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How to Plan the Perfect Trip to Athens, Greece, According to Travel Experts Like Rick Steves

The ancient Greek city delivers one memorable vacation.

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There’s not much that hasn’t been written about the perks of visiting Athens, Greece. The ancient city has long been a popular travel destination, thanks to its bountiful historical sites, distinct architecture, and oh-so fantastic food. But just because it’s all been said doesn’t mean it isn’t worth repeating. So, we’ll say it one more time: Athens is, without question, one of the world’s greatest travel destinations, especially for those famed attractions. And we’re not the only ones who share this sentiment.

“The Acropolis, one of the most important ancient sites in the Western world, is crowned by an architectural masterpiece: the mighty Parthenon,” Rick Steves told Travel + Leisure . “I visit in the cool of the early evening, when the crowds are gone and the setting sun turns the marble golden.”

But Athens' appeal goes far beyond its history lessons. “Athens has a vibe. The restaurants and bars feel intimate, and visitors can either indulge in the city's vibrant nightlife scene or simply go for a stroll at night — the city is second to none during the evening,” Alys Colayera, the lead travel expert for Greece at Black Tomato, shared with T+L. Colayera also called out the city's shopping scene, noting, "The boutique shops have tons of local artisans selling high-quality Greek crafts, jewelry, and clothing.”

Ready to start plotting your own Athens adventure? Here’s how to plan the perfect trip.

Top 5 Can’t Miss

Don't miss Greece's most recognizable landmark — the Acropolis. Get there early to experience it with fewer crowds.
Spend a night at the Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens, T+L readers' favorite hotel in 2023 World's Best Awards.
Head to Syntagma Square to watch the official changing of the guard every hour on the hour.
Grab a souvenir or a snack in the famed Plaka neighborhood.
Order a coffee at Minu, arguably the coolest cafe in Greece, and then sit in its garden or take it to go to explore the antique shops nearby.

Courtesy of The Four Seasons

Best Hotels and Resorts

Four seasons astir palace hotel athens.

The Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens — a T+L reader favorite in 2023 — holds a prime location along the Athens Riviera, providing ocean views while remaining just a short drive from all the city's major attractions. It also sits on 75 private acres, making it an ideal spot for those looking for a bit of solitude.

Hotel Grande Bretagne, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Athens

“My all-time favorite [hotel] is the Grande Bretagne , a landmark right in the heart of the city that celebrates 150 years of history this year,” said Christos Stergiou , a T+L A-List Advisor and founder of TrueTrips . “From its rooftop restaurant to its elegant lobby and rooms, it epitomizes class and culture.” Plus, it doesn’t hurt that this property is consistently a top choice in T+L’s World’s Best Awards, coming in second for our readers’ favorite hotels in Athens in 2023.

Gatsby Athens

For a truly central stay in the city, there's no better place than the Gatsy Athens . Located right outside the Plaka neighborhood, the property makes for a fantastic home base for those looking to walk just about everywhere in the city. Inside, guests will find a playful space filled with art deco touches and a fantastic food and beverage program. Just don’t miss the guest-only rooftop, which provides spectacular views of the city.

Gautier Houba/Travel + Leisure

Best Things to Do

Visit the acropolis..

As Steves alluded to, no trip to Athens is complete without a visit to the Acropolis . And it’s a sentiment Colayera agrees with. “The Acropolis is the epitome of ancient Greek architecture and a symbol of Athens. It houses several ancient buildings of great architectural and historic significance, the most famous being the Parthenon,” said Colayera. The best time to go is early morning or late evening, when the crowds are thinner, though you should always expect other tourists hanging around. Want to make the most of your visit? Colayera also suggested checking out the Acropolis Museum, home to a collection of artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations of the Acropolis. “The exhibits offer insights into the daily life, rituals, and artistry of the people who lived in Athens during different periods,” Colayera added.

See Hadrian’s Library.

