2 Days in Athens Greece: The Ultimate Itinerary
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I built this Athens itinerary in 2020 when my family and I had originally intended to visit Greece. However, due to COVID, it got delayed to September 2021. With the changes due to the pandemic, I had to modify our 2 days in Athens Greece, a bit as I wasn’t sure what the country would be like post-pandemic.
Turns out, it wasn’t too crazy, but I hear that tourism has really kicked back up into high gear now in 2024. I mention this as my pace is usually quite speedy on vacations; however, even though there were fewer people, it being a non-solo trip did slow me down a bit. So please keep that in mind, as you may be able to accomplish more than I did during 2 days in Athens Greece.
⏳ Short on time? My top recommendations for 2 days in Athens Greece include:
🏨 Hotel: Downtown Athens Lofts
💸 Save Money: The Acropolis and 6 Archaeological Sites Combo Ticket includes the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, Aristotle’s School, Hadrian’s Library, and Kerameikos Ancient Cemetery–which covers most of the things on this list.
📲 Must-Have Apps to Use: Maps.me, CityMapper, and Currency Exchange
📺 Movies and TV Shows to Watch Before Visiting: My Life in Ruins, The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, Mamma Mia!
🗣️ Learn a Language: Greek is spoken, though English is highly prevalent in tourist areas
🧳 Tips on Packing: For hostels and how to pack light
💡 Feel like you’ve forgotten something? Learn how to plan a trip on Google Docs and discover 37 things to do before an international trip
How Many Days in Athens?
Before jetting off, you must decide how many days in Athens to spend. Since my family and I were also going to the islands of Rhodes and Santorini, we only spent 2 days in Athens. We came in from different locations within the United States and spent a full day in Athens and then a day on the back end before departing back home.
Would I have liked to spend another day in Athens? Yes, but that’s only because I didn’t get to everything that I wanted to. But I believe that is because I’m so used to solo travel that I didn’t entirely correctly account in my Athens itinerary for how much longer things take when dealing with three other people. Had I been solo, I think 2 days in Athens Greece would have sufficied.
If you do have more time, there are plenty of things to do outside of Athens; for ideas, check out this Greece mainland itinerary.
How to Get to Athens?
Arriving at the Athens airport, we took the bus into the city. It’s super easy and affordable to take the bus into the city center. Depending on where you’re staying, this may not be the best route for you, but if you are staying in the center of Athens, you can take Route X95: Syntagma – Athens Airport.
Syntagma Square is in front of the Parliament (Athens Center). It takes approximately 40 minutes to reach Athens Airport. Bus X95 departs from Syntagma Square (Athens City Center) every 15-20 minutes. On their official website, you can find bus departure times from Syntagma Square and the bus stops along the route to Athens Airport.
From the airport, you can catch the bus from the designated area at the arrivals level between Exit 4 and 5. Depending on the route, the buses leave every 30 to 60 minutes.
Tickets are available from the bus drivers, from the ticket kiosk at the bus departure area, and from all the metro stations around Athens. There are only one-way tickets, which cost €6, and half-price tickets are available for people older than 65 years when showing their ID.
Now, if buses aren’t you’re thing or you just have a large party, you can take a taxi to the airport or from the airport. We did this on our return to the airport because we didn’t want to lug our luggage back to the bus stop and were advised against the metro by locals due to pickpockets. The taxi was about €40 by my recollection, which was €10 per person for us. After the long trip, my family was content with this as it made it easier on us logistically after our 2 Days in Athens Greece.
Building Your Athens Itinerary
Now that we’ve sorted out how many days in Athens and how to get there, it’s time to build your Athens itinerary. As a reminder, I do think if I’d been on a solo trip or with my primary travel buddy I met in Spain shortly after this trip, I would have been able to accomplish a lot more. So keep that in mind as you go through this 2 days in Athens Greece guide.
The Acropolis
Our first full day began at the Acropolis, Athens’s most prominent feature and probably its most famous piece of architecture. My top tip for the Acropolis is to get there the minute it opens in the morning to avoid the crowds. We walked to it from our hotel, and let me tell you, it’s a bit of an uphill walk!
A note if you or someone in your party has trouble with walking or mobility in general. Rather than walking up the whole way to the Acropolis, there is an elevator they have installed for those with issues. Once you’re past the ticket booth, it’s easy enough to spot it. My mother and aunt used the elevator as she’d just had knee surgery not too long before this trip.
When you visit the Acropolis, you actually get to see half a dozen or so sites within the complex: the Propylaea (the entrance to the site), the Theatre of Dionysos, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, the Erechtheion, the Temple of Athena Nike and of course, the Parthenon.
The Theatre of Dionysus Eleuthereus is a major theatre in Athens, considered to be the world’s first theatre, built at the foot of the Athenian Acropolis. The Odeon of Herodes Atticus is a stone Roman theater structure located on the southwest slope of the Acropolis of Athens, Greece. The building was completed in 161 AD and then renovated in 1950.
