Ok fair warning, this is looong. But I did hours upon hours of research and planning before going therefore, there is so much to talk about! This is all you need to know before visiting Athens:
For our one-year anniversary trip, Ben and I decided we wanted to visit Greece. This has been my dream destination for as long as I can remember, and it was an absolute dream come true! I actually always imagined this for my honeymoon (and this is absolutely a perfect destination for that) BUT, after the wedding we knew we would be tired, and Greece requires a lot of touring, site seeing and walking/traveling which we just didn’t want to do. That’s why we choose something secluded and tropical instead and went to my other dream destination – Bora Bora. I still think Greece is perfect for honeymooners, though. It has break-taking views, the most beautiful sunsets in the world, and a very romantic and intimate atmosphere.
We decided to go Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini. And we did them in that order so we could experience the tourist-y stuff first and then have a more laid-back and relaxing time on the islands. Santorini was the most relaxing of all 3 places, so it was amazing ending our trip there.
Our Overall Athens Itinerary
Day 1:
Explore the city
Eat at O’Kostas, O’Thanasis, and Lukumades
Visit Monastiraki Square and the flea market
Take cooking class
Day 2:
Walking 4 hour tour of Athens
Eat at Stani’s, Falafellas, Karamanlidika Deli, Nancy’s Sweet Home
When to go
We went in mid-June because we had heard that June was the best time for Greece. Tourism still isn’t at its peak, and the weather is the best. We went to Athens for 2 days and IDK if we just got unlucky, but it was so hot and humid! On top of that there were rain and thunder storms throughout both days we were there! All the locals told us that was very unusual though, so I think it was just a fluke LOL. Either way, despite the rain we were still able to walk and do all the things we wanted! July and August are the hottest and busiest months so keep that in mind! Also, according to the locals, September is the best month to visit due to the weather and smaller crowds.
How to go
We took American Airlines from California to Philadelphia, then Philadelphia to Athens. Overall, our biggest challenge this entire trip was the travel. We were blind-sided left and right with extra fees for luggage that we were not prepared for. Moral of the story: make sure you know all the luggage details of all your international and domestic flights! Sounds obvious but they charge A LOT, and we actually found out that you can purchase an additional weight plan that is much cheaper than doing it at the airport. For example, at the airport, they charge 8 Euros per Kg of additional luggage weight, but with the plan, its 3 Euros per Kg. We also had several issues with delayed flights and seating – both on our trip there and back. Overall, our experience was not the greatest, and I don’t think we’ll be flying with them again.
Where to stay
We stayed at the most ADORABLE Airbnb in Anafiotika, which is a super quant and picturesque neighborhood just under the Acropolis. We only stayed for one night, so were figured an Airbnb would be perfect. When we came across this one online, I was in love! It had the cutest pink exterior and was beautifully decorated on the inside ( I was also obsessed with the mint green Smeg refrigerator LOL). It was gorgeous and very clean. If you are staying in Athens for a short time, I highly recommend this place. I also recommend saving some of your money, especially if you are visiting the islands because it’s much more expensive there! There are lots of great Airbnb options as well, and most everything is in walking distance of Central Athens.
How to get around
Athens involved a lot of walking; that is basically how we got around the whole time. To and from the airport is the only time we needed transportation and we took a taxi which was expensive (~45 euros) so prepare for lots of that while in Greece. There is a metro as well, but theft is high there, and it is often not recommended to take it.
Where to go/what to do
There is so much to see and do but, in all honesty, I wouldn’t give Athens more than 2-3 MAX! If you are really big on history, then I would recommend 3 days in order to visit more of the archeological sites and museums.
Walking tour
We did this walking tour which included the Acropolis, Temple of Zeus, National Gardens, the Theater of Dionysus, the Parthenon, and the Parliament building for the changing of the guards. This was ~4 hours long, but it was a great way to see all the major historical sites and monuments! The tour guide also did a great job of explaining all about the ancient history in Greece.
The Acropolis Museum
We just did not have the time for this, but we wish we had gone. It came so highly recommended to us from locals and from people we chatted with while in Greece. If you are interesting in Greek history then definitely do not skip this.
Monastiraki Square
This is in the heart of Athens, and it’s a great place for gift and souvenir shopping. Right next to it is the Athens Flea Market which is filled with tons of shops as well.
Anafiotika
This is the neighborhood we stayed in and there were tons of cute little spots for pictures and cool street art too!
Take a cooking class
I personally want to make it a point to take a cooking class in every country I visit. What better way to immerse yourself in the culture?! We booked this cooking class off of Trip Advisor, and we had an amazing time! It was a small, intimate group of 8 people and we learned how to make Tzatziki sauce (which is much different that what we know of in the US), Greek Salad, Spanakopita (spinach salad), Chicken sauteé and chocolate-orange mousse for dessert! We cooked everything from start to finish; this included actually rolling out the phyllo dough! Once everything was made, we went out to the rooftop where we had the most stunning view of the lit-up Acropolis. We drank wine and got to know everyone in our group. Definitely a must!
