One Day in Athens, Greece: What to Eat + Do

Look, Athens deserves greater than a day or so of your consideration. But when the timing of your flights and ferries works towards you, because it did for our household, you possibly can nonetheless see—and eat—rather a lot. Right here’s how one can spend at some point (and alter) in Athens while you’re quick on time.

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I had large plans for Athens. Apart from being floor zero for Greek historical past, town is dwelling to a few of Greece’s greatest meals and small conventional eateries, the kind that are inclined to focus on only one factor. Tiny gyro joints and historic dairy bars, family-owned bakeries and meze specialists, feta and olive oil outlets. Bougatsa or loukoumades or peinirli specialists; heck, the rooftop cocktail bars—I wished to hit all of them. However I knew it could be unattainable: Attributable to our household’s late afternoon-arriving flight and early ferry to Santorini two mornings later, we had nearly a day and a half in Athens. (We gained a further 4 morning hours when our departing ferry was canceled and changed by a flight.)  

How do you eat and see the birthplace of Western democracy and souvlaki in nearly 36 hours?

I used to be decided nonetheless, and spent a ton of time previous to our departure researching and thoroughly planning a path to hit up the historical past highlights and as many conventional Greek meals in Athens as doable. We had been touring with our two youngsters, age 8 and 11 on the time, so I used to be aware of holding this attention-grabbing for them. Happily they’re very into Greek meals and mythology, however this one-day itinerary was undeniably exhausting for all of us jet-lagged vacationers. Nonetheless, we persevered and left Athens feeling we’d had a superb expertise—one we positively wish to add to on a return go to at some point.   

Get your snug strolling footwear on: Right here’s how one can see, and eat, Athens in at some point (and alter).

Click on right here for the quick-hit model of this itinerary!

 

 First Evening in Athens: Souvlaki, Gelato, and Pnyx Hill

We arrived round 5pm native time to our Vrbo condominium rental on Diovounioti road within the Koukaki neighborhood (a terrifically central space to be primarily based, it seems). We had been totally exhausted however knew we should always preserve ourselves up until an honest bedtime hour. In fact, among the finest methods to deal with jetlag and alter to native time is to get exterior and transfer. As I additionally had an enormous agenda for us, this labored in my favor.

We dropped off our stuff and headed again out in the hunt for meals—we had been ravenous. Souvlaki appeared the most effective first fast meal we may have, and I do know when to belief my instincts. We walked about two blocks and grabbed an out of doors desk at Kalyvas Household Grill (Dimitrakopoulou 91-93, G Olymbiou 10, map). We bought pork gyros and souvlaki, some wrapped in pita with the works (tomato, onion, garlicky tzatziki, fries) and a few not, simply served with a facet of oregano-dusted fries. My husband and I paired it with two Greek beers, and all of us had an ideal “welcome to Athens” second. We’d made it.

And we needed to preserve going. Our web site for the evening was Pnyx Hill, a literal hillside simply north of us that’s famed for being the birthplace of the primary democratic gatherings in Greece. It additionally occurs to have an amazing view of the Acropolis and we had been quick approaching sundown.

On our approach up Pnyx, we stopped at just a few of the hill’s different well-known websites: the rock-carved Jail of Socrates (mentioned to have been the place Socrates was imprisoned earlier than his trial for impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens in 399 BC), the attractive little Church of Agios Dimitrios Loumbardiaris (which dates to in regards to the ninth century and has grow to be a preferred wedding ceremony web site in Athens). The uphill stroll felt nice after the day of journey; the park was fairly and peaceable on this springtime night.

Our ultimate vacation spot appeared like nothing: an open, rocky, sloping discipline, gravelly in spots, with overgrown grass sprouting by cracks and across the tree-lined edges. Positive, it was a reasonably view of the Acropolis at sundown, which doubtless defined the vast majority of the guests hanging about—after we arrived, the Parthenon off within the distance was bathed in golden mild. However the discipline, and its roped-off three-step bema, the concrete platform carved into the stone at one finish, was truly what we’d come to see.

Relationship to roughly the fifth century BC, this web site was the place Athenians gathered for his or her standard democratic assemblies. Right here is the precise birthplace of democracy, buddies! Pnyx, from the Greek phrase pyknos (which means dense), may maintain round 10K-15K individuals—grownup males, particularly, as a result of presently democracy excluded girls (and slaves). Everybody would collect on picket benches on this open-air chamber to hearken to the orator who stood on the bema. Audio system right here included Aristides, Pericles, Demosthenes, and Themistocles.

