Discover Athens’s 200 best Smart Adventurer spots for your trip

Epigraphic Museum

★ 4.7 · 409 reviews

Slip into the Epigraphic Museum, tucked beside the National Archaeological Museum, and see how ancient Greeks put their laws and farewells in stone. Read inscribed marble blocks and amphorae, from sacred decrees to funerary epigrams, in quiet, uncrowded galleries.

Galaxy Bar

★ 4.8 · 684 reviews

Discover Galaxy Bar, a hidden gem tucked inside a small arcade on Stadiou Street. Slip in for carefully made classic cocktails or a dram of whisky in a warm, atmospheric room.

Kypseli

Explore Kypseli, an unpolished, multicultural pocket of Athens north of the centre. Wander past faded Modernist apartment blocks and along Fokionos Negri, dropping into new cafés and local food shops along the way.

Schinias National Park

★ 4.6 · 7,127 reviews

Discover Schinias National Park, where pine forest and dunes open onto a wild, shallow beach. Stroll to the sea, swim in clear water, or follow the rugged ridge trail along the Kynosoura peninsula.

Parnitha

★ 4.8 · 1,062 reviews

Escape the city heat on Parnitha, the pine-clad mountain looming just north of Athens. Follow forest trails and ridge paths up toward Karambola, pausing at viewpoints that open across the whole of Attica.

Alekos Fassianos Museum

★ 4.8 · 368 reviews

Slip into the Alekos Fassianos Museum, the painter's former home turned quiet gallery. Climb its three bright floors to see his vivid Athenian canvases alongside personal photographs from his life.

Archaeological Museum of Piraeus

★ 4.6 · 1,920 reviews

Head out to the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus, a small gem near the port. Stand face to face with ancient bronze statues and ship remnants in calm, airy galleries.

Petralona

Wander Petralona, a quiet corner of Athens where locals outnumber visitors. Meander between low houses and small squares, then pull up a chair at a neighbourhood taverna for a long, unhurried meal.

St Demetrios Loumbardiaris

★ 4.8 · 1,382 reviews

Climb Filopappou Hill to reach St Demetrios Loumbardiaris, a quiet whitewashed church among the trees. Walk the lit paths, step inside if it is open, and look out over the whole of Athens.

Holy Church of Saint Fotini at Ilissos

★ 4.7 · 248 reviews

Slip away from the crowds to Saint Fotini at Ilissos, a quiet stone church beside the ancient riverbed. Spend a few minutes in its peaceful grounds before continuing on to the nearby Olympian Zeus temple.

Benaki Museum - The Ghika Gallery

★ 4.8 · 313 reviews

Explore the Benaki Museum - The Ghika Gallery, a lesser-visited branch devoted to modern Greek art. Climb through five floors of paintings, sculpture and rotating exhibitions.

Diomidous Botanical Garden

★ 4.6 · 8,915 reviews

Wander Diomidous Botanical Garden in Chaidari, a calm, walled escape west of the centre. Cross the lily pond on stepping stones, browse the cacti collection, and watch for turtles and frogs.

Syggrou Forest

★ 4.6 · 4,778 reviews

Step into Syggrou Forest, a wooded estate park in the suburb of Marousi. Follow its mix of paved and dirt trails past lakes and shaded clearings, perfect for a brisk walk or a picnic.

Numismatic Museum of Athens

★ 4.6 · 2,361 reviews

Step inside the Numismatic Museum, set in Heinrich Schliemann's neoclassical mansion. Follow Greek history through coins and medals from antiquity onward, in rooms that are worth seeing in their own right.

Hymettus

★ 4.8 · 332 reviews

Head up Hymettus, the pine-covered mountain overlooking Athens from the east. Hike or cycle its trails, and stop at open viewpoints to take in the city and neighbouring peaks.

¡TOPA!

★ 4.3 · 537 reviews

Wander into ¡TOPA! in Kypseli for a Greek-meets-Basque tapas evening. Share small plates with Cretan twists and pair them with an eclectic wine from the list.

Ta Kanaria

★ 4.3 · 756 reviews

Head to Ta Kanaria in Moschato, a local tavern where the fish is fresh and the owner looks after every table. Settle in for a relaxed seafood dinner in a nostalgic, family-run setting.

Zéphyros

★ 4.6 · 684 reviews

Settle in at Zéphyros, a neighbourhood open-air cinema in Petralona that shows classic and arthouse films all summer. Grab a drink and snack, then watch an original-language film under the night sky.

Industrial Gas Museum

★ 4.2 · 111 reviews

Explore the Industrial Gas Museum, a preserved gasworks that tells a lesser-known chapter of Athens. Walk among well-kept machines once used to produce gas and, if you time it right, join a guided tour.

Au Revoir Bar

★ 4.8 · 1,226 reviews

Discover Au Revoir Bar, a tiny Patission institution that has poured drinks since the 1950s. Pull up to the counter for a straightforward drink, friendly service and a late-night local crowd.

Vallianeio Megaron

★ 4.6 · 638 reviews

Pause at Vallianeio Megaron, one of Athens' most refined neoclassical buildings. Spend a quick 15 minutes admiring Hansen's facade and the library setting before continuing your walk through the city centre.

Holy Church of the Holy Trinity - Soteira Lykodemos (11th c.)

★ 4.8 · 410 reviews

Seek out the Holy Trinity church on Filellinon Street, a thousand-year-old Byzantine building near Syntagma. Visit the sanctuary above, then descend into the catacombs and the ancient layers beneath it.

The Jewish Museum of Greece

★ 4.6 · 561 reviews

Visit the Jewish Museum of Greece for a close look at Jewish life across Greece. Browse artifacts spanning from 325 A.D. to today, and follow the community's story of endurance through well-curated displays.

Teleion

★ 4.2 · 152 reviews

Discover Teleion, a stylish Athens bar built around atmosphere and sound. Settle in for well-made drinks, a carefully chosen soundtrack and a late-night crowd in a tastefully designed room.

Kedros Athens

★ 4.7 · 339 reviews

Discover Kedros Athens, a local favourite in Lykovrysi with a relaxed, welcoming dining room. Enjoy fresh Greek dishes and finish with the praised local dessert.

Pangrati

Settle into Pangrati, a neighbourhood where Athenians go about their day. Stroll its quiet residential streets, stop for coffee in a local café, and end with a relaxed dinner at a traditional taverna.

Ardittos Hill

★ 4.6 · 272 reviews

Climb Ardittos Hill, a quiet pine-covered rise above the Panathenaic Stadium. Follow shaded paths to the ancient tomb and pause at viewpoints facing the Acropolis and Lycabettus.

Hellenic Maritime Museum

★ 4.4 · 1,233 reviews

Head to Piraeus and step into the Hellenic Maritime Museum, a quiet tribute to Greece's seafaring past. Study handcrafted models of triremes, frigates and tankers alongside nautical paintings and artifacts, all a short walk from the working harbour.

Jazz In Jazz

★ 4.8 · 1,492 reviews

Discover Jazz In Jazz, a cherished Athens bar where the lighting is low and the cocktails are skilfully made. Linger over a drink to a jazz soundtrack among friendly locals.

Kypseli City Market

★ 4.4 · 5,463 reviews

Discover Kypseli City Market, a relaxed neighbourhood hub far from the usual tourist trail. Browse the shops and pop-up fairs, then linger in the park-like space among locals.