The day promises to be hot. Nevertheless, we leave our cruise ship in the port of Piraeus to begin our tour of Athens in the early morning at a temperature of 26 degrees Celsius. We take the free shuttle bus to the port exit. At the port exit, we resist all offers from the waiting taxi drivers to show us the city or at least drive us to the Acropolis.
We intend to test the Athens metro again and therefore walk to the end station of line 1 in Piraeus. The distance is about 1,5 kilometers. Our route leads along the harbor. One landmark is the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas, Agios Nikolaos, built in the classicist style. It is famous for its paintings and its artistic ceilings.
Piraeus - St. Nilolaus Church
Piraeus' metro station is opposite the dock from where the ferries to Paros and Naxos depart. We don't see any ticket counters in the station. Instead, there are ticket machines (user guidance also in German). We take the day ticket, which allows us unlimited use of the trains.
Piraeus metro station
Piraeus metro station
Our first destination: Syntagma Square
We take metro line 1 to Monastiraki, where we change to metro line 3, which goes towards the airport. We get off the train at Syntagma Square. All displays and announcements are in Greek and English. The trains and stations we see that day are clean and attractive. The metro network was extensively renovated for the 2004 Olympic Games and has been kept in good condition ever since. We remember the Athens metro before the facelift: it was musty, dirty and not at all inviting.
Syntagma Square - Hotel Grande Bretagne
The metro station at Syntagma Square is really worth seeing because it exhibits finds from excavations. Syntagma Square is dominated by the Greek Parliament and the luxury hotel Grande Bretagne. In front of the parliament building, the changing of the guard of the soldiers of the presidential guard, known as "Evzones", takes place every hour at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It goes without saying that we will attend the ceremony until it ends.
Walk through the National Garden
From Syntagma Square we walk through the National Garden, which is adjacent to the Parliament, towards the ancient Olympic Stadium. In the garden there are beautiful old trees, which are botanically correctly named. The public park is shady, cool and quiet. To the south, the park borders the Zappeion. Under Athens attractions we describe the representative, multifunctional facility.
Athens - National Garden
Athens - Zappeion
After 500 meters we see the site of the old Olympic Stadium with the Temple of Olympian Zeus on the left, Hadrian's Gate (Hadrian's Arch) on the right, and the Acropolis towers in the background.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
Hadrian's Gate
Our next destination: the Acropolis
The Acropolis is our main destination for the day. It is now almost midday and temperatures are above 30 degrees (the highest temperature for the day will be 35 degrees Celsius). We pass the Acropolis Museum. The museum was built over an excavation site and exclusively displays finds from the Acropolis, such as original statues and frieze parts of the Parthenon Temple.
Athens - Acropolis Museum
We continue to climb, stopping at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus and the Theatre of Dionysus. Then we reach the Acropolis. On the way we think several times about the taxis we refused; we could have had it much easier.
Acropolis, Erechtheion, Parthenon and Propylaeen
The Acropolis is still the absolute "must" in Athens, despite the heat and the omnipresent crowds. According to Greek media, more than three million people visited the holy mountain in 2023. The ruins of the UNESCO World Heritage Site are impressive. And not only that, from a height of more than 150 meters we can see the entire Athens. Our view stretches as far as Piraeus; we can even see our cruise ship.
View of Athens and Piraeus
Next, Monastiraki Square beckons
As we descend from the Acropolis, we head towards the Field of Mars, the Old Agora and the Temple of Hephaestus.
Athens - Temple of Hephaestus
Athens - Temple of Hephaestus
Our next destination is Monastiraki Square. This is where Plaka begins, one of the oldest districts in Athens. The labyrinth of alleys stretches up the hill below the Acropolis.
Our recommendation: Go with the flow and don't be put off by the initial crowds and souvenir shops. There are quieter corners and places. You're sure to find a tavern or bar for a drink or a snack.
Monastiraki district
Indispensable – Athens’ local mountain Lykavittos
Lykavittos is also on our agenda for the day. At 277 meters high, it is the highest mountain in the Athens area. A funicular takes you up the mountain. As it is significantly higher than the Acropolis, Lykavittos offers the best panoramic view of the city and its surroundings. But that's enough for us for today, we're skipping the view. We'll treat ourselves to Lykavittos on another day.
Athens - Lykavittos Hill
Metro line 1 takes us from Monastiraki – this metro station also boasts archaeological finds – directly back to Piraeus.
Piraeus - Cathedral of the Holy Trinity
Ferries in Piraeus port
Update June 2024