Athens is a remarkable city. One minute you are strolling along through a trendy shopping district, then you turn the corner and suddenly there is an ancient ruin right there in front of you. The impact of this dramatic contrast is quite moving.
View of Athens from the Acropolis
Out of all of the places I’ve visited, I felt most at ease during my travels through Greece. The food is incredible. The wine is always flowing. The people are welcoming. The Metro system is efficient (<– this is more important than you think. You do NOT want to pay for taxis everywhere).
Most importantly, there is plenty to see and do. On our trip through Greece we spent six days in Athens, then took a week-long cruise to Istanbul and six Greek islands. Cruising the Mediterranean is surprisingly affordable when you choose the right cruise liner (I use this website to find a good deal*), but not everyone can get away for two weeks at a time to take that kind of trip. The husband and I were really fortunate to be able to do this! I like to shop for airfare on this website* because they have screamin’ deals!
View of the Acropolis from the Ancient Agora
Looking back, as much as I loved Athens, if I had to make a choice between seeing the Islands and spending several days in Athens… the choice pretty much makes itself. While getting away for two weeks might be a stretch, a nine day trip is usually feasible if you take both weekends on either side of a work week. Doing so, you could enjoy a seven-day, six-night cruise as well as a solid 48 hours in Athens.
How to See Athens in 48 Hours
I’m going to show you how you can see the major highlights over the course of two days, with plenty of time for beer coffee breaks, lazy meals, and afternoon naps. Hey, when in Rome, right?
Odeon of Herodes Atticus
This itinerary covers:
- The Acropolis (Parthenon, Temple of Athena Nike, Erechtheion, Theatre of Dionysus, Odeon of Herodes Atticus)
- The Acropolis Museum & Historic Plaka
- The Ancient Agora (Temple of Hephaestus, Odeon of Agrippa, Stoa of Attalos)
- Monastiraki Square and Flea Market
- The National Garden & The Temple of Olympian Zeus
- Syntagma Square & The Panathenaic Stadium
I know this sounds like a TON to see in just two days, but many of these sights take just a few minutes to see or can be explored en route to another destination. I’ll also share a few key tips with you about getting around the city and living it up while in Greece!
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Comments
Could you please share more details on your cruise? I have so many questions..which trip /compnay did you use? Which Greek islands did you visit? How long did you have in Instanbul? Your trip sounds like exactly what my husband and I want to do with perhaps time at the end on one Greek island. I was in Greece many years ago and loved it. We also really want to see Turkey. Any details or tips you could provide would be most appreciated!
Hi, Maureen! We planned and booked everything ourselves. The cruise line we went on was called Louis Cruises. Here’s a link to our itinerary: http://louiscruises.com/en/cruises/cruise-itinerary/G7L/6-greek-islands-and-istanbul-cruise-cruising-from-greece.html
We spent 1 day in Istanbul and 1 day in Kusadasi (to see the ruins at Ephesus). It was amazing!!
Thanks so much for the additional info. What a great holiday-the only thing I would add is time at the end on a Greek island-time to really savor the slow pace of life in Greece (and eat more Greek food!).
Anyway I really appreciate you sharing more details of your trip!
Absolutely! I loved the slow pace while we were there.
I am unable to read the rest of the pages, can you send me this post? Thanks!
Hi, Victoria! I’m so sorry for the inconvenience – I’ve fixed the error, so the pages should work fine now!
OH my gosh, yes! I have always wanted to go to Greece. Can’t miss Athens. Thanks for the tips on the highlights!
This is an absolute dream vacation for me. Your guide will come in very handy for me one day…and your photos are stunning (and beckoning)!
I have yet to visit Greece, it is somewhere I definitely want to get to. Looks like you maximized every moment in Athens, looks like a great adventure!
An incredible resource!! Pinned this for future reference!!
Love this! Lived for two years with my husband in Greece and I miss it dearly, especially the food and all that free flowing wine! And you’re so right about the metro, rode it daily!
We will be in Athens for exactly 24 hours after a relaxing few days in Santorini! I’ll be printing your itinery and following it to a tee because it seems you covered all the basis and we couldn’t have planned it any better even though we’ve been fortunate enough to tour through most of Europe !
The tips will apply to most European travel and is great advice to follow !
