Day 3: Athens tourist places: Route through the best known places in Athens
Today we are going to focus the day on knowing some of the Athens tourist places making a route that will take us, in addition to some of the most emblematic neighborhoods of the city, such as Plaka, Monastiraki or Anafiotika, through some places we visited yesterday, after visiting the Acropolis of Athens.
It is time to get up early, something that will become a regular on this trip to Greece in 32 days, when it is 8 am and after working a couple of hours, leave the Phaedra Hotel, our accommodation in Athens these days , looking for a good place to have breakfast.
Given that the restaurants in this area of Athens open very soon, we could have chosen any of those around the hotel, but finally we decided on the Pantheon Cafe, where we were also yesterday and where we ordered a couple of coffees and 2 pastas for 7.20 euros, which we enjoy with unique views of Plaka and the atmosphere that gives us the awakening of the city.
As we have said today we want to dedicate it to visit some of the Athens tourist places that yesterday we could not know, in addition to going back to some that we already knew, and we will follow an itinerary that we have seen in the Lonely Planet guide of Greece and that we believe is perfect to know in addition to these places some of the most Famous city like Plaka, Monastiraki or Anafiotika.
Route through the tourist places of Athens
- Keep in mind that this route can be done perfectly on foot, since there are not many kilometers, like the rest of visits in Athens, which are very close to each other, although if you want to make the visits in a more comfortable way, You can choose to take the Athens Tourist Bus, which stops at all the tourist places in the city.
- The approximate time, making stops, can be one morning, not including the interior visit to the tourist places of Athens like Acropolis, Roman Agora, Ancient Agora ... etc
- In case you want to make the visits, minimum would take you a full day, although it would be ideal to make the visits and the tour in a day and a half or two days.
- We believe that this route is perfect for a day in Athens, including visits or as a walk through tourist places, combined with points of less interest, in addition to the city's best known neighborhoods, as we have done.
- Another option, with which you can learn all the history of places and the city, is to make this guided tour of Athens, or the guided tour of Athens plus the Acropolis Museum, with a guide in Spanish.
This route starts at Syntagma Square, where we were the first day after going from the airport to the center of Athens, where besides seeing the Parliament building, we recommend you approach the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where every hour, the changing of the guard takes place.
Syntagma Square
From there and when a few minutes past 9 in the morning, we approach the Temple of Zeus, which is the next stop on this route by Athens tourist places, where yesterday we did not pass.
Temple of Zeus
- The ticket has a price of 4 euros, but is included in the general entrance of 30 euros.
- The schedule is from 8 to 17:30 from November to May and until 19:30 from June to October.
- The visit lasts approximately 30 minutes and although it can be seen from the outside quite well, we recommend you access the interior of the archaeological site, since the perspective is really incredible.
- Keep in mind that if it is hot, there are not many places to shelter, so it is worthwhile to bring a hat and a protector, as well as water.
- In the lockers there are no bathroom services not of water machines, so it is interesting to buy them outside.
Temple of Zeus
The Temple of Zeus also stands out for its location, for its incredible Corinthian columns, which are still preserved and which can still be seen as a lying, after falling during a storm in 1852.
Temple of Zeus, one of the tourist places of Athens
Right next to the Temple of Zeus, is the Adriano's Arch, another of the places to see in Athens, where it is advisable to make a brief stop.
An interesting option to get to know the legends of the city and that leaves from this temple is to book this free mythological tour of Athens for free!
Adriano's Arch
The next stop on the route through the Athens tourist places is none other than the Panathenaic Stadium, another of the essential places to visit in Athens, which is another of the places you cannot miss in Athens in Greece for free.
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- The price of the ticket is 5 euros and is not included in the general entrance of 30 euros.
- As happens in other places of interest in Athens, from the outside you have a practically complete perspective of the Panathenaic Stadium, so in our case, we decided to make the visit only from the outside, since with the high temperatures, no We want to visit the stands in full sun.
- The visit does not last more than 30 minutes.
Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium was restored as an exact replica of the old stadium, to house the first Olympic games of the modern era.
Panathenaic Stadium
Something to keep in mind and that is surprising us a lot, is that most of Athens tourist places They are very close to each other, so public transport could say that it is not necessary to do any of the routes we are doing.
After the visit to the Panathenaic Stadium, the next stop we make is at the National Gardens that we cross taking advantage of the shadow that he gives us at this time of day, when they pass already at 10 in the morning and already exceed 30 degrees.
National Gardens
The entrance to the National Gardens is free and although we believe that they are not an essential visit, if we consider it a good shortcut to make the next visit of the day, it also offers the possibility of resting in one of the green lungs of the city .
More practical information to prepare your trip to Athens
- 10 essential places to visit in Athens
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After a while of rest, we reach the roman baths, located very close to the National Gardens, where we make a brief stop, to then follow the route through the Athens tourist places, coming back to the city center.
Roman Baths
We are very close to the hotel again, so we deviate a little to get closer to the Lantern of Lisícrates, located in the old Street of the Tripods, a little street full of charm, and known for being the oldest place with Corinthian capitals.
Lantern of Lisícrates
Tripod Street
From here we follow the route until we reach the St. George's Church, from where we also have incredible views of the Acropolis area and where it is a joy to walk, especially for the calm and relaxed atmosphere that is breathed.
