Where to go in and around Athens
Start at the Acropolis and Athens' historic neighbourhoods, then branch out to the Peloponnese, the Saronic Islands, the Cyclades, and the monasteries of Meteora.
Must-visit places
The places every first-time visitor should build a Greece trip around — the Acropolis, Plaka, Monastiraki, Delphi, Nafplio, Santorini and Crete.
The Acropolis: tickets, timing and what to expect
Everything you need to visit the Acropolis well: ticket options, the best time to arrive, what you actually see on the rock, and how to avoid the worst crowds.
Athens travel guide: everything you need to know
Plan your Athens trip with confidence. Acropolis tickets, best neighborhoods, food, day-trips, and honest advice on timing and crowds — all in one place.
Chania: Crete's most beautiful town and the west's best base
Chania's Venetian harbour is Crete's most photogenic corner. The old town delivers real food and architecture. Beyond the walls: Balos lagoon, Elafonissi
Delphi: the navel of the ancient world
Temple of Apollo, the Oracle, the Sacred Way, the stadium and one of Greece's best museums — Delphi is the most rewarding day trip from Athens.
Heraklion: Crete's capital, Knossos, and the great museum
Heraklion pairs Europe's greatest Minoan museum with the palace of Knossos next door. Crete's capital is a proper city — Venetian walls, food markets, honest
Meteora: monasteries on the edge of the sky
Six active monasteries balanced on vertical rock pillars above the Thessaly plain. How to get there from Athens by train or tour, what to wear, and which
Monastiraki: flea market, rooftop views and street food
Monastiraki is Athens at its most alive: flea market, souvlaki at every corner, rooftop Acropolis views, and the natural launchpad for a night out.
Mykonos: windmills, beaches, nightlife, and the gateway to Delos
Mykonos combines cosmopolitan beach clubs and renowned nightlife with the best day trip in the Cyclades: the sacred uninhabited island of Delos, 30 minutes
Nafplio: Venetian old town, fortress and the best Peloponnese base
Nafplio is Greece's most elegant small town: Venetian architecture, the 216m Palamidi fortress, the sea-castle Bourtzi, and the perfect base for Mycenae and
Plaka: Athens' old town under the Acropolis
Plaka is Athens' most atmospheric neighbourhood — ancient lanes, honest tavernas, and the Acropolis overhead. Here's where to go and what to skip.
Santorini: caldera cliffs, volcanic islands, and Assyrtiko wine
Santorini is Greece's most dramatic island: a flooded volcanic crater ringed by white-cube villages, black-sand beaches, and vineyards producing Assyrtiko wine.
More to explore
Regions for a second trip or a longer stay — the Saronic Islands by ferry, the temples of the Peloponnese, the oracle at Delphi, and the volcanic beaches of Mykonos.
Aegina: pistachios, ancient temples, and Athens' closest island
Aegina is 40 minutes from Piraeus by hydrofoil: a working island with a world-class ancient temple, famous pistachios, and a pilgrimage basilica worth visiting.
Agios Nikolaos: Crete's lakeside resort town and gateway to Spinalonga
Agios Nikolaos sits around a mysterious bottomless lake connected to the sea. The real draw is the gateway role: Spinalonga island and the Elounda bay are
Anafiotika: the Cycladic village hidden above Plaka
Anafiotika is 40 whitewashed cube houses perched on the Acropolis slope above Plaka. It takes 10 minutes to cross and produces the best photos in Athens.
Ancient Corinth: Apostle Paul's city, the Acrocorinth and the canal
Ancient Corinth controlled two seas, hosted Apostle Paul for 18 months, and built the diolkos ship railway. Today the ruins, Acrocorinth fortress and canal
Ancient Olympia: where the Olympic Games began every four years
Ancient Olympia is where the Olympic Games ran for 1,170 years. The original stadium, Temple of Zeus and world-class museum make it one of Greece's essential
Arachova: the stone village above the Gulf of Corinth
Slate rooftops, winter ski culture and cliffside tavernas 10 km from Delphi. Arachova makes every Delphi day trip better and rewards an overnight stay.
Athens Riviera: beaches, sailing and the coastal escape
60 km of Attic coast from Piraeus to Cape Sounion: beach clubs, sunset catamaran trips, the Astir peninsula, Glyfada marina and how to make the most of it all.
