful rooftop restaurant with amazing views of the Acropolis. At night, when the Acropolis is illuminated and you’re sitting outside eating dinner, it’s one of those moments where you think, Okay...we are REALLY in Greece. 😂🇬🇷 So my decision is pretty simple: COCO-MAT for the beds, breakfast, design, spa and location; Divani when having a pool is important.

The Acropolis, Acropolis Museum & the History 🏛️

Obviously you have to see the Acropolis, but please don’t decide that 2 PM in August sounds like the perfect time to climb it. 😂 Go early in the morning or later in the day. We went around 6 PM on one visit and loved it because it was cooler, the light was beautiful for pictures, and we weren't climbing in the worst heat of the day. Buy your tickets online directly through the official ticketing site, check the current admission rules before you go, and wear sneakers or shoes with good traction because the ancient marble can be surprisingly slippery and the ground is uneven.

And take your time when you get up there. You’re standing somewhere people have been standing for thousands of years. Stop worrying about the perfect picture for five minutes and actually look around and take it in. Then take the other 700 pictures. Obviously. 😂

The Acropolis Museum is absolutely worth doing, and I think it’s perfect for the hottest part of the day because it’s INSIDE. Air conditioning! 😂 Do the outdoor sites earlier or later and save the museum for when the afternoon heat gets ridiculous. It’s also right by COCO-MAT, restaurants and the Acropolis Metro, so this whole area is really easy to combine.

Athens history doesn't end at the Acropolis, though. If you love history, add the Ancient Agora, where ancient Athenians gathered, shopped and debated and where Socrates spent time, along with the nearby Roman Agora and Tower of the Winds. Areopagus Hill is right near the Acropolis and has incredible views as well as ancient Greek and Christian history. You can also see Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, visit the Panathenaic Stadium, which hosted the first modern Olympics in 1896, and head to Syntagma Square to see the Evzones and Changing of the Guard. If you REALLY love ancient history, add the National Archaeological Museum. But don't feel like you need to see every ruin in Athens. Pick the ones that interest you and leave yourself time to actually experience the city.

Plaka 🤍💙

I LOVE Plaka. Yes, it’s touristy. I don’t care. 😂 It’s the Athens people picture when they imagine Greece—little pedestrian streets, colorful buildings, flowers spilling over balconies, cafés, tavernas, shops and the Acropolis appearing above the rooftops. The biggest mistake you can make is walking down one street and thinking you’ve seen Plaka. Keep turning corners. Every time you think Plaka is finished, you find another little square, staircase, restaurant, church or shopping street. Don't worry about following the perfect route. This is one of those places where getting a little lost is actually the point.

You’ll find jewelry, leather sandals, ceramics, clothing, olive oil, honey, artwork, evil eyes and about 20 things you had absolutely no intention of buying until you saw them. 😂 Leave yourself time to wander without an agenda. Sit outside, have coffee or wine and watch people go by. In Greece, people-watching and sitting at a café absolutely count as an activity. While you’re there, wander into Anafiotika, the tiny neighborhood tucked under the Acropolis with little whitewashed houses, narrow lanes, stairs and flowers. It almost feels like someone dropped a Cycladic island into the middle of Athens.

And definitely see Plaka at night. It feels completely different. The Acropolis is illuminated above you, restaurants spill out onto the streets, there’s music, people are eating and drinking outside, and everyone is still wandering around late. Don't eat dinner and go straight back to your hotel. Keep going. 😂

Monastiraki & the Flea Market 🛍️

Then wander over to Monastiraki, which has a completely different personality. If Plaka is the pretty, charming sister, Monastiraki is the crazy sister who has absolutely everything in her closet. 😂 The area around Monastiraki Square is busy, loud and full of life. You have ancient ruins, the Metro, restaurants, rooftop bars, stores and the flea market all basically colliding in the same area, with the Acropolis sitting above all of it.

