What to Do in Athens

After visiting the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum will put it all into perspective. Consistently ranked as one of the world’s top museums, it’s devoted to the Acropolis hill, Parthenon and the surrounding temples. It was built to hold all of the artifacts uncovered on the hill and surrounded slopes which date from the Greek Bronze Age to Roman and Byzantine Greece while successfully deconstructing how the Parthenon sculptures once looked to the citizens who lived here so many centuries ago. The permanent exhibition reveals three layers of history, including the Gallery of the Slopes of the Acropolis, Archaic Acropolis Gallery, and the Parthenon Gallery. The museum is propped up by concrete pillars that reveal the site’s archaeological excavations below, including the ruins of an ancient, once thriving neighborhood, complete with mosaics, bathhouses, and a drainage system.

One of the oldest and busiest neighborhoods in Athens, Monastiraki is best known for its market. The Monastiraki flea market is really a street lined mostly with souvenir shops along with those selling handcrafted Greek items, handmade jewelry, and antiques. For a true “flea,” head to Plateai Avyssinias and the small surrounding streets where you’ll find lots of old treasures among the bric-a-brac. Just across the railroad tracks is the site where the Agora, the ancient Athens market that’s been a market here since the 6th-century BC with the original foundations of shops still visible. It’s easy to envision the scene back in the day just as it is now, with locals and visitors checking the quality of produce and searching for a bargain. Vendors bellow out their best deals early in the morning, selling their fresh fish, meats, spices, fruits, and other products from around the country.

For fans of Greek mythology and sunsets, the Temple of Zeus on nearby Cape Sounio is a must-visit. Built during the same period as the monuments on the Acropolis, the 5th-century BC, to honor the god of the sea and help guide sailors safely home, the palace stands nearly 197 feet above sea level. It was made entirely of white marble and if you look closely, you’ll see the “Lord Byron” carved into one of the iconic pillars as the epic poet was one of many who fell under its spell, although who actually carved it is debatable. What isn’t, is the chance to step back into mythological time into the kingdom of Poseidon and enjoy one of the best vantage points for a jaw-dropping sunset, a mesmerizing blanket or oranges and reds that engulf the temple as the sun descends into the sea.