I’m so glad to hear that you’ll get to use my tips, Marlene! Santorini is so beautiful, too. Have a wonderful time – I miss it there already! Have a glass of wine for me 🙂
Hi Anetta!
Thank you so much for this! My husband and I will be traveling to Greece next year and we are beyond excited! Do you have any advice or tips on converting money? Also, would you say Greece is expensive when it comes it food, metro, and activities o comparable to the United Sates? I’ve been reading various articles, but I thought I would ask someone who has been there recently.
Thanks again!
-Ariana
Hi, Ariana! I’m so happy for you and your husband – you’re going to have a blast! I always convert some money before I leave the country simply because exchange rates at my bank are usually better than at the destination airport. If you call your bank, they can tell you which location will have the foreign currency. Sometimes it takes a few days for them to order it, so plan ahead! If you need more cash while you are there, you can use your debit cards at an ATM. Be forewarned that some banks charge foreign transaction fees. You can also purchase more foreign currency while abroad, but it is kind of a hassle because they always want to see your passport and conduct some paperwork. The prices in Greece felt very similar to what I normally pay back home (in Portland). Like many places, you can get a good deal by avoiding the higher-priced tourist trap restaurants and hitting up somewhere filled with locals (and, hopefully, $2 (1 Euro) Mythos beers!)
Thank you for the great advice! 🙂
-Ariana
Hello Anetta!
Your tips are really good and useful!
Sounio is one of the most famous sights of Athens (The temple of Poseidon) and you need approx 1,5 hour by bus (KTEL buses) to get there.
Also, Piraeus (the port) is very beautiful. If you go for a walk in Pasalimani, Mikrolimano, Kastella and Piraiki you feel like you are on a greek island! Piraiki is very famous for the taverns, the freshiest fish and the stunning sunset!
From Piraeus port you take all the ferries to the islands! So… See you in Rhodes in 2015! 😉
Enjoy!
Hi Anetta:
I’m heading to Greece this Summer with my husband and 12 year old son. It’ll be our first time there. I found your itinerary and tips very helpful. I had a couple of questions I was hoping you could answer:
1. What hotel did you stay at and would you recommend it?
2. On Day 2 at 5:30 you mention “meeting your tour group”. Did you take a tour? If so, which one was it?
Thanks!!!
Michelle
Hi, Michelle! We stayed at the Areos Hotel and we really liked it. It was inexpensive and served our purposes. The tour group I mentioned was the cooking class (the link is in the article!). Have fun!
No lycabettus Hill? Maybe I read it too fast but didn’t see it mentioned?
I didn’t include it in my guide – it takes up a significant amount of time and would be awfully hard to fit it into 2 days! If you stay for a 3rd day, definitely go check it out 🙂
Awesome blog! Thanks so much for the info, my partner and I will be going to Athens at the beginning of June, and we only have 48 hours to enjoy it so this is perfect!
Makaela 🙂
Thanks, Makaela!! You guys are going to LOVE it!
oh my gosh! thanks so much for this blog. my girlfriend and i are going to greece in may, specifically athens, mykonos and santorini. i am browsing pinterest to get some good tips on how to explore the city and the two islands. i will definitely keep your excellent suggestions and detailed descriptions of athens. good luck on your travels and looking forward to more of your exciting blogs.
keeper
Yay!! I’m so glad to be of help. Santorini and Mykonos are amazing, you are going to LOVE them!
Great tips for Athens thanks! I’m going to have just 24hrs in the city so its great to know a few hints and tips. I’ve been blogging my travels adventures too at laurahatesmushrooms.wordpress.com
hey! should I buy tickets in advance to any of these sites? I know when we get there we should buy an all day metro pass as you said in this blog, right? but what about tickets to get in to any of these? thanks! this itinerary is helpful. my husband and I are going to Athens in October right after we fly out of Rome. thank you!
I didn’t buy any of my Athens tickets ahead of time – check out my post on Rome, I talk a lot about what to get ahead of time! –> http://thewanderlustkitchen.com/see-rome-3-days/
Sounds like you had an amazing time! I did a similar itinerary several years ago, then headed to Rhodes for a few days before heading to Turkey for three weeks. While I enjoyed Greece, Turkey captured my heart and I eventually moved here to open a gulet cruise business. Isn’t it amazing how some journeys just move your spirit? Thanks for sharing your story!