How to Spend 2 Days in Athens, Greece

For the final stop on our Greece trip, we went back to Athens to catch a flight home. We gave ourselves just about 2 days (36 hours) explore the city and take in Greece before ending our vacation. So many of our well traveled friends had told us to skip Athens, but we knew that we had to see the city for ourselves. I am so glad we did, as I really enjoyed my time in Athens. Keep reading for our guide and itinerary for how to spend 2 days in Athens, Greece!

Traveling to Athens from Mykonos

We decided to travel by ferry to Athens, as it was the easiest and cheapest option. The ferry from Mykonos to Rafina (Athens) took about 4 hours, and then the taxi ride from the Port of Rafina to our hotel took another 45 minutes. There are three ports you can sail into in Athens and we just chose the one with the least expensive ferry price for our day + time.

Getting from Mykonos to Athens was frankly an exhausting trip. The ferry trip was longer than others we had taken (about four hours), but this boat was larger and nicer. However, we had booked tickets for the 11:15am ferry, which had still not arrived by 11:55am. Normally the ferries arrive late, but this was later than normal. At this point we asked a woman at the ticket booth for an update on the status of our ferry, to which she replied that our ferry never arrived and was thus cancelled. We had received no email nor was their an announcement at the port that our ferry had been cancelled. Luckily the woman gave us tickets for a noon ferry also to Rafina. Although this journey was stressful and long, taking a plane most likely would’ve been just as time consuming!

Sleep

We stayed for two nights in Athens, but only had a day and a half to spend exploring the city. The boutique hotel we stayed in is called Home and Poetry, and is very centrally located in Plaka. Plaka is the historical district of Athens and is a wonderful area to stay in as there is a lot of shopping, restaurants, and sight-seeing opportunities. If you’re considering visiting Athens, definitely stay in Plaka or the surrounding areas.

Home and Poetry is located a 10 minute walk to the entrance of the Acropolis and Parliament, a 7 minute walk to the temple of Zues, and a 15 minute walk to the large open air flea market. Furthermore, this hotel included breakfast on their rooftop terrace and their service was so friendly and accommodating. From the rooftop you also have an amazing view of the Acropolis. We highly recommend staying at Home and Poetry while visiting Athens – you truly cannot beat this location. If you would like to check out Home and Poetry, click here.

• 

• 

• 

Although we loved Home and Poetry, below are other hotel recommendations that we can’t wait to check out on another trip to Athens! Also to note is that hotels in Athens tend to be very affordable, especially when compared to many of the popular islands.

Budget Hotels

• Metropolis Hotel – Some rooms have an Acropolis view
• Kimon Hotel
• Hellenic Hospitality House

Mid-Range Hotels

• The Marblous Athens
• La Maison Athenes
• Step One | Luxury Suites
• Niki Athens Hotel
• Sweet Home Hotel
• Athens Utopia Ermou – Some rooms have Acropolis views

Luxury Hotels

• AthensWas Design Hotel
• Hotel Grande Bretagne – Acropolis views from rooftop bar/restaurant
• Electra Metropolis – Acropolis views from rooftop bar/restaurant
• Electra Hotel Athens – Acropolis views from rooftop bar
• King George – Acropolis views from rooftop bar/restaurant
• Electra Palace Athens – Rooftop pool and Acropolis views

Eats

Breakfast

Fresko Yogurt Bar

Because breakfast was included with our hotel, we did not visit any breakfast restaurants during our stay in Athens. However, a short walk from Home and Poetry is a Greek yogurt bar called Fresko. We tried this build-your-own yogurt for a snack when we first arrived in Athens and absolutely loved it. At Fresko you choose which type of Greek yogurt you would like (2%, 8%, thick and creamy) and then the toppings, such as fruit and granola. I chose 2% yogurt, kiwis, almonds, and Greek honey. Kate chose 2%, blueberries, almonds, and Greek honey. Both yogurts were absolutely delicious and were perfect for a late afternoon snack.

Hymopeeo Juice Bar

While wandering around the Monastiraki Flea Market , we stumbled upon an adorable juicery named Hymopeeo. This juice bar had many options and it was clear that all the fruit was super fresh. Kate and I both tried the #11 which was made with spinach, celery, cucumber, green apple, and lemon. Drinking a nice green juice was so refreshing during the hot afternoon, and it was an added bonus that each juice was only around $2.50.

• 

• 

• 

Lunch

O Gyros pou Girevis

For a quick, traditional Greek lunch, we recommend trying O Gyros pou Girevis. This gyro + souvlaki shop had rave reviews online and also had such quick service. We were able to find a table quite quickly even though the restaurant was packed. The gyros were very tasty, especially the chicken and the vegetarian, and the plates that others in the restaurant were eating looked so good that I almost ordered seconds! For two gyros and one bottle of water our bill came out to exactly 5 euros. Although I still think that Lucky’s in Santorini cooks up the best gyros in Greece, O Gyros pou Girevis is a great (+ incredibly affordable) spot in Athens.

