A Big Greekend in Athens

The saying goes ‘go big or go home’ so we can’t think of a better place to start your big fat Greekend than the Acropolis. The greatest symbol of Ancient Greece’s glory, its monuments and sanctuaries stand sentinel over the city – visible from almost any part of it. Its history spans 3,300 years, during which it became a religious sanctuary (in the fifth century BC), a site of rebellion (in 1687) and a UNESCO World Heritage site (exactly 300 years later). Continue your history lesson at the Temple of Olympian Zeus and the Ancient Agora, where Socrates expounded his initial philosophies. Athens is much more than ancient history though. Start the evening at one of the city’s unassuming yet well-stocked wine bars and grab a bite at a neighbourhood taverna before dancing the night away – the Mediterranean way – at Crust, Athens’ best kept clubbing secret hidden in the basement of a pizza joint.

Start the day like an Athenian local – at a kafeneion (Greek café). Watch the world go by on stone-paved streets in the picture-perfect Plaka neighbourhood and fill your boots on ibrik (Greek coffee) before embarking on a half-day alternative Athens tour. Catch the changing of the guard at the Hellenic Parliament in Syntagma Square, check out galleries such as The Breeder and the National Museum of Contemporary Art and rummage for hidden gems at the Monastiraki Flea Market. If you’re after a good sunset spot, take your pick between Filopappou Hill and Hill of the Pnyx. Studded with small ruins, stone paths and speakers’ steps, they are often empty leaving you to watch the city slip into its evening slumber in total silence. Before falling into bed, we recommend stopping for some loukoumadhes (fried dough lathered in honey and cinnamon) on your way back. We promise you won’t regret it.