Acropolis Tickets and Audio Guide
We spent about two hours exploring the Acropolis while listening to Rick Steve’s free audio guide. His site has a “Listen” section where you can listen, download, or view a map of his commentary.
Because we’d purchased the “Acropolis and 6 Archaeological Sites Combo Ticket” off Get Your Guide, we didn’t have a tour guide at this location, so the free audio guide was a great way to supplement the combo ticket. I’d advise downloading his commentary before visiting, just in case you have trouble with Wi-Fi while there.
The combined ticket includes the Acropolis, Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, Aristotle’s School, Hadrian’s Library, and Kerameikos Ancient Cemetery. It was a great addition to our Athens itinerary, as it was a one-stop shop for most of the things on our 2 Days in Athens Greece list.
Book Activities & Tours:
The Acropolis Museum
Before you get confused like I was, the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum are separate entities, and your Acropolis ticket does not also cover the museum. It is a separate ticket of €10 or €15, depending on when you visit.
They do have a few free admission days to note on your Athens itinerary, such as 6 March (Melina Mercouri Day), 25 March (National holiday), 18 May (International Day of Museums), and 28 October (National holiday).
From the Acropolis, we walked down to the Acropolis Museum. We probably could have taken a taxi or something else, but it wasn’t too bad of a walk, being that it was all downhill for less an half a mile.
I really enjoyed visiting the Acropolis Museum after seeing the Acropolis because it provided context for what we had just seen. The museum offers an audio guide that assists you in discovering the hidden stories behind sixty of its masterpieces, which are spread over multiple floors.
To get this audio guide, connect to the Museum Wi-Fi, then scan a QR code at the Museum’s entrance or Ticket Desk. Then follow the numbered exhibits (1-60) and select the corresponding number from the list on your screen to hear the story in Greek or English. Please note that you must bring your own headphones to listen in.
We spent about two hours visiting the Acropolis Museum and learned a lot about the Acropolis, Athens, and Greek history as a whole. Don’t forget to visit the area under the museum, as there are ruins beneath!
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Fish Spa Treatment
Something I didn’t plan on having on my Athens itinerary was going to a fish spa treatment! On our way to the Library of Hadrian, my mom saw it and really wanted to give it a try. Honestly, I wasn’t too keen on the idea. However, my other relatives weren’t relenting, so it fell on me to do it with her.
It felt weird having little fishes gnawing on your feet, but it didn’t hurt at all. I also don’t know what it really helped either, so there is that.
While it was an interesting experience and something I’m doubtful I’ll repeat, I wanted to mention it here nonetheless. However, you can 100% skip this on your Athens itinerary if you want to.
The Library of Hadrian
After spending most of the day at the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum, we visited the Library of Hadrian. It was included with our combined ticket we had gotten through Get Your Guide, but had it not been, I don’t think we would have visited as there’s not much to see here.
Hadrian’s Library was created by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132 on the north side of the Acropolis of Athens. But nearly 2,000 years later, there isn’t much left of it. I had noted down an hour for this experience, but I think we stayed a total of 20 minutes in the end, and that was mostly me being OCD and taking pictures of everything, even though there wasn’t much to photograph.
So, if you’re looking for something to skip during your 2 Days in Athens Greece itinerary, this is it.
The Ancient Agora
We began our second day in Athens at the Ancient Agora. Something to immediately point out is that the Ancient Agora is a large place! I had no idea it was a 30-acre outdoor archeological site. Because of this, I wound up rushing my family along when I would have preferred not to. However, we had to make our flight to Rhodes, so I had no choice. If I had to do it again, I’d spend a whole 3-4 hours during my 2 days in Athens Greece trip.
The Ancient Agora is the best-known example of an ancient Greek agora. An agora, meaning “market,” was a central public space in ancient Greek city-states. Its initial use was as a commercial, assembly, or residential gathering place.
The Ancient Agora was also part of our Get Your Guide “Acropolis and 6 Archaeological Sites Combo Ticket.” We spent about 2 hours exploring different parts of the Ancient Agora, such as the Temple of Hephaestus, the Stoa Of Attalos, the Agora Museum, and the Odeon of Agrippa.
Once again, you can use the wonderful Rick Steve’s free audio guide for commentary. From his site, under the “Listen” section, you can listen, download, or view a map. I highly recommend the map as it’ll guide you where to go along the route. Otherwise, you may get lost while listening as it follows a specific path. I’d advise downloading his commentary before visiting, just in case you have trouble with Wi-Fi while at the Ancient Agora.
Book Activities & Tours:
Shopping in Athens
My family loves to shop—I do not. But in an effort to accommodate everyone’s interests, I added two markets near our hotel to our Athens itinerary. There are actually quite a few of these markets centrally located, so if this is up your alley, then you’re in luck!