We had heard that the acoustics are such that for those who stand throughout the bald, dome-like discipline and lift your voice, the individual on the bema may hear it—thus, each voice might be heard. My youngsters had been excited to check this out, and when you can not stand atop the bema, we stood close to it and will certainly hear them decently effectively throughout the sphere. (Moreover, east of the bema, don’t miss the big rock carving that when held a since-relocated statue of Zeus and the smaller niches within the rock that held votives.)

After we’d had sufficient of this historical past experiment, we wandered again right down to Koukaki and tried to get into ManiMani, considered one of a number of eating places I’d bookmarked within the space, for dinner. Alas, we hadn’t reserved and no tables had been obtainable. We walked a brief option to one other restaurant, however not earlier than stopping for pre-dinner gelato at Django, which beckoned with flavors like smoked hazelnut, walnut sorbet, and Persian cream, fig, and pistachio. It was a worthwhile detour.

We discovered an out of doors desk on the lovely nook restaurant Kalamaki, the place we glad our just-arrived-in-Greece longing for an enormous previous oregano-dusted Greek salad with the works: creamy feta, lovely tomatoes, Kalamata olives, cucumbers, peppers, onions, capers, olive oil. Our youngsters loved their “kalamaki,” aka skewers of pork and rooster; every part else was simply OK, although we did very a lot respect the three€ glasses of home purple wine.

Morning in Athens: Koulouri, Pies, and Espresso

After a blissful evening of sleep, we hit the bottom working. First cease: the namesake koulouri (and different breakfast meals) plus espresso from Koulouri Bake Home, across the nook from our Airbnb in Koukaki. Koulouri is a skinny, spherical, sesame seed-topped bread that’s similar to Turkey’s simit (don’t begin the controversy on which got here first!). Koulouri tends to be made contemporary at 24-hour takeout-only bakeries across the metropolis (like the favored Koulouri tou Psirri) after which distributed to road stands. We selected this contemporary bakery because it was so near dwelling. It carries many sorts of crunchy koulouri—cheese, orange, cinnamon, almond, raisin, carrot—however we had been after the standard selection, and its pure pairing of tremendous robust Greek espresso. It was dense, contemporary, and scrumptious.

(Our youngsters had been extra within the chocolate chip-studded bread ring we additionally tried, and all of us beloved the easy olive-paste sandwich with tomato and cucumber.)

Breakfast half two got here courtesy of Μαμά ψωμί aka Mama Psomi, an artisanal pita (pie) specialist only one block away. It’s takeout-only, so we purchased a small tiropita (cheese pie) and a slice of spanakopita (spinach and cheese) to eat again at on our condominium’s terrace. Savory, crisp perfection. On our approach we stopped on the old-school pool corridor on our nook, Koukaki Billiards, for a second Greek espresso, unable to withstand briefly becoming a member of the native old-timers gathered there whereas our children performed round on the pool desk.

Satiated finally, we bought again to the sights.

Noon in Athens: Panathenaic Stadium, Temples, Church buildings, Lunch

Since time was of the essence, and we knew we had loads of steps forward, we ordered a automobile (by way of the important Free Now app) to go the quick distance east to the Panathenaic Stadium. Constructed on the positioning of an historical stadium (c. 330BC) used for the Panathenaic video games (doubtless a rival competitors to the Olympics), it hosted the primary fashionable Olympic Video games in 1896. It’s the solely stadium on this planet made fully of marble, and it’s completely lovely—the stark distinction of the light-colored marble and black discipline is gorgeous.

After paying the 10-euro entry (youngsters underneath 6 are free), you possibly can climb as much as the highest of the bleachers for an unbelievable view, wander across the stadium itself—go forward and jog across the observe!—take the requisite images on the rostrum, and enter the small however fascinating museum that includes each Olympic torch and poster since 1896. Audio excursions can be found when you’ve got the time (we didn’t, however nonetheless spent round 45 minutes right here).

Subsequent we walked west, towards the Acropolis, to quick-hit a pair extra unbelievably historical websites: the under-scaffolding Temple of Olympian Zeus—the place we purchased our 30-euro combo tickets for all of the important websites—and hovering Hadrian’s Arch. That took us to the beautiful, touristy Plaka neighborhood, and all its attendant outlets and eating places. We spent slightly time souvenir-shopping, bought some gelato for the youngsters and freddo (iced espresso drink) for us at Fantastico Circo, and stored going.

[make a box to explain combo tix]

We swung by the 11^th-century Panagía Kapnikaréa Church—considered one of many beautiful, petite previous church buildings within the heart of Athens—earlier than heading for a snack: loukoumades, little fried dough balls soaked in honey and cinnamon, at Lukumádes. We needed to wait 10 minutes or so for freshly fried doughnuts, however they had been well worth the wait. Candy, sticky heaven. (Apart from the standard ones, you possibly can attempt different forms of loukoumades right here: chocolate praline, pistachio praline, salted caramel, and extra.)

