We find that Athens is one of the most interesting, most beautiful and most affordable capitals to visit in Europe! But navigating a new city can be quite tricky sometimes… You may wonder what are the prices? Where should you stay? What are the best things to see? That’s why we made this itinerary to show you how to get the most out of your 3 days in Athens.
During our last trip to Greece, Glenn and I actually spent a small week exploring amazing Athens. We saw so many great things from the ancient times, we ate some delicious Greek food, and we experienced some extraordinary sunsets. It’s safe to say that we absolutely fell in love with Athens!
So we’ve decided to boil our last trip down to just 3 days where we mention the most significant things you have to put on your Athens itinerary – things that are both easy to find and affordable to visit.
So here it is! Our custom-made 3-day itinerary to Athens. Let’s get started!
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Full itinerary: 3 perfect days in Athens
When it comes to Athens, we found that there is something to see around every corner! If it’s not an ancient ruin, then it’s a flea market or a museum. So apart from what’s on this itinerary, you’ll have plenty of extra things to see along the way!
You of course don’t have to follow this itinerary to the fullest – do what feels right to you. This is just our top recommendations for how to spend 3 perfect days in Athens. Let’s begin!
DAY 1 Athens itinerary: Dive into the ancient history
The best way to really understand and appreciate Athens is to dive straight into the ancient history of the city. Did you know that Athens is actually Europe’s oldest capital? Needless to say, it’s one of the most historical cities you can visit on the continent. Read more about what Greece is famous for before your trip.
So if I were you, I would spend the first day of my 3 days in Athens to just take in all the ancient history! And this is the best way to do it.
1. Ancient Agora
The first place you should visit on your trip to Athens is not the Acropolis (we saved this unique place for later) but instead the Ancient Agora. Because this is where it all started – where everything happened in ancient Athens.
The Ancient Agora was the city centre of Athens. It’s where all the important buildings were located, where democracy was born, where all the famous philosophers were hanging out – get my point? The Ancient Agora of Athens is therefore the perfect place to start your exploration of the city.
The area is mostly just ruins now. But if you use your imagination and read the information along the way, then you can easily imagine the greatness of this place.
Yet you can actually find the best preserved temple in Greece here, the Hephaistos Temple, from where you also find some great views over the Ancient Agora. Apart from the ancient ruins and the well-preserved temple, you also have free access to the Ancient Agora Museum, which we can only recommend you to visit if you want to know more about ancient Athens.
So how much does it cost to visit? You can buy the solo entrance for €10, but we recommend you to book the Athens Combined Ticket because it offers free entrance to most of the places we mention in this itinerary (including Acropolis).
If you want to know more about this ticket package, then read our blog post: Athens Combined Ticket Review.
2. Roman Agora
Now that you have seen one of the most important places in ancient Athens, you should continue your archaeological exploration. Next stop is the Roman Agora.
The Roman Agora got its name from the Roman Period in Athens where it used to be a popular public square. It’s a tiny archaeological site compared to the Ancient Agora you just visited, but it’s conveniently located in the city centre and included in the archaeological ticket package.
The most incredible thing to see on this site is the Wind Tower, which is a beautiful (and pretty intact) marble structure that was used to predict weather. How cool is that?!
3. Hadrian’s Library
Right next to the Roman Agora, you’ll find Hadrian’s Library. It’s another small archaeological site in the middle of Athens’ city centre – but it’s still totally worth to visit.
Did you know that Hadrian’s Library used to be the biggest library in all of Athens? Needless to say it was massive. But it wasn’t just used to store books, documents and archives – it was also a place where people studied. A lot of bright minds have spent a lot of time in this library!
So make sure to visit this archaeological site during your 3 days in Athens. It’s easy to find and it’s included in the archaeological combo ticket package.
4. Monastiraki
Now it’s time to take a short break from all the archaeological sites for a while.
Right next to Hadrian’s Library, you’ll find the Monastiraki neighborhood. It’s a busy neighborhood with a big flea market where you can find everything… So if you need a souvenir from Athens, a new dress, or a sun cap – then you’re at the right place!
But make sure to dive into the busy streets of Monastiraki with a positive attitude because it can be quite overwhelming and super crowded during the day.
You’ll also find a beautiful view of Acropolis from Monastiraki Square. So make sure to put that on your Athens itinerary.
