Is Athens guide in 3 days It will help you organize your trip to one of the most essential capitals of Europe, which we are sure will make you fall in love with.
During the first two days you will have known the most charming neighborhoods of the city, the best viewpoints and its most important sites, among which the impressive Acropolis of Athens stands out. On this third day, we recommend you take an excursion to some of the wonders that are close to the city, such as the ancient Delphi, Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus or a cruise on the island of Hydra.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in all these places during our trip to Greece, we leave you this guide to know the best of Athens in three days. We start!
Tips for traveling to Athens
- To get from the airport to your hotel or downtown, you have several alternatives: metro, bus, taxi or book this transfer directly to the hotel. For more information you can check this post on how to go from Athens airport to downtown.
- To stay at the Athens in 3 days We recommend Phaedra Hotel, located in the Plaka neighborhood, a few meters from the Acropolis and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city. For more information you can consult this post of where to stay in Athens.
- Keep in mind that despite the bad reputation, all the tourist areas of the city are safe and clean.
- All points of interest in the city can be reached on foot.
- It is almost essential, in a city with more than 3000 years of history and archaeological complexes with few well-preserved ruins, to book a free tour of Athens Free! or this panoramic tour that includes the Acropolis, both with a guide in Spanish, to better understand the history of the city.
You can find more recommendations in this post of tips to travel to Athens essential.
First day in Athens
The first day of Athens in 3 days Start at 8 in the morning with a visit to the Acropolis of Athens where we recommend you to go directly to the top to see the impressive Parthenon and then see the other important buildings such as Athena Niké, the Dionysus Theater, the Odeon of Herod Attic, the entrance of the Propylaea and the temple of Erechtheion.
When you go down the hill, you can go up to the small mount of the Aerópago to have a different perspective of the Acropolis.
The route continues with a walk through the narrow streets of the picturesque Plaka neighborhood until you reach the Temple of Zeus, an archaeological site that has in its 15 impressive columns and the Great Hadrian's Gate, its two great attractions.
After the visit, you will return to the Plaka neighborhood to spend more time and see charming places such as the Lisícrates Monument, the Mnisikleous stairs, the Agia Ekaterini church and the Tripod Street.
Plaka neighborhood
Another of Plaka's special places is Adrianou Street, the oldest in the city, which will take you to Monastiraki Square, another of the most essential places to see in Athens.
At this time and considering that it will be lunch time, nothing better than approaching All That Jatz or Kallipateira, two restaurants perfect for trying traditional Greek food.
After eating, the Athens in three days continue with a walk around Monastiraki Square, passing through Pandrosou and Ifesto streets and Pazari and Yusurúm markets. In this neighborhood there is also the Roman Agora that has several interesting buildings such as the Tower of the Winds, the Athena Arquegetis Gate and the Hadrian's Library. The last visit of Monastiraki will be the Ancient Agora with its fantastic and well preserved Temple of Hephaestus.
From this area you can take a taxi or walk to Mount Lycabettus, located 2 kilometers away, to see from its top, the best sunset and the best views of the city.
Lycabettus Hill
At dusk, we recommend you return to the Plaka area, to enjoy the atmosphere of Kidathineon street and surroundings and finish the first day of the Athens in 3 days dining at restaurants Liondi or Arcadia then take a leisurely walk to the Aeropolis Hill, from where you can see the illuminated Acropolis.
(Extended information of the first day here)
Map of the first day in Athens
Second day in Athens
The second day of the itinerary by Athens in three days Start with the ascent to Filopapo Hill, one of the best things to do in Athens from where once you are at the top, almost 150 meters high, you will have the best views of the Acropolis and the Piraeus neighborhood.
When you go down the hill, you can take a walk through the narrow streets of the charming Anafiótica neighborhood, which recalls with its white houses the ancient villages of the Greek islands and has recently become one of the areas with more atmosphere of the city.
The next visit of the day will be the Acropolis Museum in Athens, the most important in the country, which represents a highly recommended visit to learn about the history of the pieces and remains found in the Acropolis, such as the Caryatids. If you want to know more about this place and the city, we recommend you book this guided tour in Spanish, which also includes a tour of the most interesting points of the city.
Acropolis Museum
The itinerary of Athens in 3 days Continue crossing the National Garden of Athens, to reach Panathinaiko Stadium, the mythical place where the first modern Olympic Games were held in 1896.
When you leave the stadium, you have to cross the National Garden of Athens again to reach the Sintagma Square, the popular square where the changing of the guard in front of the Greek Parliament takes place every half hour.
At this time of day, we recommend you to stop a few meters from the square, on Mitropoleos Street, where you can replenish energy to gyros and souvlakis bases, in The Greco's Project, one of the most valued restaurants in the city.
After lunch, the afternoon route of Athens in 3 days Continue with the visit to Mitropoli, the Orthodox Cathedral of Athens and the small Byzantine church that is right next door.
Enter Byzantine Church in Athens in three days
Near the cathedral there is also the beautiful Panagua Kapnikarea church, located on Ermou Street, one of the most commercial Athens that will take you to the popular Monastiraki Square, where Athinas Street that communicates with the Central Market begins, the next stop of the Athens in 3 days.