Cape Sounion: Temple of Poseidon and the classic sunset
The Temple of Poseidon perches 60 m above the Aegean at Attica's tip. Here's everything for a half-day from Athens: timings, tickets, sunset planning and
Delos: the sacred uninhabited island, birthplace of Apollo
Delos is Greece's most significant ancient site: an entire sacred city abandoned since 88 BC, 30 minutes by boat from Mykonos. Closed Mondays. Here is how to
Elafonissi: the pink-sand lagoon at Crete's southwest tip
Elafonissi is a shallow turquoise lagoon with genuine pink-tinged sand at Crete's southwestern edge. It earns the hype — but arrive early or expect crowds.
Epidaurus: ancient theatre acoustics and the sanctuary of healing
Epidaurus holds the best-preserved ancient theatre in the world. Drop a coin at centre stage and hear it from the top row. The Asklepieion healing sanctuary
Fira: Santorini's clifftop capital and the caldera path hub
Fira is Santorini's busy capital: the cable car from the port, the 10km caldera walk to Oia, the best museums, and the island's liveliest nightlife all in
Glyfada: the Riviera's liveliest beach town
Glyfada packs beach clubs, a marina, excellent shopping and a lively dining scene into one tram-accessible coastal suburb. The Riviera's most practical base.
Hydra: the car-free island of stone mansions and donkeys
Hydra bans all motor vehicles — just donkeys, cobblestones, and 18th-century sea captains' mansions. The most rewarding day trip from Athens by far.
Kalambaka: the town beneath the Meteora rocks
The Thessaly town directly below Meteora's rock pillars. Train hub, affordable hotels with monastery views, and the practical base for visiting the UNESCO
Knossos: the Minoan palace of King Minos and the Labyrinth
Knossos is Europe's oldest palace complex and the heart of Minoan civilisation. The throne room, frescoes, and labyrinthine corridors are 20 minutes from
Kolonaki: museums, boutiques and the base of Lycabettus
Kolonaki is Athens' most polished neighbourhood — world-class museums, designer shopping on Tsakalof, great coffee and the funicular to Lycabettus Hill.
Koukaki: Athens' most liveable neighbourhood for visitors
Koukaki sits just south of the Acropolis Museum with real local character, excellent small hotels, good food and walking distance to every ancient site.
Lycabettus Hill: Athens' best panoramic viewpoint
Lycabettus rises 277 metres above Athens for the city's widest panorama — the Acropolis below, the Saronic Gulf beyond. Here's how to get up and when to go.
Marathon: the battlefield, the tomb and Schinias beach
The plain where Athens defeated Persia in 490 BC: the burial mound, the battlefield museum, Lake Marathon in the hills and the long sandy beach at Schinias.
Mycenae: the Bronze Age citadel Homer called rich in gold
Mycenae was the most powerful city in Bronze Age Greece. Visit the Lion Gate, beehive tombs and Grave Circle A — the site that proved Homer's world was real.
Oia: Santorini's iconic sunset village above Ammoudi Bay
Oia is Santorini's most photographed village: blue-domed churches, cave houses on the caldera rim, and the most famous sunset in Greece. Here is what to know.
Piraeus: Athens' great port and the gateway to the islands
Piraeus is where Athens meets the sea: Greece's busiest ferry port, the cruise terminal, and Mikrolimano harbour with the region's best seafood.
Poros: the green island almost touching the Peloponnese
Poros sits metres from the Peloponnese coast with a clock tower, Lemon Forest walks, and calm swimming beaches. The quietest, greenest Saronic day trip.
Psyrri: the neighbourhood that woke Athens up at night
Psyrri is where Athens eats late, drinks freely and hangs its best street art. Agia Irini square and the mezze restaurants behind it are essential Athens.
Spinalonga: the fortress-island and Europe's last leper colony
Spinalonga is a small island with a long, layered history: Venetian fortress, Ottoman settlement, and Europe's last active leper colony until 1957. Reached
Syntagma Square: parliament, guards and the city's hub
Syntagma is Athens' central square and transport hub. Parliament, the Evzones' Changing of the Guard, the metro interchange — everything starts here.
Thissio: the promenade with the best Acropolis views
Thissio is Athens' pedestrian promenade — walk Apostolou Pavlou, watch the Acropolis at sunset, visit the Ancient Agora, and end the evening at a terrace cafe.
Vouliagmeni: thermal lake, blue-flag beaches and the upscale Riviera
Lake Vouliagmeni's mineral-rich thermal waters, blue-flag beaches and the quiet pine-covered headlands that make Vouliagmeni the most rewarding stop on the