• 

• 

Dinner

Tazza

For dinner on our first night we visited Tazza. Tazza is located near the main shopping street, Ermou, and a lot of other delicious restaurants nearby. We chose Tazza due to its eclectic decor (vibrantly colored flowers + funky lamps everywhere!) and it did not disappoint.

For drinks I tried the Tazza Aperol, which was Aperol, strawberry puree, and pink grapefruit juice. The Tazza Aperol was really yummy – I think I liked it better than a traditional Aperol spritz! Leyla ordered a glass of Pinot Noir with her dinner and it was served to her chilled, which seems to be a common practice throughout Greece. The menu was traditional and non-traditional Greek food, using local honey, fresh vegetables, and pasta from Crete and Naxos. The food was delicious, but a little on the heavier side due to the use of cream and cheese in what we ordered. Entrees were normally priced between $10-$14 and drinks ranged from around $6-$14.

• 

• 

• 

Dessert

DaVinci Gelato

Make sure to try DaVinci Gelato if you ever travel through Greece. They have multiple locations throughout Athens and also all over Greece. Their gelato was delicious (we tasted it 3 times during our 36 hour stay!) and the ~specialty cones~ were tasty. We highly recommend!

• 

• 

• 

Note: Kate and I thought it was important to note that we did not perceive Athens as a foodie heaven. Although all the food we had was good, it didn’t compare to the delicious food we had eaten throughout the trip. We suggest you read reviews before you dine because there were several restaurants and cafes that looked cute, but had super negative reviews.

Drinks

Tailor’s House

We only were able to try one bar during our visit to Athens, Tailor’s House. This bar is located just a few streets away from the main shopping street, Ermou. However, the area around this bar was filled with bars that had cute outdoor seating and yummy looking cocktails! Tailor’s House had eclectic and trendy decor, which we adored. Furthermore, the cocktails were delicious and very reasonably priced ($6-$13), compared to Mykonos + Santorini. Definitely check out the area around Tailor’s House during your stay in Athens for daytime + nighttime cocktails.

• 

• 

• 

Adventures

Because we did not have a lot of time in Athens, we decided to not book any tours or experiences. Instead, we opted to purchase tickets online to visit the Acropolis and just walk around and explore Athens.

History Tours – The Acropolis

When in Athens you absolutely have to visit The Acropolis! The Acropolis features the ruins of great ancient Greek architecture and is an absolute must see while visiting Athens. Being totally honest, we had a couple of friends suggest we skip over Athens completely and spend time elsewhere. However, after visiting the Acropolis we all decided that it alone was enough reason to come to Athens.

That being said, if you are not overly interested in ancient architecture, we do not recommend buying the package tickets that give you access to more than the Acropolis (Temple of Olympian Zeus + others). You can see almost all of the sites by simply walking around them, and therefore an entrance ticket isn’t really necessary. If you’d like more information about the tours + tickets, click here!

Purchasing tickets ahead of time online for the Acropolis makes the process a lot easier – except if you need to prove you are a student/elder etc. As Kate and I are both non-EU students, our tickets were 10 euros each. We received an emailed voucher and had to redeem it at the ticket office by showing our student IDs. Make sure you bring your student ID with you if you want to get discounts! If you are a student within the EU, admission is free. Leyla bought a regular adult ticket which cost her 20 euros.

• 

• 

• 

Shopping in the Monastiraki Flea Market

Wandering through the Monastiraki Flea Market is a wonderful way to spend a few hours in Athens. This flea market is home to countless shops selling artwork, clothing, food, and more. In addition to the flea market, there are tons of adorable art shops all over the Plaka district.

Roka Art Shop

On our way back to our hotel we stopped in a tiny art shop by the name of Roka. Roka is not part of the Monastiraki Flea Market, but is located no more than ten minutes walking from the market’s entrance. The exact address is 134 Adrianou Street, Plaka. If you visit Athens make sure to check out the beautiful artwork made by the woman who runs the shop, Rita (Margarita). Kate and I both bought the most beautiful acrylic paintings featuring scenes from Athens. The walls inside the shop are filled with artwork, handmade tapestries, and notes from previous customers. Rita is a truly talented and an amazingly kind woman who still paints everything herself to this day! Kate and I spent some very enjoyable time talking with Rita about her works and also hearing her stories about her artwork over the years. We highly recommend paying her a visit as this was our absolute favorite part of our trip to Athens.

• 

• 

• 

---

I hope you enjoyed our guide for how to spend 2 days in Athens, Greece! Our visit to Athens was the perfect way to end our adventures in Greece. Although just 2 days may seem like a short amount time, for us it was perfect. Definitely don’t skip over this city if you travel through Greece!

For more of our guides and itineraries for Greece, click here!

♡Maggie

Note: This post includes affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.