It probably goes without saying but I’ll say it anyway. When in Athens, visit the Acropolis. You can’t miss it and you shouldn’t. It can be seen from all over the city (acropolis means high place, roughly) and it’s pretty awesome seen from a distance, especially at night when illuminated. Nevertheless, take a couple of hours to go to the top to see the buildings up close and spend some time in the superb Acropolis Museum. The most famous and most prominent building on the Acropolis is the Parthenon, which inspires architects to this day. The embodiment of harmony and balance, the Parthenon symbolizes the ideals of Classical Greek culture.
Syntagma Square (Constitution Square) commemorates the writing of Greece’s constitution in 1843. The wide-open square stretches out in front of the austere Neoclassical Greek Parliament building. This is a good spot to rest your feet and people watch. Stick around long enough to see the changing of the Presidential Guard (Evzones) at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, which happens every hour on the hour. The Evzones’ historical uniforms are rather silly but beautiful, involving pleated skirts and pom poms, and their duty is solemn and moving to watch. At 11:00 on Sunday mornings, the changing of the guard is a full-on military parade, with a band and over 100 Evzones in full dress uniform. This is a real spectacle and worth scheduling around, if you like that sort of thing. Behind the Parliament, the shady trails and benches of the National Garden feel worlds away from the intense city.
After chilling in the peaceful National Garden, dive back into sensory overload at the Plaka and Monastiraki, adjacent neighborhoods winding around the base of the Acropolis, both with many shops and restaurants.
On Sundays, there’s a flea market at Monastiraki.
If Athens is the cradle of Western Civilization, the Agora is its pillow (or mattress?). It was the political, social and cultural heart of the ancient city, where the idea of democracy was refined, where Socrates challenged young minds, where the first theatrical dramas were performed… There are some beautifully restored Classical and Hellenistic buildings here.
All of these sites are within easy walking distance of each other.
There’s so much to know about the Agora and the Acropolis, we recommend using a guide for these sites.
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