Okay, let us clear something up. When we say ”Athens”, we mean real Athens and not the usual stuff you will find in any travel guide. As you might have understood, we hate crowded touristic areas like cats hate water.. In this article, we are going to share our insights on how you could get the most out of your trip in Athens, in just 2 days, and go to places only locals go! Let the adventure begin!

Day 1

Daytime

Our 2-day Athens itinerary starts from your visit to a unique neighborhood named Kypseli. Centrally located, Kypseli is very often overlooked, not only by travelers, from locals too, but it’s a hidden gem! Once a home for all high-income Athenians, now a home of many different people of many nationalities, known for its vibrant streets and squares, the ethnic street food, the cafeterias and some beautiful old buildings which travel you to the past.

Your walk could start from the beautiful pedestrian street of Fokionos Negri, walking towards Agiou Georgiou square, one of the cutest and most vibrant places of the city, where your first ”pit stop” will be. Then, take your time and enjoy your freddo espresso like a Greek!

Your Athenian adventure continues with the same pattern and your next stop in the most alternative and open-minded neighborhood of the city. Exarhia is the home of many young people, many bars & restaurants, graffiti, delicious street food, open-air cinemas and old bookstores, Exarhia is a cultural hub. On your way from Kypseli to Exarhia, you’ll pass through one of the biggest parks in Athens, Pedion tou Areos, which is worth exploring and a perfect chance for you to catch your breath in the shade of a tree.

Upon exiting Pedion tou Areos and crossing Alexandras Avenue, you reach Exarhia. There, we can suggest two options: First, if you love city views, you keep moving towards Strefi Hill and by following the path you get to enjoy one of our favorite Acropolis and Athens view! Otherwise, you can continue your walk towards Exarhia Square, wandering around the charming Athenian streets. Now it’s time to continue our route by walking in the ”artery” of Exarhia neighborhood, Valtetsiou Street. This is one of the most lively streets of the city, home of many cafeterias, bars and different kind of shops. We suggest walking from beginning to end, to get a great taste of life at Exarhia neighborhood. If you’re one of these people who don’t like to follow a straight line, just make sure you walk this neighborhood by following your gut.

Now, after quite a few kilometers done, it’s time for a break to gather some energy and generate some positive vibes for the rest of the day. A good way to do that is to select a place that you like, either on Valtetsiou Street or at Koletti Street and grab something to eat. We won’t recommend any restaurant or cantine because this blog post does not promote any business and our goal is purely give you insights about the city and local areas. So find a place, grab a snack and let’s continue!

Evening

After Exarhia, our next stop is Kolonaki, the classiest Athenian neighborhood, home of many high-end shops and beautiful classic apartment buildings. What’s interesting is that while Exarhia and Kolonaki are next to each other, they are completely different to each other in many ways. So keep your eyes open and spot the contrasts!

While in Kolonaki, make sure you visit Dexameni Square, one of Athens’ hidden spots, a great open-air cinema and a secret Acropolis view.

Now it’s when your Day 1 of the Athenian Adventure gets real because you’re going to sneak into the Panathenaic stadium, the home of the first Olympic Games, through a secret entrance! Tip: we suggest you to follow Irodou Attikou Street to reach the Panathenaic stadium from Kolonaki, cause that’s the street the Presidential Palace is!

So, where were we? Oh yes.. sneak in the stadium. Once you reach this spot, you’ll see a small hole in the fence.. Well.. Here’s your chance!

For those of you that you are still worried, you won’t actually sneak in the stadium illegally, but you will have the chance to see a panoramic view of it by entering from the spot mentioned above. Trust us, it’s a great thing to do!

Thinking about what a perfect ending to this exhausting first day would be? We are here for you! After relaxing at the Panathenaic stadium, it’s time to walk around Pagrati. A magical up-and-coming Athenian neighborhood, full of cute little streets and vibrant squares. At Varnava square, you can finally relax, have a refreshing beer and think about your day you spent in this magical city.. But hurry up! You need to get a good night sleep for Day 2!

Day 2

Daytime

Hope you had a good rest, because today another part of the city awaits to be explored. Let’s go!

How about starting your day by visiting one of the cutest and still unspoiled Athenian neighborhoods? Metaxourgeio combines picturesque streets with a great architectural interest, great street art and vibrant local cafeterias! We suggest that you start from Avdi square, where you could either enjoy your morning coffee, or start exploring. Wandering around Metaxourgeio, make sure you keep your eyes open to admire some of the best graffiti in Athens, and follow the small pedestrian streets, while moving towards Salaminos street.

Next, head to Petralona, passing by Gazi, an area full of spectacular graffiti and murals—the real deal of Athens street art. To dive deeper into Athens’ urban art and get answers to all your questions, join our Street Art Tour, guided by a local expert. Book a spot now!

From Metaxourgeio/Gazi to Petralona, we suggest that you follow Troon street, to get yourself away from the city’s hustle & bustle. Walk around the local neighborhood of Petralona until you reach Merkouri square, where you can choose any Taverna you like and enjoy a traditional lunch.

Evening

The next part of your Athenian adventure involves exploring Filopappou Hill and its surroundings. Filopappou or Aeropagus Hill, offers a great city escape because of its beautiful full-of-green paths, and a breathtaking Parthenon view! Of course, depending on your energy levels, you could either reach the top or just have a regular walk in Filopappou park. From Merkouri square to Filopappou, you could use this path that leads to the hill.

Another neighborhood located in the foothills of Filopappou worth exploring is Koukaki. Depending on how much time you spend on the hill and which exit path you used, Olympiou street is worth visiting and catch your breath at one of its beautiful cafeterias or tavernas. Olympiou is a pedestrian street known for the plethora of drink and food options it offers, as well as the interesting blend of locals and foreign people.

Tired yet? Good! Cause now it’s time for your last stop in this 2-Day Athens adventure. As we also say in Greek.. ”the best for the end!”

Thisio open-air cinema is the oldest cinema of the city, and rated among the best in the world! Fancy watching a movie while overlooking the illuminated Acropolis at a sweet Athenian summer night? Generally, open air-cinema is a experience you must witness, especially if you’re in Athens during the summer and if you’re a romantic soul. We suggest that you reach Thisio open-air cinema from Koukaki, by walking to Apostolou Pavlou street, one of the most beautiful and classical Athenian streets.

This 2-Day Athens adventure explores a quite big part of the city in just 2 days and it’s designed for everyone who’s eager to see the REAL side of Athens, experience local life and really loves walking!

Are 2 Days enough to see Athens?

Yes! Two days are enough just to see Athens.. But in order to experience Athens, two days is a joke! Yeah, okay, for sure you can walk as much as you can and see as many places as you could, but you’ll never experience a city, its local life and the culture if you don’t spend enough time. But how can you do that? First, be relaxed and don’t solely depend on your phone to give you instructions..just ask! Secondly, don’t be afraid to walk as much as you can. That’s the way to find the best places! Third and most important is to find a local who you can trust and can show you the city through the eyes of a local, away from all touristic spots.This is the real deal! That’s what we, Athens Locals do!