How many days should I spend in Athens? This is a question many people ask and largely depends on how long you have available. Not all travelers have a choice on how many days to spend in Athens, cruise ship passengers usually have less than 24 hours to explore the city whilst other travelers might only be able to manage 2 or 3 days due to work commitments or onward travel plans if using Athens as a gateway to do some island hopping.
How Many Days Do I Need to See Athens?
What To See & Do In Athens
Of course, the Acropolis will be at the top of the list for almost all first-time visitors to Athens, I’ve listed the top must-see places so you can simply take a photo of this list on your phone and start at the top, working your way down to see how far you get, or spend some extra time planning and make use of our 1, 2, 3, and 4+ day itineraries for visitors to Athens which mixes up historic sites with scenic streets, and culture vulture activities so that you don’t get overwhelmed or bored by, for example, only spending the day in museums and not getting out on the streets!
- Visit the Acropolis & Acropolis Museum
- Visit the Ancient Agora + Museum
- Visit the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Arch of Hadrian
- Watch the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Square
- People Watch in Plaka
- Explore the Picturesque Streets of Anafiotika
- Visit Monastiraki Square and the Flea Markets
- Visit the National Archaeological Museum
- See the Street Art in Psyri
- Visit Athens Central Market & Feast on the Food
- Enjoy the National Gardens
- Visit the Panathenaic Stadium
- Visit More Museums (there are nearly 100 of them!)
- Take a Tour Outside of the City
- Visit the Suburban Beaches
- Hit the Shopping Streets
How To Spend 1 Day in Athens
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t have the luxury of asking ‘how many days to stay in Athens?’ just make the most of every hour you have available to you.
Top of your list will obviously be a visit to the Acropolis whilst the Acropolis Museum will give you a better understanding of the history and the monuments you’ve just seen. However, with 4 floors to explore, don’t go in ‘blind’ (you’ll find the best exhibitions on the 3rd floor followed by the 1st floor).
If you’re really not a museum person, give it a miss so you can concentrate on the sights, sounds, and smells of the city by visiting Plaka, Monastiraki, and Syntagma Square, alternatively, if you’re a history buff take a look through our 2-day itinerary and switch out the iconic neighborhoods for more archaeological sites such as the temple of Zeus and the Ancient Agora.
- The Acropolis
- Acropolis Museum
- Plaka and Anafiotika Neighbourhoods
- Monastiraki Square and Flea Markets
- Syntagma Square and The Changing of the Guard
Check my easy-to-follow one-day in Athens itinerary to make the most of your time in Athens.
How To Spend 2 Days in Athens
2 days in Athens is long enough to see all the main sights but will leave you wanting to come back to see more which isn’t necessarily a bad thing! To optimize your time, it’s best to book accommodation within walking distance of the historic center, this way you won’t be wasting any time traveling in/out of the city on the metro.
Along with all of the sites and neighborhoods mentioned on day 1, day 2 gives you time to visit:
- Ancient Agora and Agora Museum
- Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Arch of Hadrian
- Watch the Changing Of The Guard
- Visit the National Archaeological Museum
- See the Street Art in Psyri
- Walkthrough the National Garden
- Visit the Panathenaic Stadium
How To Spend 3 Days in Athens
Use your third day in Athens to explore more of Greece by heading out of the capital on a day trip, these can be done on your own or as part of an organized trip with a tour guide. The best day trips from Athens include:
- Delphi – Discover the heart of the classical Greek world and the sacred site of the oracle.
- Meteora – See the stunning clifftop monasteries as well as the hermit caves of Badovas.
- Mycenae / Epidaurus / Nafplion – Take in the scenery along the Saronic Gulf as you journey into the Peloponnese. Mycenae contains the hilltop ruins of a 2nd-century fortified city. Epidaurus was the birthplace of Apollo’s son and a place of ancient healing, today it’s famous for its classical amphitheater. Nafplion, a picturesque Venetian seaside town, was the first capital of modern Greece after the War of Independence.
- Saronic Gulf Islands – Hydra, Poros, and Aegina are the 3 islands closest to Athens, ferries depart regularly from Piraeus with journey times from just under 1 hour.
How To Spend 4+ Days in Athens
If you’re in the city for 4 days or longer you’ll be able to explore all of the above at your leisure whilst also having the time to take in some half-day tours, visit the suburban beaches, enjoy some shopping time, and explore more of the city’s neighborhoods.
- Visit Athens Central Market & Feast On The Food!
(Optional – Join the Original Athens Food Tour)
- Visit more Museums (there are nearly 100 of them!)
- Go Shopping!
- Visit the suburban beaches if visiting in summer
- Explore more of the neighborhoods
- Round off your trip with a Sunset Sounion Tour
Conclusion: How Many Days to Spend in Athens?
As a Greek who was born in Athens and has spent most of her life here, I recommend 3 days. This isn’t based purely on a local point of view, I’ve had a lot of experience showing friends from abroad my home city, and 3 days always seem the perfect amount of time for the first time visitor whether they’re visiting for a city break or are using the city to launch themselves off on a Greek island hopping adventure.
I hope this guide blog post has been useful in helping you decide how many days in Athens are right for you. Check out my other Athens Posts for tons more information and don’t hesitate to ask your Athens-related questions in the comments.