The Coolest Things to Experience in Athens
Athens is one of the most ancient cities on the planet and one of the most affordable to boot! So, if you’re looking for a summer vacation that has plenty of sun, sea, and sand, and lots of interesting attractions that won’t break the bank, it might just be the city for you.
If you do decide to take a trip to Athens this summer (or any other time), once you’ve sorted the nuts and bolts of flights, hotels and Athens airport to city transfers, you will want to draw up an itinerary of possible attractions to visit while you’re there.
Making a list of your must-sees is a great way to ensure you don’t miss anything out, but if you don’t even know where to start when it comes to Athens’ must-see locations, take a look at the following list of cool places to visit in the city:
Sounio
Just a 45-minute drive away from Athens at the tip of Attica, you will find Sounio. This interesting historical site may not be as popular as other Athenian landmarks, such as the Acropolis, but in many ways, it’s just as impressive, and you won’t be as crowded by tourists as you would at some of the bigger historical attractions.
Highlights at Sournio include the Temple of Poseidon and some stellar beaches that look out onto the beautifully blue Aegean Sea.
Exarchiea
Although it is located in what many tourists are told is a decidedly dodgy part of town, sandwiched between the Politechnion and the University of Athens, Exarchia is one of Athens’ most exciting locations.
Whether you want to mingle with young hipsters, find out more about the politics of Greece, or check out the very cool comic and vinyl shops located there, Exarchiea is the place to be.
National Garden
The National Garden is a wonderful public park located centrally in Athens. Although it is very popular with tourists and locals alike, it is an oasis of tranquillity. Spread across 38 acres, the National Gardens is home to a tiny zoo, a duck pond, a Botanical Museum and even a café, so you could conceivably spend the whole day there and never get bored.
Baba Au Rum
Baba Au Rum is definitely a one of a kind, even for Athens. The popular cocktail bar, which focuses on rum-based drinks, is so impressive that it was once named as one of the world’s 50 best bars! So, if you want to let your hair down and sample some of the finest exotic rum drinks in the world, make sure Baba Au Rum is on your itinerary.
Kolonaki
Taking a stroll through this district of Athens, you could be forgiven for thinking that you were actually in one of the coolest parts of New York. You can have a huge amount of fun just walking through this neighborhood, people watching and occasionally stopping to sample a good cup of coffee or to buy a little trinket or two.
The places on this list are about as cool as Athens gets, depending on what you like to do, but you should also take the time to explore the city on your own terms because you never know what gems you might find!