Before you go
- Fly Friday evening. You land just after midnight and have the full weekend ahead of you.
- I stayed at Arion Athens Hotel. Central, affordable, and breakfast is included.
- Bring cash. Most places take card but Diporto is cash only.
- Book the Acropolis in advance. Don't turn up without a ticket.
- Comfortable shoes. The cobblestones, hills and the mountain will all test your footwear.
Looking for flights to Athens? I found a great Friday night deal from London Gatwick. Check out the cheapest option I booked and see if it works for you.
See the Athens flight dealMy Athens itinerary
Every place I actually went, in the order I went. No sponsored spots, no generic lists.
Late arrival
Arion Athens Hotel
Landed after 1am, checked in, dropped the bags. Well located with everything walking distance. Clean, genuinely affordable, and breakfast is included. Exactly what you need when you are arriving late and just want a bed.
Where I stayed
Late night
Falafel Tqu Psyrri, Authentic Oriental Food
First stop after dropping the bags. A falafel wrap at gone midnight. The Psyrri neighbourhood is alive late. Cheap, filling, and genuinely good. Not tourist-priced.
Food stop
Early morning
Monastiraki Flea Market
First proper stop of the morning. Get there before the crowds build. Vendors selling everything from antiques to handmade goods. Great for people-watching and picking up something local without paying tourist prices.
Explore
Morning
Little Kook
I didn't go inside but walked past and had to stop. Completely over-the-top themed decoration spilling out onto the street. Changes theme with the seasons. Even from the outside it's worth the detour. The effort they put into it is wild.
Walk past, worth seeing
Morning
Temple of Hephaestus
One of the best-preserved ancient temples in the world and you don't need a ticket to appreciate it from outside. What made it special were the craftspeople set up around it. Silverwork, ceramics, handcrafted goods. Fascinating to watch people working in the shadow of something 2,500 years old.
Free from outside
Lunch
Diporto, the grandfather's taverna
An old man cooking underneath a big building. You sit down, he brings the food, you eat what you get. No menu, no choices. Just whatever he has made that day. It reminded me of my grandma's cooking. The kind of food that only exists when someone has been doing it their whole life. The experience alone is worth the trip to Athens.
Do not miss. Cash only.
Late afternoon
Mount Lycabettus, sunset
Yes it's a trek. Yes it's worth every single step. Head up in the late afternoon and time it for sunset. The view over the whole city with the Acropolis below you is one of those moments you don't forget. Take water, wear comfortable shoes, and go.
Wear good shoes. Go at sunset.
Dinner
Sarri's Souvlaki
Dinner after the hill. The meat is exceptional. Greek salad, sheftalia plate, all of it. Proper souvlaki done properly. The kind of place where everything on the table is good and the bill doesn't hurt. Highly recommend the sheftalia.
Must order the sheftalia.
Evening
Bougatsadiko Thessaloniki
The best custard pies I have ever eaten, full stop. Famous for a reason. Don't walk past without going in. You will regret it.
Best custard pies in Athens
Evening
Loukoumades
Greek honey doughnuts and a separate stop entirely. Impossible to have just one. Worth every step.
Separate stop. Do not skip.
Early morning
Plaka neighbourhood
Explore this in the morning. The light touching the different coloured buildings gives the neighbourhood a completely different feel to later in the day. Softer, quieter, more beautiful. Walk slowly. Don't rush it.
Go early. Morning light is everything.
Morning
Acropolis and Parthenon
The main event. Book in advance. I booked through Viator and would recommend it for the skip-the-queue access and guided context. Without knowing what you're looking at the Parthenon is impressive. Knowing the history it's extraordinary. Go early before the heat and crowds build.
Skip the queue and go with a guide. Knowing the history makes it extraordinary, not just impressive.
Book via Viator Affiliate link. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.Lunch
Atlantikos, Seafood
Last meal before the airport. You cannot leave Athens without trying the seafood and this is non-negotiable. Atlantikos delivers. Fresh, well-cooked and reasonably priced. The perfect final meal before heading back for the 10:35 flight home.
Last meal. Book a table.
Also walked past and worth seeing from outside: Hadrian's Library, Roman Forum of Athens and Anafiotika in Plaka.
3.5h
flight from London
12
places I visited
Fri to Sun
no annual leave needed
Transparency and disclaimer: The Viator link on this page is an affiliate link. I may earn a small commission if you book through it, at absolutely no extra cost to you. All travel decisions are entirely your own responsibility. This site shares personal experiences only and does not constitute travel advice.