The Best of Athens Greece – As the cradle of Western Civilization, Athens offers endless opportunities to uncover ancient history. The Parthenon and the hilltop Acropolis might be Athens’ starring attractions, but the Greek capital is also famed for its buzzing nightlife and Mediterranean cuisine. While visitors could spend a week exploring the city’s ruins and alley cafes, many make it a quick stopover—guided tours help cover top highlights by cutting down on time spent purchasing tickets, waiting in lines, and finding transportation. For those with more time, the city provides a starting point for trips into the Greek Islands, and for day trips and multi-day tours that go further into mainland Greece, where favorite destinations include the cliff-top monasteries of Meteora and the ruined city of Delphi. Learn more about the best beaches of Greece here, or visit us on Pinterest here.
Athens Weather (When to Visit)
Summer months bring crowds along with fabulous weather on Greek Island beaches, but Athens can be stifling in July and August with summer temperatures that often skyrocket into the 90s. On the positive side, a large number of festivals are hosted here during the summer months. Consider spring and fall for milder temperatures and fewer tourists.
Spring’s pleasant temperatures (between the mid-40s and high 70s) and more affordable accommodations and flights make this season an excellent time to visit. Plus, you’ll have more elbow room at the Acropolis and Ancient Agora, since most visitors time their visits during the summer. Just keep in mind that Athens is less than 10 miles away from Greece’s coast, so you’ll want a light jacket to protect yourself from spring’s biting winds.
Best Athens Area Beaches
The beaches in Athens feature crystal clear waters and sand-fringed shorelines that are easily accessible to the public from the city center. Greater Athens features the longest coastline of any European capital, with Athens’ beaches consistently awarded Blue Flag status for their high standards in water quality and cleanliness.
Astir Beach Club
One of the most exclusive beach clubs in Greece, Astir Beach is set on 300 meters of coastline in the crystal blue waters of the exclusive Laimos peninsula. Astir Beach is open to the public but for a significant entry fee, the upside being the facilities are in pristine condition and the service level is high.
Akti Vouliagmenis Beach
Akti Vouliagmenis is an ideal location to spend outdoors if you have a family with kids or enjoy being active. Offering a full range of amenities; first aid station, a kid’s playground, elegant beach chairs and umbrellas plus free Wi-Fi.
.
.
Asteras Beach – Balux & the House Project
An upmarket complex offering good value for money. For those willing to pay an entry fee, Asteras Beach offers sun-beds and umbrellas, lockers, changing rooms, showers, trampolines, a kids playground, a self- service restaurant, three bars and water sports. The restaurants and bars can also be accessed without payment.
.
Yabanaki Beach – Varkiza Resort
The Varkiza Resort offers a selection of restaurants and facilities that make it a comfortable family day at the beach. With a beach side souvlaki eatery, pizzeria and sushi bar, it makes every effort to please. Beach tennis and a children’s water park are also available along with a quiet area used for wellness and massage. There’s plenty of water sports such as windsurfing and water skiing.
Krabo Beach
You can expect to find the very cool crowd of Athens here, who also enjoy dining and drinking at ‘Krabo’, the latest all-day beach bar and restaurant that is operated by the exclusive Margi Hotel. Expect a tight squeeze during peak summer season. Pre-book sun-beds or cabanas at least 48 hours in advance or if you’re organized enough, one week prior to avoid disappointment.
.
