Athens, Greece

1. Acropolis Museum

Located in the heart of Athens, designed by architects Bernard Tschumi and Michael Photiadis, and opened in 2009, the Acropolis Museum has three levels of permanent collections in addition to the archaeological excavation at its foundations.

The museum contains the most significant finds from the Acropolis and the surrounding foothills. The Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis on the ground floor houses exhibits from the sanctuaries and everyday objects used by Athenians at the time. The 27-foot-high Archaic Gallery on the first floor hosts majestic sculptures from the first Acropolis temples, while the Parthenon Gallery on the third floor contains relief sculptures from the Parthenon frieze. The massive figures of the two pediments portray the birth of the Athena as she emerges from the head of Zeus as well as the battle between Athena and Poseidon over Attica.

Dionysiou Areopagitou 15, Athens 117 42, Greece

2. Acropolis of Athens

Located on a small hill in the heart of Athens, the Acropolis dominates the city landscape today as it did at the time it was constructed, more than 3,000 years ago.

It is the most complete, and the most famous, monuments of ancient Greece. This ancient citadel stands on the flat top of the hill surrounded by rocky hill slopes. The citadel includes the remains of several buildings of enormous historic and architectural significance, the most important and the most famous being the Parthenon. The Acropolis is surrounded by strong fortification walls built in the 13th century BC, surrounding the residence of the Mycenaean ruler. From the 8th century BC, the Acropolis started acquiring a religious character. As the city became more powerful, more monuments were added, created by the best sculptors of its time. The Acropolis became a symbol of the emergence of the classic art and thought of ancient Greece, a cradle of democracy, theater, philosophy, and freedom of speech.

Athens 105 58, Greece

3. Ancient Agora of Athens

The Ancient Agora of Athens, or the gathering place of classical Athens, is located northwest of the Acropolis between the hill of the Areopagus and the Agoraios Kolonos or Market Hill.

The Agora's original use was as a gathering, commercial, assembly, or residential place. In today’s Athens, the Ancient Agora of Athens is an archaeological site beneath the northwest hillside of the Acropolis. The Agora of Athens continued to be used for more than 5,000 years, with the layers of building, destruction, and rebuilding still visible at the excavation site. It is difficult to comprehend the importance of the agora in ancient Greece from the ruins of today, but two witnesses of its glory still stand today: The Temple of Hephaestus and the Stoa of Attalos.

24 Adrianou, Athens 105 55, Greece

4. Benaki Museum

The Benaki Museum of Greek Culture was originally used to house a collection of over 37,000 Islamic and Byzantine objects donated in 1931 by the Benaki family.

The family also donated the family home to house the collection, an elegant neoclassical-style building near the National Garden and the Hellenic Parliament. Over 9,000 artifacts were added to the collection by the 1970s, enticing additional donations from other sources. The museum building was refurbished in 2000 and today focuses on Greek art from pre-history to modern times. The museum also has a rich, extensive collection of Asian art, hosts occasional exhibitions, and offers restoration and conservation workshops. A collection of Islamic art, Chinese porcelain, and toys that were once part of the original collection are now housed in separate museums.

Koumpari 1, Athens 106 74, Greece, Phone: +30-21-03-67-10-00

5. Byzantine and Christian Museum

The Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens, Greece, was founded in 1914 and is one of the most important museums of Byzantine art in the world.

It houses over 25,000 pieces of art, including collections of frescoes, icons, pictures, scriptures, pottery, manuscripts, fabrics, and copies of original artifacts, covering the period from the 3rd century AD to the Late Middle Ages. The Byzantine and Christian Museum of Athens is one of the most important Greek institutions established to collect, preserve, study, and exhibit Byzantine and post-Byzantine cultural heritage in the Hellenic territory. The exhibition is divided into two main parts: Byzantium from the 4th to 15th centuries with 1,200 artifacts and the exhibition called From Byzantium to the Modern Era, with 1,500 artworks from the 15th to 20th centuries.

Leoforos Vasilissis Sofias 22, Athens 106 75, Greece, Phone: +30-21-07-23-15-70

6. First Cemetery of Athens

The First Cemetery of Athens is both the official and the oldest cemetery of the city of Athens.

Opened in 1837, it soon became a preferred cemetery for both Greeks and foreigners. The cemetery is located in central Athens, behind the Panathinaiko Stadium and Temple of Olympian Zeus. It is a lovely large green space shaded with mature pines and cypresses. There are three churches in the cemetery: The Church of Saint Theodores, a smaller one dedicated to Saint Lazarus, and the Catholic church of Saint Charles.

One of the most prominent people buried in the cemetery is Heinrich Schliemann, whose tomb was designed by Ernst Ziller. Many of the tombs are pieces of art created by prominent sculptors. The cemetery also contains burial areas for Protestants and Jews, but segregation is not compulsory.

Logginou 3, Athens 116 36, Greece, Phone: +30-21-09-22-16-21

7. GB Roof Garden Restaurant and Bar

Located in the iconic luxury 19th century Grande Bretagne hotel in the heart of Athens, GB Roof Garden Restaurant and Bar is a refined, elegant restaurant with absolutely breathtaking views of the Acropolis, the Hellenic Parliament, and Lycabettus Hill.

Having a front row seat of the Acropolis from the open terrace is a perfect background for an early morning breakfast of hot pastries and freshly squeezed juice. The lunch menu is focused on Mediterranean delicacies such as yellow fin tuna tartar with sesame oil, soy sauce, and ginger, followed by a decadent dessert such as velouté chocolate with crispy cacao pearls, gianduja cream, and lemon sauce. At night, when the bright lights of the city spread ahead, enjoy such chef’s specialties as lamb noisettes with couscous and dried fruit, pistachios, and glazed carrots. The two bars make excellent cocktails and have a nice wine selection.

Hotel Grande Bretagne, Vasileos Georgiou A 1, Athens 105 64, Greece, Phone: +30-21-03-33-00-00

8. Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art

Goulandris Museum of Cycladic Art promotes and studies the culture of ancient Aegean and Cyprus with a focus on Cycladic art of the third millennium BC.

Founded in 1986, the museum houses the extensive collection of Cycladic and ancient Greek art belonging to Nicholas and Dolly Goulandris. Pieces from other collectors and institutions have since been added to the collection. The exhibits are divided into three main subjects: Cycladic art from 3200 to 2000 BC, ancient Greek art from 2000 BC to 395 AD, and ancient Cypriot art from 3900 BC to the 6th century AD. The building that houses the museum was built in the heart of Athens in 1985 and was designed by the renowned Greek architect, Ioannis Vikelas. The museum acquired a new wing in 1991 in the neoclassical Stathatos Mansion.

Neofitou Douka 4, Athens 106 74, Greece, Phone: +30-21-07-22-83-21

9. Monastiraki Flea Market

Monastiraki Flea Market, located around the Monastiraki Square in Athens, is one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

It is especially lively on Sundays, particularly on busy, thriving Abyssinia Square. Just about anything is spread on the crowded stalls: Clothes, old books, coins, stamps, furniture, carpets, postcards, decorative objects, memorabilia, and much more. The prices vary widely and bargaining is practically obligatory and indeed part of the fun. One can find everything from junk to antiques and from plastic pearls to real jewelry and precious stones. Knowing the difference is the trick. Not unlike any such market the world over, it is still fun to browse in hope of finding hidden treasures.

Ifestou 2, Athens 105 55, Greece, Phone: +30-69-46-08-61-14