Turned out dessert was an appetizer. We pushed a bit additional north to 1886-established Varvakios Central Municipal Market and a fast lunch spot: Volvi, old-school purveyors of wonderful souvlaki and soutzoukaki (cumin garlic meatballs), which we realized about by way of Culinary Backstreets. It’s only a tiny storefront on the entrance to the market with some tall tables and stools out entrance (and actually it’s simple to overlook, because the signage says H BOΛBH).

We ordered considered one of every sandwich (pictured at very prime), with some chilly Greek beers: the traditional pork souvlaki wrapped in pita bread (with sliced tomatoes, sliced purple onions, parsley, oregano, paprika) and a beef soutzoukaki, additionally wrapped in pita with tomatoes, onion, and parsley. Right here we had the choice of getting mustard sauce and chili flakes, fairly than tzatziki, in our bread-wrapped meats, and we completely beloved it.  

We continued north by Varvakios Central Municipal Market, ogling the butchers pounding their uncooked meats with cleavers, the fishmongers hawking their seafood, the distributors splaying out all method of nuts, olives, herbs, and spices. However we didn’t dawdle—it was almost 3pm and, in response to my rough-sketched schedule, we had been already working behind! We turned west after which south, heading again towards the Acropolis.

Afternoon in Athens: Bougatsa, Agoras, Acropolis Museum

There was extra to see, and to eat. We made a fast cease at Bougatsadiko Psirri for its signature custard cream bougatsa: heat, flaky phyllo, crammed with creamy custard and dusted with cinnamon and sugar (honey or chocolate are different choices). Golden and crispy on the surface, heat and candy inside—these are fairly spectacular. And also you’ll doubtless be handled to a dough-pulling or –flipping present behind the glass counter when you wait. We took ours to go and ate it whereas we made our option to energetic Monastiráki Sq..

Subsequent we dipped into Hadrian’s Library, created by Roman Emperor Hadrian in AD 132, for a peek at its placing columned façade and gate, and stopped by the Roman Agora, the smaller of Athens’ two standard 2,000-plus-year-old agoras, or public areas. We briefly marveled on the historical latrines and tried to think about what they appeared like once they had been constructed within the 1st century AD. From there it was just some minutes’ stroll west to the Historical Agora, the bigger of Athens’ two standard agoras, or public areas. We spent about 25 minutes at a web site you might simply spend hours in, however we spent that point wandering its statues, temples, library, and stoas (porticos). 

Our plan for the remainder of the day was to hit up The Acropolis Museum for context, after which go to the Acropolis itself round 6:15pm, after we’d heard it needs to be much less crowded (in April it closes at 7:30pm). This was a perfect plan actually—besides it was a Monday, when the museum closes at 5pm as a substitute of 8pm, because it does each different day. And solely after we left the Historical Agora  did we understand it was positioned on the other facet of the Acropolis from the museum. We had a 15-minute stroll and it was already 4pm.

To not point out our toes had been already aching from strolling all day. That is when everybody broke down for quarter-hour, however we bought by it!

The Acropolis Museum deserves greater than 45 minutes of time—even the workers had been confused as to why we’d enter this place at 4:15pm. It’s additionally not lined by the archaeological web site combo ticket; it’s a separate entrance ticket. But it surely was nonetheless value it, to see the Parthenon marble sculptures and the long-lasting Caryatids, the Temple of Athena Nike frieze, and different important artifacts unearthed from the Acropolis. The children particularly beloved the LEGO reproduction of the Acropolis!

Night in Athens: Rooftop Cocktails, Acropolis, Dinner

After our hurried go to, we nonetheless had an hour to kill earlier than our designed entrance time on the Acropolis. All that dashing solely to attend! We made essentially the most of it by checking off one other to-do in Athens: Go to a rooftop bar. There are lots of of those, and whereas we weren’t bodily close to sufficient any of those I’d placed on my map—Couleur Locale, 360 Cocktail Bar—however we walked about two blocks earlier than discovering one on our personal, on the prime of the Athens Gate Lodge.  

We couldn’t have discovered a greater rooftop view of the Acropolis, plus nice cocktails and only a nice alternative to sit down. The children bought their very own particular drinks (orange juice and a Shirley temple) and relished the snug sitting space. It was a really restorative 45-minute break. Not solely that, however I used to be capable of borrow a cellphone charger from our candy server, and she helped us with dinner plans.