Monastiraki is definitely a must see when you’re in Athens, but beware that with the big crowds comes tourist traps, low-quality restaurants, and pickpockets. If you’re hungry at this point, then walk the extra 5 minutes to Psiri Neighborhood, which can be a lot calmer during daytime.
5. Kerameikos
All right, let’s do one more archaeological site today! Now that you’ve visited some of the most touristic places in Athens city centre, we want to share our favorite archaeological site with you (apart from the Acropolis of course) – it’s called Kerameikos.
It’s only about 1 kilometer away from Monastiraki Square, yet there was almost no people at this attraction during our visit! Kerameikos is an ancient burial ground, so you’re basically about to visit the oldest graveyard in Athens – how cool is that?!
The archaeological site is pretty big, there is a museum included, and it’s full of turtles! I mean, this place was just so unexpectedly good – and it’s totally worth to see during your 3 precious days in Athens. So make sure to walk that 1 kilometer out of the city centre and visit Kerameikos. It’s also included in the combined ticket.
When you’re done exploring this interesting place in Athens, it’s time to head back to the city centre to enjoy a lovely Greek meal, and then go to bed early because you have to be fresh for the next big thing on the itinerary!
DAY 2 Athens itinerary: Acropolis & the food
Now let’s begin the second day of your 3 days in Athens. This is the day you want to explore Acropolis! Why? Because by now you’ve seen some great archaeological sites in Athens, but nothing will top the Acropolis – save the best for last!
Acropolis is undoubtedly also the most crowded place you’ll find in all of Athens! Loads of people roll in from cruise ships in several buses… and you of course want to avoid being squished between these massive tour groups, which follow the classic guide-flag like a herd of sheep.
When you’re done with Acropolis, we think you’ll want to move away from ancient ruins for a bit – that’s why we’ve combined this day with a food tour! Now let’s dive into the second day on your Athens itinerary.
1. Acropolis
Acropolis is one of the most incredible ancient wonders of the world, and it’s probably the most popular tourist attraction in all of Greece – so you’ll want to do this right… That’s why we start the day early.
The Acropolis opens at 8 AM. But you want to be at the gate at 7:45. That way, you’ll be among the first people to enter Acropolis. Just buy yourself a take-away coffee or a juice for the wait in the queue, so you’ll enjoy the wait a bit more.
When the gates open at 8 AM, just start walking up the hill. Walk straight to the Parthenon Temple (trust me, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the rest later). This way, Glenn and I actually managed to be the first people on the Acropolis Hill during our trip! And we had a whopping 2 minutes alone at the temple. So incredible!
Between 8-9 AM there are still a decent amount of people at the top of the Acropolis, so just stay up here and enjoy the views over Athens, read about Parthenon, and explore the nearby temples. Oh! And remember to take a couple of pictures.
After 9 AM, the place starts to get really crowded. And at 10 AM, there is even a long line to enter the top of the hill… At least this was our experience. So when the hordes of tourists started to arrive, we began exploring the slopes of Acropolis, which were less crowded.
I won’t dive into the history of Acropolis here because that might take a while… But I hope you see why we urge you to visit this iconic landmark on your second day in Athens, when you have the time to really enjoy it early in the morning. The Acropolis is included in the Combined Ticket Package, but you can also book a Guided Acropolis Tour if that’s more to your liking.
2. A walk in Plaka
When you feel like you’ve spent enough time at the Acropolis, it’s time to explore a new neighborhood – Plaka.
Plaka neighborhood is located right below Acropolis, which makes it perfect to visit after your trip around the iconic hill. Plaka is considered the oldest and most charming neighborhood in Athens, and it’s full of colorful houses, green trees, Greek restaurants and cafés, and tourist shops.
It’s definitely a popular area for tourists, but it somehow doesn’t feel as crowded as Monastiraki. It’s also a car-free zone, so you’ll have plenty of space to wander around.
Plaka is the perfect place to sit down in a café and enjoy a cup of coffee or a cold drink before the next thing on your itinerary in Athens begins.
3. Go on a Food Tour
If you’re going to spend 3 days in Athens, then you’ll have plenty of opportunities to try out the Greek cuisine! However, if you’re a first-timer in Greece, then it can be difficult to navigate in all of the different dishes that the country offers, which aren’t just the “classic” ones.
