https://https://au.trip.com/toplist/tripbest/recommend/central-athens/best-things-to-do/10071609665090
Best Things to Do
Top 50 Best Things to Do in Central Athens [2025]
Show All Photos
Acropolis of Athens
4.6
/5
1239 reviews
9.5
From AU$ 66.84
Based on 37,574 reviews
2.4 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0321 4172
Address: Athens 105 58, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-3 hours
Featured in 2025 Global 100 – Night Attractions
Highlights:
Surrounded by 46 Doric columns
Panoramic Athens & Aegean Sea
Saved by 547 users573 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The Acropolis is worth a visit. It is the greatest immortal work of ancient Greece and a world cultural heritage. It carries a heavy historical culture and can make tourists feel the vicissitudes of the millennium and the glory of ancient Greek civilization. - Parthenon: The core building of the Acropolis, built in the 5th century BC, is a prominent representation of ancient Greek architectural art. It adopts the Dorian column and has a unique modified design, such as the use of the column expansion outline, to make the temple both solemn and dynamic. The temple also features beautifully decorated sculptures surrounding Athena, adding to the architecture. - The Temple of Iriktion: unique architectural style, complementing the Parthenon. The six female statues in the south colonnade are perfect examples of architectural sculptures around the world, and these statues are not only beautifully shaped, but also bear the load-bearing function, showing the superb skills of ancient Greek craftsmen. - Athena Victory Temple: built to commemorate Athens' victory in the Persian War, the Nikki is a symbol of victory. Although the statue of the goddess no longer exists, the temple is in a great location, a good place to take pictures, and people can feel the courage and confidence of the ancient Greek people. - Great view: The Acropolis is located high in the hills, overlooking the entire city of Athens, with the Areopagos rocks to the west, the observation deck to the east and the wall to the south of the Parthenon all offering a very wide view.
It is an important historical heritage of ancient Greek culture and is worth visiting. If you go, it is best to learn about the culture in advance or find a guide. If you go by yourself, you will just take a quick look and may not be able to understand the interesting things in history. The only thing you need to pay attention to is not to bring any equipment related to commercial photography, which may be temporarily confiscated when you enter the park. Secondly, do not touch the marble, even if it is not fenced off. There are staff who are always watching and reminding tourists not to touch the marble.
Show All Photos
Acropolis Museum
4.6
/5
340 reviews
8.5
From AU$ 43.46
Based on 38,195 reviews
Koukaki | 2.3 km from downtown
Phone +30-21-09000900
Address: Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athina 117 42, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
Transparent floor overlooking excavation site
View Acropolis & stunning surroundings
Saved by 249 users204 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
This is a 6 in Greece, Athens.If you have the time I suggest and highly recommend for you to visit this place. This museum is worth visiting and spending money on. Tip: Book early in the day as queues can be long in summer months! Expect to spend at least 1/2 a day in the museum.
The biggest feature of the Acropolis Museum is its spatial design, which is equivalent to making the Acropolis as a whole a simple space. Standing in front of the huge glass curtain and looking at the ruins of the Acropolis, it feels like a spatial transformation. The sculpture art of ancient Greece is indeed beyond compare. My favorite is the Maiden Column of the Temple of Poseidon; it is said that the head of the family stopped in front of a sculpture for a long time when visiting the Acropolis Museum. It's a pity that my stay was too short. I suggest that you spend more time in the Acropolis Museum, at least half a day.
Show All Photos
National Archaeological Museum
4.6
/5
156 reviews
7.5
From AU$ 28.91
Based on 8,193 reviews
Omonia | 2 km from downtown
Phone +30-21-32144800
Address: 28is Oktovriou 44, Athina 106 82, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 2-4 hours
Highlights:
360° view of Acropolis
Next to Athens Polytechnic
Saved by 124 users36% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
A must-see when traveling to Greece! The museum has a rich collection of treasures from the fourth century, including stone carvings, pottery, bronze, gold, etc. It's worth a visit!
The Athens Archaeological Museum is the largest museum in Greece, with nearly 20,000 collections, covering artifacts from prehistory to late antiquity, and is a microcosm of ancient Greek civilization. It is worth a visit, but unfortunately there is no Chinese explanation... If you see a collection you like, you can only use translation software to understand the history...
No.