The flea-market streets are filled with leather goods, jewelry, clothing, vintage pieces, records, books, artwork, souvenirs, antiques and completely random things you didn't know you needed. There are tons of little side streets and shops, so don't just walk through the main strip and leave. You can try a little polite bartering with independent vendors—ask, “Is that your best price?” and be nice about it. Obviously don't walk into every normal boutique and start negotiating like you're buying a used car. 😂 Monastiraki is also a great area for a rooftop drink around sunset when the Acropolis starts lighting up.

Just be aware of pickpockets in crowded tourist areas, particularly around Monastiraki, major attractions and public transportation. Keep your phone and wallet secure. You don’t need to be paranoid; just pay attention and don't make yourself the easiest target in the crowd.

Eating Our Way Through Athens 🍽️🍷

Honestly, eating is one of my favorite things to do in Athens. 😂 There are restaurants and cafés everywhere, especially around the Acropolis, Plaka and Monastiraki, and I don't think you need to have every meal planned and reserved before you arrive. Some of our best meals have come from wandering around, seeing a little table outside, looking at what everyone else is eating and deciding. Its like Miami where they have someone trying to get you into their restaurants. Check out the menu and decide if We're eating here.

Once you're wandering around Plaka, there are restaurants everywhere. Greek meals are meant to be enjoyed, not inhaled so you can rush to your next attraction. Sit outside, order some wine, get a bunch of things for the table and SHARE. We usually order a horiatiki Greek salad, tzatziki, feta, bread, dolmades, grilled octopus, zucchini, meat or fish and whatever else looks good. Half the fun is having ten different plates in the middle of the table and everyone trying everything. Greek meals can go on for hours, and that's part of the experience.

Sto Kentro is right near COCO-MAT, and we had a DELICIOUS lunch there. It’s such an easy stop if you're staying in the area or visiting the Acropolis Museum. After you've been walking around Athens for hours in the heat, sitting outside with cold drinks and a table full of Greek food is basically heaven. 😂 This is exactly the type of lunch I love in Greece—nothing rushed, order a few things, sit there and enjoy it.

God’s Restaurant, near the Acropolis Museum, is another one of our favorites. It’s family-run, has traditional Greek food and is incredibly convenient after sightseeing because by that point you're probably hot, hungry and VERY ready to sit down. 😂 Order several things for the table, have some wine and take your time. The Acropolis has been standing there for thousands of years. It can wait another hour while you finish lunch.

We love Ionos, the food is great and you’re sitting in the platia having dinner or drinks while watching people go by. We make this a spot we go every time we come to Athens and it doesn’t disappoint. Give me an outside table, amazing Greek food, wine and people walking by and I'm happy.

Trattoria in Plaka is fantastic, especially when we're with a group and everyone wants something different. But I need to give you the most important information: GET THE ORANGE CAKE. 😂 Greek orange cake, or portokalopita, is sweet, moist, syrupy and dangerously good. Even if everyone says they're too full for dessert, order one for the table and get extra forks.

And then there is Stamatopoulos, which I like when you want dinner above the trees. It has that traditional Plaka taverna atmosphere with Greek food, music and the possibility of people getting up and dancing. This is the kind of night where you sit outside, order too much food, have another glass of wine, listen to the music and suddenly realize you've been sitting there for hours. That's how dinner in Greece is supposed to be.

Don't plan a 6 PM dinner and expect Athens to be winding down afterward. Athens hasn't even gotten started. 😂 Have dinner, drink the wine, listen to the music and then wander around Plaka afterward. The Acropolis is illuminated above you, the streets are still full of people and everyone is outside.

What You Have to Eat in Greece 🇬🇷

Even if you've had Greek food at home, eat it again in Greece because it's just different. Get a real horiatiki Greek salad, tzatziki with bread, feta, saganaki, dolmades, grilled octopus, calamari, souvlaki, gyros, grilled meats and fresh fish. Try whatever the restaurant specializes in instead of ordering exactly the same thing everywhere you go.

