Athens is an incredible city full of historical monuments from Ancient Greece. And it’s built on hills, so the views are also spectacular. There are so many instagrammable places in Athens! It’s hard to pick just a few, but I listed my 10 favorite spots where you can snap a great picture during your visit. This post contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase I may get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Find out more here.
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I visited the Greek capital in December 2023. I think winter is the best time of the year to visit Athens because there are fewer people, but the weather is still nice. It was my first time in the capital of Greece. I loved exploring the narrow streets, the ancient sites, and the tavernas. I used to learn about Greek mythology in school, and it was so amazing to be able to visit the ancient ruins I read so much about and learn more about Greek history and Ancient Greece.
Four full days is the perfect amount of time to visit the main attractions, but I would have loved to stay there for a full week so I could explore more of the non-touristy Athens. If you want to also visit the Greek Islands, then you should aim for at least 10 days in Greece.
1. The Acropolis
The Acropolis is the most famous historical site in Greece, and one of the most famous attractions in the world. Because it’s such a popular tourist destination, over 6 million people visit Athens every year.
There are 3 landmarks that are very instagrammable at the Acropolis.
The first one is the Parthenon, pictured above. It’s a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena that was built in the 5th century BC. Parts of the Parthenon are under construction in an effort to restore this important monument. However, you can find good angles for pictures that won’t include too much of the scaffolds.
The second one is Erechteion. It’s an Ionic temple dedicated to the worship of Athena Polias and Poseidon-Erechtheus. Instead of classical columns it has 6 Caryatids, or maidens, that serve as support for the building. All 6 are replicas. Five of the original Caryatids are in the Acropolis Museum and one is in the British Museum.
The third one is the Temple of Athena Nike, dedicated to the Goddesses Athena and Nike.
Every single tourist is trying to take pictures at these monuments, so you’ll have to be patient and wait for your turn. You can also try visiting early in the morning for a better chance at a more private photoshoot.
Acropolis ticket info
If you plan on visiting multiple historical attractions besides the Acropolis of Athens you should go with the combo ticket, which you can use to enter 6 archaeological sites. It’s cheaper than buying individual tickets at each site. However, if you’re not interested in the combo ticket, you can buy an Acropolis-only ticket here.
An important thing to keep in mind is that the Acropolis Museum is different from the Acropolis. You will need a separate ticket to enter and, unfortunately, the ticket for the museum is not included in the combo ticket. You can buy the ticket for the museum here. I am not a huge museum person, so I skipped it. However, if museums are your vibe, another good one to visit is the National Archaeological Museum.
2. Lycabettus Hill
Go to Lycabettus Hill for the best views in all of Athens. You’ll be able to see more of the city from here compared to the Acropolis since the hill is taller. This is such a great instagram spot in Athens.
There are spots at the top of the hill where you can sit down and take a picture. The background of those pictures will be similar to what you see in the photo above.
You can also find a tiny, white and blue church here. It’s one of those beautiful churches they have on the Greek Islands too.
There are two ways to get to the top of the hill: you can hike, or you can take the funicular. I highly recommend the funicular option if you have other plans that day as the hike is pretty long and intense. The funicular costs 8 euros just to go up, while the price for a round trip is 10 euros.
You can get to the funicular by walking from Aristotle’s Lyceum. Even to get to the funicular is a hike as you’ll have to go up some very steep streets and lots of stairs. I was tired by the time I made it there.
What I saw other people do is get a taxi to the funicular. Taxis are really affordable in Athens. It usually costs 5-7 euros to go from one attraction to the other. They technically don’t have Ubers, but you can order taxis through the Uber app, which is what I did all the time.
3. Ancient Agora
The Ancient Agora was the center of Athens. This is where they used to hold political gatherings, juries, philosophical gatherings.
It is a large area with a lot of greenery and ancient ruins, including the Temple of Hephaestus, pictured above.
Another great photo spot is the Stoa of Attalos, which currently houses the Museum of Ancient Agora. It’s a building with 45 Doric-style columns externally and 22 Ionic-style columns internally. It’s absolutely gorgeous.
Top tip: if you want the place to yourself, go about 30-45 minutes before closing. That’s what I did and it was magical. If you do that in December you’ll also catch the golden hour.