4
Show All Photos
Parthenon
4.6
/5
461 reviews
7.4
From AU$ 66.84
Based on 17,660 reviews
2.3 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0321 4172
Address: Athens 105 58, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Masterpiece of Ancient Greek Architecture
Athens' panoramic city viewpoint
Saved by 360 users158 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
Theater of Herodes Atticus and Caryatids and Parthenon
However, the Caryatids in the Acropolis are not authentic. The authentic ones are in the nearby Acropolis Museum and... the British Museum
Like most Greek temples, this temple was also used as a treasury.
1. It was built in 447 BC to replace the old Parthenon (destroyed by the Persians in 480 BC).
2. For a while, it was the treasury of the Delian League (which later evolved into the Athenian Empire).
3. In the 6th century AD, the Parthenon was converted into a church dedicated to the Virgin Mary (the original Athena was also a virgin).
4. In the early 1460s, after being conquered by the Ottoman Turks, it was used as a mosque.
5. It was used as a gunpowder magazine by the Turkish army in 1687 and was unfortunately severely damaged in an explosion.
6. By 1800, only half of the Parthenon statues survived. After obtaining approval from the Ottoman government, British Ambassador Sir Elgin began to transport half of the surviving statues back to Britain at his own expense starting in 1801, and they began to be exhibited in the British Museum in 1817.
Athens is a city with many cultural relics and historical sites, especially temples. We visited many temples in Greece and also visited famous temples on the islands when we took a boat tour of the Aegean Sea. Greece is still a very culturally rich tourist destination.
No.
5
Show All Photos
Temple of Olympian Zeus
4.3
/5
281 reviews
6.9
From AU$ 44.03
Based on 4,662 reviews
Koukaki | 1.9 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0922 6330
Address: Athens 105 57, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 0.5-1 hour
Highlights:
Ancient Greek pillars & glory
End of Doric architecture era
Saved by 158 users
Verified user reviews
Although it is a site under restoration, you can still feel the weight of history. The ticket inspector did not immediately recognize the admission voucher. He looked at it for a long time and asked why there was no price displayed. We explained and finally got in.
The scene must be watched with the background story, otherwise you will just be looking at a pile of stone pillars. The temple is built with limestone, and the roof is made of marble. It is supported by 34 Corinthian columns about 17 meters high, 13 long and 6 wide. There are exquisite marble carvings on the gables and the porch of the inner hall, and there are many Athenian-style statues on the eaves.
No.
6
Show All Photos
Syntagma Square
4.5
/5
322 reviews
6.7
Based on 2,428 reviews
Syntagma Square | 1.5 km from downtown
Phone +30-21-03254708
Address: Pl. Sintagmatos, Athina 105 63, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
12-foot-tall soldiers' monument
Watch Greek soldiers' changing ceremony
Saved by 120 users113 positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The city center subway transfer station, the airport bus X95 terminal, watch the changing of the guard in front of the Capitol, there is a National Garden next to it, there are ruins of an ancient Roman bath, very close to the Acropolis, the old town at the foot of the mountain is worth a walk, there are many Portuguese streets and buildings like those in Macau.
Syntagma Square is the main square in Athens, the capital of Greece. It is located in front of the Greek Parliament and is named after the Greek Constitution approved by King Otto on September 3, 1843 after the uprising. The square is bounded by Vassileos Georgiou A Street in the north, Othonos Street in the south, Filellinon Street in the west, and Amalia Street in the east. Below the square is the subway station, and there are many outdoor cafes nearby, making it a popular gathering place in the city center. There are two green areas in the north and south of the square, planted with shade trees, and a large fountain in the center, where Athenians spend the hot summer.
The most attractive attraction on Constitution Square is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Greek Parliament Building. This monument was built in 1928 to commemorate the unknown Greek heroes who died in the war to get rid of Turkish rule. The main body of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is the relief of the unknown soldier, an ancient Greek warrior wearing a helmet lying on a stone slab. Two famous quotes are engraved on both sides of the relief: "This is the tomb of outstanding warriors from all over the world" and "This is the coffin of the unknown soldier". There are 11 place names engraved on the lower left of the relief and 12 place names engraved on the lower right. These place names are all places where the Greek army has fought with foreign troops in history. Every hour, the presidential guard changing ceremony is held in front of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier between the square and the parliament. On Sundays and official holidays, most of the guards participate in the changing of guard ceremony, accompanied by military bands.
