Christina & Federico
Things To Do in Athens
Museums
Must see: Acropolis Museum, National Gallery, National Archaeological Museum There are more options of course to choose from if you really like museums. In Kolonaki area you will find the renowned Benaki Museum with its outstanding collections, the Museum of Cycladic Art dedicated to the ancient cultures of the Aegean and Cyprus focusing on Cycladic Art, and the Byzantine Museum with religious artefacts of the Byzantine and later periods from all over Greece. Fun fact: Christina hasn't visited the Archeological Museum since primary school :P Pro-tip: Kolonaki is considered the most elegant and trendy neighborhood of Athens, with many high end boutiques, distinguished bars and chic restaurants. Therefore, you can combine your museum visits in this area with great meals and coffee.
Outdoor Visits
If you are up for exploring the city centre on foot, you can start in Syntagma Square where you will see the Greek Parliament, the Monument of the Unknown Soldier, and watch the Changing of the Guards. You can also walk through the National Gardens, Zappeion Hall and Hadrian’s Arch. From there you will head towards the Acropolis on the beautiful pedestrian walkway called Dionysiou Areopagitou. At the Acropolis of Athens, you’ll explore the Parthenon which is one of the most famous monuments in the world. You can also visit the Agora, explore the temples, an ancient concert hall and see the significant artifacts at the Agora Museum, located in the two-storied Stoa of Attalos which was built in the 2nd century BC. The impressive Zeus Temple the biggest Temple of antiquity is also a “must-see". If you prefer a guided walking tour, we have a recommendation for you! Visit the website of Athens Walking Tours (or click the View button below) and you will find amazing options :)
Casual Restaurants
Barbounaki Kolonaki (seafood), Oikeion (family style), Dopios, Ta karamanlidika tou Fani, The Underdog (brunch & coffee), Ekiben-Japanese (take-away mostly). Keep in mind in most places you need to book your table in advance. Especially for Ekiben that has very limited space (15 people approximately can fit in shared tables) but we promise it's worth it :)
Souvlaki & Taverns
Souvlaki: To Neoklassiko, Thanassis (Mitropoleos gyros), Bairaktaris. Taverns: Klimataria (live music), Stou Korre, Kotili Monastiraki. After you have gotten your first taste of Greek souvlaki with gyros, we strongly recommend to also try the kebab wrap of Thanassis. The latter was a standard lunch for Christina as a student going in the city centre during the weekends and of course one of the first Greek food Federico tried. :)
Fine Dining
Alelia, Zurbarán (sushi), Dionisos Zonars (Acropolis view), Grand Bretagne Rooftop Bar (Acropolis view), CTC Urban Gastronomy, 2Mazi, Athenee, Hill Athens (Acropolis view), Drakoulis (great steaks), Matsuhisa (in Four Seasons Hotel) located south of Athens Fun fact: Federico & Christina celebrated Federico's 30th birthday in Matsuhisa, if you do visit, make sure you try the wagyu...you only live once after all! :)
City Walks
Plaka is Athens’ oldest neighborhood. It’s impossible not to be captivated by the cobblestone streets, he brightly colored buildings and the vibrant bougainvillea plants. Pro tip: In the small streets of Plaka you will find Giasemi café. You can visit it at any time, though visiting it during the evening is so romantic! It's a nice spot for coffee or wine and they also serve small snacks. They specialize in traditional sweets (i.e. karidopita, a sweet pie with walnuts). After you've sufficiently fueled up, head up the stairs and find your way to a little village within Plaka called Anafiotika. Anafiotika makes you wonder if you’ve magically teleported from Athens to a Greek Island and in some ways you have! The village was constructed in the 19th century by skilled laborers from the island of Anafi. They had come to Athens to help build King Otto’s palace. Because they knew they would be away from home for a while, they built Anafiotika in the image of their island home. Enjoy!
