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Uncover a unique facet to Athens with these enjoyable, uncommon issues to do within the Greek capital…
Athens. One of many world’s oldest cities, a spot the place the traditional world collides with the trendy – and the place a number of layers of historical past and tradition coexist in a chaotic jumble.
Historic structure emerges everywhere in the metropolis centre: seen in metro stations, beneath public squares, or included into trendy buildings. And all of the whereas, the long-lasting Parthenon on Acropolis Hill overlooks the town’s skyline.
However past the historical past the town is so well-known for, Athens is a pulsing and fast-evolving metropolis present process a radical city transformation. As soon as-impoverished districts are being reclaimed as creative centres, full of vibrant avenue artwork, stylish boutique outlets, and bars & eating places to swimsuit each style possible.
When you’ve checked off the primary points of interest in Athens, it’s time to immerse your self within the metropolis’s quite a few personalities. Dive into well-liked native nightlife hotspots, search avenue artwork between Byzantine buildings, beach-hop your method alongside the Athens Riviera, or people-watch on the bustling metropolis centre markets.
These are a few of the extra uncommon issues to do in Athens – that can assist you get beneath the pores and skin of the town and expertise it a bit extra “like an area”. Don’t have time to learn the entire article? There’s additionally a map and a brief model of the record on the backside of this web page. Take pleasure in…
Advisable Athens Excursions
Whether or not you need to discover the primary websites in Athens or get off the overwhelmed monitor, there are some nice excursions on Get Your Information. These are a few of the top-rated…
Uncommon Issues to do in Athens
In a rush? There’s a map and a brief model of the record on the backside of this web page! Use the contents menu above to skip forward if you should.
1. Don’t Miss the Historic Websites in Athens
Athens is known for its historic websites – particularly the long-lasting, hilltop Acropolis which could be seen from throughout the town. These don’t really matter as “uncommon issues to do” as they’re so well-known, however they’re positively must-sees while you go to Athens. So right here’s a quick record of the “high” historic websites you shouldn’t miss:
- The Acropolis and the Parthenon. For a extra uncommon take on Athens’ most well-known sight, take a look at this Acropolis Mythology Tour.
- The Acropolis Museum
- The Historic Agora
- Odeon of Herodes Atticus
- Temple of Hephaestus
- Panathenaic Stadium
- Prime tip – you may purchase a Combo Ticket for entry to all the following: Acropolis, Historic Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, Aristotle’s Faculty, Hadrian’s Library, and Kerameikos Historic Cemetery. Click on right here for particulars and newest costs.
RECOMMENDED TOUR: Acropolis, Parthenon, & Acropolis Museum Guided Tour (from €57pp)
2. See Athens with a Native on an Various Athens Tour
Once I visited Athens, I took a strolling tour with a unbelievable native firm referred to as Various Athens. They’re simply the most effective tour firms within the metropolis, providing small-group strolling excursions led by skilled native guides – all of which intention to take you past the basic vacationer websites and make it easier to get to know the true, genuine Athens.
Various Athens runs a number of distinctive metropolis excursions, together with meals excursions, a Homosexual & Lesbian Nightlife Tour, and a Avenue Artwork Tour. I took the Surprising Athens Orientation Tour, which runs every day at 9:30am, takes 4 hours, and prices €49 per individual.
It’s the right introduction to the town, taking in many of the principal websites in addition to a few of the metropolis’s quirkier districts. Plus, your information will be capable to share numerous insider ideas for locations to eat and drink throughout your journey to Athens. You simply can’t beat a advice from an area!
3. Watch the Altering of the Guard at Syntagma Sq.
Syntagma Sq. seems like the center of Athens: a bustling sq. on the pinnacle of the busy excessive avenue Ermou.
It’s house to the Royal Palace, a modest neo-classical constructing relationship from the 1830s when Greece lastly gained independence after centuries of Ottoman occupation. Right this moment, the palace homes the Greek parliament.
Don’t miss the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in entrance of the parliament constructing: a memorial devoted to the fallen troopers of Greece’s wars. The tomb is continually guarded by troopers wearing conventional livery, together with Tsarouhi: massive, clog-like sneakers with studded soles and fluffy pompoms on the toes.
The Altering of the Guard takes place each hour, a drawn-out course of involving all of the pomp and fussiness you’d count on kind such a ceremony. It’s free to observe and is effectively price together with in your Athens itinerary. On Sundays at 11am, the Grand Change takes place: a bigger model of the ceremony involving extra troopers and much more pomp!
