Athens in One Day: A Walking Route Through the Centre, Filmed Step by Step

Central Athens is small. The Acropolis, the old market streets and the main squares sit within roughly two kilometres of each other, and almost everything on this route is walkable. We've filmed every section of it at different times of year, so you can see exactly what each stretch looks like before you go.

Morning: Thiseio to Monastiraki

Start at Thiseio, on the pedestrian promenade below the Acropolis. On a weekend morning it is one of the calmest places in the centre: cafés opening, joggers, and the Temple of Hephaestus above the Ancient Agora, one of the best-preserved ancient Greek temples anywhere. From there it is about two kilometres along the promenade to Monastiraki Square. Our Sunday morning walk from Thiseio covers exactly this stretch.

Monastiraki is where the city gets loud. The square is framed by the Tzistarakis Mosque and the small Pantanassa church, with the Acropolis rising behind the rooftops. Our Monastiraki live cam shows the square in real time from above. Just off the square, the flea market streets run west: souvenirs and leather goods first, then second-hand and antique stalls further in.

Late morning: the Acropolis

Go up before the midday heat, and book ahead: entry uses timed one-hour slots, and a standard ticket is now €30 all year, with no winter discount any more (what changed). Our Parthenon and Acropolis walk follows the route from the main entrance past the Theatre of Dionysus and up to the summit, so you'll know the climb before you do it.

Afternoon: Plaka and Ermou

Come down into Plaka, often called the oldest neighbourhood in Athens: narrow streets, restaurant terraces and ancient ruins between the houses. Our Plaka walk runs from the Temple of Olympian Zeus to the Roman Agora. From there, head for the Metropolitan Cathedral and on to Ermou Street, the city's main pedestrian shopping street, as in our winter walk from Monastiraki. Halfway along Ermou, the tiny Byzantine church of Panagia Kapnikarea sits in the middle of the street, with the shops flowing around it.

Syntagma and the Parliament

Ermou ends at Syntagma Square, opposite the Greek Parliament. The Evzones guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier changes every hour on the hour, and it's worth timing your arrival for it. Our Syntagma Square live view shows the square, the Parliament and the Hotel Grande Bretagne in real time. For a live look at all three main squares at once, Syntagma, Monastiraki and Omonia, see the three-squares cam.

Evening: Lycabettus for sunset

Lycabettus Hill is the highest point in central Athens, and the best place to watch the city turn gold. Our Lycabettus sunset panorama shows the view you're walking up for. If you have the energy, our walk from Lycabettus to the Panathenaic Stadium continues down through Kolonaki to the marble stadium of the first modern Olympics in 1896: 3.7 km, about 40 minutes.

Night: back to Ermou and Monastiraki

After dark the centre is busier, not quieter. Our night walk from Syntagma along Ermou shows the evening crowds, street food and cafés, and the November night walk starts at a viewpoint with the Parthenon lit up above Monastiraki.

If you have a second day

• Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center: a park, a canal and modern architecture by the sea.
• Piraeus and Pasalimani marina: the port side of Athens.
• National Archaeological Museum: the country's largest collection of ancient Greek art.

All our Athens videos are on the Athens city page.