Another fantastic historic landmark to visit while in Athens is Hadrian's Library. The building, built in 132 A.D., was used as an entertainment space, lecture hall, and, yes, an actual library. Today, just a few columns and sections remain, but visitors are welcome to walk through and imagine what used to be. Tickets are only $3 or can be purchased as a combination with the Acropolis.

Watch the changing of the guard at Syntagma Square.

Looking for a fun free activity in the city? Visitors to Athens can watch the changing of the guard in front of the Parliament building at Syntagma Square every hour on the hour. And every Sunday at 11 a.m., the official event takes place in full regalia. Just plan to arrive a little early to snag a front-row seat.

Visit the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

For something a little more new school, head to the National Museum of Contemporary Art . The museum’s mission is to preserve contemporary works by Greek and international artists across disciplines. It includes both permanent and rotating collections, so check its website before going to know what to expect.

Ken Welsh/Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Best Shopping

It’s hard to ignore the Plaka neighborhood of Athens. It is, after all, at the base of the Acropolis. But really, there’s no need to ignore it, especially if you want to go home with a memorable souvenir or two. Explore the area by simply allowing yourself to wander its streets, popping into any shop that catches your eye and perhaps grabbing a frappe along the way on a hot day, too.

Find yourself in one of the city’s most colorful neighborhoods with a visit to Psirri. Located about a 15-minute walk from Plaka, Psirri offers travelers the chance to admire some of the best street art in the world ( book a tour with Kalliopi for the ultimate insider experience), peruse unique stores, step into a few third-wave coffee shops, and eat plenty of local Greek cuisine.

Anthologist

For those seeking an all-around shop, where you can pick up everything from high-end goods to more affordable trinkets curated from around the globe, look no further than Anthologist . The store, owned by travel tastemaker Andria Mitsakos, is a visual paradise, filled with goodies you’ll want to stuff in your suitcase.

RUBEN RAMOS/Getty Images

Best Restaurants

Begin a day in Athens by mixing fantastic food with shopping at Minu , a third-wave coffee shop and boutique. The space is gorgeous — find a back corner to settle into, go all the way up to its loft area, or sit outside on the patio when the weather is right. Order a coffee and a bite to eat (menu items include smoothie bowls, avocado toast, and more).

Enjoy another delicious alfresco meal in Athens at Soil , a sustainably focused, Michelin-starred restaurant. The ingredients here are grown in the chef’s private garden, providing flavors you can’t taste anywhere else. Book a table (preferably outside) and don’t even worry about ordering, as you can opt for the seasonal tasting menu and enjoy every bite.

Don’t leave Athens without digging into some tasty Greek desserts. When I was a child, my Greek grandmother would make loukoumades , so it’s a personal favorite, and in Athens, you can get a taste of the same at Lukumades . Smothered in honey and cinnamon, the dough balls are small enough to pop in your mouth one after another — and you won't be able to stop at just one.

Starcevic/Getty Images

Best Time To Visit

There's no bad time to visit Athens, but according to Steves, the spring shoulder season is particularly lovely. “I was last in Athens in April 2022, and it was a great time to visit. The weather was cool and pleasant, and the city wasn’t crowded,” he said. “It just felt good.” Indeed, both the spring shoulder season (April to mid-June) and the fall (September through October) offer visitors the chance to explore the city in milder weather. Summer is the peak period, and with it comes sweltering temperatures . So, if you don’t tolerate heat (or crowds) well, try to book your stay outside of July and August.

How to Get There

By Air: Travelers from around the world can make their way to Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos). It’s serviced by every major airline, including Delta and American, which offers direct flights from the U.S.

By Sea: Athens is an ultra-popular port for cruises, including MSC Cruises , Crystal Cruises , Seabourn , Royal Caribbean , and more.

How to Get Around

By Rental Car: Rental cars are readily available in the city, at the airport, and at the ferry terminal. Just make sure to book an automatic as early as possible if you can’t drive a manual, as they tend to be in short supply.

By Taxi: Both yellow cabs and Ubers are plentiful around Athens. Simply open the app or hail the next one you see. Prices are about €1 per kilometer .

