Traveling during COVID-times means that I’ve been planning spontaneous, personal trips (like my trip to Panama in January) a few weeks in advance. This March my mom and I found a fantastic flight deal and decided to fly to Athens three short weeks later. The two of us have been traveling together since I was a baby when we would fly three or four times a year to visit family in Montana. She would bring her stacks of work papers. I would bring my tiny suitcase full of games, toys, and books.
Our 48-hour clock started ticking down the moment we arrived, just as the last sands from the Sahara cleared from Athens’ skies. If you, like my mom and me, are planning a trip to Greece and only have a couple of days in Athens before you jet off to a Greek island, here’s how I’d recommend spending it.
How to spend 48 hours in Athens
Day 1: Thursday
- 10 am fly into Athens
- 11 am take a private taxi into the city
- 2 pm join a walking tour: We did the Athens Free Walking tour to orient ourselves to the city.
- 6 pm dinner at Savvas: If you order the souvlaki know that it’s very similar to a gyro, just with the addition of French fries. It is not, as I originally thought, a savory pastry similar to spanakopita.
Day 2: Friday
- 9 am tour Acropolis Hill + the Acropolis museum
- 1 pm relax over lunch in Plaka at Thespis
- 3 pm delight in gelato from Django Gelato. I recommend the mastic and pistachio flavors.
- 5 pm shop for jewelry at Hermina Athens
- 6 pm climb up to the nearest rooftop bar for drinks with views of the Parthenon
- 7 pm eat dinner at Annie Fine Cooking (fancy) or Feyrouz (budget-friendly)
Day 3: Saturday
- 8 am return to the Athens airport by private taxi
- 10 am fly to Santorini (or another Greek island of your choice)
The Highlights
- My absolute favorite meal was at Annie Fine Cooking in Athens. We ate a deceptively simple meal of grilled goat + spring vegetables, braised beans + tomatoes, fresh bread + olive oil, and natural white wine the restaurant owner made himself. The menu changes every single day, but everything you order will be delicious.
- Culinary Backstreets was my go-to resource for exploring Athens off the beaten path. Using their blog posts and features on local, new restaurants I chose everything from our lunch spot in Plaka to our afternoon gelato spot after our Acropolis Museum tour. Their Perfect Spring Day in Athens post especially helped me as I planned our two days.
- Best spot for carry-on friendly gifts: Ergon. This café-grocery specializes in all greek-made products from stoneware, olive oils, dips, and olives.
My Tips
Save yourself time on navigation. You only have 48 hours, so make the most of it. Our Airbnb host organized a taxi to pick us up from the airport. Standard airport taxis shouldn’t charge you more than 40-50 Euros to get into the center city. With traffic the drive may take close to an hour. Have cash on-hand to pay your driver, as most still don’t accept credit cards. Athens has a fabulous metro system. However, since we only had 2 days in the city we mostly walked in and around the neighborhoods surrounding the Acropolis (the Monastiraki and Plaka neighborhoods) and took taxis to and from the airport to save time and energy.
Navigate throughout Athens without buying a data plan or SIM card: Most cafes and restaurants have wifi. Once you set your phone up on wifi, your GPS will follow you no matter where you go.
Don’t reinvent the wheel: The top 5 sites in Athens are the top 5 for a reason. You should prioritize seeing them if you’re limited on time.
10/10 I would absolutely go back to Athens. There is so much to do, see, and eat! On my next trip I plan to:
- See the Museum of Cycladic Art
- Go to the National Archeological Museum
- Visit to the Ancient Agora of Athens
- Peruse market stalls at the Central Municipal Market
- Go to Asimakopoulos Bros (a Greek bakery that Culinary Backstreets recommended)
