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Athens · Mixed

From Syntagma to the Parthenon: the must-see Athens

The highlights of Athens in a single morning: you start in front of Parliament, where the Evzones stand guard in their pleated kilts, cross the centre past the cathedral and the Monastiraki market, climb to the gates of the Acropolis and finish at the glass museum that holds its treasures.

  • 5 stops
  • 2.4 km
  • 2 h
  • Free
Start with GPS Read about this stop 1
The Acropolis of Athens and the Parthenon seen from Philopappos Hill

The route

Stop by stop

  1. 1 Syntagma Square and the Tomb of the Unknown SoldierA royal palace turned Parliament and a square named after the Constitution wrested from a king.
  2. 2 Metropolitan Cathedral of AthensThe great church of the new kingdom, twenty years in the making and, so the story goes, built with stones from dozens of demolished churches.
  3. 3 Monastiraki SquareA square where a Byzantine monastery, an Ottoman mosque, a Roman library and the metro station all live side by side.
  4. 4 The AcropolisThe rock where Pericles raised the Parthenon, and which survived a Persian fire, a Venetian explosion and Lord Elgin.
  5. 5 Acropolis MuseumA glass museum floating above an ancient neighbourhood, with visible gaps waiting for the Parthenon Marbles to come home.

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Start with GPS

Guide mode

Walk it with GPS.

Open guide mode on your phone: you’ll see your position and the distance to each stop, and we’ll let you know when you arrive. Then read or listen.

Start with GPS

  1. Turn on your location

  2. Walk to the spot

  3. Check the photo and listen

What you’ll discover

From Syntagma to the Parthenon: the must-see Athens

Modern and ancient Greece

From King Otto's palace to Pericles' Parthenon in under two miles.

Living ceremonies

The Evzones' changing of the guard and the life of the Orthodox churches, just as they happen today.

Uphill, with a reward

You reach the entrance to the Acropolis with everything you need to understand what you're about to see.

Keep exploring

More routes in Athens

Back to Athens
HistoryBefore Athens was Athens: theatres, courts and emperors Mysteries & legendsCurses, dervishes and a prison without a prisoner

Itineraries

How many days do you have in Athens?

We’ve planned it day by day for you: which routes to walk and in what order, what else to see and where to eat.

1

Athens in 1 day

All three routes in one full day: the highlights, the history and the legends at dusk.

See the itinerary 2

Athens in 2 days

A gentler pace: the three routes over two days, plus extra sights and where to eat.

See the itinerary 3

Athens in 3 days

The city in depth: one route a day, extra museums and neighbourhoods, and a day for good food.

See the itinerary