No.
7
Show All Photos
Panathenaic Stadium
4.3
/5
121 reviews
6.2
Based on 7,092 reviews
Pangrati | 1.5 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0752 2984
Address: Leof. Vasileos Konstantinou, Athina 116 35, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
Pose & capture Olympic memories
First modern Olympics venue
25% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The Athens Stadium is a relatively important place for hosting sports games. The entire stadium has many facilities and there are also many sports events. The Athens Stadium is quite large. I like to visit and play here.
As a sports enthusiast, you will undoubtedly be shocked when you go to Greece and Athens. The stadium built more than 2,000 years ago was later rebuilt into the world's only all-marble stadium, the main stadium of the first Olympic Games, and the venue for the Beijing Olympic Torch Handover Ceremony...
No matter how many flaws there are compared to modern venues, no matter how exquisite and cool the modern high-tech venues are, they still cannot conceal her charm and brilliance
No.
8
Show All Photos
Erechtheion
4.6
/5
203 reviews
5.7
Based on 2,869 reviews
2.3 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0923 8747
Address: Athens 105 58, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 30-45 minutes
Highlights:
Athens' mythic Acropolis ruins
Trident marks on temple ceiling
25% positive reviews
Verified user reviews
The Erechtheion is one of the famous buildings in the Acropolis of Athens. It was originally a stone temple where the remains of the eight saints were placed. Legend has it that this was the place where the goddess Athena and the god of the sea Poseidon fought for the position of patron saint of Athens. The Erechtheion is located on an uneven plateau south of the Temple of Erechtheion. It was built between 421 and 405 BC and is a typical representative of the Ionic style in the architecture of the Acropolis of Athens. It was the last important building completed in the plan to rebuild the Acropolis formulated by Pericles. The design is very exquisite. [1] The Erechtheion has three temples, dedicated to the Greek god Zeus, the god of the sea Poseidon, and the god of blacksmiths Hephaestus, respectively. There are two distinctive colonnades connecting them. The Erechtheion Temple has square holes on the ceiling and floor of the northern column, which are said to have been pierced by Poseidon's trident.
In the Acropolis, the Erechtheion Temple is the most famous temple. It is the location of most of the statues in the Acropolis. The south colonnade has 6 Ionian-style stone columns, which are carved into the image of girls with flowing long skirts and graceful postures. They are called Caryatides. They can be said to be the most famous part of the Erechtheion Temple today. The replicas are displayed in the ruins of the temple today. Among the authentic ones, 5 are now in the Acropolis Museum, and 1 is stored in the British Museum. There are also 6 Ionian-style columns on the north side of the temple. There is a crack on the ground, which is said to be left by Zeus~
No.
9
Show All Photos
Hellenic Parliament Foundation for Parliamentarism and Democracy
4.1
/5
80 reviews
5.7
Based on 1,173 reviews
Syntagma Square | 1.1 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0373 5326
Address: Sekeri 1Α, Athina 106 71, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1 hour
Highlights:
Watch hourly guard change ceremony
Watch hourly guard change
Verified user reviews
Located in the city center, the changing of the guard is worth seeing. It is right above the Constitution Square subway station. There is also a National Garden nearby, the ruins of an ancient Roman bath, bronze statues of three philosophers, an arch, and a pavilion. You can also take a walk around.
The Parliament Building is a building built in the style of ancient traditions. The entire architectural structure is very special and it is quite interesting to visit here. The interior space of the building is very special and you can see many interesting works of art and unique style products.
No.
10
Show All Photos
Ancient Agora of Athens
4.0
/5
37 reviews
5.6
From AU$ 44.64
Based on 771 reviews
2.6 km from downtown
Phone +30 21 0321 0185
Address: Athens 105 55, Greece
Recommended sightseeing time: 1-2 hours
Highlights:
Hephaestus Temple & Ancient Agora
Experience daily life of Greeks
Verified user reviews
The location of the Roman market is very unique and is well worth a visit. There are still some traditional arts and crafts shops to visit. It is necessary to experience the Roman culture here. It is best if the market has free visiting hours.
The ancient market is also a very important part of Athens' historical architecture. The Roman market is very attractive. You can see many nice and interesting little things here. The ancient Roman market also contains many modern things.
1
2
3