4. Little Kook
I can’t even put into words how obsessed I am with Little Kook. It’s still one of Athens’ hidden gems, but it’s becoming a popular spot for tourists and for good reason. It’s a place full of magic, where elves make your wishes come true, and you can eat as much cake as your heart desires. Really, it’s true.
Every single inch of this place is instagrammable. It really is the perfect spot to take some of your best instagram photos. They went overboard with the decor, and I am here for it. The decor on the inside is as extra as the decor on the outside.
They have an extensive menu of sweets, hot chocolate and coffee. I have a huge sweet tooth, so this is my definition of heaven. Whoever came up with the idea of Little Kook is a genius. It doesn’t have the cheapest eats in Athens, but it’s so worth it.
If you can’t visit around Christmas, don’t worry. Little Kook is open year-round and they change the decor every few months.
The world needs more places like this where you forget about your problems for a bit and you become a happy, carefree child again. It’s a place I will never forget and one I hope to return to soon. I’m telling you, it’s magical.
5. Monastiraki Square
Monastiraki Square is one of the central squares in Athens. You can see the Acropolis in the distance from here. You can also find Panagia Pantanassa, one of the oldest churches in Athens, here.
They also have a flea market and other outdoor vendors in Monastiraki Square. The place has a lot of energy and character, and it deserves a spot on my list of instagrammable places in Athens.
6. Panathenaic Stadium
The Panathenaic Stadium, or Kallimarmaro, was built for the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 in Athens, Greece. It is the only stadium in the world made completely of marble.
The pictures you can take from the street level are great. But I’ll give you a pro tip. You can also go to the top of the stadium from Pangrati.
Seeing if from above and being so close to the marble seating and the olympic circles is an incredible experience that needs to be captured in photos.
Authentic food tour in Athens near Panathenaic Stadium
One of my favorite activities in Athens was going on this food tour. I am a big foodie and I love to try local foods whenever I travel. There are a lot of food tours in Athens, but I signed up for an alternative, truly authentic food tour in secret Athens. This tour didn’t take place in the most touristic neighborhoods of Athens like Plaka or Monastiraki, but in Pangrati. I wanted to experience how locals eat and explore tavernas and eateries where you don’t find a lot of tourists. And boy, I’m so glad I picked this tour.
I invited Ioanna, my Greek friend I met on my solo trip to Madrid, to join me. We met with Nikolas, the tour guide by the Panathenaic Stadium around 6pm. He was so friendly and welcomed us. It also turned out that Ioanna and I were the only two people on the tour that night because it was mid-December and there weren’t that many tourists in Athens. So we had a VIP private food tour, which I loved.
Nicholas created a great walking route so you can try food from the best places in Pangrati, while learning about the neighborhood’s history, and exploring the best photo locations at the Panathenaic Stadium.
7. Syntagma Square
Syntagma Square is home to the Greek Parliament. It’s a busy central square with a nice park, a fountain, and lots of shops. The square itself is instagrammable, but you should also stay for the change of guards in front of the parliament.
The ceremony happens every hour on the hour, it’s free, and it lasts only 10-15 minutes. You just need to wait on the sidewalk for the ceremony to start, no tickets are required. Make sure to have your phone or camera ready, it’s fabulous.
8. Stavros Niarchos cultural center
Many of the spots on this list of instagrammable places in Athens are historical sites. Not the Stavros Niarchos cultural center. This is the exact opposite.
It has modern buildings and it even has a singing and dancing fountain. It’s quite the show. You can also go inside the National Library and the Greek National Opera. Or you can take a walk in the Stavros Niarchos Park. The entire complex is worth exploring.
9. Plaka neighborhood
Plaka is a cute, trendy neighborhood under the Acropolis hill. You can find the oldest house in Athens in this neighborhood. It’s now a museum you can visit.
The cobblestone streets and shops make it very aesthetically pleasing. It caters for tourists, but it’s definitely worth taking a stroll here.
10. Psiri
Psiri is a hip neighborhood in Athens. It has a lot of street art, shops, restaurants. The Foundry Suites hotel has a rooftop terrace with incredible views of the Acropolis. Golden hour here is extraordinary.
The terrace is open to people who are not hotel guests and in the warmer months they serve pizza and drinks. It’s a great spot for pictures, for hanging out, and for taking in the Greek way of living.
Heading to Athens soon? Check out some of my other articles.
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