How to Spend 1 Day in Athens!

How to spend 1 day in Athens, Greece! Have one day in the ancient city of Athens before going island hopping? Here is the perfect way to spend your day!

Athens is FULL of incredible history and sites that are must-see! And, though you may not be able to see everything that Athens has to offer in one day, you can certainly see a lot!

Here is a great way to spend a full day exploring Athens including acropolis views, cute neighborhoods and more!

With 1 day in Athens, you are going to have to pick and choose what you would like to prioritize, but a few things are really must-sees, especially if this is your first time in Athens!

Here is a great way to spend the day prioritizing the epic spots in Athens!

• Morning: Acropolis + Roman Forum + Monstraki Square
• Afternoon: Plaka + Ancient Agora
• Evening: Sunset at Philopappos Hill + Rooftop Dinner

Acropolis & Parthenon & Areopagus Hill

If this is your first time in Athens, seeing the Parthenon on the acropolis is a MUST. However, this is the number one highlight of Athens, so you need to beat the crowds!

The acropolis opens at 8am, and I recommend getting there at opening with your TICKETS PURCHASED AHEAD OF TIME.

• We got there at 8am, but without our tickets and had to wait in a line to get tickets and the crowd was already starting to form at the top of the acropolis once we got there

After you get your feel of up-close views of the Parthenon, head back down toward Areopagus Hill. This hill is historic in that it is where Paul the apostle did a lot of his sermons. Plus, it has a REALLY good view of the acropolis and Lycabettus Hill in the distance.

You can expect to spend AT LEAST 2 hours climbing up to the acropolis, walking around the Parthenon and taking in the views at Areopagus Hill.

Pre-Book Tickets to the Acropolis and Parthenon!

Roman Forum & Hadrian’s Library

After taking in the Acropolis and Areopagus Hill, head to the Roman Forum and Hadrian’s Library.

The Roman Forum is surrounded by an iron fence, but you can see all of the ruins of the Roman Forum through it. You can also get a good view of Hadrian’s Library from the outside, which is a little more intact than the ruins of the Roman Forum.

We took a walking tour that gave us a lot of information on both, so we opted to not enter them.

However, if you would like to enter them, then I recommend getting the Acropolis Combo Ticket that is only about 10 euros more and will get you into the Roman Forum and Ancient Agora!

Monstraki Square

Monstraki Square is one of Athens oldest neighborhoods and is located near Hadrian’s Library. Monstraki is the main square in Athens and this is where you will find a lot of shops with souvieners and handmade goods!

There is a good chance you will pass this square going from one point to another throughout your day due to its central location anyway. But, if not, be sure to take the time to go!

Plaka

After visiting Monstraki Square, I recommend heading to the Plaka neighborhood.

Plaka has some of the most picturesque streets and buildings in Athens and is home to several restaurants and shops as well.

If this is your first time in Athens and have limited time, a great way to fit it into your day is to head there for lunch!

Optional Activity: Little Klook

After you get your feel of Plaka neighborhood and before you head to the Ancient Agora, you can stop by the Little Klook if you would like (12 minute walk from Plaka).

If you haven’t heard of this, it is a quirky little cafe that is decorated, typically, in Alice in Wonderland decor.

However, it does change its decor seasonally at times, but it is always FULL of decor and always quirky!

Whether you opt to go in for tea, dessert or not go in at all, it is very interesting to see the decor even from the outside!

This shop is located northwest of Monstraki Square near the Psirri neighborhood, which also has some cute shops and restaurants as well.

Philopappos Hill & Pnyx Hill

Philopappos and Pnyx Hills have some of the best views of the Acropolis and the Parthenon! On Pnyx hill you can still see the remnants of Athenian Ecclesia, where the first democracy took place.

On Philopappos Hill you can also find the prison of Socrates– there is some controversy on if this is where Socrates was actually imprisoned before his death. But, you can definitely see the makings of a prison carved into the rocks!

And, as I mentioned, there are several viewpoints from both hills that overlook the city of Athens and the Acropolis in the distance!

Be sure to get here in time to see the views and the site of the first democracy in the daylight before the sun sets!

Know, though, that on this hill, the sun will set on the other side of the hill (opposite of the Acropolis). On the maps there is a good “sunset spot” already labeled.

Rooftop Dinner &/or Drinks

End your day with a bang! I think you need to have at least one rooftop experience in Athens that overlooks the Acropolis and the Parthenon at night!

Both Monstraki and Plaka have a plethora of rooftop restaurants to choose from.

If you like guided tours, Athens really is a great place to do one. There is just SO MUCH history in Athens, and unless you know a lot of it beforehand, a guide can REALLY add to your experience in Athens (at least for your first visit!)

The problem with guided tours, however, is that the times may not be ideal (some start at 8:30am, but some start at 10:30 am,) so you may have to readjust your day to accommodate the tour.

However, as I mentioned before, with areas like the Ancient Agora, I really feel like having someone who knows about the artifacts and what took place in the agora would really be helpful!

If there was ever a time to splurge on a guide, it is in a city that is in the top 10 oldest cities in the world! I don’t think you need a guide for the whole city, but, again, I do think that the Ancient Agora definitely could use one, and it wouldn’t hurt to have one for the acropolis either.

The guide below includes a guided tour of both the Acropolis and the Ancient Agora and includes skip-the-line tickets for both.

How to Adjust Your Day

If you take this guided tour, your tour will start at 9am and last until around 1pm. So, how can you fit everything into your 1 day in Athens now?

Here is a breakdown!

• 9am-1pm: Guided Tour of Acropolis and Ancient Agora
• 1pm: Lunch in Plaka Neighborhood (Be a bit of a walk, but worth it!)
• 2:30/3:00pm: Visit the Roman Forum and Hadrian’s Library, then shop at Monstraki Square
• 6:00/7:00pm: Visit Philopappos Hill & Pnyx Hill and stay until sunset
• Dinner: Have dinner at a rooftop restaurant in either Monstraki or Plaka areas!

Again, you can’t see all of Athens in one day, but you can really see a lot! The Parthenon is definitely the highlight of the city, so I recommend getting views of it from all of the angles!

Want to spend another day in Athens? Here is how to see the best of Athens in two days!

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