GR
Athens
The birthplace of democracy, where the Parthenon rises above a lively modern city of tavernas and rooftop bars
The birthplace of democracy, where the Parthenon rises above a lively modern city of tavernas and rooftop bars
The rocky citadel with the Parthenon, the Erechtheion and the Propylaea, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Entry costs €30 and is sold in timed slots.
Book a timed slot online and go at opening time or late afternoon.
Photo: Gary Todd, CC0
A modern museum at the foot of the Acropolis displaying its sculptures, including the Caryatids and the Parthenon frieze, with glass floors over ancient ruins.
Photo: Paolo Gamba, CC BY 2.0
The marketplace and civic heart of ancient Athens, with the remarkably intact Temple of Hephaestus and the reconstructed Stoa of Attalos.
Photo: Sharon Mollerus, CC BY 2.0
The old neighbourhood beneath the Acropolis, with stepped lanes, neoclassical houses and tavernas; the tiny Anafiotika quarter feels like an island village.
Photo: Julian Lupyan, CC0
Try souvlaki and gyros, moussaka, spanakopita, grilled octopus, Greek salad and loukoumades (honey doughnuts).
Psyrri, Koukaki and Pangrati have excellent tavernas away from the main tourist streets.
Athens International Airport is about 35km from the centre, linked by metro line 3 and express buses in about 40 minutes. The metro, trams and buses cover the city; ferries to the islands leave from Piraeus and Rafina.
Greece is in the EU and the Schengen area and uses the euro. EU citizens need only an ID card; citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, with biometric registration under the EU Entry/Exit System. An ETIAS travel authorisation is also due to be introduced. Hotels charge a per-night climate resilience fee. Check current rules before you travel.
Athens is good value by Western European standards; site tickets are the main sightseeing cost.
Ancient sites and modern neighbourhoods.
Visit the Acropolis early, then the Acropolis Museum, and spend the evening in Plaka and Anafiotika.
See the Ancient Agora, the Roman Agora and the Temple of Olympian Zeus, then the National Archaeological Museum.
Walk up Lycabettus Hill for sunset, or take a day trip to the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
🛂 Entry rules: EES and ETIAS
Greece is in the Schengen area, which has two EU border systems for non-EU visitors.
EES (in force): since 10 April 2026 the EU’s Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors’ passport details, fingerprints and a photo the first time they enter the Schengen area, replacing passport stamps. Allow extra time at the border on your first trip; later crossings are quicker. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are not registered.
ETIAS (not yet running): a €20 online travel authorisation for visitors who don’t need a visa, such as UK, US, Canadian and Australian citizens. It hasn’t started and no start date has been confirmed, so nobody can apply yet; ignore websites that offer to “pre-register” you for a fee.
Visa-free visitors can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the whole Schengen area, not per country.
Official information: EU: Travel to Europe (EES & ETIAS) · Reviewed September 2026
Summer heatwaves can close archaeological sites at midday; visit early and carry water.
Book timed Acropolis tickets online, especially from April to October.
Watch your belongings on the metro and in crowded areas.
Metro line 3 and the X95 bus link the airport with the centre.
Quick answers for planning time in Athens.
Citizens of the UK, US, Canada, Australia and many other countries can visit visa-free for up to 90 days in 180, with registration under the EU Entry/Exit System.
€30, sold in timed entry slots; book online in advance.
By metro line 3 or express bus, in about 40 minutes.
Two to three days covers the main sites and museums.
April to June and September to October, avoiding the peak summer heat.
Google Maps works well; ferry timetables are best checked on operator sites or ferry booking apps.
Free
Greek is the language; English is widely spoken in tourist areas.
Free
Planning a wider trip? Our Greece travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.