By Metro: Athens has a robust metro system to get you around the city with ease. There's also a metro line directly to and from the airport. Pick up a rechargeable Ath.ena ticket , which starts at €1.20.

By Foot: Athens is a walkable city. If you enjoy slowly taking in the sights and popping in and out of shops and cafes, this is the way to go. You never know what you may find along the way.

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PLANNING A TRIP TO GREECE

Planning a trip to greece.

Planning a trip to Greece can be both incredibly exciting and completely overwhelming. We’ve done it multiple times and yet each year presents new challenges as we flesh out the best Greece itinerary to include new places to discover and old favourites.

Most people want to include Greek Island hopping but what about Athens and the rest of the mainland? How do get there and then get around? Where are the best places to stay and what are the ideal places to see in Greece? Are there Visa requirements? What about Insurance? How far out should I book? What will the weather be like? What to pack!?

These are just some of the questions you will ask yourself when planning a trip to Greece and here is our planning guide to help you!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate advertising links. This means that if you click through any of the links on this page and decide to make a booking I get a small commission, at no extra no cost to you. This helps fund the running costs of this site.

For heaps of great planning tips and advice make sure you join our Facebook Group too!

Basic Facts about Greece

It consists of 132,000 sq kilometres of land including 227 inhabited islands. The population is just under 11 million people.

The religion is East Orthodoxy ( Christian) , they drive on the right hand side of the road and the calling code is +30.

Passports and Visas

Greece is a member of the European Union and as such all residents of the 26 countries that have signed the Schenghen Agreement do not require a visa.

Other countries such as Singapore, Australia and the USA also do not require one but several countries do. Check the official Government website to be sure.

In 2025 the EU is expected to introduce the requirement for many visitors to complete an ETIAS. Applications are not yet being accepted so keep an eye on the official website .

When is the best time to visit Greece?

We believe there is never a bad time to visit Greece but most people will say the ideal time is May, June, September and October, when the weather is great and it is shoulder season for tourists.

Peak season is July and August and Easter. Orthodox Easter runs for a full week and is the most important holiday of the year. It’s an incredible time to visit with many celebrations across the nation.

More information on this is available here .

How to get to Greece

It is also common for visitors to arrive by sea on both cruise ships and private yachts and charters as well as by train, road and even on foot!

What are the best places in Greece to see

Greece has many incredible destinations and is considered home to some of the most beautiful and interesting sites in the world. There are 18 UNESCO World Heritage Sites with another 16 under consideration.

Most people want to see the Greek Islands and particularly the much-photographed islands of Santorini and Mykonos in the Cyclades Group of islands.There are actually several island groups – the Cyclades , the Dodacannese , the Saronic islands , the Sporades Islands , the Northern Aegean islands and Crete so island hopping in the Greek Islands is popular but does require some research.

Some islands are very romantic and are great for couples whilst others are great for families and many are perfect for solo travellers . Some islands are notorious Party Islands while there are many beautiful lesser-known islands in Greece that really deserve more attention.

There are also some incredible things to see on the mainland including Athens – ancient sites like Delphi and Ancient Olympia as well as places of considerable natural beauty and wonder such as Meteora and Mt Athos . The Peloponnese peninsula is becoming more popular and is thought by many to be the ‘real Greece’.

It is easy to organise your own visit to Greece, using the various tips, links and articles on this website. Some people prefer to have it all organised for them and join tours and that’s fine too.

How many days in Greece do you need?

The fifty million dollar question. Many people will probably say the best length of time to spend in Greece is 3 months, or even FOREVER, but of course that is not viable for most visitors.

We have a number of suggested itineraries for Greece but as a general rule of thumb would say you need the following minimums ;

Greece – 4 days. And you will likely only see Athens and a day trip somewhere else.
Greek Islands – 5 days, which will give you 2 islands.
Athens and islands – 7 days
Crete – 7 days.

Ideal minimum – 2 weeks. Perfect duration 4-6 weeks ( or forever).

Itineraries for Greece

One of the biggest challenges most people face when planning a trip to Greece is landing on the best itinerary. One that maxismises their time, caters to their interests and stays within their budget.

