Choose from 58 Fun Things to Do in Athens
Terrace of the Lions
The Terrace of the Lions was dedicated to Apollo in around 600 BC. Originally, there were up to a dozen big squatting guardian cats lining the Sacred Way; today, only seven remain. The lions have grown weathered with time and the elements, and only their tapering feline shapes suggest their original appearance. Lined up in a row, they sit atop pillars of brick and rubble, looking over the site.
The lions are replicas, with the originals preserved in the site’s museum, a short walk east of the terrace near the visitor pavilion.
You can also see one of the lions in Venice, guarding the entrance to the Arsenale shipyards. The terrace is part of the sprawling archaeological site of Ancient Delos, on the island’s northwest coast. It sits in front of the rectangular Agora of the Italians, south of the Sacred Lake where Leto gave birth to Apollo. Between the terrace and the sea lies the temple of Poseidon.
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Kapnikarea Church
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Panathenaic Stadium (Panathinaiko Stadio)
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Mt Lycabettus
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Vouliagmeni Lake
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Mt Parnassus
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Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square is the heart of modern Athens. Also known as Constitution Square, it is a huge public plaza stretching out in front of the Greek Parliament Building. The scene for many celebrations and demonstrations, the square has recently been refurbished as part of the development of the Athens metro system.
Gleaming with white marble and suitably formal with its symmetry and statues, it is a place for meeting friends, sheltering from the sun under trees, or just sitting and people watching. Many of the city's most important streets begin here: Ermou Street for expensive shopping, and Vassilissis Sophias Avenue, also known as Museum Mile.
The neoclassical Parliament Building at one end of Syntagma Square was built around 1843 as a palace for the unwelcome King Otto of Bavaria. It had 365 rooms and one bathroom. Hopefully when it was remodeled in 1910 to house Parliament this ratio was changed. The square was once Queen Amalia's private gardens.
In front of the Parliament Building, the elite Presidential Guards, or Ezvones, guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier 24 hours a day and you can watch the official Changing of the Guard at 11am on Sundays. On other days they march around and change places every hour.
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Syntagma metro station is below and has several entrances around the square. Syntagma Square is a hub for transport in Athens and there are buses galore. From here you can also catch the coastal tram to the beaches. The National Gardens are just across the road from the square.
Philopappou Hills
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Vouliagmeni Beach
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University of Athens
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Temple of Poseidon
- Wear comfortable shoes as the ruins are situated on uneven ground and require some walking.
- Bring your swimsuit. There is a swimming beach at the foot of the cape.
- Parts of the temple are accessible to those with limited mobility, and wheelchair accessible tours are available.
Parliament Building (Vouli)
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Temple of Olympian Zeus
- Admission is free on certain Sundays and holidays throughout the year.
- The temple is accessible to wheelchair users.
- The entire site is outdoors, so dress appropriately for the weather.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The tomb is guarded 24 hours a day by the Presidential Guard (the Evzones). These are the hand-picked strongest men of the army - also the most handsome! Their traditional uniform features a skirt, stockings and pom-poms on their shoes, all of which makes the hourly Changing of the Guard ceremony even more worth seeing. On Sundays at 11am they stage an impressive full ceremony with formal uniform and an army band.