St. George's Church
You could say that the Church of San Jorge is the gateway to the Anafiotika neighborhood, another of the Athens tourist places, a network of small streets of white houses, which is a haven of peace full of restaurants and traditional taverns, where we highly recommend walking, without a map and without a fixed direction, only with the idea of wandering around and enjoying the place.
Anaphyiotika
From here and without looking for it, we arrive at Mnisiklesus Street, a small street with stairs, full of charming and lively taverns, which has become one of the favorite places of locals and tourists to have a drink and escape a little from the chaos of the city.
Mnisiklesus street
We follow the route to the ancient University of Athens, where after taking some photos in this area, very interesting and with a much less touristy and much more artistic environment, where to find street art in many of its corners, we return to resume the planning we have of the day, being almost 1 Noon, approaching the area of the Ancient Agora, where we were yesterday morning.
Ancient University of Athens
We make a brief stop at Turkish baths, where we can only see the access door and take the moment to take some more photos of the Acropolis from this area, which we have to say looks spectacular, and then start looking for a place to eat.
Turkish baths
We decided on Efcharis, another of the most recommended Greek restaurants in the area, where we ordered an eggplant salad, cheese croquettes, fried squid and skordalia, plus a glass of wine and two coffees for 35 euros, which we have to confess , They know us to glory!
Eating in Efcharis
After lunch, we take the opportunity to take a walk around Monastiraki and Plaka and finish the route through the Athens tourist places, going through the Adriano's library and the Monastiraki Market, until you reach the Athens Cathedral, another of the places we recommend not to get lost in the city.
Athens Cathedral
Seeing that temperatures exceed 33 degrees and being in the Plaka neighborhood, we decided to go to Phaedra Hotel to take a shower and rest for a while, something we have to say, it is great after the early rises we are giving ourselves and for what It is perfect to have a central hotel like the one we have chosen for these days in Athens.
After this technical stop and when a few minutes past 5 pm we return to the streets of Athens, first to stop at a cafeteria, where we cool off with an ice coffee and a beer for 7 euros, which allow us for a good time to observe the environment and confirm that in Athens, the culture of the terraces is very established and is something that is used to the fullest, being full as soon as the sun begins to fall and the temperatures to cool.
From here and when it is 6 pm we make our way to Lycabettus mount, which is one of the places from which we have read there are better views of Athens, as well as one of the best sunsets in the city.
Sunset on Mount Lycabettus
- Although we cannot say that Mount Lycabettus is very far from the center of Athens, it is about 2 kilometers away, we must bear in mind that the last section is a fairly strong slope, so if you do not want to make many efforts or go with Just the right time, it is interesting to assess the public transport option to reach the base of the mountain.
It takes almost 45 minutes from Plaka to reach the base, the place where the cable car is located.
- Once you are at the base, you can walk up to the viewpoint or opt for the cable car. In our case we have opted for the second option, much more comfortable and much less tired.
- The price of the cable car is 7.5 euros per person and route. Our initial idea was to get on the cable car and walk down, but in the end we did not do it, since when we go to see the sunset, it is immediately done at night and the descent is not very well lit, so it is appreciated to get off New in cable car.
Cable car of Mount Lycabettus
- After the experience we recommend you arrive at Mount Lycabettus with just over an hour before sunset, to enjoy the views before sunset and then as you hide in the horizon.
- Although there are usually enough people, it is not overwhelming or much less and you can enjoy the place with tranquility.
Views of Athens from Mount Lycabettus
- After watching the sunset from three different points, we have to say that for us, the views from Mount Lycabettus are the best, since in addition to having a unique perspective of the city, you can see the Acropolis in all its splendor .
Sunset on Mount Lycabettus
- Keep in mind that in the viewpoint area, there are 3 restaurants where you can have dinner or drink. Although they may seem very touristy, we have dinner at the Grill Licabetus, feta cheese with sesame and honey, a plate of grilled chicken plus a glass of wine and water for 25 euros, which we have to say, are more than correct and save us from Having to find a place after dinner.
Dinner at Grill Licabetus
- As we mentioned before, it is advisable to come a little before sunset, so it is advisable to be clear about the time of sunset, to arrive in time.
It is also advisable to wait a reasonable time after sunset, to see how the city lights and gives you a unique image of the Acropolis with the sea in the background.
Lycabettus mount
It's almost 10 at night when we end today doing a route through the tourist places of Athens returning to take the funicular, which takes us back to the base of Mount Lycabettus and from where we take a walk to the Phaedra Hotel, which seems to be waiting for us with open arms, to give us a night of rest and load of energy for tomorrow, Start the route through continental Greece by rental car.
Route through the tourist places of Athens
This route takes us to know and tour some of the tourist places of Athens, among which are the Sintagma Square, the Parliament Building, the National Gardens, the Roman baths, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, the Arch of Hadrian, the Lantern of Lisícrates, the street of the Tripods, the Anafiotika neighborhood, the old University of Athens, the Roman Agora, the Turkish baths, the Hadrian's Library, Monastiraki and the Athens Cathedral, among others.
Day 4: Athens: Psiri -Car rental in Athens (Greece) - Corinth Canal - Ancient Corinth
