My main visit to Greece this year was my friend’s Greek wedding. Therefore, I did not have much time for sightseeing, except for 24 hours in Athens.
I didn’t really mind as often I prefer unique experiences over mainstream activities everyone has done already.
However, a few days before the wedding we flew into Athens and since our ferry only left the next day, we had to spend 24 hours in Athens and I will tell you how to make this time worthwhile.
24 Hours in Athens
Visiting Acropolis and Pantheon
After we found our Airbnb, we quickly refreshed ourselves and got ready to go to Acropolis. The Acropolis itself actually is not the famous part, even though many people think so. In reality, Acropolis is “just” a huge hill and can be translated as “high city”. Many cities actually have an acropolis.
The real importance here is that the “Acropolis of Athens” is home to 4 famous buildings, being Parthenon, Erechtheion, Temple of Athena Nike and Propylaea. Those buildings are the real beauty and each of them served a different purpose back in time.
The Acropolis can be seen as a fortress, which was built to protect the city Athens of attacks, and where people could retreat.
Here are my 3 personal tips for you, if you plan on visiting the Acropolis:
- Go super early or late evening since it will be very hot. Only bad prepared tourists go during the day. Don’t be one of them!
- The entrance costs 20€ but if you show your student pass it is for free.
- Don’t buy/bring water or food. They don’t allow it inside and search your bags upfront.
24 Hours in Athens: Food & Drinks
Since we stayed in the old town of Athens (Monastiraki neighborhood), there were loads of options to eat and drink. You won’t ever starve. It is a super busy and lively neighborhood.
Cave of Acropolis
During our 24 hours in Athens, we had a lovely dinner in the restaurant close to Acropolis called “Cave of Acropolis”. You will have a super nice view and delicious big portions of food. I can recommend the fried squids and of course bread with Tzaziki (my mum swears on that dish).
Six D.O.G.S
To finish off our 24 hours in Athens, we went to a bar my friends recommend to me called Six D.o.g.s. in the evening. The funny coincidence was that our Airbnb was literally 20m next to it. It is interesting to see how destiny sometimes wants you to visit certain places! *haha*
The bar looks like a super creepy place from outside because it is located in a very small, dark street and you have to go down some stairs to enter, which is not much brighter neither. Once you make it through though, you will be standing in the nicest outside area with sand and wood benches, in kind of a garden, you have ever seen.