Monastiraki Flea Market
There’s an ‘Athens Flea Market’ sign that hangs at the entrance of Ifestou Street. Here, you’ll find handmade sandals, clothes, souvenirs, and second-hand items. Be prepared to bargain, which is fun for you shopaholics, LOL! You can also find souvenirs and street vendors selling vegetables and local delicacies.
The antique market at Avissinias Square
The antique market at Avissinias Square was much more my family’s vibe so it was a must on my Athens itinerary. It’s where many of us picked up unique souvenirs. I got some buttons for a pair of shorts, as I’d been wanting to replace the plastic ones, and my aunt got a snake ring.
Located between Ifestou Street and Ermou Street, Avissinias Square has been hosting an antique flea market for over 100 years. Every weekend, vendors set up their stalls at around 5 am, filling them with vintage knick-knacks that make great items to take home.
Additional Things to Do During 2 Days in Athens Greece
As I mentioned earlier, I didn’t cover as much ground as I wished I had during my family’s 2 days in Athens Greece. So, I’m listing below the things I had on my Athens itinerary that I had hoped to see but unfortunately didn’t. If you do check one or more of them out, feel free to comment below how it went! There are so many things to do in Athens that I’m dying to do on another trip.
1. National Archaeological Museum – Houses some of the most important artifacts from various archaeological locations around Greece from prehistory to late antiquity. It is considered one of the greatest museums in the world and contains the richest collection of artifacts from Greek antiquity worldwide.
2. Temple of Olympian Zeus — Also known as the Olympieion or Columns of the Olympian Zeus, this is a former colossal temple in the center of the Greek capital, Athens. Also covered by the Get Your Guide pass.
3. The National Garden — Encloses some ancient ruins, tambourines, Corinthian capitals of columns, mosaics, and other features. On the Southeast side are the busts of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first governor of Greece, and of Jean-Gabriel Eynard. On the South side are the busts of the celebrated Greek poets Dionysios Solomos, author of the Greek National Hymn, and Aristotelis Valaoritis.
4. Lykavittos Hill Funicular — A cable car that takes you up the mountain. Get there in time to see a gorgeous sunset.
Places to Eat in Athens
Unfortunately, I don’t recall many of the places we ate at during our 2 Days in Athens Greece, but I’ve listed those I do recall below for your Athens itinerary.
iFeel Brunch Restaurant
One place that we actually went to on at least two occasions, if not three, was the iFeel Brunch Restaurant. Our hotel recommended it as a nearby place to grab breakfast. As I was traveling with two vegetarians, one gluten-intolerant, and one who doesn’t like fish, it was always a bit tough finding a location we all liked, so that fact we returned really says just how wonderful it is!
White Rabbit
Right next door to our hotel was the White Rabbit. After arriving in Athens and checking in, it was our first stop to grab some drinks and celebrate. It’s got a whimsical and colorful vibe that gives ‘flowery treehouse.’ If that sounds like your vibe, definitely add it to your Athens itinerary. The drinks were great, and I’d highly recommend visiting during your 2 Days in Athens Greece.
Update: It appears this bar may now be closed.
Little Kook
Another quirky place that was near our hotel was Little Kook. We passed it on the way to the Acropolis and other attractions and couldn’t help but notice it from all the decorations. They seem to change them out regularly, as when we arrived, it was Peter Pan themed, then after returning from Santorini, it was Halloween. We wound up getting ice cream here during our trip and enjoyed it. It is very touristy, though, so if that’s not your vibe, I recommend skipping this on your Athens itinerary.
Where to Stay with a View of the Acropolis?
I’ve mentioned our hotel quite a few times now during this 2 Days in Athens Greece itinerary, so I figured I’d do a mini-review of the Downtown Athens Lofts. Upon arrival, we were given the ground-level room, which, if I recall correctly, was the Family Loft (Gaia). We really enjoyed this loft, except for the noise at night. There are several bars and clubs in this area, and all the noise seeped in as it was just on the other side of our walls.
When returning from Santorini, we were given the Family Loft (Greco) after discussing the noise issue with the hotel representative. They were kind enough to move us up a few floors so that the noise was less of an issue.
Both lofts were clean, had comfy beds, and were overall lovely except for the noise in the first one. What I really love about this location is the view of the Acropolis, which you can see from some of the lofts. We couldn’t from the first one since it was ground level, but the second one had a view.
Hotel guests were also allowed access to the roof where there was even a more spectacular view. Tables and chairs were set out on the roof, and it made it a nice place to mingle with other hotel guests.
Want to explore what other neighborhoods have on offer? Check out this where to stay in Athens post.
Click here for the latest prices.
Address: 13 Lepeniotou, Athens 105 54
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Girll.. you’re whole comment on the difference when you travel solo and with a group of people … I totally get you! I’m travelling and making an itinerary for 14 people right now so I’m trying to be mindful about the pace lol.
Oh, girl… I wish you all the good luck in the world! I only had 4 people. I cannot imagine 14! Let me know if you have any questions, and I’ll do my darndest to help ya out!