Best Athens Rooftop Bars & Dining
Tudor Hall Restuarant $31 – 60
Right in the heart of Athens you will find this fine dining oasis, located on the 7th floor of the King George II Palace Hotel. From the rooftop restaurant you get a fantastic view of the historical sites of Athens, like the Acropolis. Serving modern cusine with inspiration from the classic Greek kitchen, the restaurant has been selected amongst the best ones in Greece five years in a row. Telephone: 30 21 0333 0265 Web: Tudor Hall Restaurant
Galaxy Restaurant & Bar at Hilton Athens $31 – 60
From the open-air terrace you can enjoy stunning views of the ancient Acropolis and and Lycabettus Hill along with (what feels like) the complete Athens skyline. Upscale in style and decor but laid back in vibe, here you can enjoy Mediterranean cuisine from the dinner menu and a bar menu offering both sushi and bites, along with delicious signature cocktails and a wide selection of wines. Telephone: 30 21 0321 0006 Web: Galaxy Restaurant & Bar at Hilton Athens
AthenStyle Rooftop Bar & Restaurant
A bit of a hidden gem, offering spectacular 360-degree view of downtown Athens with the Acropolis as a powerful background. Not as fancy as alot of other rooftops in decor, but instead a very relaxing spot offering great food and drinks to very human prices. Open from early morning to late at night, the rooftop bar serves traditional Greek food along with classic cocktails, coffee drinks and ice cold beers. Telephone: 30 21 0322 5010 Web: AthenStyle Rooftop Bar & Restaurant
Sky Lounge Rooftop Dining Bar $11 – 30
Perched on the 9th floor, right in the heart of the city, this seasonal rooftop terrace offers a spectacular view to the Acropolis and Lycabettus Hill. Equipped with a lovely rooftop pool, during daytime the terrace is pool bar and lounge for guests staying at the hotel. Swim in the 22m pool or relax in the jacuzzi, while sipping on a refreshing beverage from the rooftop bar. At night the stylish and contemporary Sky Lounge opens to all. Relaxing in vibe, here you can enjoy creative Greek cuisine, cocktails and a large selection of local wines. Telephone: 30 21 0332 0100 Web: Sky Lounge Rooftop Dining Bar
NEW Art Lounge $31 – 60
A very stylish rooftop bar and restaurant, located on top of NEW Hotel, about 200 meters from Syntagma Square. Very trendy and beautiful in setting, the rooftop also offers views to match: 360° panoramics that include lots of Athens historical landmarks. Seating comes both on the al-fresco terrace, as well as inside the comfy lounge, where you are surrounded by over 2000 art books. Here you can enjoy both fantastic Greek / Mediterranean inspired food and a large selection of drinks, from cocktails to local and international wines. Telephone: 30 21 0327 3170 Web: NEW Art Lounge
10 Best 5 Star Athens Hotels
Related Posts
Visit Bari for Spectacular Food, Castles, Churches, and Friendly People- Visit Barletta: For Interesting Historic Monuments and Sandy Beaches
- Visit Beautiful Pescara With Miles of Sandy Beaches
- Ancona: City With Over 2400 Years of History
- Visit Beautiful Venice: City of Canals
- Visit Beautiful Ravenna: Italy’s Byzantium
Thank you so much for sharing with us such a beautiful article. I also read your previous article. I like your articles. I get much information in this post. I can know about Athens Greece Travel. Athens Greece history, culture, and architecture with a rugged Adriatic setting of traditional villages, festivals, beaches, restaurants, and bars. There are so many beaches in this area. In the picture, the beaches look so beautiful. I obviously want to go there. Every year many people visit this place, especially the summer season. Thanks for sharing.
You are very welcome Sabrina. Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations.
Hi, Leahrae.
Thanks for sharing your views on the Athens Greece Travel. The intensity of beaches and natural beauty is awesome. You have given detailed information on the places to visit, beautiful destinations, rooftop bars, and the famous restaurants, I felt as if I am visiting these places in real. I will definitely be at these places during some time of my life. Thanks for the motivation.
Warm Regards,
Gaurav Gaur
You are very welcome Gaurav! I am glad you enjoyed reading my Athens Greece Travel Guide. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Leahrae,
This is a truly comprehensive and well-presented site. I found it so easy to find what I wanted to and when I did the information I would expect was available to me.
I have had beach holidays in the past that have not been so easy to research and/or organize so I may well be using this site shortly 🙂
Best wishes
Thanks so much Justin. Please let me know if you need any additional information and thank you for stopping by.
I have always wanted to visit Greece and experience the sites and culture of yet anther area of where civilization got its start. Being on the same grounds that the Greek God’s once walked and inhabited would be awe inspiring. I can only imagine it and the sheer beauty of the ruins and landscapes.
My oldest sister who is now retired went on a seniors group tour to Greece last year and she absolutely loved Athens and the surrounding areas. She has recommended that I go and thanks to your post here I am even more pumped up to start making plans now for a Spring time trip. Are those prices for hotels the current going cost?