In this old market you will see very few tourists in the corridors that make their way between the stalls of meat, fish and local products and it is a unique experience to get closer to the more traditional Athens.
When you are in Psiri, we recommend you take a walk around the area, since this is a perfect trendy neighborhood for shopping and having a drink especially on Anargiron Street.
To finish the second day you can go to dinner traditional homemade food in Ta Karamanlidika tou Fani, one of the most recommended restaurants in Athens.
(Extended information of the second day here)
Map of the second day of Athens in 3 days
What to see in Athens in 3 days
On the third day of what to see in Athens in 3 days We suggest you visit one of the most essential places to see in Greece such as the archaeological sites of Ancient Greece of Delphi, Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus or take a small cruise through the nearby islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina.
If you have more days in Athens, you can choose to visit some of the best Greek islands such as Santorini and Mykonos or reach the impressive Monasteries of Meteora, which we assure you, will leave you speechless.
The first excursion we recommend for Athens in three days It is Delphi, an ancient sacred complex dedicated to the god Apollo. This archaeological site, located on the slopes of Mount Parnassus and a World Heritage Site, has several interesting places such as the Via Sacra, the Stadium, the Castalia fountain, the monument to the kings of Argos, the theater and the impressive Temple of Apollo . In this last temple, at the time of maximum splendor of Ancient Greece, was the oracle of Delphi, in which one or several pythonesses consulted the gods to answer the questions of the pilgrims and that today is one of the most photographed places in Greece.
To end the visit to Delphi do not miss the museum, which has several interesting pieces of the site such as the bronze figure of the Charioteer of Delphi and altogether it is a very interesting visit.
Something important to consider before returning to Athens, is to walk to the Tholos of Athena Pronaia known as the Oracle of Delphi and that is not in the main enclosure, but located about 600 meters from the museum, in the southern part of the road .
To get to Delphi from Athens, if you do not want to rent a car in Greece, you can take the bus that leaves from terminal B and takes about 3 hours.
Another more comfortable alternative and with which you will be able to know better the history of the sanctuary is to book this excursion to Delphi with a guide in Spanish, with which you will be picked up by your Athens hotel. If you have one more day we recommend you book this excursion that includes Delphi and Meteora with a guide in Spanish.
Delphi
The second proposal for the last day of Athens in 3 days It is an excursion to the nearby island of Hydra. This small island, located in the waters of the Saronic Gulf, in the Aegean Sea, is one of the most visited by tourists who have an extra day in Athens. In addition to strolling through the beautiful Port of Hydra with its stately Venetian-style houses, you can climb the steep cobbled streets to visit a monastery or church, taste the delicious Greek food and bathe in one of its transparent water beaches.
Keep in mind that no motor vehicle is allowed on the island and that under no circumstances do we recommend getting on donkeys to get around.
You can get to Hydra you can take a ferry in the port of Piraeus, which takes about three hours or take a hydrofoil that takes half the time.
Another more comfortable option that also allows you to visit the neighboring islands of Poros and Aegina is to book this cruise.
Hydra
The last day trip that we recommend to complete the trip to Athens in three days It is the visit to some of the best archaeological sites that are preserved in Ancient Greece. During our trip trip to Greece for free we met the most important and tourist like Olympia, Corinth, Epidaurus and Mycenae and we can assure you that all are worth it.
To get to Corinth, the site that is closest to Athens, you will cross the magnificent engineering work of the Corinth Canal that connects the Aegean Sea with the Ionian Sea. After enjoying the view of the canal and the passage of ships, you can approach the ancient Corinth to see the magnificent Temple of Apollo from 550 BC. and go up to Acrocorinto, the Acropolis of the Old Corinth.
The second archaeological complex you can visit is Mycenae, which highlights the spectacular Tomb of Agamenon and the Gate of the Lions.
The one-day route can be completed with a visit to the theater of Epidaurus of the fourth century BC, which is one of the best ancient theaters we have ever seen.
The best way to visit these sites is by renting a car, as this will allow you to see all three on the same day. In the case that you want to see only Corinth, one option would be to take a bus in Terminal A to the new city of Corinth and from there a taxi to the Old Corinth.
If you do not want to rent a car, the most interesting option is to book this excursion to Corinth, Mycenae and Epidaurus, which includes tickets, hotel pick-up and a guide in Spanish.
If you have one more day you can add on the route the ancient city of Olympia, where they were held in 776 BC. the first Olympic Games in history.
Epidaurus Theater
Other of the best excursions in Athens of one or more days, with a guide in Spanish are:
- Excursion to Meteora in a day by train to see its impressive monasteries located on top of large stone colossi.
- Excursion to Cabo Sunión to contemplate one of the best sunsets in the world from the Temple of Poseidon.
- Excursion to Mykonos for 2 or more days, to visit the Greek island with more atmosphere.
- Excursion to Mykonos for 2 or more days, to visit one of the most beautiful islands in the world.
- 4-day excursion to Mykonos and Santorini, the two most famous Greek islands.
- 4-day Classical Greece circuit passing through places such as the Corinth Canal, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia, Delphi and Meteora.
- 3-day Classical Greece circuit passing through places such as the Corinth Canal, Epidaurus, Mycenae, Olympia and Delphi.
