How to make the most of ancient & modern Athens
As city straplines go, Athens surely has the world's most heavyweight: "The Cradle of Western Civilisation". And it's not just hype, as our very concepts of democracy were born here on the rocky Acropolis.
Our ideas, and indeed ideals, of the arts were moulded on its slopes, and the precursor of that literal Odeon cinema you enjoy at the weekend was the first to show performances. Moreover, much of our philosophy and language have Greek origins.
The glory days of Athens were more than half a millennium before the birth of Christ, however. Since then, the city has often been on a rocky road.
Athens was on its knees as recently as WWII, when German occupation brought savage starvation, and it was on Germany that many Athenians laid the blame again in more recent times, when the country was almost bankrupted as it battled the EU over its finances.
But Athens is the original phoenix: the financially crippling 2004 Olympics brought improved public transport, and the city today rides high in the premier league of city breaks with more flight routes than ever. There is never a bad time to visit Athens, the city where all of our stories in Europe, in many ways, began.
Getting to Athens: book your berth with Marella Cruises* and take your pick of itineraries in the eastern Mediterranean that visit Greece*, including the port closest to Athens*.
Explore on two feet, two wheels or by bus
Athens is famously a city of hills, but most of the things you will want to see, bar the Acropolis, are actually on the densely populated plain that unfurls in a bowl of mountains north of the sea at Piraeus.
Did you know? Piraeus* is the port closest to Athens and where you will disembark if you arrive by ship on a Greek cruise*. Be sure to check out the excursion options or, if exploring independently, be sure to plan your time carefully.
Apart from the excruciatingly (indeed dangerously) hot summer afternoons, walking is a great way to get around, backed up by the (now) decent Metro system, which handily runs to the airport. If you do visit in summer you can still walk, but best make it early morning and evening, so you'll need to plan sightseeing carefully.
Two wheels is also an option these days with the Metro and tighter parking restrictions making the streets less frenetic. Solebike runs e-bike tours that allow you to cover the centuries faster between the main sights, and you're always in touch with the group leader via an earpiece.
If you book a walking tour, make sure it includes your Acropolis tickets, as it saves you having to sort them out on the day. Various companies offer day and night bus tours too, with hop-on and off options.
The Acropolis
The epicentre of that Athenian cradle is, of course, the landmark hulk of the Acropolis*. It's a visible, visceral reminder that Athens represents something far beyond the everyday, the mundane.
Make sure to book tickets in advance, as in an effort to control the crowds, numbers are limited each day and you're allocated a time slot.
It's best to take a guided tour with Athens Walking Tours as they fill you in on the treasures you encounter on the way up. Tours work well as their earpieces go in a single ear, so you can still chat and take in your surroundings.
The excitement builds as you skirt the seemingly impregnable Acropolis, a site chosen for its natural defence and its handy springs, snatching views of the elegant Temple of Athena Nike.
Then you're on the stairs up, which lead to one of travel's most sublime experiences. The temple of Athena Nike and Erechtheion on the fabled mound catches the eye, but the whole scene and all your senses are soon dominated by one building.
The dramatically colonnaded Parthenon is a marvel you've seen a million times on screens, in books and imagined in your head at school. Somehow, it's even more impressive than you imagine,d despite the perennial crowds.
It can be a literal and metaphorical comedown descending the Acropolis after your intimate window into ancient Athens. Don't let it be: head for the slick modern Acropolis Museum, which houses many of the Acropolis's greatest treasures.
For Greek visitors, it's the absence here that speaks loudest. Anyone who believes Britain should retain the 'Elgin Marbles' only need stand here looking at the gap next to its siblings to feel that the return is essential. Indeed, inevitable.
Athens beyond the Acropolis
Just below the Acropolis are two more unmissable sites: the Theatre of Dionysus and Odeon of Herodes Atticus. If there is a concert on, beg, steal or borrow a ticket even if you never liked Coldplay that much. It's all about the setting and atmosphere at this distinctive template odeon.
The best view of the Acropolis is from slippery, rough Mars Hill, where you also spy the ancient Agora and a flurry of ancillary historic sites. The Plaka is the rambling historic quarter that fringes the ancient Athens drama. In recent years, it has really upped its game, its narrow streets now alive with eclectic cafés, bars and restaurants.
Also within walking distance is the stadium that hosted both the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and the opening ceremony of their triumphant return in 2004. Don't miss the vaulting Hadrian's Arch (unlike the Greeks, the Romans loved an arch), too and the ruins of the once mighty Temple of Zeus. As with many attractions in Athens, the grand remnants strongly evoke the grandeur of the original.
World-class food & drink
Ask most people to name the world's great cuisines and Greece may not always get a mention, but Greek cuisine, with its combination of serious heritage, ultra fresh produce and continuing creativity, offers a winning cocktail.
The wines are seriously underrated, too, especially the bone-dry, minerally whites. There are decent reds using classic French grapes, as well as homegrown grape varieties, and in recent years, excellent craft beers have joined the crisp local lagers that are ideal on a hot day.
The Greek culinary classics all make a strong appearance in Athens, with many more traditional venues offering hearty moussaka and baklava, alongside refreshing Greek salads.
The ubiquitous gyro is a delicious, cheap fast-food staple, best enjoyed with lamb slathered with tzatziki. Grilled Aegean seafood stars, too. For an insight into the freshness of the produce from the Aegean and the Athenian hinterland, head to the colourful Municipal Market. Wander the seafood and meat stalls before settling into one of the restaurants for an ultra-fresh feast.
Setting can be everything in Athens, with a brace of restaurants standing out both for their excellent cuisine and superlative locations. The Olive Tree at the Titania Hotel Athens sports a rooftop terrace with a view of the Acropolis, where the likes of perfectly grilled sea bass and seafood pasta tempt, along with those dry local white wines.
GB Roof Garden offers a similarly remarkable rooftop terrace with views, backed up by the likes of Angus beef steak and a standout monkfish dish in a champagne and mussel sauce. The 'Athens Spritz' is deliciously refreshing, fashioned with local vermouth. Sublime.
Escape to the Athenian coast
If you presumed all Athenians flock to the myriad isles when it gets too hot, then think again. The Attica Riviera lies close to the cit,y with its eastern extremities within spitting distance of the city's airport.
The area also makes a great alternative base if you fancy a city break with a beach on hand at the start and the end of the day. Some of the hotels are focused towards weekend breakers from Athens, but Dolce by Wyndham Athens Attica Riviera welcomes all to its private beachfront, large swimming pool and health spa.
The shallow waters are ideal for families, and there is a nature reserve within walking/swimming distance. Also nearby is the hulking Temple of Artemis, the highlight of the ruins of Brauron, one of the 12 ancient cities of Attica, the peninsula that has been so dramatically pivotal in the forging of western civilisation.
Climate in Athens
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum daytime temperature °C |  12 |
13 |
 15 |
 19 |
 24 |
 29 |
 32 |
31 |
28 |
 22 |
18 |
14 |
| Hours of sunshine (daily) | ||||||||||||
| Days with some rainfall |  8 |
9 |
8 |
7 |
 5 |
 2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
9 |
 10 |
| Sea temperature °C |  15 |
14 |
14 |
15 |
 18 |
 22 |
 25 |
 26 |
25 |
22 |
 20 |
 17 |
The above guide shows the climate in Athens. Find out more about conditions across the country in our complete guide to the climate in Greece.
Ready to explore Athens? See the latest offers on Mediterranean cruises from Marella, which sails to various Greek ports from spring to autumn.
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