Hi Robert and thanks for stopping by. Yes, those prices are current for the dates I provided. Of course you will want to plug in your dates and see if there is a lower cost 🙂 Please let me know if you need any additional information.
I visited Athens a few years ago on a one day stopover on a cruise. We took the train from the harbour into the city centre and managed to find our way to the ancient city to see all the famous old buildings such as the Parthenon. It really is a spectacular site and we were fortunate to visit on a mild autumn day in early October.
We left feeling that although we had seen the most famous landmarks in the city there was so much more we could have seen and done. This article has given me lots of ideas for places to see when we visit again later this year for a long weekend.
Many thanks
Oh boy David, I do love cruises but that is the one thing I hate. You kind of get a taste for a location, but a day or half of a day is never enough. Cruises are a great way to enjoy your vacation and learn a little bit about a handful of different destinations. For me, then I make my plans to vacation to the ports I loved and spend the extra time to enjoy for more than a port of call.
Hello, first off I want to commend you for putting together such a comprehensive review. The images you presented coupled with your description of each place make it so enticing to take a vacation! If I were to go, I’d make sure to stop by the Temple Of Poseidon. I think it’s amazing how they were able to build a structure like that back in the day without large machinery.
I was paying close attention to the prices of the hotels and all of them are five-star therefore I think it’s not too expensive at all and the food is priced just right as well. Thanks again for this great post!
Sunny
You are very welcome Sonny. Yes, the hotels I have listed are highly rated by customer satisfaction. You can’t go wrong with any of them, and yes you will enjoy the food. Please let me know if you need any more information. Thanks for stopping by.
It’s amazing how I have always thought of Athens for just its historical sites like the Parthenon and Delphi, but never for its beach areas. I’m so impressed by the clarity of the water, though, I suppose with it being the Mediterranean, I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m especially interested in Meteora, as I had never heard of that site before, but it looks incredible to visit! It’s also really cool that several of the restaurants are rooftop dining as I am sure that really brings you into the scene! Great post!
Yes, that is why I picked the restaurants with rooftop dining. Perfect place to enjoy a great meal and take in all of the beautiful surroundings. Glad you enjoyed Steve!
Many thanks to you for sharing such an excellent article with us .I love fencing a lot so as a traveler I would like to say that the Athens Greece Travel Guide is a great travel guide .I was thinking of spending my leisure time in Greece and thank you so much for giving me all the information to spend vacation time there with your article. I’ve never been here but heard a lot about all the traditional city restaurants, beaches, etc.And seeing what I’ve seen through your travel guides, my desire to go has grown .One of the benefits I enjoy the most through the Travel Guide is the linguistic benefits .
I have collected your article for the future. I will be here soon and will be following this guide and sharing my new experiences with you.
Great I would love to hear how your vacation was in Greece. Please let me know if I need to add any additional recommendations. And of course if you need anything else, please let me know.
Wow. You have put here the most attractive locations in Greece and not only, in my opinion the most beautiful landscapes in Eastern Europe. I can say that I am lucky because I am very close to Greece, just 1 hour away by plane. This year I set out to visit Temple of Poseidon. I really like the ancient Greek films where all these legendary places in Greece appear. I have many friends who go to Greece and I would like to share this article of yours on my Facebook and Instagram accounts. I wish you much success and a happy new year!
You are very lucky! Much longer flight for me for sure. That must make it a little more affordable for you too. Please do share! Thank you so much for stopping by and leaving me some comments.
Hi Leahrae,
Athens, a city full of ancient history, nations rise and fall and religions alike. No wonder it is one of the top touristic destinations of all time.
In this Athens Greece travel guide, I find it compelling to book my next spring break and travel to Athens, the beaches are just sublime. Astir Beach Club is a favorite, I don’t mind paying a fee as long as I get value in return and clean high-end facilities.
The Acropolis is a no-brainer go-to site, the history behind it and the grandeur of the site makes it a necessity for every traveler to Greece.
Affordable restaurants, bars, and hotels makes Athens a unique travel location for families and everyone!