4. Search out the Avenue Artwork in Athens
Followers of avenue artwork and concrete artwork will love exploring Athens’ historic sidestreets and quirky hipster neighbourhoods. There are murals, installations, and vibrant items of avenue artwork in every single place!
Psirri, Monastiraki, Gazi, and Metaxourgio are a few of the greatest districts to go avenue artwork looking. Higher nonetheless, take a guided tour with an area skilled that can assist you discover the perfect avenue artwork in Athens. I’d suggest one in every of these two:
5. Hunt for Bargains at Monastiraki Flea Market
Monastiraki is a historic neighbourhood near the Historic Agora recognized for its quirky buying scene and vibrant avenue artwork. The labyrinthine community of slender streets is full of unbelievable eateries and bars, artisanal boutiques, and funky classic outlets.
Don’t miss the well-known Monastiraki Flea Market. That is held each Sunday morning within the space between Monastiraki Sq. and Avissynias Sq.. Stalls right here promote every thing from damaged Barbies and surplus military gear to vintage furnishings and previous cash. There are sometimes avenue performers and busking musicians, too, giving Sunday mornings a celebration vibe!
Though the market is just held on Sundays, the entire space is crammed with vintage outlets and strange boutiques which are open all week. So even when you’re not visiting Athens on the weekend, it’s nonetheless price exploring the Monastiraki Flea Market space for some window buying, people-watching, and bargain-hunting.
6. Uncover Athens’ Modern Artwork Scene at TAF (The Artwork Basis)
Housed inside a fantastically crumbling Ottoman mansion with a central courtyard, TAF is an revolutionary cultural centre in Athens’ Monastiraki district. They host worldwide and native group exhibitions, in addition to cultural occasions, workshops, performances, and movie screenings.
It’s price visiting simply to discover the constructing itself – however this cultural hub can be house to a recent artwork gallery, a store selling native designers, and a energetic courtyard cafe-bar.
7. Witness 4 Eras of Athens Historical past at Monastiraki Sq.
From Athens’ well-known Monastiraki Sq., you may get pleasure from a view that takes within the 4 main eras of the town. There’s the red-tiled dome of the Ottoman Tzisdarakis Mosque, the Roman pillars of Hadrian’s library, the trendy metro station, and the Historic Greek Acropolis above.
It’s an excellent picture to summarise Athens, the place the layers of the town’s previous are chaotically intertwined creating a fancy, vibrant mishmash of various eras, architectures, and influences.
8. Take a Greek Meals Tour in Athens
For my part, the easiest way to get to know a tradition is thru meals. I attempt to take a meals tour in each metropolis I go to. It’s the right technique to discover the native flavours (each actually and figuratively. There are some unbelievable meals excursions in Athens to select from – these are my high picks:
9. Uncover a Roman Tomb inside a Zara Retailer
Head to the Zara retailer on Stadiou Avenue for a real hidden gem in Athens. On the basement stage, you may see the ruins of an Historic Roman tomb!
These are protected by a glass wall, and have a glass ceiling so you may look down from the ground above as you enter the store.
Athens is Europe’s oldest capital metropolis, with recorded historical past relationship again over 3,400 years, so there are various traces of the previous buried beneath the trendy metropolis. It appears you may’t begin digging within the centre of Athens with out discovering one thing, and plenty of trendy buildings have needed to be distorted throughout constructing to protect the previous. This is only one of many examples: but it surely’s free and straightforward to go to so effectively well worth the detour!
10. Swing by the Archaeological Website inside Monastiraki Metro Station
Main on from the above, there’s additionally a small archaeological website contained in the Monastiraki Metro Station. A number of archaeological finds have been uncovered through the station’s building, relationship way back to the eighth century BC. It’s additionally free to go to – so cease by earlier than you catch your prepare!
11. Spot Neo-Classical Structure on Panepistimiou Avenue
Take a stroll alongside Panepistimiou Avenue, a serious avenue working from Omonia Sq. to Syntagma Sq., to discover a treasure trove of neoclassical structure.
Essentially the most well-known buildings right here kind the so-called “Neoclassical Trilogy”: the Academy of Athens, the Nationwide and Kapodistrian College of Athens, and the Nationwide Library. These are thought-about three of the perfect items of structure within the metropolis and are completely gorgeous.
There are a number of extra buildings price noticing alongside Panepistimiou Avenue. Don’t miss the Cathedral Basilica of St. Dionysius the Areopagite, inbuilt an elaborate Neo-Renaissance fashion.
