What to See in Athens

— Holds the second largest collection of Cypriot antiquities in the world outside Cyprus, after the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Some of the most popular exhibits include the Cycladic figurines, the idols from Early Bronze Age Cyclades, whose style greatly influenced modernist work in the 20th century, and Cypriot …

This is the largest and most popular of Athens' many museums, and is usually very crowded. Its vast collection includes treasures unearthed from Mycenae by Heinrich Schliemann; a staggering array of sculpture including the earliest known Greek figurines dating from around 2,000 BC; frescoes from the volcanic island of …

Check out the Parliament building and the newly restored Grande Bretagne Hotel. Also, catch the changing of the guards in front of the Parliament every hour on the hour. Their uniforms and walking style is fun to see but make sure you don't stand on the wrong side of them if you want to take a picture.…

Not in Kolonaki, but just across the street, the National War Museum is the only significant surviving public project of the military dictatorship which ruled Greece 1967 - 1974. The museum's displays are old fashioned and biased towards the more successful periods of Greek military history.…

The Vorres Museum is a diachronic museum of folk and contemporary art in Paiania, East Attica, Greece. Its grounds cover 320,000 m2 (80 acres) including several buildings, gardens and courtyards. Its collection includes over 6000 pieces covering 4000 years of Greek history and art.…

The site of the Ancient Agora in a green space with a beautiful view of the Acropolis. You will see the Temple of Hephaestus, the best preserved ancient Greek temple, the Attalos Stoa, the museum of the agora which is a reconstructed ancient building. From the agora you can walk towards Acropolis.…

A 200m hill bordering the Kolonaki district. You can reach the top by walking or by a funicular railway (small charge). There is a cafe-restaurant with a great view of Athens towards the sea.…

— Visit the beautiful Neoclassical main building which houses collections of Greek art, from ancient times through the Byzantine period and the modern state. Open late and for free on Thursday evenings. The museum shop is a good place to buy souvenirs.…

Situations just north of Syntagma Square, the building of the museum is one of the most beautiful in Athens, and was built by Ernst Ziller and was used as the residence in Athens of Schliemann. The collection contains thousands of ancient coins and ancient Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Medieval figurines.

17 Kydathineon. An excellent museum of its type. Too often neglected by visitors to Athens, even though it is in the heavily touristed Plaka neighbourhood. Displays include artefacts, tools, primitive painting, folk pottery and interior decor. It is particularly strong on costume and embroidery.

Situated in the old parliament building on Stadiou Street a little northwest of Sytagma Square, this museum contains a large collection of historic documents such as the first constitution of Greece, furniture, equipment from the revolution. If you are lucky you may see the old session room.

Designed by Swiss star architect Bernard Tschumi at a site south of the Acropolis, this long-overdue replacement for the musty old museum opened in June 2009. Located in Makryanni just below the Acropolis, it's easily accessed from the Acropolis station of the Metro. Entry is €5.

22 Ag. Asomaton & 12 Dipilou Streets – Kerameikos. An excellent collection which anyone interested in Islamic art will want to see. The museum was opened in 2004 as a branch of the Benaki, but is in a different part of town in two connected buildings.

The site of the ancient cemetery of Athens. It also houses the Dipylon Gate, where the Panathenaic procession would begin. It is a museum showcasing many of the grave stele and other archaeological items found on the grounds.

Only the ruins remain today. The column that has fallen and can still be seen on pieces was brought down during a thunderstorm about a century ago. The 1896 Olympic Stadium and Hadrian's Arch are located nearby

On Pireos n° 51, near the Koumoundourou public square. Timetable: Monday - Friday 09:00 to 13:00 and from 17:00 to 21:00. Paintings of Greek painters of the half XX century are displayed.

At the west end of Plaka, houses the Tower of the Winds, an eight sided tower with a different wind deity on each side. Also located here are the remains of ancient shops and a fountain.

12 Theorias & Panos Streets, Plaka. Tues-Sun 08:30-15:00. A small but excellent museum displays artifacts from Mycenean Greece on, and includes some wonderful Persian artifacts.

A nice escape from the city in the foothills of Imitos. Walking trails. There's a functional monastery one can walk in, and several ruined chapels or basilicas up on the walks.

Facing the northern edge of the square, the first and last word in opulence for Athenian accommodation, the result of many a world leader passing through Athens.

— Located just south of Kolonaki proper, this museum exhibits Greek art from the 18th to 20th Centuries as well as some El Greco and Post-Byzantine art.

A low but imposing building erected between 1882 and 1890 by architect Ernst Ziller in the eclectic style of that age, commissioned by King George I.

The stadium that housed the first modern day Olympic Games of 1896. Its an enormous, white, marble stadium, with a horseshoe configuration stadium.

1-3 Dioyenous, Plaka. A very interesting museum which includes exhibits of traditional Greek musical instruments, with recordings of most of them.

Formerly the royal palace, lining the eastern side of the square and guarded by kilted and pom-pommed soldiers - the evzones (ev-zone-ees).

A UNESCO World Heritage site, damaged by an earthquake in 1999 and closed to the public since.

including the historical warships Georgios Averof and Velos

This ancient theatre is still used for concerts and plays.

Turned into a museum housing relics found in the Agora

Another major ancient theatre

5th century BC, at the Agora