Thanks,
Jordan.
I agree Jordan and my thoughts on Athens exactly! Greece is my all time favorite place. So much history, culture, amazing beaches, and awesome food. Prices are reasonable, especially when you consider what you are getting. … an amazing and interesting high end vacation.
Oh my God! Getting to experience and see most of the ancient stuffs we have heard regarding Greece would be a great experience for me and my loved ones. This Athens travel guide is leading the way for me as I have found useful information regarding best times to visit and the awesome locations I could checkout too. As always, these restaurants got me nodding my head for joy.
Peace out!
I agree! Athens is an experience for everyone. I didn’t really consider it until I was helping my son with his history lessons. That was when I decided that Greece and Italy were at the top of my bucket list. Both chock full of history and beauty. And of course I am a beach person, so the amazing beaches are just an added bonus.
Thank you Leahrae for sharing those great tips on visiting Athens. As you said earlier Athens is full of history and I strongly believe that this fact makes Athens so special. Don’t you think so?
I will put Athens on my wish list of places to visit this year. Also, planning a trip to Athens is cheaper.
You just helped me save time and money! Thanks again!
I do agree Eva! And yes, going off season makes it a bargain for all you can see and do in Athens. Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations.
Many thanks to you for sharing such an excellent article with us .Travel is my favorite and I love to Travel.And this year on a summer vacation I traveled to Athens.And traveling to Athens, I am so happy and I like it very much.And what I like the most is the Athens Hotels Athens Hotels are very nice and nice and the atmosphere there is beautiful.There is a hotel in the center of Athens called King George, and the hotel was very nice.The atmosphere of the hotel was very good to me and the food was very good quality and I felt healthy.
Sounds like you had a great time in Athens and are ready for a trip back! It definitely has it all. Thanks for stopping by.
Hi Leahrae, its been a while I last saw a review by you, I think you are doing a nice job with your time to time review of travel destinations and you are highly regarded for that.
Athens is one of the most beautiful place to be in the world and I think my last visit to Greece was a wonderful and fantastic adventure.
I could recount visiting many exciting restaurants and hotels in the capital back then.
Also the favorable weather at spring made my stay a very memorable, I can say that as a tourist, Athens is one of the most interesting places have voyaged in the world.
And it is very certain that I would still visit even lots more places over there in the nearest future.
Thank you Carol for your kind comments 🙂 I am glad you enjoy visiting beach travel destinations. Sounds like your bucket list is growing!
Hi Leahrae, its been a while I last saw a review by you, I think you are doing a nice job with your time to time review of travel destinations and you are highly regarded for that.
Athens is one of the most beautiful place to be in the world and I think my last visit to Greece was a wonderful and fantastic adventure.
I could recount visiting many exciting restaurants and hotels in the capital back then.
Also the favorable weather at spring made my stay a very memorable, I can say that as a tourist, Athens is one of the most interesting places have voyaged in the world
Thank you Carol and I am glad you have enjoyed visiting Beach Travel Destinations. Thanks for taking the time to leave me comments 🙂
Great point that Athens is the the gateway to the Greek Islands. It makes for a great start in Greece for sure. From there I think I would check out cliff-top monasteries of Meteora and the ruined city of Delphi before heading to places in the isles. Great advice on weather and beaches 😎 One that really sticks out to me is Krabos due to its lively atmosphere. This is a great reference especially with the ancient architecture and I will be sure to save your post for my next Greece trip, well done!
Thank you. I am glad you found my Athens Greece Travel Guide helpful. Let me know how your vacation goes and what you saw and did 🙂 Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations.
In all my years of travel one exciting place that I have always wanted to go is Athens Greece but due to some issues I haven’t been there but I know I would definitely plan to go there later this year on a family vacation….I must say this one cannot travel without a travel guide,when I mean travel guide I mean a comprehensive guide like this one,I have never been there but only by reading this guide the urgue to go there just increased 100%thanks slot as this article or guide would really help us all.
I am glad you can use my Athens Greece Travel Guide for your upcoming vacation. I would like to know what hotel you end up staying at and how your stay was. I look forward to hearing back. Thanks for visiting beach travel destinations.