Athens — Day Two
The Agora, Downtown, Museum and Kolonaki
See also: Athens Day One — Acropolis and Plaka
The second day in Athens covers the Greek Agora, the bustling downtown pedestrian district, the National Archaeological Museum and the elegant hilltop neighborhood of Kolonaki — a full day that rewards an early start.
The Greek Agora
Located at the foot of the Acropolis just beyond Plaka, the Greek Agora was the center of civic life in ancient Athens — a place for commerce, religion, politics and philosophy, where Socrates and Plato held court and the foundations of Western democracy were debated. The site opens early in the morning.
The Agora is now largely an open field of rubble and broken marble, but two of its buildings are remarkably intact. The small Temple of Hephaistos, known locally as the Theseion, is one of the best preserved classical buildings in all of Greece. It stands on a knoll overlooking the former marketplace, resembling a smaller version of the Parthenon with columns encircling the central chambers and well-preserved triangular pediments at both ends.
The other surviving structure is the Stoa of Attalos, a two-story colonnaded building that was reconstructed in the 20th century to its original design, giving a clear picture of how grand these buildings once were. The Stoa contains a terrace lined with columns and a small museum inside displaying statues, pottery and jewelry recovered from the site.
The Flea Market and Monastiraki
Exiting the Agora through the main gate on the Monastiraki side leads into the busy flea market, where ancient tradition meets chaotic commerce. Old and new press together here — ruins alongside restaurants, antique shops beside stalls selling clothing, bags, records and miscellaneous goods. The narrow pedestrian lane Ifestou runs through the market and continues back toward Plaka, changing name to Pandrossou along the way. The market is particularly lively on Sundays.
Monastiraki Square sits in the middle of this district, a busy hub in front of the metro and train station. Nearby, the small square of Platia Dimopratiriou offers outdoor dining with live Greek music.
Ermou and Syntagma
Ermou is the finest street in the city center — a broad pedestrian promenade lined with shops that stretches half a mile from Monastiraki to Syntagma Square. The street was transformed as part of the extensive renovation of central Athens that converted several miles of city-center streets into a car-free pedestrian zone, making this one of the most pleasant urban walking districts in Europe.
Three churches along this route are worth noting. Kapnikarea Church sits in a small square right in the middle of Ermou — when the street was laid out in the 19th century the 11th-century Byzantine church was simply incorporated into the design rather than demolished.
Two blocks away on Mitropoleos Street stands the Metropolitan Cathedral, built in the mid-19th century from pieces of 72 demolished churches assembled in traditional Byzantine style. Beside it is the tiny Little Cathedral, only 40 feet on each side, constructed from fragments of churches dating back to the 6th century.
Syntagma Square at the end of Ermou is the central square of Athens, with a tree-lined park at its center surrounded by landmark buildings. The large neoclassical palace on the far side houses the Greek Parliament. In front stands the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where an elaborate changing of the guard ceremony takes place each morning. On Sundays the ceremony is particularly impressive, with a military band and soldiers in traditional dress — white pleated skirts, tights and decorated shoes — marching in precise formation.
Timing a morning arrival at Syntagma to coincide with the ceremony is worthwhile.
Behind the Parliament building, the National Garden offers a large green park with paths winding past ponds, fountains and benches — a welcome respite from the stone and marble of the city. Adjacent to the Parliament is the Hotel Grande Bretagne, one of Athens' finest and most historic hotels, first opened a century ago. The metro station under the square includes a museum display of artifacts and ancient foundations discovered during tunneling — an unavoidable consequence of building infrastructure in a city where every excavation uncovers new archaeology.
Central Market and Omonia
Walking from Syntagma toward Omonia Square passes through a busy commercial district. The broad neoclassical street of Panepistimiou contains one of the most impressive architectural ensembles in Athens: three buildings in the style of ancient temples housing the University, the Academy and the National Library. Continuing along Stadiou through a dense commercial neighborhood leads to Omonia, a large traffic circle and major metro hub that serves mainly as a transit point rather than a destination in itself.
More interesting than Omonia is the Central Market on Athinas Street — a large covered meat and fish market occupying most of a block, an old-fashioned trading hall that has been removed from many European city centers but thrives here unchanged. Across the street, outdoor fruit and vegetable markets line two pedestrian streets and offer a livelier experience.
National Archaeological Museum
Four blocks north of Omonia stands the National Archaeological Museum, the world's primary showcase of ancient Greek sculpture and artifacts. The collection spans thousands of years of Greek civilization with particular strength in the Classical period — that extraordinary era 2,500 years ago when Greek sculptors first rendered the human form with realistic accuracy, departing entirely from the rigid stylized figures of earlier cultures.
Among the highlights is the gold funeral mask known as the Mask of Agamemnon, recovered from Mycenae in 1876, along with bronze weapons, gold jewelry and a remarkable collection of marble and bronze statuary that traces the development of Greek art from its earliest beginnings to its classical peak.
Allow at least two hours to appreciate the collection properly.
Kolonaki and Lycabettos
From Omonia, a taxi to the Lycabettos funicular provides a swift ascent to the highest point in Athens — 909 feet above the city, with panoramic views in every direction on a clear day. The terraces at the summit offer different perspectives of the cityscape below, with recognizable landmarks from the previous two days visible across the sprawl. A restaurant at the top provides a setting to enjoy the view at leisure.
The descent from the funicular station leads through Kolonaki, considered the most elegant shopping district in Athens. Following the staircase down from the funicular along Ploutarhou and turning right on Patriarhi Ioakim reveals a neighborhood of fashionable shops, galleries and cafes culminating at Kolonaki Square — a hub of Athenian social life.
The nearby Benaki Museum holds a substantial collection covering Greek history from prehistoric times through the Byzantine period, with particular strength in decorative arts and historical artifacts.
From Kolonaki, the tree-lined embassy boulevard of Vassilissis Sophias leads back to Syntagma Square, completing the circuit of central Athens. For the evening, returning to Plaka for dining and music is always a pleasure, or the warehouse district of Psiri — two blocks north of Monastiraki — offers a different atmosphere, with art galleries, boutiques and lively cafes centered around Iroon Square that come alive after dark.
Beyond Athens
Athens is just the beginning. Greece offers an extraordinary range of destinations beyond the capital, each covered in detail on separate pages of this site.
The Saronic Islands — Aegina, Poros and Hydra are all reachable as day trips from the port of Piraeus. Each island has its own character, from Aegina's ancient temple and pistachio groves to the car-free tranquility of Hydra.
Delphi — One of the most sacred sites of the ancient world, set dramatically on the slopes of Mount Parnassos. The Oracle of Delphi drew leaders from across the ancient world, and the archaeological site and its museum remain among the finest in Greece.
The Peloponnese — The peninsula just west of Athens contains Mycenae, Epidaurus and Ancient Corinth within easy reach of each other. The medieval town of Nafplio makes an excellent base.
Mykonos — The most cosmopolitan of the Greek islands, famous for its whitewashed cubic architecture, windmills and lively harbor.
Santorini — The most dramatic island in Greece, built on the rim of an ancient volcanic crater with views across the caldera that are unlike anything else in the Mediterranean.
Rhodes — A walled medieval city of exceptional preservation, combined with ancient ruins and a long sandy coastline.
Crete — The largest Greek island, with the Minoan palace of Knossos, the Samaria Gorge and a distinct culture shaped by centuries of independence.