Athens travel blog — The fullest Athens travel guide for a great trip to Athens on a budget for the first-timers

Lamb is also one of the typical ingredients in Greece to make dishes from lamb such as lamb chops rice made from stewed lamb (Youvetsi) mixed with tomato sauce and pour cheese sauce on top.

In addition, you can try a number of other dishes such as Fasolatha (bean soup), Keftedes (grilled meatballs), Horta vrasta (Mixed spinach), Baklava pastry, .. Greece is also famous for variety and types of nuts, olive oil, chocolate.. You can go to the store to buy for snacks meal, or buy as gifts.

Athens travel blog: Best places to visit and top things to do

Visiting Greece I was quite interested with urban planning in this city, like a miniature chessboard, orderly and evenly in a strange way. The city is divided into hundreds of small squares with crisscross walking paths, especially at some large squares like Omonoia square. Athens is not too big, you can make a plan for visiting this city in 1 or 2 days, or longer if you want to explore places in the suburbs. The tourist attractions in the city all recall a heroic historical period when Athens was a busy trading area, a powerful army, one of the capitals of ancient Roman civilization, along with Rome was Europe’s biggest trading place at the time. First of all is the information about admission tickets:

Parthenon: €12
Acropolis: €12
National Archaeological Museum: €7
Ancient Agora: €4
Benaki Museum: €6
New Acropolis Museum: €5
Temple of Olympian Zeus: €12

Area around the Acropolis hill

Acropolis Hill is known as the heart of Athens, it contains many relics of a heroic history of the Greek people. In Greek, the Acropolis means an elevated city, located in the middle of a wide plain of Athens. Although until now, the buildings on the Acropolis hill are ruined, but it was at these locations thousands of years ago that a massive and huge architectural treasure was associated with Greek’s myths and legends.

When you come to the Acropolis, you simply need to walk around at the foot of the mountain, then slowly step up the steps, the streets of the old town here also feel a mysterious difference emanating from the city. In the morning, order a hot coffee cup and breakfast at a restaurant at the foot of the Acropolis, take a break and then follow the steps, the slopes in each small and narrow lane to reach the top of the hill. You will pass through the balconies, the small gardens of many houses located on the mountainside, the scenery is like a miniature fairyland, then stop to look at the whole city below, the gardens hanging on the balconies. The feeling of peace is hard to describe.

The remains of Acropolis hill that you should not miss are Parthenon temple, Erechtheion temple and the gateways of Propylaea temple, the entrance ticket price is 12 euros, ticket price increases to 20 euros from March to October 2019 and return to the same after that. Fares including other sites of the Acropolis hill such as Parthenon, Erechtheion and other relics such as Hadrian’s Library, Ancient Agora, theatre of Dionysos, Kerameikos, Roman Agora, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Tower of the Winds… (excluding museums in Athens). In Athens there is no Pass like other cities but they call this ticket is “special package ticket”. You can go to the foothills to buy tickets and remember to go early because this area is crowded with tourists in the middle of the morning.

Address: 7, Mousson Street, Athens, Greece, Athens 117 42, Greece
Phone: +30 21 0923 5151

Parthenon Temple

Is the main temple in the Acropolis complex, which honors the goddess Athena, the goddess of protection for the people of Athens. The temple was made entirely of marble, but now it no longer holds its original shape but requires supported scaffolds. From here you can see the whole city of Athens as a true Panorama picture.

 

Propylaea Temple Gateway

The temple gateway is a gateways system with huge pillars of different buildings, these buildings are almost destroyed and almost no roof. In Propylaea temple there is another temple, the Nike Athena.

Erechtheion (Erechtheum) Temple

This temple honors the gods Athena Polias and Poseidon Erechtheus. Prominent is the hall with humanoid stone pillars, which are slave girls of Caria.