The pink-bricked Athens Ofthamiatrio (Public Eye Hospital) has an attention-grabbing historical past. Supposedly, it was constructed to deal with the large quantity of eye issues that sprang up within the nineteenth century, attributable to the mud from all of the constructing work as Athens was reworked from a tiny metropolis of simply 10,000 residents into the new capital of Greece.
12. Soak Up Ottoman Structure and Hipster Vibes in Psirri District
From the mid-Fifteenth century to the early nineteenth century, Greece was a part of the Ottoman Empire, and earlier than that was beneath Byzantine rule. These centuries of occupation left as a lot of a mark on Athens as the sooner Historic Romans and Greeks did.
To find a few of these traces, head to the colorful, historic district of Psirri (additionally referred to as Psyri) – one of many metropolis’s oldest neighbourhoods. A maze of winding alleyways and sloping streets designed to channel rainwater, Psirri is crammed with crumbling Ottoman Mansions and Byzantine church buildings.
As of late, it’s one in every of Athens’ trendiest neighbourhoods; recognized for its energetic nightlife and nice foodie scene. There’s plenty of avenue artwork round, with work and murals tucked into nearly any accessible spot. Trendy tradition and hipster vibes blended right into a fantastically vintage neighbourhood – what’s to not love?
RECOMMENDED TOUR: Psyri Neighborhood Graffiti Self-Guided Sport & Tour – from €10.99
13. Study Concerning the German Occupation at Korai 4
In newer historical past, Athens was topic to a different occupation: this time by the Germans throughout WW11. Initially an workplace constructing, Korai 4 was requisitioned because the headquarters of the Gestapo in Athens between 1941 and 1945.
Visiting Korai 4 is likely one of the extra uncommon issues to do in Athens, but it surely’s an enchanting and chilling perception right into a horrible chapter of the town’s historical past.
The slender, basement-level air-raid shelter – claustrophobic behind metallic air-lock doorways – was transformed right into a “non permanent” subterranean jail. Short-term within the sense that the majority prisoners have been solely saved there for a matter of days earlier than being transported to a camp or executed.
Inside, you may see imprints of the tiny cells on the flooring. The partitions are scarred with writing and drawings etched by the prisoners. Some left their names and the dates of their incarceration, others scratched out doodles or self-portraits.
14. Dive Into the Fashionable Gazi District
Athens is continually reinventing itself, and nowhere is that extra obvious than within the trendily grungy, industrial-chic district of Gazi.
The fuel works that stood right here till 1989 as soon as pumped out a lot air pollution that the encircling space was often known as the “Fuel District” (Gazi). Right this moment, the now-silent chimneys and the rusted skeleton of the previous fuel holder nonetheless dominate the world – however now they’ve been repurposed into Athens’ coolest nightlife district.
The previous fuel drums have been transformed into eco-friendly workplaces, whereas the previous fuel works now homes Technopolis, an industrial museum and a serious cultural venue. The encompassing streets are full of cafes, eating places, bars, and golf equipment – together with some unbelievable LGBTQ+ golf equipment – and the neighbourhood has turn out to be often known as the most effective locations to get together in Athens.
RECOMMENDED TOUR: Bar Crawl with Free Drinks and Membership Entry – from €26.70pp
15. Take a Sip of Historical past on the Oldest Distillery in Athens
Within the coronary heart of the historic Plata district, you could find the oldest bar and distillery in Athens: Brettos. The distillery was based by Michail Brettos in 1909, who produced ouzo, brandy, and liqueurs based mostly on previous household recipes from Smyrni (modern-day Izmir in Turkey). You may nonetheless pattern these similar liqueurs right this moment for an actual style of historical past!
Over a century previous, this atmospheric bar nonetheless appears to be like virtually precisely because it did firstly of the twentieth century. The partitions behind the previous wood bar are coated with shelf upon shelf of vibrant bottles, lit from behind to create a shocking impact.
RECOMMENDED TOUR: Greek Wine & Olive Oil Tasting at Brettos – 2 hours, from €110pp
16. Take an Olympic Work Out within the Historic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium is likely one of the most iconic websites in Athens. It was constructed (or re-built) as a reproduction of an Historic Greek stadium which as soon as stood on the identical website and which hosted the Panathenaic Video games, a non secular and athletic competition celebrated each 4 years in honour of the goddess Athena.
The stadium we see right this moment was reconstructed for the primary trendy Olympic Video games in 1896. It’s additionally the one stadium on the earth constructed solely of marble.