And please eat the feta. 😂 You'll see it baked, fried, covered with sesame and honey, sitting in olive oil or served as a giant slab on top of your salad. I don't know why feta tastes better when you're sitting outside in Greece looking at the Acropolis, but it does.

Don't overlook the simple stuff either. Grab a gyro or souvlaki when you want something quick. Stop at a bakery for spanakopita or tiropita. If you see something behind a bakery counter and have absolutely no idea what it is but it looks delicious, this is your opportunity to point and say, “I'll have that.” 😂 My Greece food rule is pretty simple: eat when delicious food presents itself.

We Need to Talk About the Tomatoes 🍅😂

I don’t know what Greece is doing differently, but Greek tomatoes are the best tomatoes in the world. They’re sweet, juicy and so flavorful they honestly taste like fruit. I know it sounds ridiculous to tell someone they HAVE to eat a tomato while they're in Greece, but trust me. 😂

Order a traditional horiatiki Greek salad with tomatoes, cucumber, peppers, onion, olives, feta and olive oil. And notice there’s no lettuce. It doesn't need lettuce. Those tomatoes are doing all the work. 😂 The feta comes in a big slab on top, the olive oil is incredible, and somehow something so simple tastes completely different in Greece.

And when you get to the bottom of the salad, DO NOT let them take that plate away. Take your bread and soak up all that tomato juice, olive oil and the little pieces of feta sitting at the bottom. That might actually be the best part.

Unfortunately, Greece will ruin tomatoes for you forever. You’ll come home, cut into a supermarket tomato, take one bite and think, Well...this is disappointing. 😂

And Now for Dessert... 🍩🍨🍰

You didn't think we were finished eating, did you? 😂 Right near COCO-MAT and the Acropolis is Luku-matters, and you need to go. Loukoumades are little Greek donut balls served warm, and here you can get them with different fillings and toppings. They're warm, sweet, messy and absolutely worth the calories you already burned walking around the Acropolis. They are TO DIE FOR. This is not the moment to say, “I'm too full for dessert.”Find room. 😂

Then there's Da Vinci in Plaka for gelato, and this has become one of those places we just ALWAYS stop. They make these ridiculous gelato creations that look like the kind of dessert you see someone carrying past you and immediately say, “WAIT. Where did they get THAT?” 😂 They're beautiful, completely over the top and exactly what I want while I'm on vacation. Even if we've already had dinner and dessert, somehow Da Vinci can still happen. Vacation stomach has different rules.

And don't forget the portokalopita—Greek orange cake. If you see it on a menu, try it. I don't care if everyone says they're full. Order one for the table and get extra forks. 😂

A Few Things About Eating in Greece You Should Know 😂

Meals in Greece generally feel much more relaxed than they do at home. Your waiter isn't necessarily ignoring you because they haven't dropped the check on your table two seconds after your last bite. They're usually not trying to rush you out so they can turn the table over. You can sit. When you're ready to leave, ask for the check. Otherwise, you may be sitting there another hour. Which honestly isn't terrible. Order another glass of wine. 😂

I also wouldn't over-schedule meals. Yes, make reservations for somewhere special or somewhere you absolutely have your heart set on, especially during busy season. But leave yourself some freedom too. One of my favorite things about Greece is walking around and deciding where to eat because somewhere looks good. And eat outside whenever you can. You did not fly all the way to Athens to sit inside under fluorescent lights. 😂 Find a table on a little street, order too much food, share everything, have some wine and watch Athens go by. That IS part of seeing Athens.

Coffee, Bakeries & Greek Time ☕🥐

Prepare yourself because you’re probably going to become addicted to Greek coffee culture. There seems to be a coffee shop on every corner. Try a freddo cappuccino or freddo espresso, but don’t always grab it and run. Greeks sit with coffee, talk and people-watch. Coffee isn’t just caffeine. Coffee is an activity. This is one Greek habit I would happily bring home.

