by Anastasia Valti-Spanopoulou
We all know more or less what our travelling style is, but when you visit a new place it can be hard to find the type of thing that really suits you, and so you might end up doing just the kind of touristy stuff you wanted to avoid. But good news! If you’re planning a trip to Athens you’re coming to the right place : here there are always local attractions, city tours, excursions, and plenty of other unique things to do for any kind of tourists. So if you’ve been wondering what to do in Athens to make your trip truly memorable, don’t. We’ve been putting together a personalized Athens guide, with handpicked local activities and unique travel experiences suggested for each of the five most common types of tourist. Just tell us which one you are, and we will tell you what the things to do in Athens are, based on your travel habits!
#1 Athens for the History Appreciator
You consider history a form of time travel. You believe that to know a place you must know the past that made it what it is today. You often do some serious reading about the place you’re visiting before you get there. When you’re traveling, museums and walking tours are your bread and butter, your camera is your best friend, and time is your worst enemy - there’s always so much to see! Of course your trip to Greece has been a lifelong dream, and we’re sure it’s not gonna let you down a bit. We also have a feeling you’ll find our tips on how to travel back to ancient Greece particularly useful.
Best Things To Do:
#1 For first-time visitors to Athens, take the “Greek Essentials” tour to explore the best Greek tourist attractions and make sure you don’t miss a single Athens must see.
#2 Discover the enchanting ancient myths behind some of the most notorious landmarks in Greece with a Mythological Tour of Athens.
#3 Join a once-in-a-lifetime experience, an excavation tour in the legendary Marathon.
#2 Athens for the Foodie
Your motto is “food is life”. You believe a country’s culture is encapsulated in its local cuisine, and you always make sure to try all its traditional dishes. You can distinguish touristy food from authentic delicacies, know the Michelin awarded restaurants of your destination, but can also appreciate a bite of original local street food. Food in Athens will be a lifetime experience for you and, even though we know you’re perfectly capable of finding out what the Greek must eats are, our essential Greek foods guide might help you get there faster.
Best Things To Do:
#1 Try authentic Greek delicacies, sweets, spices, and more as this Athens Food Tour takes you around the best neighborhoods, markets, and stores for foodies.
#2 Visit one of the best places to eat in Athens if you like your food fresh: a farm (!) that serves you its products right on the spot and introduces you to wonders of Greek gastronomy!
#3 If you've 'been-there-done-that' join a culinary experience that escapes the ordinary.
#3 Athens for the Art Junkie
Sightseeing tours are okay, but you much prefer to look for rather quirky things to do. Like visiting local neighborhoods to admire the best graffiti in town; or joining in an interactive theatre performance; or visiting the house of your favorite local artist to see where all their amazing work began. Of course, art galleries are also part of the plan. The general point is that art reflects a civilization’s experience and their perception of it - and that’s why you love exploring the local art scene when you travel. We can’t blame you! So instead we will recommend some of the coolest art exhibitions to check out this fall in Athens.
Best Things To Do:
#1 Get a hands-on experience of local photography with a one-day photo workshop.
#2 Try one of the most unique city tours of Athens - a tour that takes you around the best street art spots in town.
#3 Discover the best of Athens' contemporary art and style scene.
#4 Athens for the Nature’s Child
You live for the great outdoors. You like to breathe the fresh air to really feel you’re experiencing your destination because, if the landscape isn’t what makes each place on the map different then what is? For you, adventure tours are always the best tours and you’re not afraid to get your...well, boots dirty, as long as you get to see the rivers, forests, mountains, waterfalls, you-name-its that inspired the local population’s architecture, cuisine, poetry, and culture in general to become what it is. For your upcoming visit to Athens, here’s a guide to the best parks in town, just as an urban escape starter kit before you explore on more adventurous things to do.
Best Things To Do:
#1 Take a hiking day trip up mount Parnassus, and follow a gorge all the way to a 12th century monastery. #2 Combine history with nature in a hiking day trip through Thermopylae, where the Spartans famously battled the Persians or Delphi, the centre of the ancient world.
#3 Experience Athens on an ebike, an alternative off-the-beaten-path sightseeing tour of Athens.
#5 Athens for the Luxury Lover
Vacation is a time for enjoyment, and for you that means living the good life. You like to treat yourself to some fancy food and a bit of local shopping, but you’re also on the lookout for unique experiences with a sophisticated twist - like maybe going to the opera, wine tasting, or even getting a good hammam treatment. Money is not a big issue for you - at least you make sure it won't be during the few days you're on a trip. After all, money is meant to be spent, and you know how to spend it wisely! We’re sure you can find something that catches your eye both in our luxury Athens post and our guide to the best shopping spots in the city.
Best Things To Do:
#1 Get the best and most exclusive of the Greek shopping scene with a Greek designers shopping tour.
#2 Take an expert-led Treasure Trove Tour of Benaki Museum’s 19th century jewelry collection, feel the exhibits in your hands, and let an internationally acclaimed jewelry designer tell you more about the Greek jewelry heritage.
Enjoy!
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