Such as: Try the Cretan Salad instead of the Greek Salad or try the Fava instead of the Tzatziki.
This is where a food tour comes in! After spending a month in Greece, Glenn and I agree that the Greek food is one of the top reasons why you should visit Greece. It’s just so darn delicious! So take a break from exploring the ancient history of Athens and focus a bit on the food culture.
Check out this Greek Food Discovery Tour if you’re interested in learning more about the food culture in Athens.
4. Watch the sunset from a rooftop bar
Now that your day is coming to an end, it’s time to seek higher ground to watch one of those beautiful sunsets in Athens. There are so many great rooftop bars scattered all over Athens where you can enjoy a cold drink while watching the sunset.
Check out this guide: Best rooftop bars in Athens
If you want an affordable option, then you can visit the rooftop bar at Safestay Athens, which is a hostel we stayed in for a couple of days. The bartender also gave us TOP recommendations for the best local places to eat in the area.
DAY 3 Athens itinerary: Viewpoints & Olympics
You made it to your last day in Athens, and it’s time to head out of the busy city centre and experience some of the other great things to see in the capital.
So on day 3 of your itinerary, I recommend you to find some great viewpoints in Athens, visit the Panathenaic Stadium, and walk past some interesting places.
1. Lycabettus Hill
When you were enjoying the views over Athens from Acropolis, you might have discovered a hill rising above the city – this is Mount Lycabettus. Located only a short walk out of the city centre, you can get some incredible views from the 277 meter high Lycabettus Hill.
It’s free to walk up the hill, and it really isn’t as bad as one would think. The first part of the hike is covered in shadow by the surrounding trees, so it’s only the last bit that’s the tough and sweaty one. Apparently, there is also a funicular that can take you to the top of the hill (although we never managed to find this).
At Lycabettus Hill, you’ll find a restaurant, a church, and some of the best views over the city! So make sure to put this lovely hill on your Athens itinerary.
2. Presidential Palace & National Garden
After you’ve enjoyed the views over Athens from Lycabettus Hill, you should head towards the Presidential Palace. This is where the President of Greece is officially residing. But the real attraction is not the palace itself, but actually the guards protecting the palace!
The Presidential Guard is dressed in a very interesting outfit (notice the iconic shoes), and they walk in a very specific way. It almost looks like they’re taking each step in slow motion. Glenn and I thought it looked quite funny at first, but then we started to think about how hard it must be to stand there for such a long time and walk in that manner… They must be so strong!
We would definitely recommend you to walk past the Presidential Palace in Athens if you want to experience something out of the ordinary. And located right next to the Presidential Palace, you’ll find the National Garden where you can enjoy a walk in the park for free.
3. Panathenaic Stadium
When you reach the end of the National Garden, you’ll find the Panathenaic Stadium. The stadium was built around 330 BC for the Panathenaic Games, and it’s the only stadium in the world to ever be built entirely of marble!
The Panathenaic Stadium was excavated in 1869 and used for the first Modern Olympic Games in 1896. It’s actually known as the birthplace of the Modern Olympic Games, and it’s even home to the Olympic flame! So a visit to the Panathenaic Stadium is also a visit to the history of the Modern Olympic Games. In fact, there is a whole museum full of old pictures from the Olympic Games and you’ll even find all of the torches used to hold the flame over the years.
On top of that, you get to walk among the seats of the stadium where you can find some incredible views over Athens!
Exploring the Panathenaic Stadium was one of our favorite things to do in Athens! So make sure to visit the stadium during your 3 days in Athens. It only costs €5 to enter the stadium, and you even get a free audioguide and access to the museum. Money well spent, we’d say.
4. Olympieion
Only a short walk from the Panathenaic Stadium, you’ll find the Olympieion, which is another archaeological site that’s included in the Athens combo ticket. So make sure to visit this site on your way back to the city centre.
The main attractions of this archaeological site are the remains of the Temple of Zeus and the Roman Baths.
Even though there isn’t much left of the Temple of Zeus, you can still see a couple of massive pillars that are still standing today. These pillars makes it easy to imagine how grand this Greek temple used to be – in fact, it was the largest temple to ever be built in all of Greece!