And STOP AT THE BAKERIES. You don’t need to research the 47 best bakeries in Athens. If you walk past one and something smells good, go inside. Get a spanakopita, tiropita or whatever pastry looks fabulous.

Everything happens later in Greece too. Dinner is late, people stay out late, families are walking around late and the tourist areas can still be buzzing at midnight. This is why I love the Greek schedule: sightseeing in the morning, lunch, NAP, shower, get dressed and go back out before sunset. You get to see Athens in the daylight, sunset and nighttime without spending the entire day exhausted and sweaty. Stop fighting the nap. The Greeks figured this out. 😂

Money, Cards & Euros 💳💶

Pretty much everywhere we go accepts cards, so you don’t need to carry a huge amount of cash. I still like having some euros for small purchases, markets, tips and places where cash is simply easier. One important thing: if a card terminal asks whether you want to pay in U.S. dollars or euros, choose EUROS. Let your own card network handle the conversion rather than accepting the merchant terminal’s currency conversion, and use a card without foreign-transaction fees if you have one. Download a currency converter on your phone too because it becomes surprisingly easy after a few days to look at €100 and mentally treat it like $100. 😂

Weird Greece Hotel Things Nobody Tells You 😂

Many hotels use your room key to turn on the electricity. You put the key card into a slot when you enter and the lights and electricity come on. The problem is that when you leave and take the key, the electricity may shut off—which means the phone you thought you were charging all afternoon may not actually be charging. Ask for a second key if the hotel allows it.

And yes, we have to discuss the bathrooms. In many places in Greece, you’re asked not to flush toilet paper because of the plumbing. That's why you see the little trash can next to the toilet. I know. 😂 Just accept that this is part of your Greek cultural education. Baby wipes and hand sanitizer are permanently on my Greece packing list.

Also bring European plug adapters appropriate for your devices and check your hair appliances before plugging them in because not everything designed for U.S. voltage can safely handle European electricity. I would rather have slightly imperfect hair than burn it off in Athens. 😂

If You Only Have One Day in Athens 🇬🇷

If I only had one full day, I’d stay near the Acropolis and start early at the Acropolis, then wander through Plaka and Anafiotika. Have lunch around the Acropolis/Plaka area—Sto Kentro would be easy choices—and then do the Acropolis Museum during the hottest part of the afternoon. After that, go back to the hotel and TAKE THE NAP. 😂 Get dressed and head back out before sunset, shop through Plaka and Monastiraki, have dinner outside at God’s Restaurant, Ionos or Trattoria in Plaka , listen to music, drink wine, get Lukumades or Da Vinci, and wander around afterward while the Acropolis is illuminated above you. You don't need to see 27 attractions to experience Athens.

If you have two days, slow everything down and see more of the city. If you have three, GO TO THE RIVIERA. 🇬🇷🌊

Why I Love Athens ❤️🇬🇷

Athens isn’t polished and perfect, and that's part of why I love it. It’s loud, hot, crowded, ancient and modern all sitting directly on top of each other. You’ll see an archaeological site next to a modern store, someone drinking coffee beside ruins that are thousands of years old and a rooftop restaurant looking directly at the illuminated Acropolis.

You’ll walk until your feet hurt. You’ll eat too much. You’ll buy something you absolutely didn’t need in Plaka. You’ll become addicted to freddo cappuccinos. You'll eat a tomato that ruins tomatoes for you forever. 😂 You'll tell yourself you're too full for dessert and then somehow end up at Da Vinci anyway. And somewhere along the way, you'll stop thinking of Athens as the place you have to go through to get to the islands.

Athens IS part of the trip. Give it time. Get lost in Plaka. Eat outside. Drink the coffee. See the history. Stay out late. Eat the loukoumades. 🇬🇷