Athens is not only the capital of Greece; it is also a significant home to early civilization and humanity. It has become a symbol of culture, philosophy, literature and politics, and saw the birth and development of some of history's leading thinkers. Today it is one of the European cities that receives the most tourists, with visitors eager to immerse themselves in Greek traditions, history and culture at its core. For this reason, we are going to show you a complete itinerary for what to see in Athens in 4 days. Let's start the trip!
What to see in Athens in 4 days
The Greek capital has established itself as one of the most interesting tourist destinations. In fact, it was awarded two of the prizes at the World Travel Awards (WTA) European Gala 2022. Here's how to explore it and get to know it in depth if you spend 4 days in this city:
Day 1: Exploring the main streets
On the day of your arrival exploring some of the main neighborhoods and streets of downtown Athens is really worth your while. The first highlight is Monastiraki Square, one of the most famous squares in Athens. In this square you will find the Flea Market, one of the nerve centers of commerce in the city. From there, you can walk to Syntagma Square, barely 1 kilometer away, where you will find the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary or, as the Greeks call it, the Great Metropolis.
You can also visit other points of interest in the city, such as the Roman Agora, the Tower of the Winds or Hadrian's library. In fact, once here, we recommend walking the streets of Athens’ historic Plaka district, where the Ottoman mosque of Tzistarakis is worth a visit. And, to end the day and have a quiet dinner, a good option is to go to Anafiotika, located in this same neighborhood.
Day 2: Acropolis and surroundings
The first must-see of the second day is the Acropolis of Athens, the biggest tourist attraction in the city as it is the heart of ancient Greece. The Theater of Dionysus, the Temple of Athena, the Parthenon and the Temple of Zeus are some of the main attractions you will find.
The visit to the Acropolis will take you the whole morning, so we recommend that you continue the afternoon with a visit to the National Archaeological Museum. To end the day, a good option is to climb Mount Lycabettus, from where you will be able to enjoy the best views of the Acropolis.
Day 3: More tourist attractions in Athens
Once you have seen the city’s shining star, you can spend the third day visiting other interesting sites you should not miss in Athens. Among them, we can highlight the National Garden of Athens, the hill of Filopappos, the Kolonaki neighborhood and the Psiri neighborhood, known as the SoHo of Athens. Visiting Kerameikos is also an interesting option, as it houses the remains of the largest necropolis in Greece.
You can also take advantage of this day to visit some of the most curious churches in Athens. One of them is the church of Panagia Kapnikarea, built on the foundations of a Greek temple dedicated to Athena. Another very interesting one is the Mitropiolis church, one of the smallest in Athens, measuring just 7 by 11 meters.
Day 4: Excursion to Delphi
If you rent a car in Athens, we recommend spending a day visiting Delphi, a city located about 180 kilometers from Athens. The highlight of this city is the sanctuary of Apollo, a place with a great mythology dedicated to one of the most important Greek gods. In fact, legend has it that it was here that Apollo set up the oracle of the city, the famous Oracle of Delphi.
What is the best way to visit Athens?
As you can see, many of the points of interest are relatively close, but not all of them are. In fact, the best way to visit Athens and the surrounding area is to rent a car to be able to move around freely both within Athens and in the surrounding cities. So, you won't have to worry about finding information about public transportation, or relying on excursions to visit Delphi or any other city in Greece.
The advantage of renting a car is that you can modify your itinerary on the fly, depending on what you want to do at any given moment. At OK Mobility we know that it is essential to be able to travel your way, so contact us to rent your car simply and economically, and get your trip off to the right start!
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