What to eat
O Kostas: If you ask any local, they will tell you that this is the best souvlaki in Athens. It is a tini-tiny family run store where they have a single small little grill that the chef cooks the meat on. They have an extremely small menu (only 2 food items I believe), and the souvlaki is their jam. I do think it was pork souvlaki though, so if you don’t eat pork, keep that in mind. It was very fresh and delicious and an absolutely must-try in Athens.
O Thanasis: One of the best kebab places in the city! We actually got the gyros there though because we didn’t know, but it was still so delicious! Also I was introduced to the wonder that is Saganaki (the dish in the middle). This is a yummy salty cheese that is fried and served ooey-gooey. BOMB.com
Stani: I die just thinking about this place. Stani is probably one of our most memorable food experiences in Athens! They are famous for their Greek yogurt. ***Side note: if you think you know Greek yogurt, you don’t. Trust me, we have been lied to our whole lives.
Stani had the best yogurt I have ever had. But the real star was their top of crème cup served with honey. It’s rich, but light and airy and creamy…. I couldn’t even explain, so I asked Ben while writing this post. Per Ben, “It’s a creamy, fluffy scoop of heavenly goodness that melts on your tongue and makes you feel a sense of comfort, like you are being wrapped in a bunch of fluffy pillows. You become numb and lose all discipline – all bets are off when this thing is placed in front of you. Don’t worry about your diet, you will NOT regret this”. So there you go folks! It’s a bit of a walk because it’s not in central Athens were all the tourism is, but more in the downtown area. It was about a 15 minute walk though, to put it into perspective. Another place to visit if Stani is out of the way is Fresko yogurt bar, they also serve Greek yogurt, but if I had to pick one, without a doubt Stani would be my choice.
Lukumades: Hands down, my new favorite dessert! Lukumades is a a fried dough similar to a doughnut hole but way more ariy. I have had Egyptian lukumades, but this trumps it all! We went for their traditional option which is just topped with honey and cinnamon. It was sooo good, but I wanted more, so the next day we got them filled with Bugatsa cream and chocolate and dusted with powdered sugar, and O. M. G …. To die for! We tried other places in Mykonos and Santorini, but it was a night and day difference! Lukumades serves the freshest and fluffiest dough, and by far the best we had. I won’t even mention the other places because honestly there is no comparison.
Falafellas: This was actually Bens favortie thing that we ate! This is a small store that serves Falafel sandwiches wrapped in a thin bread and filled with eggplant, veggies, and a delicious red sauce! It was sooo good and super filling.
Karamanlidika Deli: Just look this place up and Trip Advisor, and you’ll see crazy reviews! We were running out of time but knew we had to visit this place! This is a traditional deli that serves amazing cheeses and cured meats. We got a meat and cheese platter with some of the best salami and prosciutto I have ever had! This is also closer to downtown Athens, but I highly recommend this place as well. It would be a great place to go to with friends for drinks and this meat and cheese platter.
Nancy’s Sweet Home: the top place for dessert in Athens. We got the kunefe, chocolate baklava, and and a phyllo and cream dessert. All were very good, but very sweet and drenched in syrup, so if that’s not for you then I would recommend trying some of their other pastries. They also top them with mastic ice cream which was really good! Mastic is a very popular flavor in Greece used in liquors, ice creams, and pastry creams as well; some people love and some hate it – We personally adored it!
Little Kook: If you want a funky little place for pictures go here! We didn’t end of going in to eat, but they have some fun décor outside their store which was very unique! Its all Mary Poppins themed LOL. I loved the Umbrella Alley!
Meliartos (gelato): One of the top places in Athens for pastries and desserts! Were tried the Kunefe and pistachio flavored gelato, and they were amazing!
What to wear
Ok so as I mentioned, Athens requires A TON of walking! It also has very steep hills and lots of stairs (our Airbnb was on a hill so walking up to it every day actually winded me!). This is all to say, dress comfortably! Because of this, and because the roads are really uneven, I also wore flats every day! For any tour, I recommend wearing sneakers, especially when going up to the acropolis, because there is a lot of gravel and slippery areas so to have good traction is important. I kept it pretty casual in Athens and wore mostly shorts and tops the whole time.
RECREATE THIS LOOK
SHORTS: Joe’s Jeans – old [similar style HERE and HERE] || TOP: BCBG – old [similar HERE] || SANDALS: Steve Madden || BAG: an Egyptian brand called MM [found one like it HERE, and HERE is one that would be cute for a tropical vacation]
RECREATE THIS LOOK
TOP: Zara – no longer available online [very similar one HERE] || SHORTS: Joe’s – old [Similar style HERE] || KICKS: Converse All-Stars
Other things to note
Athens does have a lot of theft so just watch your belongings and keep your backpacks in the front, especially in crowded areas. Other than that, we felt so safe and everyone was so incredibly sweet.
