Athens: a 3-day plan and the best time to go

The best time to go

The most comfortable months for walking about are April, May, September and October: mild days and less rain. The warmest month is July, at about 90°F (32°C) in the afternoon. The wettest is December.

1. Jan54°66 mm
2. Feb55°58 mm
3. Mar60°53 mm
4. Apr66°30 mm
5. May76°21 mm
6. Jun86°19 mm
7. Jul90°11 mm
8. Aug90°8 mm
9. Sep82°29 mm
10. Oct73°49 mm
11. Nov64°69 mm
12. Dec56°86 mm

Bars show the typical night-time low to daytime high; the numbers are daytime highs in °F and rain in millimetres for the month. Averages for 2001–2020 from NASA POWER, so a given year can be warmer, colder or wetter.

Three days in Athens

Written with AI from public facts about Athens, then checked by Sureno's rules. Opening times and prices change: check them before you go.

Day 1 Ancient Athens

Morning

Acropolis

Visit the hilltop ruins at a comfortable pace and take breaks as needed.

Afternoon

Acropolis Museum

Makrygianni

Explore finds from the Acropolis in a modern museum nearby.

Evening

Plaka tavernas

Plaka

Choose a nearby taverna for a relaxed Greek meal among old-town lanes.

Day 2 Old town and views

Morning

Anafiotika

Plaka

Wander its quiet lanes and whitewashed houses at an easy pace.

Afternoon

Ancient Agora

Monastiraki

See the ruins and the Temple of Hephaestus in a broad, historic site.

Evening

Monastiraki Square

Monastiraki

Enjoy dinner near the lively square, with plenty of places to choose from.

Day 3 A greener finale

Morning

National Garden

Syntagma

Take a gentle stroll through shaded paths and gardens near central Athens.

Afternoon

Mount Lycabettus

Kolonaki

Take in a broad view over Athens; check access and choose a suitable route.

Evening

Kolonaki restaurants

Kolonaki

Have an unhurried final meal in this central neighbourhood.

What to eat

• Try Greek classics such as souvlaki, moussaka, grilled fish and meze.

Getting there

• Fly into Athens International (ATH).
• From New York: about 9 h 59 min in the air, non-stop (a straight-line estimate; real routes take longer).
• From Los Angeles: about 13 h 44 min in the air, non-stop (a straight-line estimate; real routes take longer).
• From London: about 3 h 30 min in the air, non-stop (a straight-line estimate; real routes take longer).
• Use taxis or public transport for longer distances, and plan short walks between nearby sights. Athens has hills and uneven paving, so allow extra time.
• Check official Greek entry rules before travelling.
• Spring and autumn are often comfortable times to visit; wear supportive shoes for uneven paths.

Plan the flight from your city

Where to stay

• PlakaIt is close to major historic sights and has many places to eat.
• SyntagmaIt is central, with transport connections and easy access to the National Garden.
• KoukakiIt is near the Acropolis Museum and has a relaxed local feel.

The official Athens tourism siteWhere to sleep, on Wikivoyage

About Athens

Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica region and is the southernmost capital on the European mainland. With its urban area's population numbering over 3.6 million, it is the eighth-largest urban area in the European Union (EU). The Municipality of Athens, which constitutes a small administrative unit of the entire urban area, had a population of 643,452 in 2021, within its official limits, and a land area of 38.96 square kilometres. Athens joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Ci…

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

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