Many first timers will do the Greek Golden Triangle of Athens-Santorini-Mykonos although some may also venture on to popular spots like Crete , Rhodes and Corfu . Then what? With over 220 populated islands and 131,000 km of area there are so many places to go and things to do you can get TOTALLY overwhelmed.

These are some of the itineraries that we suggest and you can also download our FREE 7 DAY itinerary too!

Greek Island Hopping itineraries

3 days in Athens

7 days in Greece

2 weeks in Greece

10 days in Greece

3 weeks in Greece

3 days in Santorini

Athens, Santorini and Mykonos Itinerary

Our favourite guided tours

Transport in Greece

Transport around the country varies and can be at times woefully inadequate or exceptionally good. Whilst private drivers are not as common nor as affordable as in come countries, they do exist. The train and bus network is not as modern or efficient as those in say, France or Italy but the Ferry network is probably the most extensive and effective, in the world.

In Athens taxis drivers, like many cities, can be a bit hit-and-miss so it pays to have the details of a trusted one. For private transfers, we use and recommended these drivers , and if you use the Promo code “GTS” when you book through this link you will receive a further 10% off!

For other transport options to and from Athens airport, read our article HERE.

The ferry network is the most extensive and efficient in the world. For bookings we use Ferryhopper and we invariably hire a car at each destination even if it’s just for a day or two. Driving in Greece , outside the big cities, is relatively easy, especially on the islands. Be sure to have access to some good maps and do not rely on Google!

In some places, especially Santorini, you will see Donkeys available to ride. We urge you to learn more about that and other transport alternatives on the island too.

To fly between destinations, which is often quicker and cheaper than ferries, we use Aegean/Olympic , although sometimes Skyexpress and even Ryanair will be a good choice. Schedules for ferries, trains and planes are often not available until a few months in advance.

Another popular choice of course is sailing and we have a complete sailing the Greek Island guide to get you started. Cruises are also very popular but be warned the big ships go into ports that can get very crowded, many with over 10,000 passengers a day. Do research on Cruise Critic first to get as much information as possible.

Tours in Greece

There are many tours to and around Greece. Some focus solely on Greece whilst other may combine other countries such as Italy or Turkey . Some last only a few hours in a single destination whilst other can be your entire holiday. Some move at a frenetic pace whilst others embrace a slow approach to exploring Greece. Some appeal to young people on a tight budget whilst others appeal to wealthy retirees – and everything in between.

Our preferred Private Transfer guys also do some great trips from Athens and can meet you at your hotel or at Pireaus port. They can customize tours to suit your interests and can cater for groups in their brand new Mercedes vans.

We’ve also partnered with a couple of large tour companies that we believe represent good value and have solid reputations. Tour Radar offer great tours between 2 days and 6 weeks from a number of providers including Busabout, Contiki, Insight Vacations, and Trafalgar.

Get your Guide are great for doing local activities and day trips, including boat trips and food tours.

For a full list of our recommendations see our Tours in Greece article.

Accommodation in Greece

We try and support businesses in Greece that are family owned and run when booking accommodation in Greece . This isn’t always possible but when we do we generally use Booking.com. They often allow free cancellation and have the largest portfolio in the country with everything from B&Bs to All Inclusive resorts.

Greek hotels are famous worldwide for their hospitality and amenities. Many are small family run properties that have been in families for many generations and are quite different to what you may be used to at home. Tariffs almost always include a generous breakfast and many rooms have small kitchens. Laundry is usually inexpensive and it’s great to have a connection with locals who are available 24/7 to organise anything you need including car hire, restaurant bookings and more.

Sometimes it is more convenient to stay in private Villas and apartments, especially if you are a larger group. We recommend Vrbo/Stayz who have a great range of quality properties across Greece.

There is some very unique accommodation in Greece and it can be very special to stay in a converted windmill, fishing hut, cave house or Ottoman Mansion. Even Glamping tents, farms and boats!

