Athens

Many people treat Athens as a stopover – a port city to visit en route to one of the countless islands set like gemstones in the glittering Aegean Sea. But with its medley of past and present, east and west, Athens is enchanting to explore in its own right.

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Today the city is a vibrant cultural capital with a frenetic but charming character, and despite moments of turmoil in the past two decades it has remained lively and liveable. Stray cats still loll about on the sun-dappled ruins and you’ll need to keep your wits about you while crossing the bustling streets and humming avenues – but there are also signs of fresh investment and touches of elegance.

Independent shops, bars and restaurants have cropped up across town and restored neoclassical mansions have been joined by a new generation of boutique hotels in up-and-coming neighbourhoods. You’ll have no trouble adopting the Athenians’ characteristic leisurely lifestyle as it is everywhere on display: residents sip freddo espresso alfresco and enjoy long lunches in the shade of bitter-orange trees as the sound of dice on tavli boards rings across the cobbles.

This guide was updated on 2 April 2026

Read next:

• Not your typical Greek villas: The coastal residences mixing art and architecture
• Athens’ creative renaissance: Makers, designers and shopkeepers to know
• A roadtrip through the Peloponnese: Greece’s rugged, scenic heartland

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