Last April, I spent 4 days in the Greek capital: Athens. This city had attracted me for a long time, it had been on my to-do list for years, I was eager to discover the acropolis with my own eyes, so rich in ancient and archaeological history, Athens is truly an open-air museum.
How to get to Athens and where to stay?
From Paris, I took the Transavia company, the round trip cost me about a hundred euros by booking in January for the month of April. From the airport, you have a train (line 3) that will take you directly to Monastiraki Square, located in the heart of the city in about 50 minutes, for 9€ each way. Be careful with the round trip airport ticket, which is only valid if used within 48 hours. There is a 3-day pass, including a round trip to the airport for 20€, but this is only interesting if you plan to stay less than 3 days in the capital.
Regarding accommodation, I advise you to take accommodation in the district of Monastiraki/Plaka, Psyricentral enough to allow you to do everything on foot.
I stayed at the hotel Ciel Living Athenslocated right next to Monastiraki Square. I loved having a central hotel, so I could come back whenever I wanted to rest, change, the hotel also has a large 360° rooftop, with a breathtaking view of the Acropolis. Even if you are not staying at the hotel, you can come and have a drink there for the sunset, you will not regret it!
What to do in Athens?
Acropolis: To visit the Acropolis, I advise you to book a visit early in the morning, when it opens. There will be fewer people and also depending on the season, it will not be too hot yet. I loved walking around this place so rich in history, visiting the temples, including the Temple of Athena Nike and the incredible Parthenon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. I booked my ticket on GetYourGuidebefore my trip. The ticket gives you access to the 7 archaeological sites present throughout the city, for €36.
Agora of Athens, Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Olympieion, Kerameikos, Lykeion : As you walk around the city, you can easily enter the archaeological sites with your combined ticket. The sites are open-air.
Anaphyotika : My favorite neighborhood in Athens. Located in the heights, it has the air of a village like you can find on the Greek islands. Here, it is calm, the streets are narrow, and you can enjoy the panoramic view of the city. I loved walking there and taking pictures in the morning.
Plaka : the tourist district of Athens, a typical district with pretty little streets, restaurants & bars. It is in this district that the Hadrian’s Library and the Roman Agora are located.
Psyri : I loved the Psyri district, with its antique shops, second-hand shops, its trendy little places, its coffee shops, it is also the place to go out in the evening in Athens. It is a very arty district.
Piraeus / Mikrolimano : Piraeus is the main port of Athens, I recommend you to go there by public transport, bus or metro (line 1 from Monastiraki), it is not of great interest, unlike Microlimanothe “small port” of Athens, which has much more charm. There is a promenade, which will take you to the beaches on the coast, or you can also do it by bus because the distance is still quite long.
Kalamaki beach : a beautiful sandy beach. From Syntagma Square, it will take you about 45 minutes by tram, bus or metro to reach the beaches of southern Athens
Bolivar Beach Club : Located on Kalamaki beach, the Bolivar beach club / bar is a great spot to have a drink with your feet in the sand and music. I only stayed there for a few hours, but I think the spot must be super cool at the end of the day, after the beach for the sunset for example!
National Garden : If you are looking for greenery, I recommend you to go for a walk in the National Garden park, a coffee in hand. In the morning, it is very pleasant and there are still few people. It is calm, we appreciate the moment, we can sit on a small bench. I loved it!
Have a drink on a rooftop to admire the Acropolis at sunset: If you are looking for a rooftop to enjoy a view of the Acropolis, I recommend you to stay near Monastiraki Square. The rooftop of my hotel, Ciel Living Athensoffers a 360° view of the city as well as the Acropolis. At sunset, it is simply magical. Another cocktail bar that I tested, A for Athensit is a hotel but you can access the rooftop for a drink or dinner, with a breathtaking view of Monastiraki Square and the Acropolis.
Where to see the sunset : to admire the most beautiful sunset over Athens, climb the hill of the Philopappous monument or Mount Lycabettus.
Cafes & Restaurants:
Picky : a coffee shop / brunch located in the Psyri district, the terrace is very pleasant and there is a superb indoor tree-lined terrace.
📍 Picky, Christokopidou 14, Athens
Holy Llama : for a takeaway coffee or breakfast, it’s a “creative” and vegan bakery.
📍 Holy Llama, Nikis 23, Athens
Minu : an address that I had spotted before my departure, located in a concept store in the Psyri district, this very green coffee shop / restaurant is a real little haven of peace. There is also an outdoor terrace, the food is good there, I loved this address.
📍 Minu: N Sarri 50, Athens
DaVinci : for a small ice cream in the center of Athens
📍 DaVinci, Adrianou 50, Athens
COOKooMÈLA : If you are looking for a Veggie Souvlaki address, Cookoomela is the place to go! We eat on the go, or to take away.
📍COOKooMÈLA: Themistokleous 43-45, Athens
Wanna Flirt? : another small coffee shop in the Psyri district, with a superb iced matcha latte. They also make avocado toast which looks incredible!
📍 Wanna Flirt? Mikonos 12, Athens
The Clumsies : one of the best cocktail bars in the world, I had already heard of The Clumsies, I couldn’t wait to discover their cocktail menu. Subdued atmosphere, original and offbeat cocktail menu, and let’s not talk about the cocktails which are all incredibly original. I went for a coffee-based cocktail, “Spilling the coffee”, rum, cold brew, kombucha, mango, I can say that it’s one of the best cocktails I’ve ever drunk in my life.
📍 The Clumsies: Praxitelous 30, Athens
Aυλή Ψυρρή : a typical address, still little known to tourists, the place is unassuming, don’t be afraid to go through the door onto the street, you won’t regret it! Located in the Psyri district, here, you eat local and homemade cuisine. I still advise you to go there quite early because there are not many tables. The place is in its own juice, one of the addresses that I preferred!
📍 Αυλή Ψυρρή: Αγίου Δημητρίου 12, Athens
Third Place : small coffee shop with a very industrial and arty style, I loved the decor. It is located between the Plaza & Psyri districts. Ideal for having a coffee before going to visit the Acropolis.
📍 Third Place, Apollonos 23Β, Athens
Platanos Tavern : located on a small tree-lined square, in the shade of the hustle and bustle of the main streets, a typical Greek restaurant.
📍Taverna Platoons, Diogenous 4, Athens
Ohh Boy : a cozy place, to have a coffee or a quick lunch. I had breakfast/brunch after my visit to the National Garden, I loved walking around this slightly more out-of-the-way and more modern neighborhood.
📍 Ohh Boy, Archelaou 32, Athens
As you will have understood, I had a real crush on the Greek capital: Athens, an open-air museum, which is full of small coffee shops as I like, the food is incredible and there is so much to visit! These 4 days allowed me to live the slow life as I imagined it, April is in my opinion the ideal time to visit the city, before the hustle and bustle and the strong summer heat. Do you know Athens? xx