Ancient Agora and Roman Agora

They are relics around the Acropolis hill and quite similar to the Roman Forum in Rome, which is a public square area for the community activities of Athens’s ancient residents. There are many other small relics scattered and you will have to spend a lot of time to visit and explore.

Plaka – Athens Old Town

This old town of Athens is located just below the Acropolis hill and is a good place for you to take a walk, experience Greek culture. This neighborhood is very busy and bustling because there are many shops selling traditional goods, handicraft items, as well as long lines of restaurants. Can not help but charmed by the smell of barbecue comes from here, a favorite dish of the Greek people.

National Archaeological Museum

A place to exhibit many antiques of ancient Greek culture such as jewelry, sculpture, ceramics and even 2.000-year-old computers found offshore Antikithera Island. You will learn a lot of historical knowledge here and understand the level of development of ancient Greeks.

Address: 28is Oktovriou 44, Athina 106 82, Greece
Phone: +30 21 3214 4800
Hours: 1 pm – 8 pm
Admission: 10€
Url: https://www.namuseum.gr/en/

In addition to the national museum you can visit several other museums in Athens such as the Kanellopoulos museum, the New Acropolis Museum (showcasing a variety of historical artworks).

Parnitha National Garden

Considered as the green lung of the city, the national park in Athens is like a small oasis with lots of greenery and flowers, plants, the garden have very details instructions for sightseeing and you should spend some time walking around relax here.

Address: Leoforos Vasilisis Amalias 1, Athina 105 57, Greece
Area: 16 ha
Hours: 6AM–8PM
Phone: +30 21 0721 5019

Mount Lycabettus

It is a great place to see the whole city of Athens from above, especially in the evening. If you do not want to climb, you can buy cable car tickets to reach the top for 7 euros.

Athens travel blog: Day trips from Athens

In fact, Athens not only has attractions in the inner city, but many historical sites of this mythical land are located on the edge of the city and we can spend a day to explore them. You can book tour with travel agencies in the city, via online or with your hotel, or simply making your self-trip, you can find the way, make an itinerary and catch the bus to get there in a day. Suburban places to visit such as:

Meteora: A place with so many world-famous monasteries built on top of the mountain and unsteady cliffs, visiting here many people will think of the Tiger Nest monastery in Nepal.

Mycenae, Epidaurus and Nafplio: These spots are a bit far away, 2 hours from Athens by bus, and are archeological and historical sites. In Epidaurus has Asklipieion is an archaeological site recognized by UNESCO as a World Cultural Heritage. Mycenae is the city of the legendary Agamemnon, the hero of the Trojan war, and in Nafplio you can visit the beautiful villages in the town, especially the Palamidi castle.

Delphi: Also recognized as a UNESCO world cultural heritage, Delphi is one of Greece’s most famous archaeological sites. You can visit Temple of Apollo, ancient theater and archaeological museum.

Temple of Poseidon: This temple dating back to 44 BC is located in Sounion, the southern region of Greece, come here you not only have the opportunity to visit the legend temple of Poseidon, but you can also relaxing at the beautiful beaches nearby.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in and from Athens you can refer to

• Private Athens International Airport (ATH) Transfers for Athens
• Private Athens International Airport Transfers (ATH) for Athens by Taxi or 7 Seater Car
• Shared Athens International Airport Transfers (ATH) for Athens
• Delphi Day Tour from Athens
• Athens Acropolis and Cape Sounio One Day Tour with Lunch
• Athens Half Day Sightseeing Tour
• Meteora Day Tour from Athens with Train
• Delphi and Meteora 2-Day Tour from Athens
• Athens, Acropolis and Acropolis Museum Half Day Tour with Ticket
• Athens and Acropolis Walking Day Tour
• Cape Sounion & Temple of Poseidon Half Day Guided Tour From Athens
• Athens Hop On Hop Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour
• Athens Acropolis Museum Discovery Tour

Are you looking for more Greece travel guide and top things to do in Greece: Tours, activities, attractions and other things? Let’s check it out here.