Athens is the current capital of Greece and was considered the heart of Ancient Greece. Home to the birthplace of democracy, Athens is also Europe’s oldest capital. Today, Athens is an eclectic juxtaposition of history and modernization. Walking along the streets of Athens, you’ll see ruins that date back hundreds of years right next to modern apartment buildings. Most visitors will stop in Athens for a day before heading to the Greek islands, but I strongly encourage at least 2-3 days to take in all that Athens has to offer. We had some amazing meals in Athens, and just enjoyed walking around the city.

Day 1:
For your first day, spend some time getting acquainted with the city. If you’re coming from the US, you probably lost your entire first day anyways. Sleep in a little bit, and then give yourself a break by leisurely taking in the city. I suggest a late breakfast and then meandering around Monastiraki Square.

Monastiraki Square, located in the heart of Athens, is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. It is one of the biggest shopping districts in the city, filled with souvenir shops, clothing boutiques, and specialty stores. If you’re heading to the islands, your souvenir shopping might be cheaper here. We found souvenirs in Athens much cheaper than the souvenirs in Paros, but more expensive than Heraklion.

Monastiraki Flea Market is open every Sunday and features the typical stalls from small shops in the area and private sellers who are looking to offload their wares. You can find anything from antiques to someone’s old toaster. Go as early as possible, as the market will be packed by 11am.

Take yourself on an Athens Food Tour. We did The 10 Tastings of Athens Tour with WithLocals, where you can pick your tour guide on their website. They have little blurbs about each guide, so you can pick the guide that most suits your personality. The tour includes 10 food and drink tastings, hand-picked by your guide. We went to small mom-pop restaurants that we most likely would never have visited on our own.

Day 2:
Start Day 2 off early. You will want to visit the Acropolis as early as you can, or else it gets intensely crowded. You can go up and buy tickets whenever you want, but we opted to do a tour, so we could learn all about the history of the Acropolis. We took the Acropolis Tour with Athens Walking Tours, which is a 1.5 hour tour with a local licensed guide, who takes you through the Acropolis complex. Parthenon, the Erechteion, and the Dionysus Theatre.

After the Acropolis, visit the Acropolis Museum, an archaeological museum that houses every artifact that was found in the Acropolis complex. Today, there are over 4,250 objects exhibited. You can buy tickets in advance online, but most Acropolis tickets will include admission to the Acropolis Museum. It’s a very neat museum and I highly recommend it.

Finish the day by heading down from the Acropolis through Plaka. Plaka is lined with restaurants, souvenir shops, and is a great place to find a rooftop to view the Acropolis from. Check out this view from Ziller’s Rooftop Restaurant.

Day 3:
On your last day, treat yourself after the hike up to the Acropolis. We decided to visit Al Hammam Baths in Plaka. The hammam originated in Arab culture and is rooted in ancient Roman and Byzantine bathing traditions. Hammam is essentially a steam bath, followed by a bathing portion. We decided to do the full experience, which included a 20 minute steam, followed by a bathing and body scrub portion where their techs come in to scrub you down. We also got a hot stone massage after. It was such a nice way to relax on vacation.

And if you have the time – and the energy, pay a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. The Museum is the largest archaeological museum in Greece and one of the most important museums in the world devoted to ancient Greek art.