Areas South of Athens
A trip to Athens is not complete without an excursion (or more) to the southern suburbs of the city, the well-known Athenian Riviera where you can find several beaches to enjoy a swim as well! You can visit Glyfada, a coastal area south of the city centre. George's Steakhouse beef patties are a must to try there. This restaurant offers traditional greek cuisine (try saganaki cheese!). Within walking distance you will find Ark, to enjoy coffee by the sea. Fun fact: Christina's family has been visiting George's Steakhouse restaurant several times a year for almost 30 years and it never disappoints :) Lake Vouliagmeni is also a great place to visit and admire its rocky landscape, one of the recognized hot springs of Greece. Within less than 10 min drive you can try the best pizza in Athens (according to Federico) at Napul'e restaurant in Vari. Finally, a visit to the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio (approx 1 hour drive from the city enter) will offer fantastic sunset views.
Areas North of Athens
Another beautiful are is Kifisia, where you can visit nice shops & enjoy great meals in one of the oldest and most beautiful suburbs of Athens. A 30-minute train ride from downtown, Kifissia has been a summer retreat for wealthy Athenians and philosophers since Roman times due to its cooler temperatures and abundant greenery. Today, the area’s leafy streets, picturesque parks and excellent restaurants have made it one of the most popular and exclusive areas to live in and a refreshing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the city centre. If you do visit Kifisia, you can dine or just sit for coffee and drinks at I Fratti or enjoy a great steak at Wood restaurant or a nice brunch at Different Beast. If on the other hand you are passing by and you would like to have a snack, Bueno Crepa (savoury or sweet) will do the trick! Fun fact: Bueno Crepa is a usual Federico & Christina's cheat meal that they order at home, since they live in an area nearby :)
Shopping in Athens
Although Athens is not known for shopping, there are several options. The outdoor street of Ermou starting from Syntagma square and leading to Monastiraki is full of shops but mostly well-known international fast fashion brands. If you prefer to go with something more particular to remember Athens, the small streets of Plaka and Monastiriki is where you will find various stores with jewellery, leather summer sandals in all shapes and colours to choose from and many more.. Since the weather can be quite hot in the summer, you can also visit The Golden Hall or The Mall, 2 malls located in Marousi area. The Golden Hall is a bit more upscale (try coffee from Carpo on the ground floor) while The Mall offers more dining options and hosts The Village Cinemas in case you feel like watching a movie. Useful tip: No, the movies in Greece are not dubbed so you can enjoy any movie (apart from few kids' movies) in English while the Greek audience reads the subtitles. You are welcome :)
Gelato
With the groom being Italian you understand it was impossible not to have a section on gelato to help you cool down during the hot summer days in Athens. The first time Federico agreed with Christina's enthusiasm about gelato in Greece was when they found out Solo Gelato chain. You can also find it in the city centre in Adrianou street. If you happen to be in the North of Athens, Morris Brown is your gelato place which you can find in both Vrilissia and Penteli areas. Finally, if you are strolling around Ermou street in the city centre or Kifisia area in the North, Da Vinci can also be a good alternative. Christina's hijack of this section: Yeah, gelato is nice but don't leave Athens without trying the traditional Greek sweet called lukumades (a type of small donuts). A well-known place is LUKUΜΑΔΕΣ in the city centre. You can either have them the traditional way with honey, cinnamon and chopped walnuts or with Nutella and other toppings. Yummy!
Nightlife
If you re looking for nice drinks, cocktails or dancing in a club until early morning hours, this is your section. Let's start from famous bars for great views of Acropolis such as 360 Cocktail Bar or A for Athens (both in Monastiraki area). For great drinks you can also visit The Clumsies as it has been voted three times in a row as one of the world’s best 50 bars by Drinks International Magazine. Drunk Sinatra is also very famous, a hidden all day bar with vintage 50s-60s theme. If you are an whiskey lover like Christina, CV Distiller is a must visit where you can find the biggest whiskey selection in Greece with rare labels from Scotland to Japan in a beautiful wooden setting bringing you back to the 60s. Given that you are visiting in the summer though, let's get closer to the beach in the south of Athens where you can visit one of the most famous night clubs called Island as well as other great clubs such as Bolivar, Penarrubia and Akanthus summer club.