These searching for extra uncommon issues to do in Athens ought to take a look at this distinctive Olympic Video games Exercise expertise (from €55pp). You’ll get the prospect to run across the stadium – in addition to attempt a few of the basic Olympic sports activities like javelin, shot put and discus.
17. Watch an Historic Greek Theater Efficiency
Carry the tales and myths of Athens’ historic buildings to life with this distinctive expertise. In a rooftop theatre overlooking the Acropolis, you may watch an excellent Historic Greek Theater Present.
Actors put on conventional costumes and use masks to depict totally different characters, precisely as they did in historic instances. The play, ‘Medea and Different Pals I Made in Athens’, is a humorous tackle the traditional Greek myths – so it’s a good way to be taught slightly of the historical past behind the town’s iconic ruins. From €25 – click on right here to purchase tickets.
18. Or Catch a Movie at an Open Air Cinema in Athens
Talking of performances – how about an outside cinema? In summertime, open-air cinemas are a BIG factor in Athens, with over 60 scattered throughout the town. Right here’s my decide of a few of the greatest:
- Aegli – the oldest open-air cinema within the metropolis, set inside the gardens of stately Zappeion Corridor.
- Cine Dexameni – on the roof of the Historic Roman Hadrian’s Aqueduct.
- Cine Thisio – views of the illuminated Acropolis at evening.
- Zefyros – historic, bohemian cinema showcasing basic & artsy movies.
19. Store with the Locals at Varvakios Market
Varvakios Central Municipal Market is the largest and liveliest market in Athens, so it’s an excellent place to expertise an genuine facet of Athenian life.
The historic constructing, relationship from 1886, is full of stalls promoting recent meat, fish, olives, herbs, spices, and all method of scrumptious Greek produce. It’s an excellent place to people-watch and pattern some native flavours. Be warned, although, the sections housing the meat and fish usually are not for the faint-hearted!
RECOMMENDED TOUR: Half-Day Final Meals Strolling Tour – 4 hours, from €69pp
20. Discover the Seafront of the Athens Riviera
Athens could also be greatest often known as a metropolis break vacation spot, however you may also have a seaside vacation right here!
If you wish to see one other very totally different facet of Athens, head south to the coastal space often known as the Athens Riviera. The riviera stretches round 60km from the swanky marina at Paleo Faliro to Cape Sounion. All alongside it, you could find lovely sandy seashores, bustling ports, posh “yachtie” haunts, and hidden coves.
Don’t miss the well-known Temple of Poseidon, the therapeutic mineral waters of Vouliagmeni Lake, or the superb seafood eating places round Piraeus.
21. Take a Greek Cooking Class
For an additional enjoyable and strange exercise in Athens, think about taking a cooking class. It is a nice technique to meet different travellers, uncover some scrumptious native meals – and perhaps be taught slightly about Athenian tradition whilst you do it. Right here’s my decide of the perfect cooking lessons in Athens:
Uncommon Issues to do in Athens: Quicklist and Map
Don’t have time to learn the entire submit above? Right here’s a fast record of the perfect uncommon issues to do in Athens – plus a helpful map that can assist you navigate.
- Don’t Miss the Historic Websites
- Take a Strolling Tour with Various Athens
- Watch the Altering of the Guards at Syntagma Sq.
- Search out the Avenue Artwork in Athens
- Hunt for Bargains at Monastiraki Flea Market
- Uncover Athens’ Modern Artwork Scene at TAF (The Artwork Basis)
- Witness 4 Eras of Athens Historical past at Monastiraki Sq.
- Take a Greek Meals Tour in Athens
- Uncover a Roman Tomb inside a Zara Retailer
- Swing by the Archaeological Website inside Monastiraki Metro Station
- Spot Neo-Classical Structure on Panepistimo Avenue
- Spot Avenue Artwork and Ottoman Structure in Psirri District
- Study Concerning the German Occupation at Korai 4
- Dive Into the Fashionable Gazi District
- Take a Sip of Historical past on the Oldest Distillery in Athens
- Take an Olympic Work Out within the Historic Stadium
- Watch an Historic Greek Theater Efficiency
- Or Catch a Movie at an Open Air Cinema in Athens
- Store with the Locals at Varvakios Market
- Discover the Seafront of the Athens Riviera
- Take a Greek Cooking Class
Learn Extra
Paros off the Overwhelmed Path
Have you learnt any extra hidden gems or uncommon issues to do in Athens? Scroll right down to share your high ideas within the feedback!