Like anywhere the locals appreciate your efforts to learn a few useful phrases of Greek , even if its just the basics like Hello, thank you and Goodbye.

It is a relatively easy language to learn with many Greek words used in English and other languages today. The difficulty of course is in the delivery.

Greek Culture

Without a doubt one of the main things visitors to Greece enjoy the most is the Greek Culture . There are a number of things that make it really stand out including the world-famous Greek Hospitality but there’s also the unique architecture, food , dancing, music and more.

When you return home for the first time, or even if you have visited countless times, you will probably be looking for ways to stay connected to the culture and even explore it further.

We have a lot of resources including a whole page on the Greek Culture as well as a Recipe page , and an article full of reading suggestions , one with our recommended Greek Playlist and another about movies set in Greece as well.

If you’re a history buff then be sure to check out this article on Greek Mythology and where to see the most amazing archeological sites.

What to pack for a holiday in Greece

.First and foremost you need to pack light. When you’re dragging your bag over narrow cobblestones, up and down ferry gangplanks, and putting it in the back of small rental cars you will be VERY glad of this.

I have a small hardcover Lojel bag which I adore -it’s waterproof and takes a beating. I can usually use it as carryon on the planes but it can also expand if I do some shopping and I can then check it in. It has come in handy as both a table and a chair at times too! There are similar ones on Amazon such as the Hanke and Level8 Grace – both with front opening compartments.

There are some wonderful shops in Greece so if you love shopping you can pack mostly essentials and pick up many things there. As I often say they are the inventors of sandals and togas and their shoes and kaftans to this day are gorgeous. There are a LOT of great things to buy !

Things you will need for much of the year are swimwear, sunscreen, insect repellent,light natural fiber dresses/shorts/shirts/tops, toiletries and shoes. There are lots of steps so you need good walking shoes – flipflops/thongs, reef/surf shoes and a pair of sneakers. I usually buy a hat when I get there and give it away when we leave, the same goes for a cheap towel or two. It also pays to have a reusable shopping bag that can double as a beach bag.

Read more about what to pack for Greece including toiletries and electronics in our complete packing guide for women and there is now one for men too.

You may also want things like hairdryers/styling irons, heels, and an evening clutch but I have found these things rarely get used, if ever. Things are casual in Greece, especially in summer. It’s not unusual to see people swim over to dinner from their boats on the islands!

Money in Greece

The official currency of Greece is the Euro . Do not try and pay in other currencies.

Cash is still very much appreciated and credit card facilities in remote areas may be scarce. Legally you must always be given a receipt including and clearly showing, the local taxes.

Tipping is not expected in Greece as Europe does not have a tipping culture. If, however, you would like to tip for great service it is always appreciated. 10% is a respectable amount.

Don’t leave home without insurance!

It’s important to make sure you are covered, not just for medical expenses ( some people may have cover for this with their health insurance in certain countries) but also for lost baggage, flight and ferry delays and cancellations, theft, and emergencies, including something that happens back home while you are away.

Medical treatment in Greece is very good but facilities sometimes are not, so you want to be sure you are covered for the best care in the best clinics and hospitals.

Also, be sure to read the fine print about things such as ‘adventure sports’ which can include ATV and Scooter hire as well as para-sailing and scuba diving. You can often add these at an extra cost but some policies won’t cover them at all.

If you are from the USA we recommend doing a comparison on Travel Insurance Masters.

Stay connected

WiFi is widely available for free throughout Greece. Almost all cafes and tavernas offer it as do hotels, airports and many popular attractions.

Many travellers either choose to buy cheap local ‘burner phones’ on arrival, local SIM cars or use their home carrier. We have a deal with Vodaphone for $5 in many countries including Greece although even this can end up being expensive on a long trip.

Another option is to get an e-SIM. Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travelers access to eSIMs for over 200 countries/regions and visitors can get connected anywhere in the world as soon as they land.

Regardless of which method you use make sure you take note of important contacts and emergency numbers in Greece.

Further reading: Frequently Asked Questions about Greece

(tipping, toilet paper, drivers permits, safety and more)

Start booking your trip now!