5. Sunset at Areopagus Hill
When your last day in Athens is slowly coming to an end, you should head towards the Areopagus Hill. It’s located right next to the Acropolis, and it’s probably the most popular place to watch the sunset in Athens. Needless to say, you won’t be alone here…
But please make sure to still go!
This is one of the best places to enjoy the sunset in the city – and we honestly can’t think of a better way to end your 3 days in Athens.
So grab yourself a cold beer, your camera, and some good shoes (the rocks here are a bit slippery), and then head towards Areopagus Hill for your last views of Athens.
How much does this Athens itinerary cost?
So how much does this 3-day Athens itinerary cost?
Well as you can see below, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on activities since it’s pretty affordable to experience the best of Athens on a budget.
Now let’s break down this 3-day activity budget:
- Athens archaeological combo ticket = €36
- Athens food tour = €58
- Panathenaic Stadium entrance = €5
- Walk in neighborhoods of Plaka, Psiri, Monastiraki = All free
- Sunset at rooftop bar = The price of a drink
- Sunset at Areopagus Hill = Free
- Lycabettus Hill = Free
- National Garden = Free
This itinerary costs a total of €99 for one person spending 3 days in Athens. So we think that it’s actually pretty affordable to experience the best activities in Athens! Especially if you compare it to other European capitals.
We definitely recommend you to buy the combo ticket if you want to see many archaeological sites during your visit. Read my in-depth review of the ticket here: Athens Combo Ticket Review.
Where to stay in Athens during your 3 days?
If you only have 3 days to enjoy Athens, then we’d recommend you to stay in the city centre. Find a hotel in the neighborhoods of Psiri, Monastiraki, or Plaka. That way, you can easily walk to all of the attractions in the city.
During our time in Athens, we stayed at 2 hostels named Safestay Hostel and Athens Hub Hostel. Both places were super nice and affordable! Although, we preferred SafeStay because of the rooftop bar at the top.
If you’re not really into staying in hostels, then no need to worry, there are plenty of great hotel options in Athens! In fact, we’ve looked for some of the best and most affordable hotels in Athens for you.
We did all of our research on booking.com because it’s the accommodation platform, which we’ve personally used the most during all of our trips (notice that the prices listed below are always subject to change).
Hotel recommendations in Athens city centre
- Attalos Hotel: Want something affordable but nice? Check out this hotel with a rooftop bar in the heart of the city. Prices start around €85 per night for a double room.
- Mythos Luxury Suites: Want your own apartment? Check out these modern studio apartments in the city centre starting at just €122 per night for two people.
- Electra Metropolis: Want luxury? Check out this 5-star hotel in Athens city centre which offers some of the very best views of Acropolis. Prices start around €260 per night for a double room.
Are 3 days in Athens enough to visit?
Before finishing up this blog post, we though that we should comment on those 3 days – I mean, is it even enough time to see the best of Athens?
Mostly Yes, and a little bit of No.
3 days is enough time to see the top attractions in Athens and to get a really good feel of the Greek capital. But if you want to explore some more neighborhoods in Athens and visit the countless museums in the city, then you definitely need to book some extra nights.
If you follow this itinerary, then you’ll also notice that we haven’t jam-packed it. We have put 4-5 points of interest on the itinerary for each day, and the rest of the time is meant for you to just spend enjoying the pace of the city. Remember to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, try out a glass of Ouzo, eat a Gyros on a random street corner, and talk to some locals (Greek people are very hospitable).
So to sum up, 3 days in Athens are definitely enough to enjoy the highlights of the city!
We hope you got inspired by this 3-day itinerary of Athens – we absolutely love the city, and I hope you will too! We honestly can’t wait to return to Athens and do it all over again… Maybe even throw in some more viewpoints next time.
Don’t hesitate to leave a comment below if you have any questions about this itinerary. We’ll do our best to answer as quickly as possible! We sincerely hope you’ll have a good trip. Thanks for reading and happy travels!
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HI I wanna visit the Acropolis Museum. In which part of your three days destination will you put it? I’ll be arriving in Monastiraki in the afternoon.
Hi Silvia, I hope you’re doing well and had a wonderful trip to Athens! Sorry for the late reply, I would have put it in the itinerary on day 2 after visiting the Acropolis and then skip the food tour.
All the best, Cecilie 😊