You see, we hadn’t made any reservations as a result of we had been uncertain of our actual dinner timing, however we knew, from our expertise the evening earlier than, that we wanted a reservation. I’d tried to order on-line for To Mavro Provato, a meze restaurant that’s fairly standard amongst locals and guests, however had no luck. And what’s the primary restaurant this server beneficial to us after we requested? To Mavro Provato.

We requested if she’d name them for us to attempt reserving (in Greek), and voilà, we bought a 9pm reservation!

Dinner sorted, we headed over to the traditional temple complicated often called the Acropolis, the principle occasion. In April at the very least, a 6pm entrance ticket is a perfect time for these of us who don’t like getting up tremendous early for an 8am arrival. The crowds had been very skinny, the climate was cool. For an archaeological web site that has to cap guests at 20K per day, the Acropolis was a really chill expertise for us.

On the south slope of Acropolis hill, we first handed the beautiful, crumbling Theatre of Dionysus, the world’s oldest theater (constructed within the sixth century BC), the place historical playwrights together with Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristophanes as soon as introduced their work. Then we made our approach as much as the long-lasting Parthenon, constructed starting in 447 BC for the goddess Athena, considerably broken in 1687 in the course of the siege of Athens by Venetian forces. What a disgrace that this lovely temple was so destroyed, however what stays feels all of the extra treasured. We wandered round taking images, admired town views stretching throughout us, and simply tried to absorb the sheer historical past of all of it. It’s actually onerous to grasp.

After we descended the hill round 7:15, we had been spent, and hungry. We walked dwelling for a short spell, then took a automobile to dinner. To Mavro Provato was the right finish to our epic day in Athens. We stuffed our out of doors desk with largely veggie-forward dishes: grilled haloumi, fava bean puree, Greek salad, grilled oyster mushrooms, Katiki Domokou (a gentle goat/sheep cheese) salad, aubergine salad. A ditalini octopus salad was the tasty every day particular, and we beloved the kleftiko too, a pork dish with feta, herbs , and bell peppers cooked in parchment paper, served with fries. The menu’s very moderately priced; all of those dishes fell between 3€-10€.

Secure to say we went dwelling totally satiated and exhausted!

Bonus Morning in Athens: Greek Yogurt at Stani

Our scheduled early-morning ferry departure to Santorini was canceled attributable to excessive winds, and we had been capable of as a substitute guide a faster flight to the island for later within the day. We now had time for a correct breakfast. This meant, I noticed with glee, that we may hit up the place I most wished to go to the day earlier than however couldn’t make the detour: Stani, considered one of Athens’ only a few remaining old-school family-owned dairy bars, positioned within the coronary heart of town simply north of Omonia Sq..

Stani was established in 1931 and sources its dairy from small native farms. It specializes, naturally, in conventional Greek yogurt, butter, rice pudding, pastries, and extra. They do plates of eggs right here with bread on the facet (and sheep’s milk butter drenched in honey as effectively) that had been excellent for the youngsters, however I got here for the OG strained sheep’s milk yogurt served doused in honey. Thick and extremely creamy, it has a refined however distinct gamey, milky aroma and tart taste that’s well-balanced by the candy honey. I completely loved it. (Walnuts are one other standard topping; cow’s milk yogurt is accessible too.)

The sliced galaktoboureko, crisp filo pastry crammed with creamy custard, additionally known as out to me, and it didn’t disappoint. With one final longing take a look at the rice puddings and spanakopita on provide, I knew it was time to say goodbye to Athens. We had a whole lot of consuming and sightseeing forward of us in Santorini and Naxos.

Till subsequent time, Athens.

Athens Fast Hits: 36-Hour Itinerary

• Souvlaki + beer at Kalyvas Household Grill
• Historical past + sundown at Pynx Hill
• Gelato at Django
• Dinner at Kalamaki

Morning 1:

• Koulouri + espresso at Koulouri Bake Home
• Savory pita (pies) at Mama Psomi
• Extra espresso at Koukaki Billiards

Noon:

• Panathenaic Stadium
• Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch
• Buying in Plaka
• Loukoumades at Lukumádes
• Souvlaki + soutzoukaki at Volvi
• Varvakios Central Municipal Market

Afternoon:

• Bougatsa at Bougatsadiko Psirri
• Monastiráki Sq.
• Hadrian’s Library
• Roman Agora, Historical Agora
• Acropolis Museum

Evening 2:

• Rooftop cocktails at Athens Gate Lodge
• The Acropolis
• Dinner at To Mavro Provato

Morning 2:

• Greek yogurt, eggs + galaktoboureko at Stani