I planned a weeklong trip to the Peloponnese. Athens was priority to see all the ancient ruins.

We loved exploring Athens.

We flew into Athens from Thessaloniki on Ryanair.

Where we stayed:

Best Western Hotel Museum that had a lovely breakfast buffet for €8/person. It was plentiful. Best Western Europe is not like Best Western in the USA. They’re really nice in Europe!

After we checked into our hotel and parked our rental van, we set off to explore the city!

We purchased combo tickets for €12 per adult (kids are FREE!) that include all the important sites in Athens.

How the combo ticket works:

You get a ticket strip with one BIG ticket (Acropolis) and 5 small tickets – Ancient Agora, South Slope of Acropolis (2 theatres), Roman Agora, Temple of Zeus, and Kerameikos (cemetery and museum). The tickets are good for 7 days.

Buy the tickets at a smaller attraction like Hadrian’s Library or Temple of Zeus where there are no lines.

Our first stop was Hadrian’s Library.

Ah, how I do love libraries.

The kids were excited to see this column capital up close after studying Greek architecture.

Then, we walked through the Plaka district towards Hadrian’s Arch and the Temple of Zeus.

Gelato helped us on our way.

A gorgeous view of the Acropolis and Hadrian’s Arch from the Temple of Zeus field.

I can only imagine how HUGE the Temple of Zeus must have been.

Day 2

We hiked up to the Acropolis.

We were a little disappointed we couldn’t touch the Parthenon. I want to touch it!

We walked down to see the Ancient Agora.

One of the stoas is recreated as a museum. There are many temples and ruins here.

We walked by the Parliament building to see the changing of the guard.

In the late afternoon, we visited the National Archaeological Museum of Athens.

We loved seeing Agamemnon’s Mask and all the pottery we’d learned about!

Hours:

Mondays: 13:00-20:00

Tuesday-Sunday: 09:00-16:00

Tickets:

€7 for adults and kids are FREE!

Day 3

We drove back in from Kalamata to stay in Athens before flying to Thessaloniki.

The last afternoon of our Peloponnese tour, we visited the Acropolis Museum. I’m so glad we didn’t miss this!

Photography is only allowed at a few exhibits.

The upper level is a recreation of the Parthenon. Breathtaking.

General admission is €5.

April to October:

Mondays 0800-1600

Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays 0800-2000

Fridays 0800-2200

Saturdays and Sundays 0800-2000

November to March:

Monday through Thursday 0800-1700

Fridays 0800-2200

Saturdays and Sundays 0800-2000

We loved Athens – the food, the people, the sites. It’s a charming city.

Check out our Eating Through Greece post too!

View our MAP of where we ate in Greece!

Check out our whole Greece itinerary here.